The Bat is one of the best and most enjoyable examples of the popular old dark house genre. A stylish combination of laughs and thrills, Mary Roberts Rinehart’s classic had thrilled audiences on stage before it came to the screen in 1926. Director Roland West was a master visual stylist with a penchant for the macabre. In The Bat he expertly manipulated light and shadow, and assembled a top-notch production crew that included expert art direction by William Cameron Menzies, and stunning photography by Arthur Edeson and Gregg Toland. The cast, which includes Louise Fazenda, Jack Pickford, Jewel Carmen and Arthur Housman, deftly support the ominous mood while providing plenty of amusement. A hit when it opened, the film was also influential, as the masked figure of the master criminal The Bat had a profound effect on the young Bob Kane, who cited this film and its sound remake as one of his main inspirations for the creation of Batman.
The Bat is presented in a new 2K digital restoration by Undercrank Productions from 35mm film elements preserved by UCLA Film & Television Archive, and features a new musical score by Ben Model. Also included are the 1926 comedy two-reeler A Fraternity Mixup, and a short documentary on the life and career of director Roland West.
The Bat (1926) – 86 mins
Special Features:
A Fraternity Mix-Up (1926) – 18 mins
Roland West: Cinematic Man of Mystery (2024) – 9 mins
Format: Blu-ray / DVD
113 mins ● B&W/tinted ● Silent with score (stereo) ● 1:33:1 aspect ratio ● Not Rated ● Region ABC (all-regions) for Blu-ray ● NTSC Region free for DVD
An Undercrank Productions/UCLA Film & Television Archive release. Produced for home video by Ben Model.
Associate Producer: Crystal Kui.
Release date: October 15, 2024
Available at:
Reviews
“Like so many silents, The Bat was very nearly lost, was rescued from oblivion in the nick of time, and has been restored to view in near-pristine condition courtesy of stellar preservation work.”
—J. B. Kaufman
“The Bat is an impressive-looking crime thriller that offers some fine performances. It may be mostly overlooked today, partially because it’s not been readily available on home video, but for silent film fans and horror fans alike, it’s one to seek out…Highly recommended.”
—Tim Salmons, The Digital Bits