Product guide

Criterion Collection Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku DVD

Criterion Collection Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku brings together four Japanese horror and science-fiction films from the late 1960s on four DVDs. The set pairs colorful monster and disaster stories with the black-and-white ghost film The Living Skeleton, with Japanese audio and English subtitles listed.

At a glance

Four Shochiku genre films from 1967 and 1968: The X from Outer Space, Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell, The Living Skeleton, and Genocide.
The films span giant-monster science fiction, alien possession, a black-and-white ghost story, and insect-themed disaster horror.
The set lists Japanese mono audio and English subtitles, with both color and black-and-white presentation.

Price

$29.98Save 50%

Reference price: ~~$59.95~~

Price checked: Nov 14, 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

Four distinct films make this a focused collection of Shochiku's brief late-1960s horror and science-fiction period.
The mix of color genre pictures and black-and-white cinematography offers visual variety across the set.
English subtitles are listed for the Japanese-language films.

Cons

The films are presented on DVD in NTSC format, rather than a higher-definition format.
The set's campy, low-budget genre style may suit viewers seeking playful vintage horror more than consistently frightening stories.

Technical specifications

16 specifications

Collection and format
Series	Eclipse Series 37: When Horror Came to Shochiku
Format	Anamorphic, Black & White, Box set, Color, Multiple Formats, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Disc count	4
Total runtime	5 hours and 36 minutes
Language	Japanese (Mono)
Subtitles	English
Genre	Horror
MPAA rating	NR (Not Rated)
Release date	November 20, 2012
Item model number	CRRN166DVD

Films in the set
The X from Outer Space runtime	88 minutes
The X from Outer Space format	Color
Goke, Body Snatcher from Hell runtime	84 minutes
The Living Skeleton runtime	80 minutes
The Living Skeleton format	Black & White

Dimensions and installation
Dimensions listed	0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 11.2 ounces

What to know before buying

Listing details to confirm

The listing gives a total runtime of 5 hours and 36 minutes, while its individual film runtimes add up to 5 hours and 36 minutes. It describes the release as four DVDs, with Japanese audio and English subtitles.

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Collectors of Criterion Eclipse DVD sets and vintage Japanese horror or science fiction.
Viewers interested in campy monster films, alien stories, black-and-white ghost tales, and unusual disaster scenarios.
Buyers looking for a four-film set with Japanese audio and English subtitles.

Less suited to

Viewers looking specifically for Blu-ray or modern high-definition presentation.
Anyone expecting all four films to be straightforward or consistently scary horror.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.5 / 5 · 83 ratings

5 stars78%78%
4 stars7%7%
3 stars8%8%
2 stars0%0%
1 star7%7%

Customer feedback describes the films as entertaining, with a campy tone that some find more amusing than frightening. Positive remarks also mention the collection, the black-and-white cinematography, and the subtitles. That response may matter to viewers choosing between knowingly offbeat vintage genre films and more conventional scares. The aggregate ratings lean positive, but do not establish why individual customers rated the set as they did.