EVILENKO (2003) (Unearthed Filmed Limited Collector's Edition 4k Ultra HD Review + Blu-ray Screenshots )

EVILENKO (2003) 

Limited Collector's Edition 

4k Ultra HD + Blu-ray

Label: Unearthed Films

Region Code: Region-Free (4K Ultra HD), A (Blu-ray)

Rating: Unrated 

Duration: 117 Minutes 54 Minutes 

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: HDR 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: David Grieco

Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Marton Csokas, Ronald Pickup

Evilenko (2003), directed by David Grieco who also wriote the book it's based on, which itself was based on the shocking true story of the former Soviet Union's most notorious serial killer, the Ukrainian-born Andrei Chikatilo who raped, mutilated and murder 56 women and children between 1978-1990. In it Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange), plays the titular character who is based on Andrei, who at the start of the film is a deeply pro-communist schoolteacher, but he is fired from his job after attacking a young girl in his classroom. He is then hired on by highly placed communist sympathizer, working as a magistrate. He's married but admits to living a sexless life, and is a odd person all the way around, with weird mannerism, strange gate and posture, and who seems to wield some form of hypnotic hold on his victims, which allows him to get the upper hand on them. 

I will admit I was thankful that the violence against the children is not the focus of the film, it's an exploitation film for sure but not gore-filled with scenes of children in peril, it's more of a morose and grim character study of the man, with the violence mostly hinted at and alluded to. I don't really need to see any kids murdered or eaten to be honest, and as I said, thankfully it does not cross that line. It does however feature McDowell as Evilenko interacting creepily with kids, engaging them in a sexual manner, his member exposed just off screen as he tells a young school girl to touch it to see how special it is, which is totally skin-crawling and gross. 

A pro-communist Detective Lesiev (Marton Csokas, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy) is assigned to the case, he's driven by the fact that the perp is a child killer, and he has a young girl of his own. He enlists the help of a one-time suspect in the crimes, a homosexual psychiatric profiler Aron Richter (Ronald Pickup, The Chronicles of Narnia), who narrows down the list of suspects in a matter of weeks what the cops could not do in years, but in the end he gets too close, though his own doom means one of Evilenko's would-be victims actually survives. 

Evilenko's murderous-cannibal impulse seem to have been unleashed by the crumbling of the former Soviet Union post Gorbachev, something that the old school Soviet Communist refuses to accept with any grace. It's quite an intriguing portrayal, McDowell chewing up the scenery, but not chewing it up too much, he reigns it in, and it ends up being quite a robust and repulsive turn from him, and the interrogation scene between Evilenko and Detective Lesiev is chilling and quite gripping.   

Shot in and around the city of Kyiv in Ukraine the film features some a grim and moody locations with imposing Soviet structures that make a great backdrop to the repulsive happenings. The film also benefits from an atmospheric synth score by Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks) that is at times oddly beautiful in contrast to the grim film itself.

I would say this is a bit of hidden gem when it comes to serial killer flicks, so much so that before Unearthed Films announced it I'd, one, never heard of the film, and two, was unaware of  the real-life crimes of Andrei Chikatilo. Not that I am a huge serial killer aficionado or anything, I am not, but just being a horror fan usually brings this sort of dark and macabre characters to the forefront, especially since it stars Malcolm McDowell, but somehow this was never previously on my radar, so kudos to Unearthed for bringing this nightmare fuel to attention, something they seem to specialize in. 

Audio/Video:  The film arrives on 4K Ultra HD from Unearthed Films with a 4K restoration of the original camera negative presented in its original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio in 2160p Ultra HD with the added benefit of WGC HDR color-grade. Th source is in great shape, colors look accurate, and depth and clarity look terrific, especially compared to what looks like SD DVD footage found in the extras and trailers. Audio comes by way of English ZDTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with optional English subtitles. I did not find this to be the most immersive surround track, it's very heavy on dialogue, but occasionally there's some nice use of the discreet tracks that add to the experience, and the score by Badalamenti benefits the most from the surround track.  

The only extra on the 4K Ultra HD is a brand new Audio Commentary with writer/director David Grieco and actor Malcolm McDowell, which is great as the pair of friends reminisce about the production, the cast, the locations, and much more. The rest of the extras, which are all archival, including the same commentary are found on disc 2, the Blu-ray, alongside a 1080p version of the film without the HDR. 

There you will find 81 Minutes of Cast and Crew Interviews, these include writer/director David Grieco, actors Malcolm McDowell, Igor Ciszkewycz, Marton Csokas, Ronald Pickup, Dorector of photography Fabio Zamarion, make-up artist Alessandro Bertolazzi, scene photographer Fabian Cevallos, composer Angelo Badalamenti, producer Mario Cotone, costumers Agata Cannizzaro & Benedicta Baiocchi. There's also the 27-min Evilenko Dossier: Andrei Chikatilo; a look at the real-life basis for the character, including footage of him in teh courtroom on trial. It really gives you a peek at just how weird and off-putting he was, and of the outpouring of grief of the families of the victims. Additionally we get a 69-min David Grieco and Malcolm McDowell on 'Evilenko' Interview from 2021 conducted via video chat. Disc extras are finished-up with a 39-sec Photo Gallery and the 2-min Original Trailer. 

The 2-disc 4K UHD/BD arrives in a dual-hub black keepcase with a single-sided sleeve of artwork, plus a Slipcover featuring the same artwork, limited to the first-pressing only. 

Special Features: 
Disc One – Feature (4K Ultra HD)
- NEW! 4K restoration of the original camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR
- NEW! 2024 Audio Commentary with writer/director David Grieco and actor Malcolm McDowell
Disc 2 – Feature + Extras (Blu-ray)
- NEW! 4K restoration of the original camera negative by Unearthed Films presented in 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio
- NEW! 2024 Audio Commentary with writer/director David Grieco and actor Malcolm McDowell
- An 81 minute cast and crew interview collection including writer/director David Grieco, actors Malcolm McDowell, Igor Ciszkewycz, Marton Csokas, Ronald Pickup, Dorector of photography Fabio Zamarion, make-up artist Alessandro Bertolazzi, scene photographer Fabian Cevallos, composer Angelo Badalamenti, producer Mario Cotone, costumers Agata Cannizzaro & Benedicta Baiocchi (81:10) 
- 'Evilenko Dossier: Andrei Chikatilo' A 27 minute look at the real-life basis for the character of Evilenko (27:00) 
- David Grieco and Malcolm McDowell on 'Evilenko' A 69 Minute interview from 2021 (69:22)
- Photo Gallery (0:39)
- Original Trailer (2:00) 

- Slipcover (First-Pressing Only) 

The 2-disc 4K UHD/BD from Unearthed Films looks and sounds terrific, the archival extras are bountidul, and the packaging with the slipcover looks terrific. If your a serial killer and macabre character study cinema fan this is probably going to get your juices flowing, I might even say it features one of my favorite latter day perfromances from McDowell, far surpassing stuff like his turn as Dr. Loomis in  Rob Zombie's Halloween films or the Santa-slasher Silent Night, which just feature him turned-up to 10 - but with little to no nuance, here he is chewing it up, by he's taking the time to savor the flavor of the grotesque character, he seems to actually give a shit, and that has not always been the case with McDowell this century. 

Screenshots from the Unearthed Films Blu-ray: 

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