SUSPIRIA (1977) (Synapse Blu-ray Review)

SUSPIRIA (1977)

2-Disc Blu-ray Edition

Label: Synapse Films
Duration: 98 minutes
Region Code: A
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.39:1)
Audio: Italian DTS-HD MA Surround 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 4.0 LCRS Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Director: Dario Argento
Cast: Jessica Harper, Joan Bennett, Alida Valli, Udo Kier, Barbara Magnolfi, Stefania Casini

Suspiria (1977) is a surreal masterpiece of 70's Italian horror cinema, the penultimate achievement by director Dario Argento which has weathered the past 40 years with a supernatural grace rarely afforded genre cinema, from the first frame to the last each image is lensed with a painterly vision, drenched in dread and skin-crawling atmosphere, it's the kind of tension filled horror that leaves a lasting impression and one that is not easily forgotten.

The story is a dark fairy tale, an American ballet student Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper, Phantom of the Paradise) arrives late one night in Frieburg, Germany to attend a prestigious dance academy run by Madame Blanc (Joan Bennet, Dark Shadows). Upon arriving at the school she witnesses Pat (Eva Axen), a young woman fleeing the academy, she bursts out the front door and utters a few near incomprehensible words to a person unseen inside, then frantically escapes down a path through a nearby wooded area in the pouring rain. Suzy herself is unable to gain entrance to the academy at this late hour and takes a taxi back into town, we then continue to follow Pat into town where she winds up at the apartment of a friend. While settling in for the night and drying her hair she stares out the window of the apartment and is startled by two burning eyes peering back at her through the darkness, just then a hairy arm breaks through the window pane and stabs her repeatedly, it's an extremely tense and gripping moment, the Goblin score is overpowering, every time I watch the scene my heart begins beating right out of my chest, this happens every time I watch it. After hearing the commotion through the door her friend is unable to help her friend and flees downstairs, as she runs across the lobby to the front door she is horrified as Pat's corpse crashes though a stunning stained-glass ceiling with a noose around her neck, and the friend is fatally impaled by falling shards of glass. Not to overstate it, but this is one of the greatest horror openings ever! We are just barely a few minutes into the film and it's already built up to an nerve-shattering crescendo and we only just getting started!

These opening scenes are overwhelming to the senses, loaded  with lush, vibrant primary colors, the lighting is heightened, unnatural and fantastical, immediately we are aware of it's nightmarish quality, setting the stage for something extraordinary. The architecture and set design are key aspects of the visuals, when Suzy arrives outside the academy during the torrential downpour we are struck by how vibrantly red and gold-trimmed the exteriors are, there's a weird and wonderful symmetry to the architecture of the school, it's peculiar stuff and is purely cinematic, I love what appears to be the crushed blue velvet walls of  the academy. 

The next day Suzy, unaware of the bizarre events from the night before, returns to the academy and is introduced to Madame Blanc and the stern dance instructor Miss Tanner (Alida Valli, Eyes Without a Face) and quickly meets Sarah (Stefani Casini, Bloodstained Shadow) a student who was previously friends with the unfortunate Pat. At first Suzy insists on living off campus but before she can leave the school she becomes dizzy and disoriented after a strange encounter with the school's lunch lady. Fallen ill she remains at the school where a doctor prescribes to her a bland diet of food and a daily glass of wine, she winds up sharing a room with Sarah who in turn tells her strange stories about her former roommate Pat and the weird things she spoke of before she mysteriously disappeared into the night.

There's a odd air about the academy, it feels weird and it turns out Pat's not the only student to have gone missing. Suzy quickly begins to suspect that something not quite right is happening at the school, it's with these fears that she meets with Sarah's friend Dr. Mandel (the always odd Udo Kier, My Own Private Idaho) who further informs her of the schools dark history, it having been founded by the mysterious Helen Markos, a suspected witch known as the Mater Suspiriorum, the Mother of Sighs. With this information she returns to the academy, continuing the great Argento tradition of our protagonist recalling something overheard or seen earlier but not-quite-comprehended till later which proves key to the mystery, she investigates further leading to a wonderfully fantastic and fiery crescendo to an altogether stunning supernatural thriller.


More so than any other film I've ever seen Suspiria benefits heavily from the intense atmosphere and dread created by the conjoining of Argento's painterly lensing, courtesy of cinematographer Luciano Tovoli  (Titus), and Goblin's haunting, bewitching and pulse-pounding score. I think there's little doubt this would be a lesser movie without the score and visuals melding, the two are melded together seamlessly, to watch the film without the score would be strange, but I will say that the score stands on it's own. At some points the score actually drowns out dialogue, as a purely cinematic experience separate from narrative it's completely successful, Suspiria is a film that does not rely on a linear narrative and plot to accomplish what Argento set out to do, make a frightful, arthouse fairy tale for the ages, it's startling today so it must have been a revelation back in '77!

Audio/Video: Suspiria (1977) arrives on Blu-ray from Synapse Films, this is the a the same 4K restoration from the original camera negative with color correction supervised by the original cinematographer that appeared on the limited edition Steelbook, and apparently this is the only version of the film on home video to have the Tovoli seal of approval, and it shows in every frame, this thing is impressive! Notably this is not the TLE restoration that seems to have been used for most of the current crop of Blu-rays of the film, including the new 40th Anniversary version from Umbrella Entertainment, a version I own and love, which has some great extras, including three feature length Argento docs. The colors of this new 4K restoration are extremely deep and vibrant, the colors are saturated and rich in texture, notably not as overly bright as past version were, and the issues with bleeding colors and pinkish looking red has been eradicated.

Audio on the disc includes a robust sounding Italian DTS-HD MA Surround 5.1 track, but the revelatory audio option is the English DTS-HD Master 4.0 LCRS sound mix not heard since its theatrical release in '77, mixed with the amazing visuals it's like watching/hearing the movie for the very first time, with newly-translated optional English SDH subtitles. The phenomenal Goblin score is both deeply haunting and nerve-shattering in equal measures, and sounds exquisite with the 4.0 mix.

Looking at the extras we begin with two brand new audio commentaries recorded excursively for Synapse Films, one with author Troy Howarth who always gives great commentary, and a second with film historians Derek Botelho and David Del Valle and Troy Howarth who dive deep into the film for some enticing conversation, fans of the film should love it. We also get a 30-minute video essay about the film,  A German filming location then and now comparison, a 27-min making of retrospective/appreciation,  a 17-min interview with actress Barbara Magnolfi. Rounding out the extras we get a great selection of trailers, TV spots, and radio spots for the film adding up to about 10-min.

The 2-disc release comes housed in a standard Blu-ray keepcase with a sleeve of reversible artwork, the classic artwork and then we get a very cool new illustration from artists Joel Robinson, a very moody purple and red themed design that captures a lot of iconic moments from the film. The discs are the same exact discs as the limited edition steelbook from Synapse minus the soundtrack CD, and of course all the sweet packaging extras they included, the booklet, the slipcover (o-card) - it's all so glorious, but this edition is a great alternative for those who couldn't/wouldn't splurge on the deluxe edition. 

Special Features:

Reversible Artwork 

- A new 4K restoration of the original uncut, uncensored Italian 35mm camera negative exclusively done by Synapse Films, with color correction supervised and approved by SUSPIRIA Director of Photography, Luciano Tovoli.
- Original 4.0 1977 English language LCRS sound mix not heard since the theatrical release in 1977, presented in high-resolution DTS-HD MA 96kHz/24-bit audio, with newly-translated removable English SDH subtitles.
- Italian 5.1 surround mix, with removable English subtitle translation.
- Audio Commentary by Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films 
- Audio Commentary by Derek Botelho and David Del Valle 
- Do You Know Anything About Witches? - 30 minute SUSPIRIA visual essay written, edited and narrated by Michael Mackenzie. (30 min) 
- Suzy in Nazi Germany - Featurette on the German locations from SUSPIRIA. (8 min) 
- A Sigh from the Depths: 40 Years of SUSPIRIA - All-new anniversary retrospective on the making of the film and its influence on cinema. (27 min) 
- Olga's Story - Interview with star Barbara Magnolfi. (17 min)
- "International Classics" English "Breathing Letters" opening credit sequence from U.S. release. (2 min) 
- Alternate All-English opening and closing credits sequences, playable via seamless branching.
- Original theatrical trailers (4 min) 
- TV spots (2 min)
- Radio spots (2 min) 
- Reversible Cover Art created by Joel Robinson.

Suspiria (1977) is my easily my favorite horror movie of all time, I own numerous editions of it on Blu-ray, but the Synapse 4K restoration is THE definitive edition to date, Synapse put a lot of love into this 4K restoration, and it's the only one approved by cinematographer Tovoli, and that makes a huge difference. I honestly prefer this artwork to the Steelbook design, and even if you're a purist you can just flip it over and enjoy the bloody ballerina artwork, great to see it getting a wide release, buy it with confidence, the movie is a classic and this version is phenomenal. This release is also available in an even less expensive single-disc version minus most of the extras.  

THE EDITOR (2014) (Scream Factory Blu-ray Review)

THE EDITOR (2014) 

Label: Scream Factory

Release Date: September 8th 2015

Region Code: A

Duration: 95 Minutes

Rating: Unrated

Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.35:1)

Director: Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy

Cast: Laurence R. Harvey, Tristan Risk, Udo Kier, Matthew Kennedy, Paz de la Huerta, Adam Brooks, Jerry Wasserman, Conor Sweeney

Canadian movie-makers Astron-6 have seriously taken their craft of retro horror homage and parody to the next level with this endearing love letter to the classic Italian whodunit films of the '70s with The Editor (2015), a tone perfect send-up riddled with stylish and bloody kills, erotic fun and the scratch your head oddness that made the movies of Argento, Fulci and Martino so damn good, but they do it with their own brand of wink-wink irony firmly intact, making for a fun watch. 

The story concerns a once famous movie editor named Rey Ciso (Adam Brooks) who at one time in the past went a little crazy while editing a movie, in the aftermath his fingers were chopped off and he now wears prosthetic fingers made of wood which are attached to his hand with a strap-harness. After losing full use of his hands he now struggles for work, having been relegated to editing b-movie slasher movies. The movie begins with what seems to me to be an homage to Brian DePalma's Blow Up with a movie within a movie set-up, which is very nicely done, establishing the tone of the movie right from the start. 

Unfortunately the stars of the movie Rey is currently editing are dropping like flies on set, murdered one by one, and Rey's the number one suspect because the victims each have had their fingers cut-off in a way that mirrors his own disfigurement, which is pretty damning. Peter Porfiry (Mathew Kennedy) is on the case as a '70s cop with a glorious moustache and a white-Afro, wearing a turtleneck sweater and a jacket he seems to be channeling a b-movie Donald Sutherland by way of Franco Nero in the Fifth Chord. While Rey is suffering a some sort of mental breakdown Porfiry also struggles with own psycho-sexual madness, both men are on the edge and in search of who the movie star murderer might be.

Astron-6 have really stacked the deck with familiar faces this time around with appearances from Eurocult icon Udo Kier (Mark of the devil) as Dr. Casino, bug-eyed Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede 2) as Father Clarke, sultry Paz de la Huerta (Nurse) as Rey's long-suffering wife and many familiar faces from the Aston-6 crew including the clearly well-hung Connor Sweeney as a vain, horny and possibly murderous actor ...is there any other sort? 

The tone and atmosphere of the movie is spot on beginning with the Argento-ish candy-colored lighting favoring red and blue tinting and an amazing Giallo score with a main title theme composed by none other than Claudio Simonetti of prog-rockers Goblin, who scored many of the most memorable Italian movies during the '70s and '80s including Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria and Deep Red, among many others.

The kills are glorious and very bloody, they didn't skimp on any of it the gruesome stuff, with numerous sweet throat slashings, grisly finger choppings, a chainsaw through the torso, and an unfortunate ax to the face, the gore hounds will not be disappointed. There's also a maddening sort of insanity at play throughout, with a hallucinatory "negaverse" complete with floating eels that brought to mind Stuart Gordon's From Beyond. There's even a bit of David Cronenberg's Videodrome thrown in for good measure, this one has a little bit of everything thrown into it. 

What I loved about it is you can enjoy the movie just as a slasher-style parody but if you're a true fan of vintage Italian whodunits there are loads of fun nuggets tucked away in each scene with multiple references to the films of Lucio Fulci, Dario Argento and Sergio Martino among others, you can enjoy it as a send-up or as an homage, but what's great about it is you need you not be steeped in the Italian movies to enjoy it, but if you are will enjoy it on a whole other level. 

Audio/Video: Astron-6's The Editor arrives on Blu-ray from Scream Factory framed in the original scope aspect ratio (2.35:1) and looking good, a candy-colored whodunit with the moody lava lamp lighting which looks fantastic in HD. Audio options include choice of English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround or DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo, the surround is awesome, the score is spot-on and sounds great, the post-dubbed English audio sounds appropriately hokey by design and totally puts you in the mind of an authentic dubbed '70s slice of cult cinema. 

Onto the extras we begin with a fun Audio Commentary with Adam Brooks, Connor Sweeney and Matt Kennedy, with the Astron-6  guys in fine form speaking about the making of the movie with a blend of low-budget movie insights and comic relief as they point out anachronistic goofs and various trials and tribulations they encountered during the production. Surprisingly they do not point out many of the movies they're referencing, which I would have enjoyed. 

There's a 50-minute "Making Movies Use to Be Fun" making of doc that is mighty thorough and if you're an indie filmmaker there's probably a lot to learn here, such as sometimes the professionals you hire are not exactly professionals and may just be lying to get the job. we have input from Graham Humphrey's about creating the carious posters he created for use in the film, the special effects team and interviews with cast and crew, a lot of it very funny and some of more serious,  like when they realize they've spent most of the money budgeted for the movie and have only completed roughly 20% of the film. 

A brief seven-minute interview with composers Norman Orenstein and Trevor Tuminski of Hook Lab who speak about comprising the score, it's a dryly comic and brought to mind something along the lines of Spinal Tap, fun stuff. The six-minute Brett Parson Poster Interview is another humorous one, as the artists sits in a lawn chair outside in the snow drinking a beer, recounting the tale of how he came across a machine that draws the image in your mind for you, complete with flashback sequences and an eerie score to accompany the story. 

In keeping with the goofy extras we have an Astron-6 Film Festival Introduction, a pre-recorded message for festival fans with a generic Troma-esque blank spot with an "insert festival name here' type gag. The last of the extras are finished-up with four deleted scenes adding up to about six-minutes total in various stages of completion. Separate from the disc we have a sleeve of reversible artwork featuring the gut-projector option which is also featured on the slipcover, plus an alternate option featuring the awesome Graham Humphrey artwork


Special  Features
- Audio Commentary With Adam Brooks, Connor Sweeney And Matt Kennedy
- Making Movies Used To Be Fun - Making-Of Documentary (51 Mins) 
- Hook Lab Interview (7 Mins)
- Brett Parson Poster Interview (6 Mins)
- Astron-6 Film Festival Introduction (2 Mins)
- Four Deleted Scenes (6 Mins) 

There are a number of recent Giallo homages out there right now worth a watch, The Strange Color of Your Bodies Tears and Berberian Sound Studio come immediately to mind, but Astron-6's The Editor is the best of the bunch in my opinion, a tone-perfect love letter to the Italian movies from the '70s and '80s loaded with nudity, gore and that strange Eurocult aesthetic, plus a healthy dose of Astron-6 retro-horror awesomeness, this has loads of re watch value, watched it twice this past week and it only got better. The Editor chis comes highly recommend and is sure to be on my best of 2015 wrap-up. 4/5 

Blu-ray Review: HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976)

HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976) 
3-Disc Limited Edition Blu-ray + DVD Combo 

Label: Severin Films

Region Code: Region-FREE
Rating: Unrated 
Duration: 84 Minutes 
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono
Video: 1080p Widescreen (1.77:1) 

Director: James Kenelm Clarke
Cast: Udo Kier, Linda Hayden, Fiona Richmond
Tagline: Nothing, but nothing, is left to the imagination!

The Brit revenge-shocker and Video Nasty HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976) features the always creepy Udo Kier (Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA) as paranoid novelist Paul Martin, the writer is holed-up at a secluded English cottage working on his second novel coming off a super successful debut novel. Paul's  but having a bit of difficulty putting pen to paper on his sophomore effort, it's the standard issue sophomore slump with a twist of plagiarism, that's when we catch up with him. we start off nice n' sleazy as Peter dons latex gloves and does the nasty with his girlfriend Suzanne (Fiona Richmond, LET'S GET LAID), and this is the most overwrought and exaggerated fucking I've seen on screen in a good long while - and I've seen Halle Berry's Oscar-winning orgasm in Monster's Ball (2001) - it's quite a sight, truly some campy cult cinema goodness right here - and this is just the first of three sex scenes with her so prepare yourself for sum hilarious gyrating and caterwauling!

The overwrought sex with the vixen proves to be an unwanted distraction for Peter, he sends Suzanne away and brings in the super-cute blond secretary Linda (Linda Hayden, BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW) to take dictation ..if you know what I mean. It a decent arrangement and the two get right to work on the book, it's not until Linda situates herself in her room that things get a bit weird, or at least weirder. During the earlier sex scene we see that Peter is haunted by nightmares of death, and it's Udo Kier so he just seems unnaturally creepy in every movie, he's a lot like Klaus Kinski in that respect, always a bit suspect and a lot weird.

Anyway, as Linda unpacks in her room she lays on the bed and masturbates for a bit, let the lurid voyeurism wash over you, Hayden's soft features and nubile flesh are very easy on the eyes. Satisfied with the accommodations and a quick wank she's back at work but it's not very long before she takes a stroll into the fields nearby for yet another exploration of her softer bits and before you can say take it off she's being raped at gunpoint by two youths, one rapes her she starts seductively stroking the barrel of the shotgun the other has pointed at her face, very weird, somehow she gets the upper hand and the two rapists have the gun turned on them, presumably dead. It's a very odd scenario and honestly the film is not overly concerned with making a ton of sense, but the main story itself is a pretty decent revenge-shocker cum erotic-thriller with some great atmosphere, and a lot of sleazy sex!

Steve Gray's minimalist score accentuates the slow burning atmosphere, at only 84 minutes the film does not drag in the least, the weirdness, sex and bloody deaths come at a steady clip once Linda arrives at the house, the deaths themselves are not gory but decently executed with an abundance of blood. Even if the wounds themselves amount to little more than what appear to be paper cuts the Kensington gore flows deep and red! Suzanne's death appears to be a bit of a nod to Hitchcock's most famous of deaths but what shower scene post-Psycho (1960) isn't.

The shocker finale worked for me, when things erupts into a pandemonium of violence and certain truths are revealed I was quite satisfied. The high and lows of the movie, on the high end we have a very simple and effective revenge plot, plus decent atmosphere and visuals. Add to that the super-cute Linda Hayden and 70's softcore vamp Fiona Richardson in ample scenes of nudity, which is fantastic, on the downside Fiona Richardson speaks from time to time and her sex scenes are dementedly campy and overwrought. Not sure if it was the rural setting or the rape scene but I was reminded a bit of Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dog (1971) in a good way while watching this, I really enjoyed it. 

Blu-ray: Severin Films present the Video Nasty HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (176) totally uncut and uncensored and uncensored for the first time-ever with an AVC encode in 1080p widescreen (1.77:1) on region-FREE Blu-ray. This HD master has a few serious issues which Severin have addressees on a pre-feature text screen, apparently the master was created using three separate film elements, the original negative which suffered water damage and two privately owned 35mm prints which were worn from years of projection, but they managed to stitch together a complete and full uncut presentation, so while the elements have been afforded some restoration they are in rather poor shape, but in the name of film preservation we have the film in it's complete state and on Blu-ray for the first ever, that's no small accomplishment. 

There's no escaping the dirt, numerous vertical scratches, fading, and discoloration - it's pretty easy to spot.  Additionally, the hodgepodge of film elements, which vary greatly in quality, draw attention to themselves. Contrast is off, the darker scenes are murky and color grading and quality of film elements fluctuates oftentimes during the same scene. Occasionally, when the film elements cooperate we get a decent 1080p image with a fair amount of fine detail but overall this is not an ideal 1080p image, but I applaud Severin for bringing this notorious Video Nasty to Blu-ray/DVD uncut, we've seen a similar presentation from 'em with their fantastic release of Eugenio Martin's 70's fright classic HORROR EXPRESS (1972), these cats are a dedicated bunch of cult enthusiasts, love 'em for it.

We have an English language DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 monaural presentation with no subtitle options, like the visual elements the audio's not in great shape but fares better. Dialogue is consistently clear and the effects and Steven Grey's score sound quite nice with th exception of some minor some hiss and distortion. So severe were the elements that Severin considered cancelling the title, deciding eventually to sweeten the deal with the inclusion of a 2-part Video Nasty documentary never released in the US. 

On top of that they've done a decent job with standard issue extras beginning with an Audio Commentary with Director James Kenelm Clarke and Producer Brian Smedley-Aston, the commentary is moderated by by UK horror producer Jonathan Sothcott (DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND, DEAD CERT) and it's loaded with trivia bits and anecdotes beginning with the start-up of Clarke's Norfolk International Pictures and straight into production of the film, and anecdotes about he cast, sets and locations. During the infamous rape scene they're pretty mum and avoid commenting altogether, otherwise it's an entertaining listen, love it when they crack wise during the Kier/Richmond blow job scene, they all seem to be having quite a bit of fun.

Additionally we have a fourteen minute video interview with star Linda Hadyen who positively speaks about her breakthrough role in BABY LOVE (1968), Hammer's TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (1970) and THE BLOOD ON SATAN'S CLAW (1971), with fond remembrances of the charismatic Christopher Lee, Patrick Wymark and working with Vincent Price on the Amicus film MADHOUSE (1974). Surprisingly, she has quite a distaste for HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1970) which she seems to regret making even to this day, she has very little nice to say about her softcore co-star Fiona Richmond and Udo Kier, the latter of whom she at least mentions had a very "filmable face".

Depending on which edition you buy there are a few limited edition extras, the first 3,000 units sold will include a bonus DVD disc which includes the Gregory Daft directed Video Nasty 2-part documentary BAN THE SADIST VIDEOS (2005) which sees it's first ever release here in the US. The informative doc delves into the Mary Whitehouse's moral crusade to ban and censor violent videos that eventually led to the modern version BBFC and decades of ridiculous censorship in the UK. Part 2 of the doc delves into the shocking and heinous 1993 murder of a 2-year old child named James Bulger in Liverpool, whom was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by two demented 10 year old boys. Opportunistic officials blamed the deaths in part on a viewing of CHILD'S PLAY 3 which re-igniting the flames of the moral crusaders, it's a great watch. There's also a 10 minute featurette examining censorship in the UK in the 2000's, apparently despite the end of James Furman's draconian reign at the BBFC the Brits are still a pretty uptight bunch who continue to censor and ban extreme cinema.

A special incentive for you VHS collector's out there, if you order this edition directly from the Severin Film site you will will receive a strictly limited edition (250) VHS replica of the UK Video Nasty era Intervision release of the film under it's original title EXPOSE. Maybe we're not getting a stunning 1080p edition, but we are getting the best possible version currently available of this sleazy shocker. The feature films and extras are mirrored on the standard-def DVD.

Special Features: 
- Audio Commentary with Director James Kenelm Clarke and Producer Brian Smedley-Aston.
- An Angel for Satan - An Interview with Star Linda Hayden (14:44) 

- Theatrical Trailer (1:27)
- Ban the Sadist Videos Pt. 1 (51:25) *
- Ban the Sadist Videos Pt. 2 Pt. 2 (42:24)*
- Censors Working Overtime - The BBFC in the 21st Century (10:46)*
* Limited Edition Bonus DVD Only available in the first 3,000 Units

Verdict: The notorious HOUSE ON STRAW HILL (1976) is the only Brit-filmed shocker to land on the infamous final 39 Video Nasty list, to this day it remains censored in the UK but Severin have stitched together a fully uncut and uncensored version of the film, this is a fantastic edition and a labor of love for the distributor. Fans of sleazy euro-cult cinema are in for quite a treat with this erotic-shocker, star Linda Hayden is something quite special and this deviant slice of sinful cinema is sure to satisfy your depraved cravings. 4 Outta 5 

ADDITIONAL SCREEN GRABS (from DVD) 

DVD COMPARISON: MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970)

DVD BATTLE:

MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970) 

It's been awhile since we had a DVD comparison up on the site but here we go, this time out it's MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970) with editions from Blue Underground and Cheezy Flicks. .

This is my attempt to guide genre film fans towards the most complete and proper presentations of our favorite films through comparison of special features and audio visual qaulities. I'll make my decision known and why but take a look at what each release offers and make your own decision based on what's important to you as a buyer. Some go for the commentaries and 5.1, others may take a shine to interviews and artwork or just price point. Let's just be thankful that we have choices and that there are niche labels the world around competing for our hard earned dollars because choice is a very good thing indeed.

MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970) 

Label: Blue Underground
Region Code: NTSC 1
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 96 Mins
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Audio: English Dolbu Digital 2.0 Mono
Cast: Udo Kier, Herbert Lom, Reggie Nalder, Herbert Fux 
Director: Michael Armstrong 

Synopsis: Uncensored!This is the one that historians and gorehounds alike still speak of with shock and awe, the movie so extreme that audiences were given free barf bags! Herbert Lom (THE DEAD ZONE), Udo Keir (BLADE), Herbert Fux (EUGENIE) and the ultra-creepy Reggie Nalder (SALEMS LOT) star in this infamous epic of fanatical 18th Century witchfinders who rape, torture, dismember and burn thousands of nubile young women falsely accused of fornicating with Satan. Can you stomach the agonizing torment of the damned? Behold the gut-wrenching horror of MARK OF THE DEVIL! 

BLUE UNDERGROUND MENUS

Special Features: 
- Audio Commentary with Director Michael Armstrong

- Fear and Loathing in Austria - Interview with Star Udo Kier (6:42)
- The Devil's Torturer - Interview with Star Herbert Fux (13:14)
- Burn, Gaby, Burn! - Interview with Star Gaby Fuchs (7:05)
- The Devil's Assaulted - Interview with Star Ingeborg Shoner (7:04)
- Theatrical Trailer (3:26)
- 3 Radio Spots (1:40)
- Poster and Still Galleries

VS.

MARK OF THE DEVIL (1970) 

Yach Pack Edition

Label: Cheezy Flicks 
Region Code: NTSC 1
Rating: R
Duration: 96 Mins
Aspect Ratio: Letterboxed  (1.78:1)
Audio: English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Cast: Udo Kier, Herbert Lom, Reggie Nalder, Herbert Fux 
Director: Michael Armstrong 

Synopsis: Banned in many countries!  - Udo Kier is a witch hunter apprentice to Herbert Lom. Udo believes strongly in his mentor and in the ways of the church but loses faith when he catches Lom strangle a man to death for calling him impotent. Kier begins to see for himself that the witch trials are nothing but a scam of the church to seduce women, rob people of their land, money, and other personal belongings. in the end, the towns people revolt, Herbert Llom escapes and poor Udo is tortured to death by the towns people with the his own devices from the dungeon. 

CHEEZY FLICKS MENU

THE VOMIT BAG!

Cheezy Flicks Special Features: 

- Vomit Bag

- Trailers: I DRINK YOUR BLOOD (1:38), HORRORS AT THE BLACK MUSEUM (3:8) 

- About Cheezy Flicks

- Intermission (1:05)

DVD SCREENSHOT COMPARISONS

Blue Underground: Top

Cheezy Flicks: Bottom

Verdict: Michael Armstrong's sadistic tale of a witchfinder (Herbert Lom) and his apprentice (Udo Kier) is still a fantastically exploitative period piece delving into the dark underbelly of just how truly evil and corrupt the witch hunts were, sure it's dated but it still packs quite a punch and is riddled with perversity and bloody torture. 

Cheezy Flicks novel vomit bag is a strong impulse buy based on kitschy appeal alone but in the face of Blue Undergrounds film-specific special features which include not just a great commentary with director Michael Armstrong but also four featurettes with video interviews with the principle cast including Udo Kier. 

That's just the extras, now when you take into consideration the quite poor video and audio quality of Cheezy Flicks edition which is a dark, washed-out muddy mess that seems to be sourced from a VHS the scales are even further unbalanced in favor of Blue Underground whose edition has been completely restored and it shows every level, the saturated color is gorgeous, fine details are abundant and black levels are generally strong, there's just no comparison to be made. Blue Underground bests Cheezy Flicks in all regards, if you can find it cheap enough I would suggest snagging the Cheezy Flicks edition if only to snag the cool vomit bag and stick inside the Blue Underground DVD as pictured below then toss the inferior edition on the sell pile.

THE WINNER: BLUE UNDERGROUND!

http://www.blue-underground.com/

http://cheezyflicks.com/