The Mask of Satan - Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Spain/West Germany/France/Portugal, 1989
Director: Lamberto Bava
Writers: Lamberto Bava, Massimo De Rita, Giorgio Stegani
Cast: Giovanni Guidelli, Debora Caprioglio, Stanko Molnar, Wanja Mary Sellers, Alessandra Bonarota, Laura Devoti, Michele Soavi, Stefano Molinari, Ron Williams, Eva Grimaldi

Release Date: February 25th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 98 minutes 18 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"When a group of skiers becomes trapped in a crevasse, their discovery of a long-frozen female corpse will unmask an ancient evil, unlock a portal of the damned and unleash a nightmare of Satanic vengeance." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative for the first time ever in North America."

The Mask of Satan comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.9 GB

Feature: 29.1 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are solid, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (Both Audio Tracks)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish. Both tracks are comparable; they sound clean, clear, and balanced and robust when they should. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian-language track and removable English subtitles for the Spanish-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with actress Debora Caprioglio titled Sabina The Teenage Witch (11 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Mary Sellers titled Una Americana a Roma (11 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an interview with director Lamberto Bava titled The Curse of the Mask (37 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

Lamberto Bava directed The Mask of Satan. He’s most known for Macabre, A Blade in the Dark, Demons, and Demons 2. The Mask of Satan is an adaptation of Nikolay Gogol’s novella Vij. Lamberto’s father, Mario's directorial debut, Black Sunday (aka The Mask of Satan), was also an adaptation of Vij.

A group of skiers fall into a crevice and awaken a witch from her tomb.

While Lamberto Bava’s The Mask of Satan is linked to his father's film by name and using the same literary source, their only other connection is an iron mask worn by the witch. Where his father's films, like the source story, were set in the past, he sets his film in the present. That said, Lamberto Bava’s The Mask of Satan is better described as an homage to his father's film and not a remake of it.

Of all of the genres that Lamberto Bava worked in, horror is the one that he was most suited for. Not only was he one of the best working in Italy from the 1980s onward when it came to onscreen carnage, but he also excelled when it came to fantastical elements. Because of these qualities, it should not come as a surprise that he was one of the few Italian filmmakers who found consistent work throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

The one area that dramatically changed in Italian genre cinema from the late 1980s onward was the cast. Fresh-faced actors and actresses with no or little experience replaced most of the names that had dominated the 1960s, 70s, and early 80s. When it comes to the performances in The Mask of Satan, they are best described as servicable. Cast members of note are Debora Caprioglio (Paprika), Eva Grimaldi (Convent of Sinners), Michele Soavi (a filmmaker in his own right), and a frequent collaborator of Lamberto Bava’s Stanko Molnar (Macabre, A Blade in the Dark).

The Mask of Satan is typical of Italian genre films of the late 1980s; they were working on very limited budgets and often kept locations to a minimum. Its premise is well-executed, and the narrative takes on a dreamlike quality that ensures it's anything remotely predictable. While the special effects have not dated well, in every other area, The Mask of Satan holds up well. Simon Boswell, who worked with Lamberto Bava more than any other composer, delivers a solid mood-enhancing score. Ultimately, The Mask of Satan is a well-crafted supernatural atmospheric horror film.

The Mask of Satan gets a first-rate release from Severin Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Monster Shark - Severin Films (Blu-ray/CD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France, 1984
Director: Lamberto Bava
Writers: Luigi Cozzi, Luciano Martino, Sergio Martino, Gianfranco Clerici, Vincenzo Mannino, Dardano Sacchetti, Hervé Piccini, Lamberto Bava
Cast: Michael Sopkiw, Valentine Monnier, Gianni Garko, William Berger, Iris Peynado, Lawrence Morgant, Cinzia de Ponti, Paul Branco, Dagmar Lassander

Release Date: July 29th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 93 minutes 45 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.95

"When several locals in a coastal Florida town are found with limbs chomped off, an electronics expert (Michael Sopkiw of MASSACRE IN DINOSAUR VALLEY infamy) joins a team of marine biologists to hunt a genetically modified creature that is part shark, part octopus and 100% prehistoric fish from hell." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "newly scanned in 4K from the original camera negative."

Monster Shark comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.8 GB

Feature: 28.4 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the English-language track sounds slightly fuller. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian-language track and removable English SDH for the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Michael Sopkiw titled Man Versus Devil Fish (10 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Lamberto Bava titled They Call Him John Old Jr. (14 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Sharksploitation experts. Stephen Scarlata, Josh Miller, and Matt Mercer, a CD with Fabio Frizzi’s 15-track score and an insert with the scores track listing.

Summary:

Lamberto Bava directed Monster Shark. He’s most known for Macabre, A Blade in the Dark, Demons, and Demons 2. Monster Shark is also known under Devil Fish and its Italian-language title translated into English is Shark: Red on the Ocean.

A mutant shark is killing and maiming people off the South Florida coast.

Something that can be said about Italian genre cinema of the 1970s and 80s is that whenever they saw a good thing, they exploited it for all its worth. In 1981 Enzo G. Castellari made The Last Shark, one of the most notorious knockoff films in the history of cinema. Although Monster Shark takes some of its inspiration from Jaws knock-off films, it adds another layer by mutating its monster into a half-shark, half-octopus.

While I would give Monster Shark some points for not trying to ape Jaws, the result is a mess of a film. The narrative is slow-moving, the acting is bland, and there is not enough screentime for the monster. At least when it comes to the monster attacks, they do provide an ample amount of gore. The best part of Monster Shark is Fabio Frizzi’s (The Beyond) score. That said, Lamberto Bava, wanting to distance himself from Monster Shark, used a pseudonym that is a play on one that his father used. Ultimately, there are bad films and then there is Monster Shark, a truly awful film.

Monster Shark gets a first-rate release from Severin Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Hot Spot: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1990
Director: Dennis Hopper
Writer: Nona Tyson
Cast: Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Connelly, Charles Martin Smith, William Sadler, Jerry Hardin, Barry Corbin, Leon Rippy, Jack Nance, Virgil Frye

Release Date: August 17th, 2026 (UK) September 1st, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 130 Minutes 7 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: 18 (UK), R (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A,B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"Harry, a drifter (Don Johnson, Miami Vice) rolls into town and talks his way into a job at a car dealership where he becomes caught between two beautiful women, the boss’s conniving wife Dolly (Virginia Madsen, Candyman) and Gloria (Jennifer Connelly, Requiem for a Dream) a naive young accountant whose life is complicated by blackmail. When Harry plans to rob the local bank, he becomes enmeshed in a lethal web of lust, greed and extortion, whose only escape is murder." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “The Hot Spot was scanned in 4K resolution at Illuminate Hollywood in Studio City, California. The film has been meticulously restored and color graded in 4K HDR (Dolby Vision) at FilmFinity, London, working from new 4K 16-bit scans of the original 35mm camera negative. FilmFinity’s digital restoration specialists used advanced image-processing tools to remove many thousands of instances of dirt, remove scratches, and gently correct age-related imperfections frame by frame. Paired with the new HDR grade, this restoration reveals striking clarity and depth while staying true to the film’s original photographic character. No grain management, edge enhancement, or artificial sharpening tools were used at any stage; preserving the authentic texture of the cinematography, HDR and SDR color grading was carried out by Stephen C. Horne, and was overseen and approved by cinematographer Ueli Steiger."

The Hot Spot comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 91 GB

Feature: 90.5 GB

The source looks excellent; it is a marked improvement over this film's previous home media releases. Flesh tones and colors look correct, contrast, black levels, image clarity, and compression are solid, and the image always retains an organic appearance.

The Hot Spot comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.3 GB

Feature: 35.7 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English with removable English subtitles. The track is in excellent shape, dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

There are no extras on the 4K UHD disc.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 50 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with director Dennis Hopper, who discusses The Hot Spot and features footage of John Lee Hooker and images from the set (4 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Virginia Madsen (7 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor William Sadler (6 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Nick Dawson, the editor of Dennis Hopper: Interviews (20 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with crime writer and expert Duane Swierczynski, who discusses Charles Williams’ source novel, the film adaptation, and provides a background of the author (22 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, a removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, and a 28-page booklet (limited to 5,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Excess, Sex, and Reality Checks written by Elena Lazic, an essay titled The Hot Spot Finds Its Level written by Leslie Byron Pitt, an archival writing titled Star Complex written by RJ Smith, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Dennis Hopper directed The Hot Spot; his eclectic filmography includes East Rider, The Last Movie, Out of the Blue, Colors, Catchfire, and Chasers. The Hot Spot was adapted from Charles W. Lilliam's novel Hell Hath No Fury. Another notable work written by Charles Williams is Dead Calm, which has been adapted for cinema twice, first as The Deep and the other time as Dead Calm.

A drifter with strong persuasion skills talks his way into a job as a car salesman, robs a bank, and becomes entangled with two women.

While there is an air of mystery to the protagonist, a drifter named Harry Madox, the way that he and the other characters are introduced grabs your attention. There is an element of surprise throughout as the narrative does a superb job keeping you guessing where it might go next. That said, the narrative effectively builds tension and momentum, propelling the story toward its doomed fate finale.

All around, the cast are excellent in their roles, especially the two female leads, Virginia Madsen (Candyman) and Jennifer Connelly (Dark City). Virginia Madsen’s character Dolly Harshaw is the much younger wife of the man who employs Harry Madox. From the moment she sees Harry, she is determined to have him, and her character fulfills the classic femme fatale role. Jennifer Connelly portrays Gloria Harper, a young woman who works as a loan officer at the car dealership. While Gloria is the polar opposite of Dolly, she has her own dark secrets from her past.

Don Johnson (Miami Vice) is cast in the role of Harry Madox. He delivers a strong performance that is arguably one of his best as a leading man in a feature film. Another performance of note is William Sadler (Disturbing Behaviour), who portrays Frank Sutton, a local criminal and blackmailer who plays a key role in the story that unfolds. Other cast members of note are Jerry Hardin (The X Files), Charles Martin Smith (The Untouchables), Barry Corbin (Northern Exposure), and Jack Nance (Eraserhead).

Neo-noir elements infuse the look and vibe of The Hot Spot. The Hot Spot is an equally photographed film with many striking moments that greatly enhance the mood. A solid soundtrack of songs that lean heavily into the blues backs Jack Nitzsche's (The Razor's Edge) exemplary score. Ultimately, The Hot Spot is an outstanding crime/drama about a man caught between two beautiful women while trying to pull off the perfect crime.

The Hot Spot gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Ten Women in Black: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1961
Director: Kon Ichikawa
Writer: Natto Wada
Cast: Fujiko Yamamoto, Mariko Miyagi, Tamao Nakamura, Kyôko Kishida, Eiji Funakoshi, Keiko Kishi, Tomo'o Nagai, Shirô Ôtsuji, Kōichi Itō, Jūzō Itami, Mayumi Kurata, Yoshiko Uno, Masumi Ariake, Yuka Konno, Chieko Murai

Release Date: August 17th, 2026 (UK), September 1st, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 102 Minutes 51 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"A television executive’s nine mistresses conspire with his wife to have him killed. When Miwako, one of the mistresses, tells him of the plot, he decides to fake his own death in front of them all. The women panic and deny that they were ever serious about the murder, while Miwako even takes her own life in remorse. But when they find out the man is still alive, they put their original plan back into action." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Ten Women in Black was digitally restored in 4k by the Kadokawa Corporation and provided to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital master."

Ten Women in Black comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.4 GB

Feature: 27.8 GB

The source looks excellent; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, an LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well-presented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an original theatrical trailer (3 minutes, LPCM mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), a 1997 re-release trailer (2 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an appreciation by musician Yasuharu Konishi (20 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), a feature-length documentary titled The Kon Ichikawa Story (78 minutes 32 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, a 28-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled A Merciless Slap written by Yuka Kimbara, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Kon Ichikawa directed Ten Women in Black. His notable films are The Burmese Harp, The Key, Fires on the Palin, An Actor’s Revenge, The Inugami Family, The Devil’s Island, and The House of the Hanging.

A man fakes his death after discovering that his wife and nine mistresses are conspiring to kill him.

Something that can be said about the husband's character is that he likes variety. None of the ten women are alike in appearance or personality-wise. All of the women, including his wife, are aware of each other; there are no secrets. While the women at first accept their roles, over time they have become jaded by the situation. Instead of walking away, all of the women want him dead so no one else can have him.

Although the husband character has the most screentime, Ten Women in Black is truly an ensemble cast where everyone is given an equal opportunity to shine. Eiji Funakoshi (Blind Beast) is cast in the role of husband. He delivers a monotone performance that makes you wonder what each woman saw in him. Fujiko Yamamoto’s (The Twilight Story) delivers the most memorable performance in the role of the wife.

While Kon Ichikawa gives the cast a lot to work with, it is his instincts as a director that make Ten Women in Black a remarkable film. Instead of taking the easiest route, Kon Ichikawa digs deeper into the psyches of the characters. Ten Women in Black is a film that deals with facades; the husband and his lovers' relationships are of convenience and lack any emotional connection. There is nothing holding the women back from leaving; they are all successful. Although the women blame the husband for their unhappiness, they only have themselves to blame for enabling his behavior.

The opening setup does a superb job grabbing your attention, and then a series of unsuspected turns keep you guessing where things might go next. Another strength of the narrative is its ability to sustain momentum as it builds to the most satisfying outcome, the emasculation of the husband. Ultimately, Ten Women in Black is a well-crafted melodrama that very effectively uses black humor.

Ten Women in Black gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras. Highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

New York, New York: Collector's Edition – MVD Marquee Collection (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1977
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Earl Mac Rauch, Mardik Martin
Cast: Liza Minnelli, Robert De Niro, Lionel Stander, Barry Primus, Mary Kay Place, Frank Sivero, Georgie Auld, George Memmoli, Harry Northup, Dick Miller, Clarence Clemons, Casey Kasem, Jack Haley, Adam David Winkler

Release Date: August 11th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 163 Minutes 10 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: PG
Sound: LPCM Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $49.95

"Against the vibrant, meticulously recreated backdrop of 1940s New York, the two artists rise through the competitive world of show business, navigating the intoxicating highs of success and the painful strains of personal ambition. Their romance is marked by intense chemistry as well as deep conflict, with clashing personalities and creative differences threatening to unravel both their relationship and their careers." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2025 4K Scan and Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the Expanded Cut of film presented in 2160p in its original 1.66:1 Aspect Ratio in HDR"

New York, New York comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 92.8 GB

Feature: 90.2 GB

This new transfer significantly improves upon its previous home media releases, but it does have some dropped frames. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look vibrant, image clarity and black levels are solid, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in English with removable English SDH. The track is in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an introduction by director Martin Scorsese (5 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and an archival audio commentary by Martin Scorsese and film critic Carrie Rickey.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a photogallery with storyboards drawn by Martin Scorsese, a theatrical teaser (2 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), alternate/deleted scenes (19 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an alternate ending (1 minute 29 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an archival scene-select audio commentary by cinematographer László Kovács (10 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Liza Minnelli titled Liza on New York, New York (22 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled The New York, New York Stories: Part One (25 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled The New York, New York Stories: Part two (26 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and the international version of New York, New York (137 minutes 16 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, 1080 progressive, DTS-HD 5.1 English with removable English SDH).

Other extras include reversible cover art and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

A lounge singer falls in love with an egotistical saxophonist player who controls every aspect of her personal and professional life.

Made in between Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, New York, New York, is a Martin Scorsese film that tends to be overlooked. While Martin Scorsese is most known for his crime/drama films, what links them is that they are character-driven films about flawed individuals. That said, New York, New York, is Martin Scorsese’s tribute to MGM’s musicals of the 1940s and 50s.

There are two protagonists in New York, New York: a singer named Francine Evans and a saxophone player named Jimmy Doyle. From the moment they met, there was a tension that came from Jimmy’s volatile personality. While both are talented, Jimmy’s ego and jealousy of any success that comes Francine’s way causes friction between them. Unable to make their relationship work, Francine finally achieves success and happiness on her own.

The two leads, Liza Minnelli (Cabaret) and Robert De Niro (Goodfellas), are outstanding in the roles of Francine and Jimmy. Robert De Niro is cast in a familiar role of a menacing character with anger issues and he delivers another memorable performance that perfectly captures his character's highs and lows. That said, the heart and soul of New York, New York, is Liza Minnelli’s portrayal of Francine. Rounding out the performances is a solid supporting cast who are all great in their roles.

The production design and costumes are exemplary, and visually, New York, New York, is an exquisitely photographed film. The most striking moment is a 12-minute musical-within-a-musical sequence called "Happy Endings." When it comes to the music featured throughout, most of them are not musical numbers; they are performances by the characters. Ultimately, New York, New York, is a better film than its reputation and it should only be viewed in its full-length 163-minute version.

The MVD Marquee Collection gives New York, New York, a first-rate release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. Recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer