Scanners: Limited Edition – Second Sight Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada, 1979
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Cast: Jennifer O'Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane, Michael Ironside, Robert A. Silverman, Lee Broker

Release Date: March 31st, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 102 Minutes 50 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £39.99

"A scientist recruits a drifter with extraordinary telepathic ability to hunt down an equally powerful ’scanner’ who, together with others of their kind, is hellbent on taking over the world." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "A new 4K restoration approved by Director David Cronenberg."

Scanners comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 91.5 GB

Feature: 75.4 GB

The source looks excellent; Scanners has never looked better on home media. Flesh tones are healthy-looking, color saturation, image clarity, and compression are solid, contrast and black levels look perfect, and the image always retains an organic look. That said, Fidelity in Motion delivers another exemplary encode.

Scanners comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.1 GB

Feature: 30.7 GB

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

Audio: 5/5 (LPCM Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English; included are removable English SDH. Both audio tracks sound outstanding; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score sound exemplary.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a video essay by Tim Coleman titled Cronenberg's Tech Babies (13 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with makeup effects artist Chris Walas titled Monster Kid (21 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with makeup effects artist Stephan Dupuis titled Exploding Brains & Popping Veins (9 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with executive producer Pierre David titled The Chaos of Scanners (13 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Howard Shore titled Mind Fragments (18 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Mark Irwin titled The Eye of Scanners (15 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Lawrence Dane titled Bad Guy Dane (5 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Michael Ironside titled Method in his Madness (30 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Stephen Lack titled My Art Keeps Me Sane (23 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with William Beard, and an audio commentary by Caelum Vatnsdal.

The Blu-ray disc has all of the same extras that are on the 4K UHD disc.

Other extras include a rigid slipcase, 6 collectors' art cards, and a 120-page book cast & crew information, an essay titled Long Live Scanners! written by Kurt Halfyard, an essay titled Mind-Blowing Body Horror Why We Still Can’t Get Scanners Out of Our Heads written by Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes, an essay titled Brain Matter The Cultural Context(s) of Scanners written by Craig Ian Mann, an essay titled Celebrating the Ground-Breaking Special Effects of David Cronenberg’s Scanners written by Heather Wixson, an essay titled The Flesh of the Mind written by Eugenio Ercolani and Gian Giacomo Petrone, an essay titled ‘We’ve Won’ The Power of Invisible Disability Representation in Scanners Jessica Scott, an essay titled Can’t Get You Out of My Head Scanners, Psychosis and Trepanation written by Emma Westwood, and an essay titled Exploding Inked Heads Metacinema and References Around David Cronenberg’s Scanners written by Francesco Massaccesi.

Summary:

Transformation and what it means to be human are central themes that run throughout David Cronenberg’s filmography. These two themes are explored in Scanners, a film about a new breed of humans wanting to replace mankind. A scanner is someone who can read minds and inflict pain by thinking about it. Though being a scanner has its advantages, there are side effects related to using these things too often.

Though David Cronenberg’s films deal with complex themes and ideas, they always engage you in a way that holds your attention. His delivery of these two things is never heavy-handed and is easy to latch on to. Though Scanners deals with things that at the time were far-fetched, it was forward-thinking like many of David Cronenberg’s films.

When it comes to the performances, the most surprising is Stephen Lack who portrays the protagonist, Cameron Vale. Though he had limited acting experience, his bland performance actually works extremely well in the story that unfolds. Rounding out the cast are a few recognizable faces like Patrick McGoohan (The Prisoner), who portrays the doctor responsible for creating scanners; Jennifer O'Neill (The Psychic), who portrays Kim Obrist, a good scanner; and Michael Ironside (Total Recall), who portrays Darryl Revok, an evil scanner wanting to eradicate anyone who's not like him. That said, these three performances are outstanding.

Despite its futuristic elements Scanners is set in the present. The special effects are prominent throughout and they hold up extremely well for practical effects; especially the moment where a head explodes. The most elaborate special effects-related moment is a scene where the protagonist connects with a computer over the phone, gains control of the mainframe, and in response to this action, someone on the other end tries to harm him by self-destructing the computer while he’s connected.

The well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job building momentum with tense moments that build to an ambiguous finale that provides a perfect coda. Another strength of narrative is how effectively it lays out characters' motivations. Though David Cronenberg gets most of the accolades for his films, one cannot overlook the contributions of composer Howard Shore and cinematographer Mark Irwin. Ultimately, Scanners is an exemplary film that finds that balance between thought-provoking and entertaining.

Scanners gets a definitive release from Second Sight Films, 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

The Brood: Limited Edition – Second Sight Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada, 1979
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Cast: Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman, Nuala Fitzgerald, Cindy Hinds, Susan Hogan, Gary McKeehan

Release Date: March 31st, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 92 Minutes 9 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £39.99

"A worried father attempts to uncover a controversial psychologist's unconventional therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, amidst a series of horrific murders that seem to be targeting those closest to him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "A new 4K restoration approved by Director David Cronenberg."

The Brood comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 61.7 GB

Feature: 55.6 GB

The source looks excellent; The Brood has never looked better on home media. Flesh tones are healthy-looking, color saturation, image clarity, and compression are solid, contrast and black levels look perfect, and the image always retains an organic look. That said, Fidelity in Motion delivers another exemplary encode.

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

Disc Size: 33 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

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

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds outstanding; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score sound exemplary.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by Leigh Singer titled Anger Management: Cronenberg's Brood and the Shapes of Cinematic Rage (22 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with David Cronenberg titled Cronenberg - The Early Years (13 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Robert A Silverman titled Character for Cronenberg (10 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Howard Shore titled Scoring the Brood (7 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Mark Irwin titled The Look of Rage (13 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with executive producer Pierre David titled Producing the Brood (11 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actors Art Hindle and Cindy Hinds, and Fangoria editor Chris Alexander titled Meet the Carveths (19 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with William Beard, and an audio commentary by Martyn Conterio and Kat Ellinger.

The Blu-ray disc has all of the same extras that are on the 4K UHD disc.

Other extras include a rigid slipcase, 6 collectors' art cards, and a 120-page book cast & crew information, an essay titled “Go All the Way Through to the End” written by William Beard, an essay titled Loving the Children of My Rage written by Jenn Adams, an essay titled Of Sound Body and Mind The Cultural Context(s) of The Brood written by Craig Ian Mann, an essay titled Playing God Female Abjection & Male Hubris in The Brood written by Shelagh Rowan-Legg, an essay titled “I Disgust You” David Cronenberg’s The Brood written by Scott Wilson, an essay titled Father Hunger The Brood is a Freudian Field Day written by Amber T, an essay titled Fucked Up Mummies The Fear of Motherhood in The Brood written by Carolyn Mauricette, and an essay titled Labour Pains The Family as a Site of Horrific Productions written by Alexandra West.

Summary:

Though David Cronenberg’s films are filled with forward-thinking and futuristic elements, many of them also contain personal aspects connected to his life. Case in point, The Brood, a film about a couple going through a bitter separation, an event that corresponds with David Cronenberg’s divorce, which inspired The Brood.

The narrative revolves around a husband who becomes concerned when his daughter comes back from a visit with her mother with bruises on her body. The wife is currently in isolation going through intense therapy, and only her daughter is allowed to visit her. Wanting answers, the husband tries to visit his wife, only to have her therapist block him from seeing her.

The Brood is a film that takes a moment before it settles in; it is around 17 minutes in when things become unnerving. This also coincides with the first sighting of the brood, who are a manifestation brought about by the mother's therapy. The narrative’s deliberate pacing does a phenomenal job holding your attention by creating tense moments that build upon each other. Though there are some intense moments overflowing with carnage, notably the scene where the brood beats to death a schoolteacher. The Brood is a dialogue-driven film whose carnage is limited to four violent outbursts.

The Brood has an outstanding cast, which is anchored by Samantha Eggar (The Collector), who portrays Nola, the wife, and Oliver Reed (Revolver), who portrays Nola’s therapist, Dr. Hal Raglan. In the case of the latter, it's unusual seeing him in a restrained role, while Samantha Eggar’s character is filled with rage. The most underrated performance is by Cindy Hinds, a first-time child actor who delivers an astonishing performance that exceeds her years.

There is a lot to admire about The Brood, notably the way it explores self-reflection. Throughout David Cronenberg’s filmography there are countless examples of his views on the evolution of humans, and in The Brood it is one character's inability to go and grow that leads to their destruction. Though the Brood's cathartic finale depicts the cancer being removed, the final image of the daughter suggests the cycle will continue. Ultimately, The Brood is an extraordinary melodrama with horror film elements that explores destructive behavior between those in a conflict and the rage it creates.

The Brood gets a definitive release from Second Sight Films, 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

Love Crime – IFC Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/USA, 2010
Director: Alain Corneau
Writers: Alain Corneau, Natalie Carter
Cast: Ludivine Sagnier, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patrick Mille, Guillaume Marquet, Gérald Laroche, Julien Rochefort, Olivier Rabourdin, Marie Guillard, Mike Powers, Stéphane Roquet

Release Date: April 15th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 106 Minutes 31 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 French
Subtitles: English (Non-Removable)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $41.98

"When Christine, a powerful executive (Scott Thomas), brings on a naive young ingénue, Isabelle (Sagnier), as her assistant, she delights in toying with her naïveté and teaching her hard lessons in a ruthless professional philosophy. But when the protege’s ideas become tempting enough for Christine to pass one as her own, she underestimates Isabelle’s ambition and cunning– and the ground is set for all out war." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Love Crime comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34 GB

Feature: 29.4 GB

No information about the source is provided. That said, this transfer looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in French with non-removable English subtitles. There are some dialog exchanges in English and Japanese. The audio sounds excellent, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by film historian Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (16 minutes 15 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for French films clips), an audio commentary with film critic Travis Woods, a spot gloss, embossed, and silver foil slipcover (limited to 2,000 units), and a 12-page booklet with an essay titled Auteur-On-Auteur Violence: The Elusive Whys and Slippery Hows of Love Crime and Passion written by Katie Rife.

Summary:

Alain Corneau directed Love Crime. His other notable films are Police Python 357, Série noire, and Choice of Arms. Love Crime was adapted by Brian De Palma and retitled Passion.

A rivalry between a protégé and her boss turns deadly when one of them is publicly humiliated by the other.

What starts off as a melodrama evolves into a mystery film when one of the characters breaks mentally. The first half of the narrative establishes characters, while the latter half is an escalation of momentum that leads to a murder and builds once the killer is in custody. That said, despite the killer being apprehended, their meticulous planning leads to their release. Now free, the killer enacts the final part of their plan and frames someone else for the murder.

It is always fascinating to watch the film after you have seen its remake first. Where the remake Passion keeps the core essence of Love Crime while being tailored to suit Brian De Palma’s cinematic style, Love Crime is a more restrained affair that relies more on things that are below the surface. That said, while both films have their merits, it is evident that Love Crime is the superior film.

As great as all of the performances are, they all pale in comparison to the two leads, Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool), who portrays Isabelle, a young woman who's just starting out in her profession, and Kristin Scott Thomas (Bitter Moon), who portrays Christine, Isabelle’s mentor. Both actresses are phenomenal, especially in moments that they share. Another performance of note is Guillaume Marquet, who portrays Daniel, a protégé of Isabelle. Though his character spends most of his screen time observing, by the end he holds a position of power.

Alain Corneau was never a filmmaker who relied more on style than substance, and with Love Crime he continues this trend by letting his actors be the focal point. Doppelgangers and mimicking behavior are central to the story that unfolds, and Alain Corneau's attention to detail is evident throughout. That said, the most visually arresting moments are the killing and the police investigation that follows.

Love Crime has a delicious premise that is rooted in envy and jealousy, and in the case of the latter, it is the reason behind one character's death. The well-constructed narrative does a superb job building momentum, and just when you think you know where things are going, there is one last devious twist. Ultimately, Love Crime is a compelling revenge film that serves as a fitting swan song for Alain Corneau.

Love Crime gets a first-rate release from IFC Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Nesting – Vinegar Syndrome (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1981
Director: Armand Weston
Writers: Daria Price, Armand Weston
Cast: Robin Groves, Christopher Loomis, Michael David Lally, John Carradine, Bill Rowley, David Tabor, Patrick Farrelly, Bobo Lewis, June Berry, James Saxon, James Hayden, Gloria Grahame

Release Date: April 15th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 109 Minutes 58 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.98

"With the impending release of her new book, “The Nesting,” agoraphobic New York-based writer Lauren Cochran decides to spend some time outside the city to find inspiration for her next novel. Arriving in the small town of Dover Falls, she happens across an isolated and dilapidated mansion that bears an uncanny resemblance to the one depicted on the cover of her latest work. Feeling a strange pull to the place, Lauren decides to rent the property and quickly gets herself set up and into writing mode. But it’s not long before she starts experiencing bizarre, vivid dreams and seeing ghostly apparitions. Soon enough, those around her start dying in strange and gruesome ways. What could all this have to do with the house’s murky history and a tragedy that occurred there decades before?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

The Nesting comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.6 GB

Feature: 61 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

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

Disc Size: 45.4 GB

Feature: 30.2 GB

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

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio interview with screenwriter Daria Price, conducted by extras producer Ewan Cant (57 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary track with writer and film critic Andy Marshall-Roberts.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include an archival image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (poster/advertisements/press book/script pages), a radio spot (35 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), two TV spots (1 minute 40 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), U.S. theatrical trailer (1 minute 59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Spanish theatrical trailer (1 minute 59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), alternate 'jump scare' from The Nesting cut (1 minute 11 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), The Nesting title sequence (1 minute 24 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), Cuts and trims (8 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono, no dialog, music from the film playing in the background), Unused dailies (11 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono, no dialog, music from the film playing in the background), an interview with actress Robin Groves titled Acting is Being Brave (20 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Michael David Lally titled The Outlaw Poet (21 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with associate producer / production manager Don Walters titled Low Budget Miracle (30 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Nightmare USA author Stephen Thrower titled The Sating of Desire (28 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette produced by the Vinegar Syndrome Film Archive titled The Nesting Outtakes: Preserving Armand Weston's Gothic Horror (14 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio interview with Daria Price and Ewan Cant (57 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary track with Andy Marshall-Roberts.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 6,000 units), and a 20-page booklet with an essay titled Nightmares in the Dream House: Looking Back at the 1981 Horror Film The Nesting written by Amanda Reyes.

Summary:

Armand Weston directed The Nesting; it is his only foray out of XXX cinema. The cinematographer on The Nesting was João Fernandes, whose diverse filmography includes Deep Throat, The Devil in Miss Jones, Through the Looking Glass, The Prowler, and Children of the Corn. The Nesting is also known under the alternate titles Phobia and Massacre Mansion.

A writer suffering from agoraphobia rents an isolated home, which has remained uninhabited for years, that unlocks a secret from her past.

The best horror films draw you into the nightmare they are trying to create. Though horror cinema’s most celebrated films are far from flawless cinematic experiences, they share a common trait that sets them apart from horror films that have fallen into obscurity: the ability to transcend their flaws and make you believe in the unfolding events, regardless of how implausible the premise may be. A textbook example of a film that succeeds in spite of its limitations is The Nesting.

The Nesting has many moments where the protagonist is alone or there are ghosts in the room with her. That said, The Nesting is a film that relies heavily on atmosphere; it's mostly done by creating visually arresting moments that put you in the protagonist's state of mind. Though visuals and scores often work together to create the mood, The Nesting's minimalist score is limited to period set music and Johann Sebastian Bach's Air On The G String (this song bookends the narrative).

Though the performances are the primary area where most of The Nesting’s shortcomings lie, fortunately, this is not the case with Robin Groves’s (Silver Bullet) portrayal of the protagonist. She gives an utterly convincing performance of a woman having a breakdown. Notable cast members are John Carradine (The Grapes of Wrath), who portrays Colonel Lebrun, the man who owns the old house, and Gloria Grahame (The Big Heat), a ghost who now haunts the house.

The version of The Nesting known as Phobia is about seven minutes longer; most of the new additions to the narrative focus on the protagonist's agoraphobia. Having seen The Nesting version via Blue Underground’s 2011 Blu-ray and the Phobia version via this release, I can say that the latter holds up better. That said, the additional footage does not hamper the narrative's momentum in any way.

The Nesting has a solid premise that is well-executed, and the narrative’s deliberate pacing suits the story that unfolds. That said, while it is the protagonist's agoraphobia that initially sets events in motion, once she arrives at the old dilapidated house, the focus shifts to more supernatural elements. Content-wise, The Nesting has most of the elements one expects from a horror film: well-timed jump scares, stylish kills, and special effects that hold up well. Ultimately, The Nesting is a well-made film that fans of supernatural horror cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

The Nesting gets an exceptional release from Vinegar Syndrome 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

Girl with a Suitcase: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France, 1961
Director: Valerio Zurlini
Writers: Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, Valerio Zurlini
Cast: Claudia Cardinale, Jacques Perrin, Luciana Angiolillo, Renato Baldini, Riccardo Garrone, Corrado Pani, Gian Maria Volontè, Romolo Valli, Elsa Albani, Enzo Garinei, Ciccio Barbi, Nadia Bianchi, Angela Portaluri, Edda Soligo

Release Date: April 28th, 2025 (UK), April 29th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 121 Minutes 17 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Aida (Claudia Cardinale, Once Upon a Time in the West, The Day of the Owl) has fallen for a rich playboy and arrives at his door to find it firmly shut and herself ignored. His younger, more sensitive brother, Lorenzo (Jacques Perrin, Cinema Paradiso) helps her and finds himself quickly besotted." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Girl with a Suitcase was scanned in 4K and restored at Cineteca di Bologna in Italy. The film was supplied to Radiance Films as a 4K file and is presented in the original aspect ratio."

Girl with a Suitcase comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.6 GB

Feature: 33 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 Italian 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 archival interview with assistant director Piero Schivazappa titled Visconti Came to Visit us on the Set (19 minutes 52 seconds, LPCM stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter Piero De Bernardi titled Valerio was Always in Love with the Same Girl! (17 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with film critic Bruno Torri titled Zurlini the Outsider (17 minutes 4 seconds, LPCM stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a video essay by Kat Ellinger who discusses Girl with a Suitcase and the cinema of Valerio Zurlini (14 minutes 22 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 36-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Valerio Zurlini’s Cinema of Emotions written by Giuliana Minghelli, an essay titled CC Goes West: American Reception of Girl with a Suitcase written by Cullen Callagher, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Valerio Zurlini directed Girl with a Suitcase. His other notable films are Violent Summer, Family Diary, The Camp Followers, Indian Summer, and The Desert of the Tartars.

A woman searching for the man who abandoned her forms a bond with his younger brother.

In the opening moments, we are introduced to a couple who are on the road, and when the woman needs to go to the bathroom, the man contemplates leaving her by the side of the road. Shortly thereafter an opportunity arises where he leaves the woman with nothing more than her suitcase. Though there is little dialog, the opening setup does a superb job that sets the foundation for what follows.

Thematically, The Girl with a Suitcase mirrors elements from Valerio Zurlini’s earlier film Violent Summer, notably the age gap between the woman and the man. This time around it is Lorenzo, the man who is younger, who becomes entangled with Aida, a much older woman. Where there is a purity in Lorenzo’s actions, Aida goes from the victim to the victimizer in the way she plays with Lorenzo’s feelings. That said, where the man who hurt Aida's actions were calculated, her treatment of Lorenzo was never calculated and was more about the poor choices she made.

Though all of the performances are outstanding, the heart and soul are the two leads, Claudia Cardinale (8 ½) in the role of Aida and Jacques Perrin (Cinema Paradiso) in the role of Lorenzo. Claudia Cardinale perfectly captures the essence of a woman scorned, and Jacques Perrin delivers an extraordinary portrayal of unrequited love. Notable cast members include Corrado Pani (Watch Me When I Kill), who portrays Marcello, the man who abandoned Aida, and Gian Maria Volontè (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion), who portrays a former lover of Aida’s.

Valerio Zurlini had a knack for creating visually arresting moments, and there are two moments that stand out. The first of these moments is a scene where Lorenzo goes to the hotel where Aida is staying. When he arrives, she’s already enjoying the company of others who invite her and Lorenzo to dinner. After dinner she goes outside and dances with a man while Lorenzo jealously looks on. The other of these moments takes place at a train station where Lorenzo stalks Aida and her former lover. While Aida and her former lover are having lunch, the glass window between them and Lorenzo keeps their discussion private.

Besides unrequited love, other themes explored in Girl with a Suitcase include classism, betrayal, and deception. There are many moments where characters' expressions and sounds tell much more than any spoken word. Another strength is Mario Nascimbene’s exemplary mood-reinforcing score. Ultimately, Girl with a Suitcase is a film that quickly draws you in, and its moment of truth lingers in your mind.

Girl with a Suitcase gets a definitive release from Radiance Films, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer