Hardboiled: Three Pulp Thrillers by Alain Corneau: Limited Edition - Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1976 (Police Python 357), France, 1979 (Série noire), France, 1981 (Choice of Arms)
Director: Alain Corneau (All Films)
Cast: Yves Montand, François Périer, Simone Signoret, Stefania Sandrelli, Mathieu Carrière, Vadim Glowna (Police Python 357), Patrick Dewaere, Myriam Boyer, Marie Trintignant, Bernard Blier, Jeanne Herviale, Andreas Katsulas (Série noire), Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu, Catherine Deneuve, Michel Galabru, Gérard Lanvin, Jean-Claude Dauphin, Jean Rougerie, Christian Marquand, Etienne Chicot, Richard Anconina, Pierre Forget (Choice of Arms)

Release Date: March 24th, 2025 (UK), April 8th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 126 Minutes 24 Seconds (Police Python 357), 115 Minutes 53 Seconds (Série noire), 135 Minutes 46 Seconds (Choice of Arms)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Police Python 357, Série noire), 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Choice of Arms)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono French (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £39.99 (UK), $69.95 (USA)

"As their popularity waned in the US, the hardboiled genre remained hugely popular and relevant throughout the 1960s and 70s in France, thanks to the successful Serie Noire imprint and a succession of new translations. In Alain Corneau's early films, he sought to continue the noir tradition in his native France, and was both directly and indirectly inspired by titans of hardboiled genre, including Kenneth Fearing and Jim Thompson. A heady combination of classic noir and 70s grit, these three darkly thrilling films are vastly underrated and important works in the canon of crime cinema.

In Police Python 357, Yves Montand (The Wages of Fear) plays a tough cop who, when his lover is found murdered, finds himself implicated in her death and in a battle of wits with a powerful rival, in the second screen adaptation of Kenneth Fearing's The Big Clock.

Serie Noire adapts Jim Thompson's A Hell of A Woman to the banlieues of Paris: in an astonishing performance, Patrick Dewaere (Themroc) attempts to save a young girl from prostitution, with murder the only solution.

In Choice of Arms, Yves Montand heads an all-star cast, including Catherine Denueve and Gerard Depardieu, as a former crook pulled out of retirement when a gang on the run turn to him for shelter after a prison break.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (All Films)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "Police Python 357, Série noire and Choice of Arms were supplied to Radiance Films as high resolution digital files."

Police Python 357 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.6 GB

Feature: 34.6 GB

Série noire comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.9 GB

Feature: 33.7 GB

Choice of Arms comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.6 GB

Feature: 36.9 GB

The sources utilized for these transfers appear similar; all imperfections have been addressed. Flesh tones appear healthy, colors seem accurate, image clarity is strong, and black levels along with compression are solid.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono French - All Films)

Police Python 357, Série Noire, and Choice of Arms each come with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. All of the audio mixes sound clean, clear, and balanced; range-wise, ambient sounds are well represented, and their scores sound robust.

Extras:

Extras for Police Python 357 include an interview with Maxim Jakubowski who discusses Police Python 357’s source novel and adaptation (15 minutes 11 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), archival interviews with director Alain Corneau and actor François Périer from Belgian Television (5 minutes 31 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Mike White.

Extras for Série noire include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 21 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), on set interviews with Alain Corneau, actor Patrick Dewaere and actress Miriam Boyer from Belgian Television (10 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Alain Corneau and actress Marie Trintignant (28 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival documentary titled Série noire: The Darkness of the Soul, featuring cast and crew on the making of Série noire (28 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and a video essay by Paul Martinovic titled A Hollyhock in a Cornfield: Jim Thompson On Screen (29 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras for Série noire include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 42 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an interview with Manuela Lazic who discusses Yves Montand in the 1970s (23 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), on set interviews with Yves Montand, Gérard Depardieu and Catherine Deneuve (18 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival documentary for French television titled Shooting Choice of Arms, featuring interviews with the cast and crew and behind-the-scenes footage (21 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), and an introduction by documentary filmmaker Jérôme Wybon (3 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and a 80-page booklet with cast & crew information for each film, an archival interview with Alain Corneau conducted by David Hering, an essay titled Série noire: The Hardboiled Pulp Imprint That Changed French Culture written by Andrew Male, an essay titled Permafrost Pulp: The ‘Ouroborol’ Noir of Alain Corneau written by Travis Woods, an essay titled Police Python 357 and the Music of Georges Delerue written by Charlie Brigden, an essay titled Problem Policier: Choice of Arms and Alain Corneau’s Banlieue Noirs written by Nick Pinkerton, an archival writing titled A Tribute to Patrick Dewaere written by Alain Corneau, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

Police Python 357: Two men who know each other become unknowingly involved with the same woman. When one of them discovers that she is leaving him for the other man, he kills her.

Police Python 357 is an adaptation of Kenneth Fearing's novel The Big Clock through the lens of 1970s crime films like Dirty Harry and Death Wish. Though Kenneth Fearing's novel The Big Clock had been previously adapted into the 1948 film of the same name, Police Python 357, despite being from the same source, could not be more unalike. These two adaptations are connected by their premise: in one, the protagonist is a magazine editor, while in the other, the protagonist is a police officer. Besides swapping professions, tone-wise these two films are polar opposites.

The narrative centers around an inspector named Marc Ferrot, who is superbly portrayed by Yves Montand (The War Is Over). The inspector is a hard-nosed character who often goes over the line when doing his job. When he finds himself at the center of a murder investigation, he does everything possible to avoid witnesses. While the murder investigation is unfolding, he conducts his own parallel investigation to uncover the killer's identity and clear his name. What unfolds is an exhilarating game of cat and mouse, where the inspector finds himself in a race against time.

Though Yves Montand’s performance is the anchor, the rest of the cast are excellent in their roles. The other performance of note is Stefania Sandrelli (Seduced and Abandoned), who portrays Sylvia Leopardi, the woman who is romantically involved with two men. She delivers a solid performance of a woman at a crossroads. Notable cast members include François Périer (Le Samouraï), who portrays police commissioner Ganay, the other man and Inspector Ferrot’s boss, and Simone Signoret (Les Diaboliques), who portrays Ganay’s wife.

Police Python 357 immediately draws you in with its striking opening credits sequence where the protagonist gets ready by making bullets and putting them into his gun. Though there are a few other visual moments that grab your attention, for the most part the visuals let the performance be the main focal point. That said, Alain Corneau’s direction is superlative; he has a knack for creating tense moments.

From a production standpoint, Police Python 357 is a film that surpasses the sum of its parts. The premise is flawlessly executed, and a well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job building to an exemplary finale. Another strength is Georges Delerue’s (The Conformist) score, which perfectly underscores the mood. Ultimately, Police Python 357 is an extraordinary film about a man who takes extreme measures, including disfiguring himself, to conceal his connection to a woman who was murdered.

Série noire: A door-to-door salesman becomes involved with a girl whose aunt has forced her into prostitution. Unhappy with his life, he sees a way out if he robs and kills the aunt, taking the girl with him.

Série noire is an adaptation of Jim Thompson’s novel A Hell of a Woman. Several of his novels have been adapted into films like After Dark, My Sweet, The Getaway, and The Grifters. He’s also worked as a screenwriter, collaborating twice with Stanley Kubrick, on The Killing and Paths of Glory.

Though Série noire fits firmly in the crime film genre, the result is one of the more unique French crime films. What begins as a drama about a man who is struggling and in a crumbling marriage transforms into a tale of a man who is driven to his breaking point and ultimately crosses the line. The setup is pure noir: a man who meets a woman (in this case, a girl) and helps her escape from a bad situation by committing murder.

The protagonist is a door-to-door salesman named Franck, who struggles in his job and is weary of his dismal life. He perceives himself as a victim; nothing ever goes his way. Everyone he encounters—his wife, the young girl and her aunt, his boss, and a friend named Tikides—shares a similarly bleak outlook, and they are all devoid of empathy. That said, despite the absence of likable characters, Série noire’s narrative does a phenomenal job holding your attention.

All around, the performances are outstanding; however, it is Patrick Dewaere’s (Get Out Your Handkerchiefs) portrayal of Franck that dominates every scene. Franck is a character filled with rage and driven by madness, and his performance perfectly encapsulates all of these traits. Another performance of note is Marie Trintignant (Betty), who plays Mona, a young girl who becomes attached to Franck. She delivers a subtle performance that contrasts with Patrick Dewaere’s performance.

From a production standpoint, Série noire is a film where everything falls into place. The premise is exceptionally well-executed, and the narrative effectively builds to a bittersweet twist ending. Though there are noir elements, the unfolding events possess an in-the-moment quality that is reminiscent of Neorealism. Furthermore, when it comes to the visuals, they always let the characters and their actions take center stage. Ultimately, Série noire is an exemplary example of the human condition through the lens of French crime cinema.

Choice of Arms: A criminal's past returns to haunt him when a former friend, who has been gravely wounded, brings along his impulsive accomplice, known for his temper.

With Choice of Arms, Alain Corneau delivers one of his most conventional crime films. At the heart of Choice of Arms are two characters whose lives intersect. One man who is older has firmly moved on from his past, while the other, a younger man, is living the life he once knew. Though the older man has left a life of crime behind, he still lives by the code Honor Among Thieves. When things go wrong because of a miscommunication, it causes a rift between them.

In its opening moments, Choice of Arms quickly establishes its tone with two bloody shootouts. From there the narrative does an excellent job balancing moments of exposition and violent outbursts. Though the moments of carnage can be attention-grabbing, it is ultimately the interplay between characters that drives the narrative. That said, it is not difficult to see with a film like Choice of Arms why Alain Corneau is seen by many as a successor to Jean-Pierre Melville.

There are two performances that stand out: Yves Montand (The Confession), who portrays Noel, a former criminal who now lives a peaceful life in the countryside, and Gérard Depardieu (The Last Metro), who portrays Mickey, a short-fused criminal driven by his destructive impulses. Though these two actors share a few scenes, most of their screen time is separate. Another cast member of note is Catherine Deneuve (Repulsion), who portrays Noel’s wife.

From a production standpoint, Choice of Arms is a film that fully exploits its resources. Though there is a deliberateness to the narrative's pacing, there is never any momentum that drags or disrupts momentum. Another strength is Philippe Sarde’s (The Tenant) score, which perfectly underscores the mood. Ultimately, Choice of Arms is an exemplary crime film that culminates with a poignant coda.

Hardboiled: Three Pulp Thrillers by Alain Corneau is an exceptional release from Radiance Films; all three films have solid audio/video presentations and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Beast Hand – Cleopatra Entertainment (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 2024
Director: Taichiro Natsume
Cast: Misa Wada, Takahiro Fukuya, Yota Kawase

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 77 Minutes 36 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Stereo Japanese
Subtitles: English (Non-Removable)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"Osamu - a Japanese day laborer - is forced into a lifestyle of crime. Unfortunately, when he crosses the wrong gangsters, they punish him by Sword, amputating his left hand in the process. Osamu's ex-girlfriend Koyuki takes him to an underground Doctor deep in the dark bowels of the city to attempt a transplant. But the new hand has a mind of its own, much to the dismay of the gangsters responsible - as Osamu pursues his revenge." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

The Beast Hand comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 17.9 GB

Feature: 15 GB

The material used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is very good.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM stereo mix in Japanese with non-removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. 

Extras:

Extras for this release include alternate Japanese promotional clips take 1 (41 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese, no subtitles), alternate Japanese promotional clips take 2 (49 seconds, LPCM stereo with text in Japanese, no subtitles), a slideshow with music from the film playing in the background, a trailer (1 minute 10 seconds, LPCM stereo Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), and seven unrelated trailers for films also released by Cleopatra Entertainment.

Summary:

A man committing a robbery has his hand chopped off by criminals he and his accomplice were stealing from. From there, doctors attach a mutant-like appendage where his hand once was. Unfortunately for him, his new appendage has a mind of its own, which makes him aggressive, and he seeks those who chopped his hand off.

Though billed as a horror film, The Beast Hand is actually a melodrama, a crime film, and a horror film rolled into one. The mutant arm and the way in which it allows the protagonists to rip through flesh are elements firmly rooted in horror. The melodrama stems from the protagonist and the woman he becomes involved with, both desiring a better life, yet trouble seems to find them wherever they go. And the crime elements come from the nefarious characters that populate this story that unfolds.

There is not much in the way of plot, just enough to move things forward. Though a few characters have a history, there is a lack of backstory to flesh it out. Many will find the opening setup before the hand is cut off tough to watch; there are a series of moments where a kidnapped woman is assaulted by the man forced to lead the protagonist into a life of crime. That said, things become increasingly cartoonish once the mutant appends it and becomes attached, leading to the carnage that follows as a result.

Though The Beast Hand is clearly a film that's working with limited resources, it does an impressive job maximizing them, especially when it comes to gory special effects. That said, these moments of carnage are extremely gory. Despite its relatively short running time of 78 minutes, there are numerous instances where the narrative drags, causing it to feel much longer than it actually is. Ultimately, The Beast Hand is all about its gory set pieces and nothing more.

The Beast Hand  gets a strong audio/video presentation from Cleopatra Entertainment.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The 10th Victim – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1965
Director: Elio Petri
Writers: Tonino Guerra, Giorgio Salvioni, Ennio Flaiano, Elio Petri, Ernesto Gastaldi
Cast: Marcello Mastroianni, Ursula Andress, Elsa Martinelli, Salvo Randone, Massimo Serato, Milo Quesada, Luce Bonifassy, George Wang, Evi Rigano, Walter Williams, Richard Armstrong, Antonio Ciani, Jacques Herlin, Wolfgang Hillinger, Mickey Knox, Anita Sanders

Release Date: March 25th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"It is the 21st Century, and society’s lust for violence is satisfied by “The Big Hunt,” an international game of legalized murder. Players are selected at random by a computer and it is up to the “Hunter” to get his “Victim”—no matter what—and to do him in. The divine Ursula Andress (Dr. No), doing in her last victim with a cleverly concealed pair of pistols in her bra at a New York nightclub; and the dashing Marcello Mastroianni (8½), doing in his last victim by attaching sticks of dynamite to the spurs of his victim, a rider in a horse show, have been matched up against each other by the computer. These adversaries are to confront each other in the arena of the coliseum before the world’s television cameras for the kill of the century…but they find that love is the most dangerous game of all!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K Restoration from 2012".

The 10th Victim comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.5 GB

Feature: 29.6 GB

Though this release utilizes a 2012 restoration that Shameless Films applied for its 2014 release, it does not exhibit issues with scanner noise like that release or Blue Underground’s 2011 Blu-ray does. Besides scanner noise, another aspect where Kino Lorber’s release differs from the other two releases is its color timing, which at times exhibits a yellowish tint. When it comes to image clarity, black levels, and grain management, Kino Lorber’s release stands out as the clear winner.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 3.75/5 (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 audio tracks sound clean, clear, and well-balanced; the score and ambient sounds are effectively represented. That said, of these two audio tracks, the Italian language track sounds more robust. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Italian theatrical trailer (2 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD mono Italian with non-removable English subtitles), U.S.theatrical trailer (1 minute 48 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), a featurette by Roberta Licurgo with Paola Pegoraro Petri (Wife of Elio Petri) and Author/Film Historian Kim Newman titled Elio Petri - Subject for Further Research (28 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film historians Steve Mitchell and Troy Howarth, reversible cover art, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Other extras include trailers for Marriage Italian Style, Casanova '70, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, What's New Pussycat?, Alphaville, and Danger: Diabolik.

Summary:

The 10th Victim was co-written and directed by Elio Petri, whose other notable films include The Assassin (L'assassino), A Quiet Place in the Country, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, and Property Is No Longer a Theft. The 10th Victim is an adaptation of a story written by Robert Sheckley titled The Seventh Victim. 

The cinematographer on The 10th Victim was Gianni Di Venanzo, whose impressive filmography includes Il grido, Big Deal on Madonna Street, La note, L’eclisse, Federico Fellini’s 81/2, and Juliet of the Spirits. After The 10th Victim, Gianni Di Venanzo would only work on one more film before his untimely death at the age of 45.

The score for The 10th Victim was composed by Piero Piccioni, whose other notable scores include Duel of the Titans, The Lady Killer of Rome, La Commare Secca (The Grim Reaper), Contempt (the Italian and Spanish versions), The Nuns of Saint Archangel, and Story of a Cloistered Nun.

The narrative revolves around two characters, Marcello Polletti and Caroline Meredith, who are both participating in "The Big Hunt." Marcello is the hunted, while Caroline is the hunter in search of her 10th victim. She soon discovers that he is not as easy a target as her previous victims as he leads her around on a series of misadventures as he tries to figure out who she is and what she wants. This cat-and-mouse game that evolves between these two characters is the most enjoyable part of the film.

The cast of The 10th Victim is strong, led by Marcello Mastroianni's (8 1/2) performance as Marcello Polletti, a charismatic character who fits the type of character he was frequently cast to play. Cast in the role of Caroline Meredith, the other lead is Ursula Andress (Dr. No). Though she gives a good performance, one has to wonder if Ann-Margret, the original choice, would have been a better fit in the role of Caroline Meredith. Having said that, there is a scene with Ursula Andress that clearly inspired the Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery machine gun breast assassins.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where The 10th Victim does not deliver and then some. The premise is superbly realized, the narrative does a great job building momentum, and a very satisfying finale provides the perfect climax. Also, The 10th Victim takes full advantage of the Rome locations in the film. All of the sets used are beautifully designed and realized. Ultimately, The 10th Victim is a highly entertaining farce that fans of Eurospy films and campy 1960s sci-fi cinema are sure to thoroughly enjoy.

Though the yellow tint is disappointing, Kino Lorber’s release represents an improvement in every other aspect, and for this reason, I recommend this release.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Forgotten Gialli: Volume Eight – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Italy, 1978 (Rings of Fear), Italy, 1975 (Reflections in Black), Italy, 1972 (A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services)
Directors: Alberto Negrin (Rings of Fear), Tano Cimarosa (Reflections in Black), Demofilo Fidani (A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services)
Cast: Fabio Testi, Christine Kaufmann, Ivan Desny, Jack Taylor, Bruno Alessandro, María Asquerino, Helga Liné, Silvia Aguilar (Rings of Fear), John Richardson, Dagmar Lassander, Ninetto Davoli, Magda Konopka, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Daniela Giordano, Ursula Davis, Tano Cimarosa (Reflections in Black), Paola Senatore, Jerry Colman, Raffaele Curi, Simonetta Vitelli, Ettore Manni, Jack Betts, Giancarlo Prete, Franco Ressel, Carlo Gentili, Mario Valdemarin, Howard Ross (A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services)

Release Date: March 18th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 84 Minutes 58 Seconds (Rings of Fear), 92 Minutes 53 Seconds (Reflections in Black), 87 Minutes 1 Second (A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (All Films), DTS-HD Mono English (Rings of Fear, Reflections in Black)
Subtitles: English (All Films), English SDH (Rings of Fear, Reflections in Black)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $89.98

Rings of Fear: "Hard-boiled Inspector Gianni Di Salvo has been brought in to solve the murder of a schoolgirl, found nude and savagely tortured. As he looks into the girl's life, hoping to find a clue as to why someone sought to snuff her out, his investigation takes him to an exclusive, all-girl prep school which the teenage victim attended. After becoming aware of her involvement with a trio of pupils who call themselves "The Inseparables," Di Salvo is convinced that the group is aware of some secret that led to their friend's killing. But when more victims are found slaughtered, the detective is in a race against time to unmask the murderer before it's too late." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Reflections in Black: "Countess Orselmo hides her lust for women from most of those closest to her, but that does not stop her from taking a bevy of beautiful female companions to her bed. But when some of her favorite conquests are discovered dead, slashed to ribbons with a razor, the Countess finds herself embroiled in a sinister mystery of which her illicit affairs are at the very center. Will she be next on the killer's target list, or does the assailant have another and even more shocking motive for the violence?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services: "Christina cannot stand her overbearing and oppressive home life. After deciding she needs to make it on her own, she rents an apartment but quickly discovers that to enjoy her freedom and independence, she'll need to earn a steady income. Taking advantage of her voluptuous body, she begins working as a call girl under the "protection" of a rough pimp named Oskar. But when some of her clients start turning up dead with their throats slashed, Christina realizes that a madman is on the loose and is following her carnal activities in order to find a victim pool." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (Rings of Fear, Reflections in Black), 4/5 (A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services)

Here’s the information given about Rings of Fear's transfer, “Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm blow-up CRI.”

Rings of Fear comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.5 GB

Feature: 24 GB

There is source debris throughout; fortunately, it is never distracting. Colors look good, image clarity looks strong most of the time, black levels fare well, there are no issues with compression, and the image retains an organic look.

Here’s the information given about Reflections in Black's transfer, “Newly scanned & restored in 2K from a 35mm Italian copyright deposit print.”

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

Disc Size: 31.7 GB

Feature: 26.3 GB

Though there is minor debris throughout, it is never distracting; colors look correct, image clarity looks strong most of the time, black levels fare well, there are no issues with compression, and the image retains an organic look.

Here’s the information given about A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services' transfer, “Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm original camera negative.”

A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.3 GB

Feature: 23.8 GB

The opening and closing credits have minor debris; colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, there are no issues with compression, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4/5 (Rings of Fear - DTS-HD Mono Italian, Reflections in Black - DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono Italian - A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her services), 3.75/5 (Rings of Fear - DTS-HD Mono English, Reflections in Black - DTS-HD Mono English)

Rings of Fear and Reflections in Black come with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono English. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH. Reflections in Black’s English language track has some dialog in Italian, and these come with an English subtitle track that translates only the Italian and not the whole track. All audio tracks are clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise things sound very good. That said, the Italian language tracks sound slightly fuller than the English language tracks.

A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her services comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for Rings of Fear include an interview with actor Fabio Testi titled The Red Thread (25 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Franco Ferrini Deep Red Rings (26 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Alberto Negrin titled From Big Screen Scares to Small Screen Epics (23 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Alberto Negrin about his his television career titled Cecil B. Negrin (13 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians Eugenio Ercolani, Troy Howarth, and Nathaniel Thompson.

Extras for Reflections in Black include alternate and additional footage unique to the export version of Reflections in Black (7 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Domenico Monetti, biographer of director/actor Tano Cimarosa titled Reflections on Cimarosa (25 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historian and critic Rachael Nisbet.

Extras for A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services include an interview with actress Simonetta Vitelli aka Simone Blondell titled Gentlemen Prefer Blondell (38 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Renato Rossini aka Howard Ross titled Photo Story Hero (16 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with film historian Eugenio Ercolani titled A.A.A. Looking for Paola (20 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with film historian Luca Rea titled Remembering the Medium (14 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and audio commentary with film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth.

Summary:

Rings of Fear: An investigation into a young woman’s death uncovers the truth behind a group of men who have been sexually exploiting school girls.

Alberto Negrin, a filmmaker who worked extensively on television films and shows, directed Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear), his only theatrical feature film. Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear) was intended to be the third film in Massimo Dallamano’s ‘School Girl in Peril’ trilogy. The other two films are What Have You Done to Solange? and What Have They Done to Your Daughters?. Though Massimo Dallamano is credited as one of the screenwriters for Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear), he would tragically die in a car crash in 1976. The score for Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear) was composed by Riz Ortolani, who reuses music from his score for Super Bitch.

Like the other ‘School Girl in Peril’ films, Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear) mixes two genres; Giallo and Poliziotteschi. There is a killer whose identity remains concealed until the finale, featuring plenty of well-executed moments of misdirection, and the narrative unfolds as a police procedural in which the protagonist is an inspector. That said, Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear) does an excellent job balancing elements from these two genres. Though the first two ‘School Girl in Peril’ films were directed by Massimo Dallamano, Alberto Negrin effectively maintains the aesthetic and atmosphere with his contribution to this trilogy.

The performances are adequate. The strongest performance is that of Fabio Testi (The Big Racket) in the role of Inspector Gianni Di Salvo. He was frequently cast in roles that depended more on his physical presence. His performance in Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear) provides him with an opportunity to portray a more well-rounded character. Notable cast members include Helga Liné (My Dear Killer) in the role of Mrs. Russo, the mother of the dead girl, Jack Taylor (Succubus) in the role of Michael Parravicini, a sleazy businessman who has sex party with school girls and Fausta Avelli (Don’t Torture a Duckling,) in the role of Emily Russo, the younger sister of the dead girl.

Visuals are the one area where Rosso (Rings of Fear) excels, particularly in its murder set pieces. The narrative opens with its most memorable moment: the police discovering a young girl's body wrapped in plastic. Other standout moments include a pair of flashback sequences: the first flashback sequence depicts a trauma connected to an abortion, and the second flashback sequence reveals the horrors unleashed upon the schoolgirls at an orgy. Though there are moments when Enigma Rosso (Rings of Fear) truly shines, the final outcome is a missed opportunity that ultimately gets overshadowed by the two ‘School Girl in Peril’ films that came before it.

Reflections in Black: A killer targets women who are having an affair with a married woman.

Though Reflections in Black checks many of the boxes when it comes to elements synonymous with the Giallo genre, the result is a film that reaches the visceral heights that most 1970s Gialli do. There is a killer who obscures their identity, and they use a razor to slit their victims throats. Unfortunately, as well-executed as the murder set pieces are, when it comes to exposition, especially moments with the police, any momentum is lost.

Reflections in Black’s strongest asset is its cast, which is filled with recognizable faces from 1970s Italian genre cinema, and though they are given much to work with, performance-wise most of them are great. The most memorable performance is by Dagmar Lassander (Hatchet for the Honeymoon), who portrays Leonora Anselmi, a woman who's been having many affairs. The most disappointing is John Richardson (Eyeball), who delivers another one-note performance in the role of Inspector Lavina. Tano Cimarosa, who made his directorial debut with Reflections in Black, also appears in the film as a police sergeant named Pantò.

Though the narrative has its strengths and its weaknesses, it does have a solid opening that grabs your attention. Besides its strong opening, another strength is how it uses flashbacks to fill in crucial details about the who and the why’s. In just the 1970s there were hundreds of Gialli, and like any genre, there are classics, good and bad films. That said, though not a classic example of 1970s Gialli, Reflections in Black is a film that would fall into the mid-tier.

A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services: A young woman wanting independence from her parents leaves home and becomes a call girl.

A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services is another example of Italian cinema that mixes genres; what starts off as a melodrama with exploitation elements becomes a Giallo in its last act. Things start off with an inventive opening credit sequence where images and clips from the film are shown in conjunction with the cast members names on screen. Though the kill scenes are well-executed, the focal point is the ample amounts of nudity and sex scenes. That said, Demofilo Fidani’s direction is lacking visually arresting moments, and it is strictly by the numbers.

The main draw of A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services is Paola Senatore (The Killer Reserved Nine Seats), who portrays Cristina, a woman who wants to live life on her terms. Even at this early stage of her career (having only appeared in one other film), her onscreen charisma is enough to carry a film. Another performance of note is Howard Ross (The New York Ripper), who portrays Cristina’s pimp. That said, when it comes to the rest of the performances, they are satisfactory.

The narrative moves at a deliberate momentum that some viewers will find to be slow. The narrative has few surprises; the first kill does not happen until around 31 minutes. Another drawback is the briefness of kills. That said, the narrative does an excellent job concealing the killer's identity. Ultimately, A.A.A. Masseuse, Good-Looking, Offers Her Services is an enjoyable film if you approach it as an explanation film instead of a Giallo.

Forgotten Gialli: Volume Eight is another solid addition to Vinegar Syndrome’s Forgotten Gialli series, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer