Black Candles – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain, 1982
Director: José Ramón Larraz
Writer: José Ramón Larraz
Cast: Helga Liné, Vanessa Hidalgo, Jeffrey Healey, Alfred Lucchetti, Manuel Gómez-Álvarez, Carmen Carrión, Julia Caballero, Tito Valverde

Release Date: February 22nd, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 84 Minutes 43 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"When a young couple visits in-laws in the UK countryside, they will instead discover a haven of the occult where lesbianism, incest, sodomy, bestiality and beyond may all be commanded by Lucifer himself." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "scanned uncut in 2K".

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

Disc Size: 39.6 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

Though the source used for this transfer looks very good, It should be noted that there’s print debris and a few scratches that appear throughout this transfer. That said, the colors look very good, the image looks crisp, the grain looks organic and though black levels fare well, there are some instances where they could look better.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and included with this release are removable English SDH subtitles. The audio sounds clear and balanced. 

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, author of Spanish Horror Film titled An Exception To The Norm (21 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Gavin Baddeley, author of Lucifer Rising: Sin, Devil Worship & Rock'n'Roll (42 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a documentary short on actress Helga Liné titled La Dama Del Fantaterror (16 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles and text in English) and an audio commentary with Rodney Barnett and Troy Guinn, hosts of NaschyCast.

Summary:

José Ramón Larraz is a filmmaker whose films can be split into three distinctive groups. The first group is thrillers. The first group is horror films that he directed while living in the UK. The second group is melodramas and erotica that he directed after his return to Spain, after censorship in that country was laxed, and the third group is a few slasher and horror films that he directed at the end of his career. Black Candles fall into the second group.

Like many who became aware of José Ramón Larraz, I was introduced to his cinema via Vampyres, a film that’s arguably his greatest achievement as a filmmaker. My next venture into the cinema of José Ramón Larraz was Black Candles, a film that, technically, is the polar opposite of Vampyres.

Black Candles is a satanic-themed erotica film that only delves into the realm of horror cinema. The premise bears many similarities to Rosemary’s Baby, which is not a surprise since many satanic themed films from this era used elements from Rosemary’s Baby. That said, it depicts sharing elements with Rosemary’s Baby, but this is where any similarities end. Since Black Candles' narrative is like night and day when compared to Rosemary’s Baby,

Visuals are the one area where Black Candles does not disappoint. José Ramón Larraz has a strong visual eye, and Black Candles is filled with many visually arresting compositions. Unfortunately, when it comes to the narrative, this is one area where Black Candles comes up short. The narrative is padded with sex scenes, and what little exposure there is barely moves things forward. 

The performances are best described as serviceable. With only Helga Liné’s (My Dear Killer) in the role of Fiona, the protagonist's sister-in-law, she portrays one of the ringleaders of a satanic cult that has lured her sister-in-law into their coven. She delivers a strong performance that is reinforced by her enthusiasm during the more salacious moments.

Of course, when discussing Black Candles, there are two things that get the most discussed. There’s an ample amount of nudity and a sex scene with a goat. Ultimately, if you can get past the anemic narrative and if you just like weird cinema, then give Black Candles a spin.

Severin Films gives Black Candles its best home video release to date, recommend.

Written by Michael Den Boer