Symptoms – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK/Belgium, 1974
Director: José Ramón Larraz
Writers: José Ramón Larraz, Stanley Miller, Thomas Owen
Cast: Angela Pleasence, Peter Vaughan, Lorna Heilbron, Nancy Nevinson, Ronald O’Neil, Marie-Paule Mailleux, Mike Grady, Raymond Huntley

Release Date: May 10th, 2016
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 aspect ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Helen, who lives alone, invites her new friend Anne to stay with her in a lonely house, lost in the English countryside. The house, the woods that surround it and the figures fleetingly glimpsed through its windows, all seem imbued with a deep sense of mystery. Helen appears to be hiding a secret and the more Anne tries to uncover it, the deeper she is pulled into its dark heart." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “This release, taken from the original negative and fully restored.” 

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

Disc Size: 45.3 GB

Feature: 24.9 GB

This release is done in conjunction with BFI’s own release in the UK. Both releases use the same source as their 2K transfers, a restoration of the film’s original negative. Colors and flesh tones look accurate, black levels look very good, and details look crisp. Also, the grain looks natural and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option: a LPCM mono mix in English and removable English SDH subtitles have also been included with this release. There are no issues with background noise distortion; the dialog is clear and everything sounds balanced. The range and depth are also excellent. With the more ambient aspects of the soundtrack being well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro preview reel, theatrical trailer (2 minutes 6 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), a text based bio for Celia Novis who directed the documentary On Vampyres and Other Symptoms, a featurette titled From Barcelona… To Turnbridge Wells: The Films of José Larraz (24 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Angela Pleasence (9 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), the second interview with actress Lorna Heilbron (17 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and the third interview with producer Brian Smedley (17 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and a documentary titled On Vampyres and Other Symptoms (73 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Content-wise, Symptoms has all the ingredients that one would want and, more importantly, expect from a psychological thriller. And the bulk of the narrative takes place at one central location, a remote estate in the English countryside, which is in its own state of decay. Another strength of Symptoms is its well-defined protagonist and her deteriorating state of mind. It is made crystal clear the moment she arrives onscreen that something about her is off balance. Also, though the secondary characters are not as well defined as the protagonist, Symptoms builds them up just enough that their presence greatly adds to the story at hand.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Symptoms does not deliver. The visuals are rock solid, and they take full advantage of the symptoms' central location. Also, the visuals are filled with atmosphere, and they do a superb job of reinforcing the mood. And when it comes to pacing, things start off slowly as the first act is used to establish all the main players. Then, the middle act reveals the things that are just lingering beneath the surface, while the final act serves as the moment of truth for the protagonist.

Without a doubt, Symptoms' greatest asset is its leading lady, Angela Pleasence, who delivers an utterly convincing performance in the role of this film’s disturbed protagonist, Helen. Another performance of note is Lorna Heilbron in the role of Anne, the friend staying with Helen. Ultimately, Symptoms is an extraordinary psychological thriller that has been cut from the same mold as films like Repulsion and Don’t Look Now.

Symptoms gets an exceptional release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer