The Antichrist - Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1974
Director: Alberto De Martino
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Alberto De Martino, Vincenzo Mannino
Cast: Carla Gravina, Mel Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy, George Coulouris, Alida Valli, Mario Scaccia, Umberto Orsini, Anita Strindberg, Remo Girone, Ernesto Colli

Release Date: February 8th, 2022
Approximate running time: 112 minutes 24 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

"In Rome, a beautiful young woman (Carla Gravina, Alfredo, Alfredo) is left paralyzed by the trauma of a horrific childhood accident. But when placed under hypnosis, she is seized by visions of her past life as a heretic and becomes a foul-mouthed seductress with a taste for perversion that leads to her defilement by Satan himself. Now, mankind’s only hope for salvation is a harrowing exorcism that will either cast out the Devil forever or open the door for the unspeakable birth of the Antichrist!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand New 4K Restoration by StudioCanal."

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

Disc Size: 37.6 GB

Feature: 36.1 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Any source-related imperfections are very minor. Colors and flesh tones look correct, the image looks crisp, the black levels look strong, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 4/5 (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. The Italian language track sounds great; the dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and Ennio Morricone’s score sounds robust. The English language track is in good shape, though the dialog comes through clearly and everything sounds balanced. There are a few moments when the dialog does not sound as full as it should. It should be noted that there are a few moments where characters are clearly speaking Italian when watching with the English language track, and these moments are not subtitled. Also, the English subtitles included with this release appear to be dub titles since they match the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, a limited-edition slipcover, a TV spot under the title The Tempter (32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), The Tempter opening credits (1 minute 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an archival featurette with director Alberto De Martino and composer Ennio Morricone titled Raising Hell (10 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with author/film historian Lee Gambin and film critic Sally Christie.

Other extras are trailers for The Mephisto Waltz, Phobia, Burnt Offerings, and ZolTan… Hound of Dracula.

Summary:

Italian cinema has a long history of genre film cycles that were inspired by American films that were box office hits. And in the 1970's, one such film cycle was films that were knockoffs of The Exorcist. Case in point, Alberto De Martino’s (Strange Shadows in an Empty Room) The Antichrist, aka The Tempter. That said, though the Antichrist has its roots in The Exorcist, The result is actually one of the more original The Exorcist knockoffs.

The Antichrist’s opening sequence, which shows possessed individuals and rituals that are associated with demonic possession, does a fantastic job of laying the foundation for the events that precede. From there, the narrative does a great job of building tension as the protagonist's behavior becomes more erratic and eventually possessed.

At the heart of The Antichrist is a film that explores faith and temptation. The visuals are filled with atmosphere and religious imagery that greatly reinforce the foreboding mood. Another strength is Ennio Morricone’s extraordinary score. And though some of the special effects look dated by today's standards, Most of the special effects are actually very effective.

Not to be overlooked are the performances, which are very good, especially Carla Gravina (Tony Arzenta) in the role of Ippolita Oderisi, a disabled woman who becomes possessed. She delivers a solid performance that perfectly captures her character's state of mind. Other notable cast members include Mel Ferrer (Silent Action) in the role of Massimo Oderisi, Arthur Kennedy (Killer Cop) in the role of Cardinal Ascanio Oderisi, Anita Strindberg (Case of the Scorpion's Tail) in the role of Massimo’s mistress, and Alida Valli (Suspiria) in the role of Ippolita’s caretaker.

From a production standpoint, The Antichrist achieves its goals. The superbly realized premise deals with possession and past lives, and the narrative does a great job tying these two elements together. Another strength of the narrative is how it shifts between the present and the protagonist's past lives. Ultimately, The Antichrist is much more than an Exorcist clone and should be judged on its own merits.

The Antichrist makes its way to Blu-ray via a strong release from Kino Lorber that comes with a solid transfer and a pair of informative extras. Unfortunately, the lack of proper subtitles is disappointing.

Written by Michael Den Boer