The Devil's Wedding Night - Code Red (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1973
Directors: Luigi Batzella, Joe D'Amato
Writers: Mark Damon, Ian Danby, Ralph Zucker
Cast: Mark Damon, Rosalba Neri, Esmeralda Barros, Enza Sbordone, Xiro Papas, Gengher Gatti, Carlo Gentili, Giorgio Dolfin, Stefano Oppedisano, Cristina Perrier

Release Date: January 12th, 2021
Approximate running time: 84 minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Franz Schiller (Mark Damon, House of Usher, Black Sabbath) goes to Transylvania in search of a cursed ancient ring. His quest brings him to Castle Dracula, where he discovers and falls for the strange and beautiful La Contessa Dolingen de Vries (Rosalba Neri, Amuck, No Way Out), who turns out to be Countess Dracula, hell-bent on bringing Count Dracula back to life. Schiller is put under the Countess’ evil spell as his twin brother Karl Schiller arrives in Transylvania trying to save his brother before it’s too late.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “U.S. Version Mastered in HD - From the Original Vault Film Elements”.

The Devil's Wedding Night comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.1 GB

Feature: 19.6 GB

The source used for this transfer is in very good shape. There is print debris and other source-related damage that varies in degree. With the most noticeable source-related damage being an emulsion stain in the middle of the frame that's present for about ten minutes. Though colors generally look strong, there is some color fluctuation. The image looks crisp, the black levels are best described as adequate, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 3.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Though audio comes through clearly and ambient sounds are well-represented, there are instances of background hiss and other audio imperfections. That said, range-wise, things sound limited. This release comes with no subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a U.S. theatrical trailer (1 minute 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles) and Katarina’s Bucket List Theater (8 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras include trailers for The Slasher ...is the Sex Maniac!, Conquest, Cry of a Prostitute, and The Big Alligator River.

Summary:

Although Paul Solvay is credited as The Devil's Wedding Night's director, this film was actually co-directed by Luigi Batzella (Nude for Satan) and Joe D'Amato (Death Smiles on a Murderer). The latter was also The Devil's Wedding Night’s cinematographer.

A countess employs Dracula’s ring to attract beautiful women to her castle, where she drains their blood and bathes in it.

Content-wise, The Devil's Wedding Night can be likened to Dracula, featuring a female vampire in the titular role. The narrative exhibits numerous striking similarities to that of Dracula, and several characters reflect those from the original story. While the influence of Dracula is evident in The Devil's Wedding Night, the outcome diverges significantly from its source material. This film serves as a quintessential example of 1970s exploitation cinema, often crossing into the realm of soft-core erotica..

From a production standpoint, The Devil's Wedding Night bears all the markings of low-budget Euro-cult cinema. The premise brings nothing new to the table, and a slow-moving narrative does not do this film any favors. Another area where The Devil's Wedding Night comes up short is its odd score, which features a few music cues that feel out of place.

That said, Rosalba Neri (The Girl in Room 2A) in the role of La Contessa Dolingen de Vries is The Devil's Wedding Night’s only saving grace. Her character spends an ample amount of time undressed, and in one scene she’s covered in blood. Ultimately, The Devil's Wedding Night is a film where the poster art oversells it.

The Devil's Wedding Night gets a serviceable audio/video presentation from Code Red.

Written by Michael Den Boer