The Man and the Monster – Casanegra Entertainment (DVD)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1959
Director: Rafael Baledón
Writers: Alfredo Salazar, Raúl Zenteno
Cast: Enrique Rambal, Maricarmen Vela, Laura Baledon, Deelia Guilmain, Marta Roth, Abel Salazar, Jose Chavez, Carlos Suarez

Release Date: April 24th, 2007
Approximate Running Time: 78 Minutes 57 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital Mono Spanish, Dolby Digital Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region 1 NTSC
Retail Price: OOP

"Enrique Rambal portrays Samuel, a pianist so ambitious that he sells his soul to Satan in exchange for musical greatness. Every time Samuel plays the composition that wins him fame, fortune and adulation, he turns into a hideous beast with a lust for murder. To avoid transforming into a ferocious killer, all Samuel need do is refuse to play his signature song. But is he willing to sacrifice his own status as the world’s most acclaimed pianist?” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "Completely re-mastered picture & sound from newly restored vault elements."

The Man and the Monster comes of a single layer DVD.

Disc Size: 3.76 GB

The source used for this transfer looks great, and any source-related debris is very minor. Image clarity, contrast, and black levels are strong; there are no issues with edge enhancement; and any compression-related issues are minor.

Audio: Audio: 4/5 (Dolby Digital Mono Spanish), 3.25/5 (Dolby Digital Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options: a Dolby Digital mono mix in Spanish and a Dolby Digital mono mix in English. The Spanish language track sounds cleaner and more robust than the English language track. Also, the English language track has a background hiss throughout. Included with this release are removable English subtitles for the Spanish language track. It should be noted that the subtitles are in a blue font.

Extras:

The extras for this release include a poster and still gallery (16 images), text biographies for actresses Marta Roth, and Deelia Guilmain, actors Abel Salazar, and Enrique Rambal, U.S. theatrical release radio spot, Mexican horror movie poster slideshow, and reversible bilingual cover art (English on one side and Spanish on the other side).

Also, the menus are bilingual (English or Spanish).

Summary:

The Man and the Monster was directed by Rafael Baledón, whose other notable films include The Hell of Frankenstein, Los salvajes, and The Curse of the Crying Woman. Content-wise, The Man and the Monster is a retelling of the German folklore Faust in which the protagonist sells his soul to the devil in order to obtain the thing he desires the most. Another influence on The Man and the Monster is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In The Man and the Monsters, the protagonist transforms from a frail mama’s boy into a bloodthirsty monster whenever he hears a musical motif.

The narrative does a great job of mixing all the influences into a cohesive story that is entertaining and always holds your attention. Rafael Baledón’s direction is solid. He once again delivers a stylish gothic horror film that is overflowing with atmosphere and is a film that is on par with his equally superb The Curse of the Crying.

Performance wise, the entire cast were great in their roles, especially Enrique Rambal in the role of the protagonist, Samuel Magno, aka "The Monster". He does a superb job balancing the two sides of his character. Other performances of note are Abel Salazar in the role of a reporter named Ricardo Souto and Marta Roth, who also portrays two characters, Laura and Alejandra.

All the sets are wonderfully designed to further enhance the creepy atmosphere. Though the special effects are dated by today’s standards, they are well done and effective. One of the best moments is when Samuel Magno has a flashback which reveals all the back-story behind his deal with the devil. Ultimately, The Man and the Monster is a first-rate production that ranks among the best horror films to ever come out of Mexico.

The Man and the Monster gets a definitive release from Casanegra, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer