The Witch’s Mirror – Casanegra Entertainment (DVD)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1962
Director: Chano Urueta
Writers: Alfredo Ruanova, Carlos Enrique Taboada
Cast: Rosita Arenas, Armando Calvo, Isabela Corona, Dina De Marco, Carloes Nieto

Release Date: June 27th, 2006
Approximate Running Time: 75 Minutes 28 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

"A benevolent witch (Isabela Corona) enchants a magic mirror to protect her adopted daughter Elena (Dina de Marco) from her cruel husband (Armando Calvo). When the incantation fails and the girl is murdered, the witch vows revenge using every unholy principle of the supernatural that she can conjure. An unforgettable foray into black magic, high spookery and dazzling storytelling, CasaNegra is proud to present The Witch’s Mirror restored and re-mastered for the first time on DVD in a brand new transfer – including the blasphemous resurrection of the slain Elena!” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "Completely re-mastered picture & sound from newly restored 35 mm vault elements."

The Witch’s Mirror comes of a single layer DVD.

Disc Size: 3.98 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: 4/5 (Dolby Digital Mono Spanish), 3.5/5 (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 audio mix sounds cleaner and fuller then the English audio mix which has noticeable hiss through out. There is also a four minute section during the English audio mix which switches to Spanish since these scenes were not filmed in English. So you will want to get ready at about the twenty minute mark and turn on your subtitles or better yet listen to the Spanish audio mix. English subtitles that are easy to read and follow have been included.

Extras:

The extras for this release include a poster and still gallery (13 images), text biographies for actress Rosita Arenas and actor Armando Calvo, a text essay titled Chanovision: The Films of Mexican Cult Moviemaker, Chano Urueta, written by David Wilt, an audio commentary with founder of IVTV Frank Coleman in English with removable English subtitles, reversible bilingual cover art (English on one side and Spanish on the other side), and Casanegra Loteria game cards.

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

Summary:

Today’s horror films, with their vivid colors, have nothing on the horror films that were shot in stark black and white. My earliest memories of watching horror films were through Universal’s classic monster movies like Frankenstein and Dracula. These films evoked a certain kind of menace and style that no color film could. Also, the violence was more subtle and implied, instead of splashing blood on the screen for no reason at all.

Chano Urueta’s The Witch’s Mirror is a beautifully photographed film that at times is reminiscent of James Whale’s Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. Then there is the mirror that plays an important part in the story at hand, which has an odd Mario Bava like quality to it. That said, Chano Urueta is like a magician in the way he plays with imagery in The Witch’s Mirror.

The Witch’s Mirror contains many things that have become staples in the Universal Monster films, like a mad scientist who desperately wants to restore the beauty of his new bride. Just like the grave-robbing Doctor Frankenstein, he likes his corpse recently deceased, or better yet, still alive. and a poetic ending that is ironic. Also, the special effects are pretty good, especially the way they make hands disappear.

The performances were very good. The standout performance is Isabela Corona in the role of Sara "The Witch". She steals every scene she is in with her enthusiasm and her wicked stare. Rosita Arenas, in the role of Deborah, also stars as Amelia in The Curse of the Crying Woman.

Content wise, The Witch’s Mirror is equal parts Eyes Without a Face and The Hands of Orlac, with some Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca thrown in for good measure. Ultimately, if you are looking for classic horror that has an abundance of atmosphere and style, then The Witch’s Mirror is a film you should thoroughly enjoy.

Though they were only around for less than two years, Casanegra firmly established themselves as a premier boutique label whose releases of classic Mexican cinema are some of the best English-friendly releases of these types of films. That said, Casanegra’s untimely demise was a huge blow to fans of classic Mexican cinema.

The Witch’s Mirror gets a definitive release from Casanegra, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer