In the Folds of the Flesh – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Spain, 1970
Director: Sergio Bergonzelli
Writers: Sergio Bergonzelli, Mario Caiano, Fabio De Agostini
Cast: Eleonora Rossi Drago, Pier Angeli, Fernando Sancho, Alfredo Mayo, Emilio Gutiérrez Caba, María Rosa Sclauzero, Víctor Barrera, Giancarlo Sisti, Gaetano Imbró, Luciano Catenacci, Bruno Ciangola

Release Date: January 10th, 2023
Approximate running time: 92 Minutes 23 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 Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Night-time, a peal of thunder, a castle by the sea, a severed head rolls across a carpeted floor, a blood-stained sword lies next to it... Meanwhile police are in hot pursuit of a criminal who is evading capture on a speeding motorbike. He takes refuge in the overgrown castle grounds, and he sees a dark-haired woman burying a corpse in a shallow grave. 13 years later, after being recaptured and serving his sentence, the man returns to the castle, intent on blackmail, and maybe a few other things.." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 2k transfer from negative".

In the Folds of the Flesh comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.3 GB

Feature: 19.8 GB (English Titles/Text), 17.8 GB (Italian Titles/Text)

The source used for this transfer looks excellent; it is a noticeable improvement over Severin Films' DVD release. Colors are nicely saturated, flesh tones look healthy, image clarity and black levels are solid, compression is very good, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (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 is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. The English language track is in good shape; dialog comes through clearly enough to follow, and everything sounds balanced. That said, there are some mild instances of background hiss on the English language track. Also, there are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro preview reel, English theatrical trailer (3 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Italian theatrical trailer (3 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), a featurette titled In The Folds of Sergio Bergonzelli (22 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Samm Deighan.

Summary:

In the Folds of the Flesh quickly establishes itself as a film that is more about the psychological damage that can occur as a result of a tragic event. Then it is a "murder by numbers" thriller. We see a woman burying a body from the start, and her crime is witnessed by a wanted man on the run from the law. This event sets up his later attempt at blackmailing her. Also, there are numerous flashback sequences that give us fragmentary glimpses of the truth.

Where most gialli from this era were visceral experiences that relied heavily on murder set pieces, In the Folds of the Flesh is a psychological giallo that is more in line with the late 1960s gialli that were directed by Umberto Lenzi and starred Carroll Baker. Also, it becomes clear when the opening credits arrive that In the Folds of Flesh is going to be a surreal experience that does not have any other film that is comparable to it.

The narrative revolves around a young woman who is traumatized after witnessing the death of her father as a child. This tragic event has turned her into a praying mantis who quickly disposes of her lovers. Then one day, a blackmailer shows up and threatens to reveal the truth behind her father's death.

When it comes to on-screen violence, it is not as graphic as other early 1970s gialli. The deaths are quick and relatively bloodless. That said, this doesn’t mean that they have lost their effectiveness. All of the killings are committed for the purpose of covering up a previous crime.

The three female leads are Eleonora Rossi Drago (Violent Summer) in the role of Lucille, the matriarch of the dysfunctional family, Pier Angeli (The Angry Silence) in the dual roles of Falesse and Ester, and María Rosa Sclauzero in the role of Falesse. Despite her minor role, Mara Rosa Sclauzero's performance as Phyllis is the most memorable in the film. The rest of the performance is best described as serviceable.

In the Folds of the Flesh was directed by Sergio Bergonzelli (Blood Delirium), who also co-wrote the screenplay. His direction is solid. The stylish visuals do a great job reinforcing the mood, especially when it comes to the use of flashbacks. The black-and-white flashbacks with Nazis sending people to gas chambers stand out the most. Ultimately, In the Folds of the Flesh is a lurid exploitation film that has a solid payoff.

In the Folds of the Flesh gets a solid release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer