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Footprints (Le orme) – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Turkey, 1975
Director: Luigi Bazzoni
Writers: Mario Fanelli, Luigi Bazzoni
Cast: Florinda Bolkan, Peter McEnery, Nicoletta Elmi, Caterina Boratto, John Karlsen, Evelyn Stewart, Klaus Kinski, Lila Kedrova

Release Date: October 25th, 2022
Approximate running times: 92 Minutes 45 Seconds (U.S. Cut), 96 Minutes 10 Seconds (Italian Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English, English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $104.95 (only available as part of House of Psychotic Women: Rarities Collection)

"Florinda Bolkan (A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, Flavia the Heretic) stars as a freelance translator who wakes one morning missing all memory of her past three days. But will a trail of odd clues lead her to a place where perception and identity are never what they seem?." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (U.S. Cut, Italian Cut)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Now scanned in 4K from the original camera negatives."

Footprints (Le orme) the U.S. cut comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB

Footprints (Le orme) the Italian cut comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.1 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

The sources used for both transfers are in great shape, and they look similar. Colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

Both versions come with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Though both are similar range-wise. There is some background hiss on the English-language tracks. That said, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that when watching the English language version, there is some dialog in Italian that is only subtitled if you have the English subtitles on that are meant for the Italian language track. Also, both versions have a scene where English subtitles are burned in.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include an introduction by Kier-La Janisse, author of House of Psychotic Women (6 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by film scholars Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Craig Martin titled Nicoletta Elmi: Italian Cinema's Imp Ascendent (11 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with actress Ida Galli titled To The Moon (12 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles.

Extras on disc one include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro titled Light of The Moon (77 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles, and an audio commentary with film historian Kat Ellinger for the Italian cut.

Summary:

Footprints (Le orme) was directed by Luigi Bazzoni (The Possessed), who only directed four other feature films. Footprints (Le orme), like the other thrillers by Luigi Bazzon, are unique cinematic experiences that go against what one would expect from an Italian thriller.

The thing that immediately grabs you while watching Footprints (Le orme) are its stunning visuals, which were photographed by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. He would collaborate with Luigi Bazzoni on three of his five films: The Fifth Cord, Brothers Blue, and Footprints (Le orme). His stylish cinematography for Footprints (Le orme) uses both black and white for flashbacks and color; some of the color scenes are bathed in blue.

Not to be overlooked when discussing Footprints (Le orme) is composer Nicola Piovani’s (The Perfume of the Lady in Black) evocative score, which does a superb job reinforcing the forbidding mood. Another strength of Footprints (Le orme) is how sound and image create a perfect fusion.

Though Footprints (Le orme) does not fall short of expectations in any way, perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Footprints (Le orme) is Florinda Bolkan’s (Don't Torture a Duckling) portrayal of Alice, a protagonist who is haunted by a dream that leads to a familiar place that she does not remember. Another performance of note is Nicoletta Elmi (Deep Red) in the role of a little girl who befriends Alice.

Footprints' (Le orme's) narrative is a collection of fragments that are pieces of a larger puzzle that all come together for an unforgettable ending. Also, the narrative does a great job blurring reality, dreams, and forgotten memories. Ultimately, Footprints (Le orme) is a different kind of Italian thriller whose moment of truth lingers on in your mind.

Footprints (Le orme) gets a solid release from Severin Films as part of their House of Psychotic Women: Rarities Collection, highly recommended.