The Whip and the Body: Deluxe Collector's Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1963
Director: Mario Bava
Writers: Ernesto Gastaldi, Ugo Guerra, Luciano Martino
Cast: Daliah Lavi, Christopher Lee, Tony Kendall, Ida Galli, Harriet Medin, Gustavo De Nardo, Luciano Pigozzi, Jacques Herlin

Release Date: March 27th, 2023
Approximate running time: 86 Minutes 51 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK)

"Kurt Menliff, the black sheep of his family, was banished for his wicked, wicked ways. But now he's home and keen to resume his sadomasochistic affair with his brother's wife, Nevenka. So keen, in fact, that not even his untimely death can put a stop to his violent lust." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K Scan and 2K Restoration from archive print materials."

The Whip and the Body comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.4 GB

88 Films Feature: 25.4 GB

Kino Lorber Feature: 27.1 GB

The Whip and the Body is a film that never caught a break when it came to home video. To date, I have owned VCI Entertainment’s DVD release, EMS's German DVD release, Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray release, and now this Blu-ray release from 88 Films. That said, all releases to date have had their issues.

That brings me to The Whip and the Body’s latest release from 88 Films. Though the original negative appears to be gone, 88 Films has done a great job with the best archive materials that remain. The source is in excellent shape; there are no source-related imperfections, and there is a healthy layer of grain; the image always looks organic. That said, the biggest difference between Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray and 88 Films Blu-ray is how 88 Films corrects some day for night shots, and they also get rid of the blue tint that is prominent throughout Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both audio mixes sound clean, clear, and balanced. Also, range-wise ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds robust. That said, the Italian language track sounds slightly fuller than the English language track. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, French theatrical trailer (3 minutes 34 seconds, LPCM mono French, no subtitles), Italian theatrical trailer (3 minutes 34 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), German theatrical trailer (3 minutes 35 seconds, LPCM mono German, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi titled Whipping the Body (24 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with assistant director Sergio Martino titled Working with Bava (24 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Lamberto Bava titled The Gothic and the Fantastic (25 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Italian cinema experts Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson, an audio commentary with film critics Kim Newman and Sean Hogan, A3 fold-out poster, and a 40-page booklet with an essay titled Nevenka’s Guilty Pleasures written by Marta Oliehoek-Samitowska, an essay titled The Colors of Sadism: Mind, Sex and Violence in Mario Bava’s The Whip and the Body written by Francesco Massaccesi, and an essay titled Scenographies & Sadomasochism written by Rachael Nisbet.

Extras on the Kino Lorber release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 28 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava – All the Colors of the Dark, and trailers for Black Sunday, A Bay of Blood, Baron Blood, and Lisa and the Devil.

Summary:

The Whip and the Body is equal parts gothic horror and melodrama. Structurally, the narrative is arguably the strongest point that Mario Bava ever got to work with. Also, all of the characters are well-defined and their motivations are laid out with crystal clarity.

When compared to your atypical horror films, the way in which The Whip and the Body go for the jugular is against the grain. Unfortunately, this unfamiliar turn may lead some viewers to tune out of what is really a meticulously laid out exercise in terror that puts the weight of its shocking payoffs squarely on the shoulders of its atmospheric visuals.

When discussing the films of Mario Bava, one area that often comes up is his use of colors. And in the case of The Whip and the Body, he appears to have reached his apex in regards to his use of colors. Also, The Whip and the Body features many themes that would become the foundation of his later films. A few of these themes include obsession, decaying families, and inner turmoil.

Performance wise, it is really the two leads who carry The Whip and the Body. Daliah Lavi (The Demon) is exquisite in the role of Nevenka Menliff, and Christopher Lee (Count Dracula) is magnificent in the role of Kurt Menliff, her sadistic lover. They have a tremendous amount of chemistry, while the rest of the cast are little more than props used to further the story at hand. The most memorable moment in "The Whip and the Body" is a scene where Kurt whips Nevenka, who starts to enjoy her torment.

Ultimately, The Whip and the Body is a first-rate psychological horror film that for far too long has been under-appreciated. Thankfully, time has been kind to this film as its reputation continues to grow as the years go by.

The Whip and the Body gets an excellent release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Note: Limited edition - 3000 Units Only.

                                                               88 Films

                                                             Kino Lorber

                                                             88 Films

                                                             Kino Lorber

                                                             88 Films

                                                             Kino Lorber

                                                               88 Films

                                                               Kino Lorber

                                                               88 Films

                                                                Kino Lorber

                                                                 88 Films

                                                               Kino Lorber

                                                                 88 Films

                                                                 Kino Lorber

                                                                   88 Films

                                                                   Kino Lorber

Written by Michael Den Boer

Mexican Gothic: The Films of Carlos Enrique Taboada – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Mexico, 1975 (Rapiña, Darker Than Night), Mexico, 1986 (Poison for the Fairies)
Director: Carlos Enrique Taboada (All Films)
Cast: Ignacio López Tarso, Germán Robles, Norma Lazareno, Rosenda Monteros (Rapiña), Claudia Islas, Susana Dosamantes, Lucía Méndez, Helena Rojo, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Julián Pastor, Alicia Palacios, Tamara Garina, Enrique Pontón (Darker Than Night), Ana Patricia Rojo, Elsa María Gutiérrez, Leonor Llausás, Carmen Stein, María Santander, Ernesto Schwartz, Rocío Lazcano (Poison for the Fairies)

Release Date: March 28th, 2023
Approximate Running Times: 113 Minutes 26 Seconds (Rapiña), 102 Minutes 13 Seconds (Darker Than Night), 89 Minutes 57 Seconds (Poison for the Fairies)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.98

Rapiña: "Woodcutter Porfirio has always accepted his meager existence, however one day while working in a remote, forested mountain, Porfirio is the sole witness to the crash of a luxury plane. Desperate to escape his circumstances, he seizes the opportunity to loot the wreckage with his neighbor and co-worker, Evodio. But soon, best laid plans lead to treachery and murder…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Darker Than Night: "Ophelia has just learned of the death of her Aunt, whom she had never trusted. In a sinister twist of fate, she has now inherited her Aunt's estate, along with all of its tenants, living and dead. Inviting her three close friends along, Ophelia moves into the gothic house. But shortly after disregarding her Aunt's posthumous requests to care for Bequer, the house cat, their lives are turned upside down as horrors reveal themselves and a supernatural force starts to violently pick off the girls one by one!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Poison for the Fairies: "When young Flavia arrives at her new school she is quickly befriended by Veronica. What starts out as an innocent friendship turns terrifying when Veronica reveals herself to be a Witch. Unsure of the truth, Flavia enters into a manipulative relationship as Veronica's accomplice as the line between what is real and imagined blurs and leads to a spiral of magic, death, sacrifice and murder!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfers, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from their 35mm original camera negatives".

Rapiña comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.2 GB

Feature: 30.8 GB

Darker Than Night and Poison for the Fairies come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.3 GB

Feature: 23.3 GB (Darker Than Night), 21.7 GB (Poison for the Fairies)

The sources used for these three films are similar. All three have some source-related imperfections, and Vinegar Syndrome has done a great job ensuring that these moments are not intrusive. Colors are nicely saturated, image clarity is solid, contrast and black levels are strong, there are no issues with compression, and grain remains intact.

Audio: 4/5

Here's information about the audio, "The following presentations of Poison for the Faries, Darker Than Night and Rapiña were sourced from the best available sound elements. However, due to element degradation and poor storage, substantial damage occurred throughout, resulting in intermittent hiss and crackling. While extensive efforts were made to reduce this interference, due to its being mixed with dialog and music, only limited amounts could be removed without harming the integrity of the final mixes."

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mx in Spanish, and included are removable English subtitles for each film. Considering the limitations of the audio, Vinegar Syndrome has done a great job minimizing any shortcomings. That said, dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras on the disc with Rapiña include a video essay with genre film scholar Valeria Villegas for Rapiña (14 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), a video essay with Valeria Villegas for Darker than Night (14 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), and  a video essay with Valeria Villegas for Poison for the Fairies (14 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, a forty page perfect bound book (limited to 6,000 units) with an essay titled Blacker Than Night: Shadows and Cats written by Oralia Torres de la Peña, an essay titled From Folk Horror to Gothic Thriller: Carlos Enrique Taboada’s Poison for the Fairies written by Samm Deighan, an essay titled Behold the Duke of Mexican Horror Cinema: Carlos Enrique Taboada Walker written by Abraham Castillo Flores, and a spot gloss hard slipcase + slipcover combo (limited to 6,000 units).

Summary:

Rapiña: Though Carlos Enrique Taboada is arguably one of the most recognizable names from Mexico’s golden age of horror cinema in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. A film like Rapiña is not a horror film, despite being part of a trio of films being billed as Mexican Gothic. It is best described as an allegory about greed.

The narrative revolves around two poverty-stricken woodcutters. They live simple lives where their needs are addressed and luxury items are never considered. One day, their lives are turned upside down when fate intervenes and they come across a plane wreckage. From there, these two men stole everything valuable from those who died in the plane crash. Will their newfound wealth improve their lives, or will it become an albatross around their necks?

At one hundred and thirteen minutes in length, the narrative moves along at a deliberate pace that allows moments ample time to resonate. And though some may find the narrative slow moving, the result is a deeply rewarding cinematic experience whose payoff perfectly brings to head the moments that preceded.

Though the entire cast delivers solid performances. It is the two leads, Ignacio López Tarso (The Paperman) in the role of Porfirio, and Germán Robles (El Vampiro) in the role of Evodio, whose performances standout. Of these two characters, Porfirio has the more dominant personality, while Evodio passively goes along with Porfirio’s schemes.

Though the visuals let the story at hand take center stage. There are a few striking moments. The scene where Porfirio first comes across the crashed plane and the camera pans across the carnage The scene where Porfirio and Evodio’s robbery of the dead is interrupted by two men who have stumbled upon the wreckage And an unforgettable finale in which Porfirio, Evodio, and their two wives make a treacherous trek to avoid law enforcement who are looking for them. Ultimately, Rapia is an extraordinary morality tale whose moment of truth lingers on in your mind.

Darker Than Night: In its opening moments, Darker Than Night establishes a forbidding tone that perfectly builds tension that culminates in a sensational finale. And though the narrative is a satisfying blend of horror and melodrama, there are some who might be turned off by the deliberate pacing.

The narrative revolves around a woman who moves into her recently deceased aunt's home with her three finds. Shortly after their arrival, things start to go awry when one of the women does not abide by her aunt’s final wishes regarding her cat.

Content-wise, Darker Than Night has all of the elements that are synonymous with Gothic horror cinema. Notably striking visuals that are overflowing with atmosphere Also, Darker Than Night fits firmly into the old dark house horror sub-genre.

The cast is all very good in their roles, especially Alicia Palacios in the role of Sofia, the deceased aunt’s housekeeper, who stays on to help around the house. This character is reminiscent of the Mrs. Danvers character from Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca. Another performance of note is Claudia Islas, known as the "Mexican Brigitte Bardot," in the role of the protagonist Ophelia.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Darker Than Night does not excel. The premise is superbly realized, and an excellent ending provides a perfect coda. And though most of the carnage is subdued compared to what one would expect from a film from the 1970s, The kill sequences are beautifully executed, and their lack of ferocity does not lessen their impact. Ultimately, Darker Than Night is a textbook example of Gothic horror cinema and a must see if you're a fan of this genre.

Poison for the Fairies: Throughout cinema’s history, there have been a number of films that feature ‘bad seed’ children. And at the heart of Poison for the Fairies is a Grimm-like fairy tale.

The narrative revolves around two young girls, an orphan named Veronica, who is a witch, and Flavia, whose family recently moved to town. From there, they form a friendship in which Veronica exerts more power over Flavia.

How a film opens can make or break it. The opening moments, shot in black and white, are reinforced by a burst of bloody red when a character's throat is slashed. That said, this moment does a superb job of setting the tone for what follows.

Though there are characters who interact with Veronica and Flavia, none of them amount to anything more than secondary characters that don't leave a lasting impression. That said, the two leads, Ana Patricia Rojo in the role of Veronica and Elsa Mara Gutiérrez in the role of Flavia, are both amazing in their roles.

From a production standpoint, Poison for the Fairies is a film where everything falls into place. The premise is well-executed, the narrative does a great job building momentum, and an excellent finale provides a very satisfying conclusion. Another strength of Poison for the Fairies is how the bulk of the visuals are told from a child's point of view. Ultimately, Poison for the Fairies is a deeply rewarding cinematic experience that fans of Gothic horror cinema are sure to enjoy.

Mexican Gothic: The Films of Carlos Enrique Taboada is an exceptional release from Vinegar Syndrome that gives all three films strong audio/video presentations and there is a trio of informative video essays, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Austria, 1961
Director: Paolo Heusch
Writer: Ernesto Gastaldi
Cast: Barbara Lass, Carl Schell, Curt Lowens, Maurice Marsac, Michela Roc, Mary McNeeran, Grace Neame, Luciano Pigozzi

Release Date: November 12th, 2019
Approximate Running Time: 84 Minutes 33 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.98

"When an all-girl reform school is rocked by a series of grisly murders, it will unleash a nightmare of sexual corruption and lupine depravity." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "newly scanned in 2k from archival elements recently discovered in a Rome lab vault."

Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.7 GB

Feature: 20.3 GB

The source used for this transfer is in very good shape, and any print-related debris is minimal. Though contrast and black levels fare well, there are a few instances where they are not as strong as they are for the bulk of this transfer. The image generally looks crisp, and when compared to previous home video releases, this new transfer is superior in every way.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 3.75/5 (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. Though the dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced. That said, both audio tracks are limited range-wise. With that being said, the Italian language track is the stronger of these two audio tracks. There are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH subtitles for the English language track.

It should be noted that, around the sixteen-minute mark during the English language track, there are a few words that are translated in the English SDH subtitles but are not spoken on the track. The line in question is "Take this; this will be for the post.", The first two words, "Take this," can be heard, then the audio drops out for "this will be for the post."

Extras:

Extras for this release include alternate U.S. opening credits (26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), Italian theatrical trailer for the film (3 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), U.S. theatrical trailer (1 minute 12 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi titled Bad Moon Rising (10 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with actor Curt Lowens and moderated by David Del Valle.

Other extras include a CD that contains Armando Trovajoli’s score for the film and a ten-page booklet that contains cast information, a reproduction of the original photo-comic, and a track listing for Armando Trovajoli’s fourteen-track score.

Summary:

Though the werewolf is an iconic horror character that’s been featured in cinema from just about every country, when it comes to Italian cinema, the werewolf is woefully underused. Which is kind of ironic since Italian cinema is notorious for making films that borrow elements from other films.

That being said, there was a renewed interest in werewolf films in the 1950s. Most notably, there are films like I Was a Teenage Werewolf, The Werewolf, and The Man and the Monster. By the time that Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory was made in the early 1960s, werewolf films were still on the fringe, and it would still be a few more decades before the werewolf films would reach their apex in the 1980s.

Though Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory has many elements that have become synonymous with werewolf cinema, the result is a film that sets itself apart from its contemporaries by infusing elements from the Gothic horror and thriller (giallo) genres.

From a production standpoint, Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory is a film that takes full advantage of its limited resources. The well-executed premise does a good job balancing exposition moments and werewolf attacks. And though there are a few instances where the special effects call attention to themselves, Ultimately, the special effects work in this films favor.

The performances range from adequate to good, with most of them falling into the former. With Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory’s standout performance being Luciano Pigozzi (Blood and Black Lace) in the role of a crippled groundskeeper named Walter Jeoffrey, He’s often been referred to as the Italian Peter Lorre, and his menacing performance is enhanced by his distinctive look. Another performance of note is Barbara Lass (Vice and Virtue) in the role of Priscilla, one of the girls at the dormitory who starts her own investigation into the mysterious killings.

When discussing Italian cinema, the visuals are one area that you can always count on. And when it comes to the visuals, Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory delivers in spades with its Gothic-infused visuals that deliver an ample amount of atmosphere.

Severin Films gives Werewolf in a Girls’ Dormitory its best home video release to date, recommend.

Written by Michael Den Boer