Delirium (Delirio caldo) – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1972
Director: Renato Polselli
Writer: Renato Polselli
Cast: Rita Calderoni, Mickey Hargitay, Raul Lovecchio, Carmen Young, Christa Barrymore, Tano Cimarosa, Marcello Bonini Olas

Release Date: July 25th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 101 Minutes 58 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $42.98

"A vicious sex-killer has been preying on pretty young women, leaving a trail of nude and mangled bodies. Little do they know that respected local physician, Dr. Herbert Lyutak has been responsible for the ongoing violence. His wife, Marcia, senses something amiss about her husband’s erratic behaviors and mood swings, but her frustration mainly lies in his impotence, which prevents them from enjoying a satisfying marriage, and which she believes might be triggered by her husband’s bizarre and sadomasochistic nightmares. After a witness emerges who fingers Dr. Lyutak as having been seen with the latest victim, the police finally feel convinced that they've got their man. However, no sooner than the good doctor is in custody does another murder occur; one with jarring similarities to Lyutak’s own crimes..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

Delirium (Delirio caldo) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46 GB

Feature: 27.8 GB

The source used for this transfer looks excellent; it is easily the best Delirium (Delirio caldo) has ever looked. That said, there are a few minor source-related imperfections. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated and at times vivid, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are consistently strong, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background hiss. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score sound robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival interview with director Renato Polselli and actor Mickey Hargitay titled The Theorem of Delirium (14 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Mickey Hargitay titled Fear and Delirium in Cinecittà (31 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), an interview with filmmaker and film historian Luca Rea on the career of his friend Renato Polselli titled The Polselli Factor (14 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), a portrait piece on director Renato Polselli by his daughter Vanessa Polselli titled  The Polselli Clan (36 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi on his gothic collaborations with Renato Polselli titled Gothic Polselli (12 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth, reversible cover art, an embossed and spot gloss slipcover (limited to 6,000 units), and an alternate American version of Delirium - sourced from video (85 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Renato Polselli is in a class of his own when discussing Italian genre cinema. Though he started out making cinema that was standard fare, by the time the 1970s rolled around, he would unleash some of the most outlandish psychotronic exploitation cinema to ever come out of Italy. From this period, his most notable films are The Reincarnation of Isabel, Mania, and Delirium (Delirio caldo).

The narrative revolves around an impotent psychiatrist whose lack of a love life with his wife is putting a strain on their marriage. Things are further complicated when he becomes the suspect in a series of murders.

Produced by Renato Polselli's production company, Delirium (Delirio caldo) bears some similarities to Italian/Eurocult co-productions of the 1960s and the 1970s. Besides the director's intended version of Delirium (Delirio caldo), which was released theatrically in Italy, For an American theatrical release, he would shoot footage exclusive to this version, which would also feature alternate shots.

Though Renato Polselli’s 1970s output consisted of films with limited resources, Like many low-budget filmmakers, he would compensate by surrounding himself with a core group of collaborators. Cinematographer Ugo Brunelli (The Beast in Heat) would work with him on ten films; composer Gianfranco Reverberi (Django, Prepare a Coffin) would work with him on two films; actor Mickey Hargitay (Bloody Pit of Horror) would work with him on three films; and actress Rita Calderoni (Nude for Satan) would work with him on four films.

Outside of the two leads, Rita Calderoni and Mickey Hargitay, who are both phenomenal, The rest of the cast pales in comparison, and their performances are best described as serviceable. That said, Mickey Hargitay brings an intensity to his performance that further drives home his character's fractured state of mind. Rita Calderoni is equally impressive, and she never looked more stunning than she does in Delirium (Delirio caldo). Rita Calderoni was a fantastic actress who shined brightest when she worked with Renato Polselli.

Is Delirium (Delirio caldo) a psychological thriller, or is it a giallo? The answer is both. Through character traits and subtext, director Renato Polselli creates a multilayered story that is much deeper than just a murder mystery. And when it comes to the killer's depiction, they’re usually just out of frame or wearing gloves and/or other clothing that obscures their identity. Also, the murder set pieces are well-executed moments that Giallo fans are sure to appreciate. That said, despite a rising body count, Delirium (Delirio caldo) is first and foremost a story about a dysfunctional marriage.

Though there is an ample amount of carnage in Delirium (Delirio caldo), there is an equally copious amount of nudity and moments of S&M. That said, despite elements that one associates with erotica, there is nothing erotic in Delirium (Delirio caldo).

Delirium (Delirio caldo) is Renato Polselli at his peak; he was clicking on all cylinders when he made this film, which is arguably his greatest achievement as a filmmaker. The narrative does a superb job of building tension and maintaining momentum. From its opening moments, there is a relentless tone that never gives you a chance to catch your breath and a WTF ending that perfectly brings the events that preceded to a head. Ultimately, Delirium (Delirio caldo) is a very satisfying mix of carnage and depravity that lives up to its name.

Delirium (Delirio caldo) gets a definitive release from Vinegar Syndrome; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer