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The Doll of Satan: Limited Edition – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1969
Director: Ferruccio Casapinta
Writers: Ferruccio Casapinta, Giorgio Cristallini, Carlo M. Lori, Alfredo Medori
Cast: Erna Schurer, Roland Carey, Aurora Bautista, Ettore Ribotta, Lucia Bomez, Manlio Salvatori, Franco Daddi, Beverly Fuller, Eugenio Galadini, Giorgio Gennari, Domenico Ravenna, Teresa Ronchi, Giovanni Ivan Scratuglia

Release Date: September 6th, 2021
Approximate running time: 90 Minutes 13 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £15.00 (UK)

"After her uncle dies unexpectedly, Elizabeth Balljanon inherits his sprawling castle. The walls are crumbling, the electricity doesn't work and there's a fully equipped torture chamber in the cellars but interior decoration is the least of her worries: a black-gloved killer haunts the halls at night and, even worse, the tales she's been told about the castle's ghosts might not be stories after all..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "HD Transfer in Original 1.66:1 Aspect Ratio."

The Doll of Satan comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.7 GB

Feature: 25.4 GB

Judging by the information I could find online about Twilight Time’s The Doll of Satan Blu-ray, this release from 88 Films appears to use the same source. That said, that is where the similarities end since 88 Films release features a much stronger encode. Colors look robust, image clarity and black levels are consistently strong, there are no issues with compression, and grain remains intact, albeit the amount of grain varies from scene to scene.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The audio is in very good shape; there are no issues with background hiss or distortion. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, this track is satisfactory; that said, it is a dialog-driven soundtrack, ambient sounds fare well, and the score sounds robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with actress Erna Schürer titled My Life with Emma (25 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with film historian Pierpaolo De Sanctis titled Remembering Franco Potenza (33 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a portrait by director/screenwriter Marcello Avallone titled Emma and I (15 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival audio commentary with David Del Valle and Derek Botelho, reversible cover art, a fold-out poster (limited to first pressing), a soft-touch O-Card (limited to first pressing), and a 20-page booklet with an essay titled You Had Me at Giallo… written by Andrew Graves and Rustic Terror: The Many Flawed Souls of The Doll of Satan written by Francesco Massaccesi.

Summary:

Is The Doll of Satan a gothic horror film, a giallo, or a psychological thriller? It is all of the above. Though gothic horror and giallo genres share many of the same elements, The psychological leanings of The Doll of Satan push it more towards the gothic horror genre. The central location, an old castle, and women parading around in nightgowns are just a few staples that are synonymous with gothic horror cinema.

The narrative revolves around a woman named Elizabeth, who inherited a castle from her recently deceased uncle. Shortly after her arrival, she is persuaded to sell the castle, and when she becomes hesitant, a series of strange events unfold.

The Doll of Satan is the one and only film that director Ferruccio Casapinta worked on. He presents no distinctive cinematic style. The workmanlike visuals could have been shot by anyone. That said, despite this lack of visual flare, there are a few atmospheric moments that hold up well. The most memorable moments are the scenes where someone is trying to mess with the protagonist’s state of mind.

From its opening moments, it is clear that there is a deliberateness to the pacing. Nothing really happens in the first hour, which is not much more than characters doing mundane things. And though things get a little better in the last thirty minutes, it is too little, too late. Even a twisting whodunit reveal ending comes up short.

The performances are best described as serviceable. With the most memorable being Erna Schurer (Scream of the Demon Lover) in the role of Elizbeth. When she’s not half naked, she does a very good job portraying a character on the verge of a breakdown. It should be noted that though there are many scenes where her characters display naked flesh, the framing of the image always ensures none of the naughty parts are ever seen.

From a production standpoint, it is clear from the get-go that The Doll of Satan is working on an anemic budget. Also, even the most diehard Italian genre cinema fan would be hard pressed to recognize most of the cast. And when it comes to moments of carnage, there are only two onscreen deaths. The most surprising aspect of The Doll of Satan is composer Franco Potenza’s score. Ultimately, The Doll of Satan is an interesting mix of genres that never firmly establishes a cohesive identity.

The Doll of Satan gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras.