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Black Circle – Synapse Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico/Sweden, 2018
Director: Adrian Garcia Bogliano
Writer: Adrian Garcia Bogliano
Cast: Christina Lindberg, Felice Jankell, Erica Midfjäll, Hanna Midfjäll, Hanna Asp, Johan Palm, Hans Sandqvist, Inger Nilsson, Iwa Boman

Release Date: September 5th, 2023
Approximate running time: 102 Minutes 38 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Swedish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Two sisters, Celeste and Isa, fall under the terrifying spell of a mysterious vinyl record from the 1970s. Used to help with stress and bring the listener to a state of calming self-hypnosis, the recording has the unfortunate side-effect of manifesting a doppelganger of the listener into our world. This “double” then grows stronger by the day to copy and take over the life of the person who played the vinyl. Seeking the help of the woman who originally created the recording, hypnotist Lena Carlsson (Christina Lindberg, Thriller: A Cruel Picture), Celeste and Isa try to banish the doppelgangers back to their own world before their lives are lost forever." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Black Circle comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.7 GB

Feature: 27.2 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. That said, there are moments in Black Circle in which some footage from the characters' past is deliberately degraded. Colors and flesh tones look correct, the image looks crisp, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in Swedish with removable English subtitles. Dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise, this track sounds excellent.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery with music from Black Circle playing in the background, a theatrical teaser (1 minute 8 seconds, LPCM stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), a behind-the-scenes featurette (9 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Adrian Garcia Bogliano and actress Christina Lindberg (57 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Adrian Garcia Bogliano, a short film titled Don’t Open Your Eyes (10 minutes 55 seconds, DTS-HD 5.1 Swedish with removable English subtitles), a CD with Black Circle’s original motion picture soundtrack, and a cardboard insert that has the lists the soundtracks 18 songs.

A note about two of the extras: the interview with Christina Lindberg is career-spanning.

Summary:

Black Circle began as the short film Don’t Open Your Eyes. Also, Black Circle even shares some of the footage that originated in Don’t Open Your Eyes.

A record from the 1970s hypnotizes two sisters and turns their lives upside down. From there, they look into what is happening to them and discover the record is connected to a therapy that creates ethereal doubles.

Before any of the characters are introduced, Black Circle establishes an uneasy tone that perfectly sets the stage for what follows. In the opening moments, there is footage from the past that gives a glimpse of the future, followed by a shot of a decaying corpse in the bed. All of this happens before the two sisters, who are central to the story at hand, appear.

The narrative does a superb job laying the foundation by giving glimpses of what has happened to the two sisters. This is done by interjecting throughout the narrative footage that correlates with the past. And by the time the moment of truth arrives, everything is crystal clear.

Though there are some viewers who might find them to be one-note performances, that said, the performances work well within the confines of this story. The most notable cast member was Christina Lindberg (Thriller: A Cruel Picture) in the role of a hypnotist named Lena Carlsson.

From a production standpoint, Black Circle is a film that often exceeds expectations. The premise is well executed, and the narrative does a phenomenal job building tension. Also, the sound design is impeccable, and the visuals are overflowing with hallucinatory imagery. The combination of sight and sound creates a synergy that enhances the story at hand. Ultimately, Black Circle is an extraordinary cinematic experience that stands out in a sea of homogenized horror films.

Black Circle gets an excellent release from Synapse Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.