The Iguana with The Tongue of Fire – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France/West Germany/Ireland, 1971
Director: Riccardo Freda
Writers: Riccardo Freda, Sandro Continenza
Cast: Luigi Pistilli, Dagmar Lassander, Anton Diffring, Arthur O’Sullivan, Werner Pochath, Dominique Boschero, Renato Romano, Sergio Doria, Ruth Durley, Valentina Cortese

Release Date: April 8th, 2019 (UK), April 9th, 2019 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 38 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Set in Dublin (a rather surprising giallo setting), Iguana opens audaciously with an acid-throwing, razor-wielding maniac brutally slaying a woman in her own home. The victim's mangled corpse is discovered in a limousine owned by Swiss Ambassador Sobiesky (Anton Diffring, Where Eagles Dare) and a police investigation is launched, but when the murdering continues and the ambassador claims diplomatic immunity, tough ex-cop John Norton (Luigi Pistilli, A Bay of Blood) is brought in to find the killer…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Scanning and restoration work was completed at L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 2K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, picture instability and other instances of film wear were repaired or removed through a combination of digital restoration tools and techniques.

The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master at R3Store Studios, London.

All original materials used in this restoration were accessed from Movietime."

The Iguana with The Tongue of Fire comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.1 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Though colors look very good, at times they look too pink. Image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. That said, the grain does look thicker in some moments.

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

This release comes with two audio options, an DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and an DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio mixes sound clean, clear, and balanced throughout. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include, Image Galleries: Stills, Lobby Cards, Posters, Press, Home Video Sleeves, Photo Novel (22 images), English language International theatrical trailer (2 minutes 54 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), Italian theatrical trailer (2 minutes 54 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with DJ and soundtrack collector Lovely Jon titled Considering Cipriani (25 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with cultural critic and academic Richard Dyer titled Of Chameleons and Iguanas (21 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with assistant editor Bruno Micheli titled The Cutting Game (20 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview actress Dagmar Lassander titled The Red Queen of Hearts, an audio commentary with giallo connoisseurs Adrian J. Smith and David Flint, reversible cover art and a 44-page booklet (limited to first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Production of The Iguana with The Tongue of Fire written by Andreas Ehrenreich, a contemporary review for the film and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Directed by Riccardo Freda, who is most remembered for his work in the gothic horror genre. Notable films that he directed are The The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, The Ghost, Double Face, and Tragic Ceremony.

The narrative revolves around a psychopath who targets a foreign ambassador and his family.

Riccardo Freda is a classic example of an Italian filmmaker who transitioned from whatever genre was popular at the time. And though he is most remembered for his work within the peplum and Gothic horror genres, near the end of his career, he would direct a trio of giallo’s, Double Face, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire, and Murder Syndrome.

Content-wise, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire has all the elements that have become synonymous with the giallo genre. And yet, at times, it suffers from many of the same issues that plagued Riccardo Freda’s other giallos. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire’s by the numbers approach, which brings nothing new to the table.

Another glaring shortcoming of The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire is its special effects. They are crudely executed, and it is impossible not to see their flaws. In the opening murder sequence, a woman has acid thrown in her face, quickly establishing the limitations of the special effects.

Without a doubt, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire’s greatest asset is its cast, which features several recognizable faces. The standout performance is by Luigi Pistilli (A Bay of Blood) in the role of a disgraced detective named John Norton, whose use of excessive force on a criminal led to his dismissal. He delivers a solid performance that is arguably the best performance of his career.

Other performances of note include Dagmar Lassander (The Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion) in the role of Helen Sobiesky, the ambassador’s promiscuous daughter, and Valentina Cortese (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) in the role of the ambassador’s neglected wife. Other notable cast members include Anton Diffring (Circus of Horrors) in the role of the Ambassador and Werner Pochath (Bloodlust) in the role of Marc Sobiesky, the ambassador’s black sheep son.

From a production standpoint, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire’s positives outweigh its negatives. The narrative does a good job maintaining the mounting tension, and Stelvio Cipriani does a superb job reinforcing the foreboding mood. Another strength of The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire is its visuals and how they take full advantage of Ireland's locations. Standout moments include the discovery of the first corpse, a flashback sequence that provides insight into John Norton’s past as a detective, and the finale, which provides a satisfying conclusion. Ultimately, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire is a mid-tier giallo that only diehard fans of this genre will appreciate.

The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire gets a first-rate release from Arrow Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer