Scream and Scream Again: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK, 1970
Director: Gordon Hessler
Writer: Christopher Wicking
Cast: Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Alfred Marks, Michael Gothard, Christopher Matthews, Judy Huxtable, Anthony Newlands, Kenneth Benda, Marshall Jones, Uta Levka, Yutte Stensgaard, Julian Holloway, Judy Bloom

Release Date: September 18th, 2023
Approximate running times: 94 Minutes 31 Seconds (American Version), 94 Minutes 51 Seconds (British Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"A serial killer runs amok over London, draining his victims of their blood. A mad doctor performs experimental surgery on his victims, taking them apart limb by limb. A shady organization from Eastern Europe is involved in some way while intelligence officer Fremont investigates." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Scream and Scream Again was provided to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital file. Additional restoration to remove instances of dirt and speckles was carried out at R3store Studios, London.

The British cut was provided by Kino Lorber"

Scream and Scream Again comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.5 GB

Feature: 24.5 GB

Though this transfer comes from an existing HD master, the result is easily the best this film has ever looked on Blu-ray. And nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to Fidelity in Motion's excellent encode. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels look strong throughout, and the image looks organic, free of any digital tinkering. Also, when compared to other Blu-ray releases, this transfer has had additional clean-up done to the source. This release uses seamless branching for the two versions.

Audio: 4.2/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - Both Versions)

Each version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio files have been cleaned up and are in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Both versions come with a removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (73 images - stills/lobby cards/posters/press book/advertisements), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 18 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), Mick Garris Trailers from Hell (2 minutes 37 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), three deleted scenes from UK version: Sylvia And Keith Are Watched (48 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), Bellaver Throws Rocks (30 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), and Extended Discussion And End (1 minutes 52 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), a reconstruction of the cut-down Super 8 Version distributed as The Living Corpses of Dr. Mabuse (16 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Christopher Matthews (6 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Julian Holloway (7 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with editor Peter Elliott, and propman Arthur Wicks  (3 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Clifford Earl (17 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Uta Levkai titled Uta Screams Again (8 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), author Ramsey Campbell on Christopher Wicking and ‘Peter Saxon’ (11 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival documentary on the filmmaker's work for the studio featuring Hessler himself and critics Jeff Burr, David Del Valle, Steve Haberman and C. Courtney Joyner titled Gentleman Gothic: Gordon Hessler at American International Pictures (23 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Kevin Lyons, author of The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television and Jonathan Rigby, author of English Gothic: Classic Horror Cinema 1897-2015, reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, 3 character postcards of classic images from the film and a 44-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Scream and Scream Again: An Exquisite Corpse of Incongruous Surrey-Ealism written by Anne Billson, A Termite in a Crazy Circus: Christopher Wicking written by Julian Petley, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Directed by Gordon Hessler, whose other notable films are The Oblong Box, Cry of the Banshee, Murders in the Rue Morgue, and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. The screenplay was adapted from Pete Saxon’s novel The Disoriented Man. The original director was Michael Reeves (Witchfinder General), who was replaced before filming began. He would die while Scream and Scream Again were being made.

The narrative revolves around a serial killer who drains his victims blood like a vampire. What is the killer's connection to a mad doctor and a foreign agent from an eastern European totalitarian country?

The big draw of Scream and Scream Again is that it features three horror cinema icons: Vincent Price (The Fly), Christopher Lee (The Wicker Man), and Peter Cushing (The Curse of Frankenstein). And yet their screentime is actually very limited; Peter Cushing only appears in one scene, and Vincent Price and Christopher Lee only appear in one scene together.

The most surprising aspect of Scream and Scream Again is its elaborate narrative, which is essentially three narratives that intersect by the time the finale arrives. The first narrative revolves around the serial killer; the second narrative revolves around a mad doctor who performs experimental surgeries in his quest to make perfect bodies; and intelligence officers from two countries are at odds with each other.

When it comes to the performances of most of the cast, they all pale in comparison to Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and Vincent Price’s performances. Despite their limited screen time, all three actors make the most of what are essentially cameos. Another performance of note is Marshall Jones in the role of Konratz, a foreign agent with a deadly death grip.

Scream and Scream Again is a melting pot of genres, notably horror and sci-fi. The far-fetched premise is well executed, and the narrative does a good job keeping things interesting. Though there are horror elements like a vampire killer who drains blood and severed body parts, Scream and Scream Again is not that bloody of a film. Ultimately, Scream and Scream Again is a satisfying blend of horror and sci-fi that often exceeds the sum of its parts.

Scream and Scream Again is an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and a wealth of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Black Magic Rites – Indicator Series (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1973
Director: Renato Polselli
Writer: Renato Polselli
Cast: Mickey Hargitay, Rita Calderoni, Raul Lovecchio, Christa Barrymore, Consolata Moschera, William Darni, Max Dorian, Marcello Bonini Olas, Cristina Perrier, Stefania Fassio, Gabriele Bentivoglio, Vittorio Fanfoni, Anna Ardizzone, Marisa Indice, Dunca Balsor, Tano Cimarosa, Carmen Young

Release Date: August 28th, 2023 (UK), August 29th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 14 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"When beautiful Laureen throws a wild party at the castle which she has just inherited, she is blissfully unaware that its dark cellar harbors an occult sect that is hellbent on avenging the death of Isabel, who was burned at the stake 600 years earlier as a witch. The occultists’ satanic rituals call for the blood of virgins… Could Laureen be next?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Black Magic Rites was scanned, restored and color corrected in 4K HDR at Final Frame Post, London, using the original 35mm negative. A combination of MTI and Nucoda DVO image-processing tools were used to remove many thousands of instances of dirt, eliminate scratches and other imperfections, as well as repair damaged frames. No grain management, edge enhancement or sharpening tools were employed to artificially alter the image in any way."

Black Magic Rites comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.4 GB

Feature: 52.6 GB

The source used for this transfer looks exceptional; it is a substantial upgrade over previous home video releases. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated and at times vivid, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, 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; it is a massive improvement over previous home video releases. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score are well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (15 images - lobby cards/press book/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with DJ and soundtrack enthusiast Lovely Jon titled Rock Delirium who discusses composer Gianfranco Reverberi (24 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author and musician Stephen Thrower titled Chaos Magic who discusses Renato Polselli and Black Magic Rites (38 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Gianfranco Reverberi titled When We Were Crazy (18 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a far-reaching documentary on the first half of writer-director Renato Polselli’s career, featuring archival interviews with the filmmaker and his regular collaborator, actor Mickey Hargitay, as well as new contributions from director and programmer Luca Rea titled The 7th Art According to Ralph Brown (33 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film critics and authors David Flint and Kim Newman, and an 80-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Black Magic Rites and Popular Satanism in the 1970s written by Miranda Corcoran, a career-spanning archival interview with director Renato Polselli by Jay Slater titled Renato Polselli: Blood, Sex, and Gialli, an archival autobiographical piece by Polselli assessing his career as a filmmaker titled Renato Polselli The Cinema Is Not Art written by Andrea di Francesco and Giuseppe Pollicelli, an essay about Black Magic Rites’ censorship history titled The Rites of Censorship written by Roberto Curti, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Directed by Renato Polselli, whose other notable films include The Truth According to Satan, Delirium (Delirio caldo), Revelations of a Psychiatrist on the World of Sexual Perversion, and Mania. Black Magic Rites has been released under alternative titles, like The Reincarnation of Isabel. Black Magic Rites literal English language is Rites, Black Magic, and Secret Orgies in the Fourteenth Century.

The narrative revolves around a satanic cult that tries to resurrect a witch who was burned at the stake four hundred years before.

One should not judge Renato Polselli by his complete filmography. The films that he directed before the 1970s bear no connection to the films he directed in the 1970s. Also, when one first encounters a filmmaker or film for the first time, the way in which you watch said film can greatly affect what you think about it. Case in point: Black Magic Rites was the first Renato Polselli film that I saw, and it had a mediocre audio/video presentation. Though I was not impressed with Black Magic Rites after its first viewing, revisiting it all these years later via this exceptional restoration by Powerhouse Films has greatly increased my appreciation for Black Magic Rites.

From its opening moments, Black Magic Rites does a superb job setting an uneasy mood that perfectly suits the story that unfolds. The narrative, which mostly takes place in the present, juxtaposes events that happened 400 years ago. Also, Black Magic Rites is filled with doppelgängers; each character that exists in the present day has a descendant who helped burn a witch named Isabella at the stake four hundred years before.

Though the narrative does a great job laying out who everyone is, Black Magic Rites is more of a visual experience, with the sparse dialog filling in the essentials of the story. That said, Renato Polselli manages to create many exciting moments visually, notably the scene that takes place in the past. And not to be overlooked is how Gianfranco Reverberi’s score perfectly fuses with the visuals.

Most of the cast also worked with Renato Polselli on Delirium (Delirio caldo). In fact, there are several cast members whose only films that they appeared in were Delirium (Delirio caldo) and Black Magic Rites. Mickey Hargitay and Rita Calderoni, the two leads, also starred in Delirium (Delirio caldo). The performances are best described as big; most of the characters emotions and actions can be classified as over the top. The standout performance is by Rita Calderoni, who delivers what is arguably her best performance.

Content-wise, Black Magic Rites is equal parts horror film and erotica. It is a good blend of sleaze, sadism, and mayhem. The one area where Black Magic Rites struggles is its use of humor. That said, it is remarkable just how much Renato Polselli was able to achieve with Black Magic Rites when it is clear that he was working with minimal resources. The main location is a castle, which was used in many other films, notably Bloody Pit of Horror, which also starred Mickey Hargitay. Ultimately, Black Magic Rites is a truly unique cinematic experience that divides its audience; it is either a film that you embrace or loathe.

Black Magic Rites makes its way to 4K UHD via a definitive release from Powerhouse Films, highly recommended.

Note: This release is a limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Cold Eyes of Fear – Indicator Series (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1971
Director: Enzo G. Castellari
Writers: Leo Anchóriz, Tito Carpi, Enzo G. Castellari
Cast: Giovanna Ralli, Frank Wolff, Fernando Rey, Julián Mateos, Karin Schubert, Leonardo Scavino, Franco Marletta, Gianni Garko

Release Date: June 26th, 2023 (UK), June 27th, 2023 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 21 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"When wealthy playboy Peter Flower picks up the beautiful Anna and takes her back to his uncle’s house, he and his guest find that their plans for the evening are cut short by the shocking discovery of a corpse and the surprise appearance of a pair of violent criminals." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Cold Eyes of Fear was scanned, restored and color corrected in 4K HDR at Final Frame Post, London, using the original 35mm negative. A combination of MTI and Nucoda DVO image-processing tools were used to remove many thousands of instances of dirt, eliminate scratches and other imperfections, as well as repair damaged frames. No grain management, edge enhancement or sharpening tools were employed to artificially alter the image in any way."

Cold Eyes of Fear comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.1 GB

Feature: 54.2 GB

The source used for this transfer looks exceptional; it is a substantial upgrade over previous home video releases. Flesh tones look healthy, color saturation, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (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. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian-language track sounds fuller, especially when it comes to the score. Also, when compared to previous home video releases, these two audio tracks are a massive improvement. 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 an image gallery (16 images - lobby cards/home video art/posters), a theatrical trailer under the alternate titled Desperate Moment (3 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with DJ and soundtrack enthusiast Lovely Jon titled A Fearsome Collaboration who discusses Ennio Morricone's score (15 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with assistant director Gianfranco Amicucci titled The Men in the Editing Room (26 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Gianni Garko titled An Italian in London (29 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview Enzo G. Castellari titled Directing Fear (24 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with David Flint and Adrian J. Smith, and an 80-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled What the Eye Doesn’t See… written by Roberto Curti, an archival newspaper article titled The Giallo Suits Ralli written by Alberto Ceretto, The Eyes of Italian Cinema: An Interview with Giovanna Ralli by Eugenio Ercolani, An Interview with Gianni Garko by Igor Grimaldi, The Death of Frank Wolff, Inside the Ring With Enzo G Castellari by Mark Wickum, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Directed by Enzo G. Castellari, an Italian filmmaker who worked in just about every genre that was popular in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Notable films that he directed are High Crime, Street Law, The Big Racket, and The Inglorious Bastards.

The narrative revolves around the nephew of a prominent judge, and his latest conquest is held captive by a pair of criminals (one of them has a personal axe to grind with the nephew’s uncle, the judge).

Despite only using a handful of locations, Cold Eyes of Fear features some stylish imagery. The cinematographer on Cold Eyes of Fear was Antonio L. Ballesteros, whose other notable films include The Colossus of Rhodes and The Vampires’ Night Orgy. The opening sequence is a superb piece of misdirection that fits perfectly in with the other giallo’s from this era.

After this opening sequence, Cold Eyes of Fear shifts away from the elements one would normally expect from a giallo as the narrative verges into a tense character drama about revenge. The bulk of Cold Eyes of Fear takes place at the residence of a judge, one of the criminals who have kidnapped his nephew, and the date he has brought home. There are no onscreen murders until the finale. That said, the narrative moves along nicely, with the conflict between the criminals and their prisoners driving the story.

The most prominent name in the cast is Fernando Rey (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie), who is cast in the role of the judge who is the target of the criminals’ revenge. Despite only being in a handful of scenes, his character looms large throughout the film. Giovanna Ralli (What Have They Done to Your Daughters?) is cast in the role of the seductive lady of the night named Anna. Other notable cast members include Gianni Garko (The Psychic), Julian Mateos (The Hellbenders), Frank Wolff (The Great Silence), and a brief cameo-like role from Karin Schubert, who provides the only moment of T&A.

From a production standpoint, director Enzo G. Castellari does a phenomenal job of maximizing his resources. And though this would be Enzo G. Castellari’s only foray into the giallo genre, he delivers a solid film that is arguably one of this genre's more unique films. And not to be overlooked is another superb score from Ennio Morricone that perfectly reinforces the mood. Ultimately, despite its lack of bloodshed and salacious activity, Cold Eyes of Fear is an engaging and riveting story that fans of the giallo genre are sure to enjoy.

Cold Eyes of Fear makes its way to 4K UHD via a definitive release from Powerhouse Films, highly recommended.

Note: This release is a limited edition of 10,000 numbered units (6,000 4K UHDs and 4,000 Blu-rays) for the UK and US.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Girl from Rio – Blue Underground (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: West Germany/Spain/USA/UK, 1969
Director: Jesús Franco
Writers: Harry Alan Towers, Franz Eichhorn, Bruno Leder
Cast: Shirley Eaton, Richard Stapley, George Sanders, Maria Rohm, Marta Reves, Elisa Montés, Beni Cardoso, Herbert Fleischmann

Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $49.95

"In the tradition of Barbarella and Danger: Diabolik comes this swinging '60s action orgy as bisexual super-villain Sumuru (the luscious Shirley Eaton of Goldfinger) launches a diabolical plan to enslave the male species with her army of lusty warrior women. But when Sumuru kidnaps a fugitive American playboy, she crosses a sadistic crime boss (Academy Award® winner George Sanders of All About Eve and Village of the Damned) and ignites a battle of the sexes that will bring Brazil to its knees in more ways than one." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "brand-new 4K restoration from the original camera negative."

The Girl from Rio comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 59.7 GB

Feature: 53.9 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors are nicely saturated and at times vivid; flesh tones look healthy; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and the image always looks organic. That said, this transfer is a substantial upgrade when compared to Blue Underground’s 2016 Blu-ray release.

The Girl from Rio comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.6 GB

Feature: 23 GB

The Blu-ray included as part of this release uses the same source that was used for the 4K UHD’s transfer.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background noise. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented. That said, range-wise, things sound very good. Included are removable English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with film historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a poster & still gallery (73 images), additional scenes from the German version (9 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital mono German with non-removable English subtitles), trim reel (6 minutes 6 seconds, no sound), an archival interview titled Rolling in Rio with director Jess Franco, producer Harry Alan Towers and actress Shirley Eaton (14 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and French with removable English subtitles for French), an interview titled Rocking in Rio with Stephen Thrower, author of Murderous Passions: The Delirious Cinema of Jesus Franco (40 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), RiffTrax Edition – The Girl from Rio riffed by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy (77 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth.

Other extras include a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Jess Franco, a prolific filmmaker whose filmography eclipses two hundred films. Over the course of two years, Jess Franco would collaborate with producer Harry Allen Towers on a total of nine films. The Girl from Rio is their second collaboration and their second adaptation of the literary works of Sax Rohmer. Also, the screenplay for The Girl from Rio was written by Harry Allan Towers under the pseudonym Peter Welbeck.

The narrative revolves around Sumuru, whose hell is bent on world dominance and enslaving men.

Content-wise, there are some elements in The Girl from Rio that have been ported over from The Million Eyes of Sumuru. With none more glaring, Sumuru’s main modus operandi once again is world dominance. That being said, despite the familiarity between these two films, After all, this is a Jess Franco film, and throughout, he injects his unique flourishes. Also, there is one slight upgrade in Sumuru’s quest for world dominance. This time around, she has two foes: an American playboy who also just happens to have secret agent-like skills, and a mobster named Masius.

When compared to its predecessor, The Girl from Rio takes on a distinctively different vibe. The look and feel of The Girl from Rio share the comic strip aesthetic that Jess Franco had previously used for Lucky, the Inscrutable. While The Million Eyes of Sumuru was more in line with action and adventure films Towers produced before his collaborations with Franco,

Another way that The Girl from Rio sets itself apart from its predecessor is that it amps up the eroticism, most notably its depiction of lesbianism in regards to the Sumuru character. And though there was a hint of S&M in The Million Eyes of Sumuru, it is relatively tame compared to The Girl from Rio.

When discussing the Jess Franco and Harry Allen Towers collaborations, there is one resource that was never lacking, and that is casting. Cast once again in the role of Sumuru is Shirley Eaton (Goldfinger), and this time around she exudes more confidence in the role. Other notable cast members include George Sanders (Psychomania) in the role of Masius, a ruthless mobster, and Maria Rohm (Venus in Furs, Eugenie) in the role of Lesley, one of Sumuru’s henchwomen. Ultimatley, The Girl from Rio is a very satisfying mix of erotica, kitsch, and mayhem.

The Girl from Rio is brought to 4K UHD by Blue Underground in an exceptional release that includes solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras; highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Curse of the Screaming Dead – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: USA, 1982 (The Curse of the Screaming Dead), USA, 1981 (Night of Horror)
Director: Tony Malanowski (Both Films)
Cast: Steve Sandkuhler, Christopher Gummer, Rebecca Bach, Judy Dixon, Jim Ball, Bumb Roberts, Mark Redfield, Richard Ruxton, Mimi Ishikawa, Eric Supensky (The Curse of the Screaming Dead), Steve Sandkuhler, Gae Schmitt, Rebecca Bach, Jeff Canfield, Tony Malanowski (Night of Horror)

Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Approximate Running Times: 89 Minutes 17 Seconds (The Curse of the Screaming Dead), 72 Minutes 44 Seconds (Night of Horror)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English (Both Films)
Subtitles: English SDH (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $42.98

"Three young couples head off into the woods for a weekend of camping, beer-guzzling and love-making. Shortly into their trip, however, one of their group, Kiyomi, notices the strange sound of bells ringing in the distance, prompting her would-be boyfriend Mel to investigate. Upon stumbling across a Civil War cemetery, Mel makes the ill-fated decision to pocket an old diary he finds hidden at the site, which details the violent fate of the Confederate soldiers buried there. Little does he realize that this seemingly small act of theft will have grave consequences, as its pilfering triggers a horde of rotting, undead soldiers to awaken from their tortured slumber, ready to feast on Yankee flesh!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (The Curse of the Screaming Dead), 3.5/5 (Night of Horror)

Here’s the information provided about The Curse of the Screaming Dead's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 16mm camera reversal."

The Curse of the Screaming Dead comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.6 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB (The Curse of the Screaming Dead), 19.9 GB (Night of Horror)

Though the source for The Curse of the Screaming Dead is in great shape, there are still some very minor instances of print debris. That said, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image looks organic.

Though the source for Night of Horror has been cleaned up, there is still source-related debris and damage that, fortunately, is minimal. Though colors look good, there are a few moments they look off; image clarity and black levels are strong; compression is solid; and the image looks organic.

Audio: 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - The Curse of the Screaming Dead, DTS-HD Mono English - Night of Horror)

Here’s the information provided about The Curse of the Screaming Dead's audio, "As all original audio elements for The Curse of the Screaming Dead have been lost or destroyed, we were forced to source the sound from the best available material: a video master. Due to this, and despite efforts to improve upon the inherent limitations of the source, the clarity and fidelity of the sound is periodically subpar."

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both films come with removable English SDH. Though both audio tracks have their limitations, dialog comes through clearly enough to follow, and everything sounds balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release are spread over two discs.

Extras on Blu-ray disc one include an audio commentary with producer/director/editor Tony Malanowski and actor Steve Sandkuhler for The Curse of the Screaming Dead and an audio commentary with Tony Malanowski and Steve Sandkuhler for Night of Horror.

Extras on Blu-ray disc two (a single layer Blu-ray) include the original video trailer under the title of Curse of the Cannibal Confederates (3 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable English SDH), outtakes for The Curse of the Screaming Dead (8 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English with removable English SDH), an interview with Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA titled I Put a Spell on You (29 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), an interview with Night of Horror fans Rosie Nakamura and Autumn Nakamura Neal titled A Morning After a Night of Horror: The "Unmade" Making of… (20 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), a documentary on the making of Night of Horror, featuring interviews with Tony Malanowski, Steve Sandkuhler and actress Rebecca Bach titled Oh, What a Night... of Horror! (43 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), a featurette with composer Charlie Barnett and recording engineer Jim Crenca titled The Score of the Screaming Dead (15 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), an interview with special make-up effects artist Bart Mixon titled Bart Mixon: The Man Behind the Masks (12 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), and a documentary featuring interviews with Tony Malanowski, Steve Sandkuhler, Rebecca Bach and actor Chris Gummer titled Scream On! The Making of The Curse of the Screaming Dead (50 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH).

Other extras include a reversible cover art, and a spot gloss slipcover limited to 6,000 units.

Summary:

The Curse of the Screaming Dead: Friends on a hunting trip awaken Confederate soldiers' corpses when they trespass on an old graveyard.

The Curse of the Screaming Dead has most of the qualities that have become synonymous with Troma films, like cheap-looking gore effects and other elements associated with no-budget cinema. That said, Lloyd Kaufman considered The Curse of the Screaming Dead one of the five worst films ever released by Troma Films. It should be noted that, when released by Troma Films under the alternate title Curse of the Cannibal Confederates, this release by Vinegar Syndrome does not use that title card.

From its opening moments, it becomes clear that this is going to be a long, slow, and tedious film. Not much happens outside a group of friends looking for a campsite until around the 44-minute mark, when the zombie Confederate soldiers first appear. Unfortunately, when the zombie Confederate soldiers attack, the gore is minimal. Also, there is a random moment where the three women put on bikinis in the woods only to put their outdoor clothes back on.

From a production standpoint, The Curse of the Screaming Dead never rises above its very limited budget. The premise is a by-the-numbers zombie film that brings absolutely nothing new to the table, and the narrative feels three times as long as its actual running time. The acting is wooden, and the visuals are equally flat. Ultimately, despite being a bad film, The Curse of the Screaming Dead deserves an A+ for effort.

Night of Horror: A musician and his friends staying at a cabin in the woods encounter the spirits of Confederate soldiers.

If you watch The Curse of the Screaming Dead before Night of Horror and start to feel Deja Vu, the reason is that The Curse of the Screaming Dead is a remake of sorts of Night of Horror. Unfortunately, everything that is wrong with The Curse of the Screaming Dead is magnified in Night of Horror. Its narrative is more tedious; there is absolutely no gore or anything remotely scary, and the acting is equally wooden. And the main attraction of Night of Horror is the demonic-sounding Confederate soldier ghosts that do show up until the 43-minute mark. Ultimately, Night of Horror is a challenge to sit through and watch at your own peril.

The Curse of the Screaming Dead gets an excellent release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with a strong audio/video presentation, a bonus film, and a ridiculous amount of extras that are more engaging than either of these two films, especially Stephen Thrower’s interview.

Written by Michael Den Boer