The Horrible Dr. Hichcock: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1962
Director: Riccardo Freda
Writer: Ernesto Gastaldi
Cast: Barbara Steele, Robert Flemyng, Silvano Tranquilli, Maria Teresa Vianello, Harriet Medin, Spencer Williams, Aldo Cristiani, Evaristo Signorini, Giovanni Querrel, Neil Robinson, Howard Nelson Rubien

Release Date: October 23rd, 2023
Approximate running times: 87 Minutes 29 Seconds (Italian Version), 76 Minutes 22 Seconds (North American Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (Italian Version), DTS-HD Mono English (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English (Italian Version), English SDH (Both Versions)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK)

"One day the necrophiliac tendencies of Dr Hichcock (Robert Flemyng, The Quiller Memorandum) go too far and his wife dies from an overdose. Bereft, the doctor leaves his house but returns years later with a new wife, Cynthia (Barbara Steele, Black Sunday). The house they return to is eerie and Cynthia hears strange things, meanwhile, she doesn’t realize Dr Hichcock intends to use her body to re-animate his dead wife's corpse." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Italian Version), 4.25/5 (North American Version)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “The Horrible Dr. Hichcock was scanned from the original camera negative in 2K at Studio Cine, Rome. The film was restored by Radiance Films at Heavenly Movie Corp. in 2023. Thousands of instances of dirt, dust, stains, and tares were removed, and dozens of shots stabilized to attenuate mechanical jitter.”

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, the Italian version, comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.5 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

The source used for this transfer is excellent, as the information provided about the transfer points out that extensive work was done to clean up the source. That said, there are a few very minor instances of source debris, like a hair in the frame; fortunately, none of these are ever distracting. 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.

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, the North American version, comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 20.3 GB

Feature: 20.3 GB

The source used for this version is comparable to the source used for the Italian version.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 3.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - Both Versions)

The Italian version comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The Italian language track is in great shape; it sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds robust. The English language track has some background hiss and some minor sibilance issues. That said, dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

The North American version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. This track is comparable to the English-language track that is included with the Italian version.

Extras:

Extras on the disc that come with the Italian version include an image gallery (9 images - posters), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 46 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), a n interview with Madeleine Le Despencer on necrophilia and taboo gothic (18 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a visual essay on Bluebeard in gothic film by Miranda Corcoran (28 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi (34 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film critics Kat Ellinger and Annie Rose Malamet, and an audio commentary with author and film critic Tim Lucas discussing the different versions and distribution history of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock.

Other extras include reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 56-page booklet (limited to 5,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Carried Away: L'orribile segreto del Dr. Hichcock written by Chris Fujiwara, an archival piece titled Raptus: The Making of The Horrible Dr. Hichcock written by Alan Y. Upchurch, Tim Lucas and Luigi Boscaino featuring interviews with cast & crew; a critical overview titled A Critical History written by Cullen Gallagher, Version Notes written by Tim Lucas, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Directed by Riccardo Freda, a prolific filmmaker who is most remembered for his work within the gothic horror and peplum genres. Notable films that he directed or co-directed include I Vampire, The Witch’s Curse, The Ghost, Double Face, The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire, Tragic Ceremony, and Murder Obsession.

A renowned doctor returns to the home he once shared with his first wife, Margaret. It has been twelve years since Margaret’s untimely death, and since then, the doctor has had a new bride named Cynthia. Shortly after their arrival, things take a turn for the worse when it becomes apparent that the doctor has become fixated on the past. And with Cynthia’s blood, he will be able to resurrect the only woman he truly loved, Margaret.

The U.S. release version of this runs about 77 minutes, and it was released under The Horrible Dr. Hichcock. When the film was released in the UK, it was under the title The Terror of Dr. Hichcock, which reportedly runs six minutes longer than the U.S. release version. The film’s Italian title, L’orribile segreto del Dr. Hichcock, roughly translates into The Frightening Secret of Dr. Hichcock, and this version of the film is the longest known version at around 88 minutes.

The foundation for what is now known as the Italian gothic horror genre can be traced back to I Vampire, though the genre has continued to evolve over the years. This genre reached its apex during the first half of the 1960s. With the main directors' work within this genre being Mario Bava, Antonio Margheriti, and Ricardo Freda.

After co-directing with Mario Bava I Vampire, Ricardo Freda would not return to the Italian Gothic horror genre until five years later, with arguably one of the best films to emerge from this genre, The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, whose premise dealing with necrophilia was well ahead of its time. The narrative is meticulously constructed, and each new revelation is given just the right amount of time to resonate. Also, pacing is never an issue, and the main characters and their motivations are well defined.

The one thing that can make or break even the most well-intentioned Italian Gothic horror film is its visuals. Fortunately, this is not the case with The Horrible Dr. Hichcock, a film that delivers in spades when it comes to creating atmospheric visuals that drive the mood of the story at hand. The standout moment visually is the moment when the once thought-dead first wife shows her replacement that she is alive and well, and more importantly, ready to take back what she once had.

Performance wise the weight of this film rests on the shoulders on its leading lady Barbara Steele (The She Beast / Shivers) in the role of Cynthia Hichcock. Other notable performances include, Robert Flemyng (The Blood Beast of Terror) in the role of Doctor Hichcock and Maria Teresa Vianello (The Giants of Thessaly) in the pivotal role of Margaret, the doctors deceased who is not ready just yet to let go of the man she loves.

Performance-wise, the entire cast is very good in their roles, especially Barbara Steele (Black Sunday) in the role of Cynthia Hichcock. She delivers a pitch-perfect performance that is arguably one of her best performances. Another performance of note is Robert Flemyng (The Blood Beast of Terror) in the role of Dr. Hichcock, a man who prefers his women to be lifeless when making love. Ultimately, The Horrible Dr. Hichcock is a high water mark of Italian gothic horror cinema and Ricardo Freda’s crowning achievement as a filmmaker.

The Horrible Dr. Hichcock gets an exceptional release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and informative extras, highly recommended.

                                                       Italian Version Screenshots.

                                               North American Version Screenshots.

Written by Michael Den Boer