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Murder Obsession: Limited Edition – Raro Video UK (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1981
Director: Riccardo Freda
Writers: Antonio Cesare Corti, Riccardo Freda, Simon Mizrahi, Fabio Piccioni
Cast: Stefano Patrizi, Martine Brochard, Henri Garcin, Laura Gemser, John Richardson, Anita Strindberg, Silvia Dionisio, Fabrizio Moroni

Release Date: December 18th, 2023
Approximate running times: 97 Minutes 17 Seconds (Italian language version), 91 Minutes 31 Seconds (English Language Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (Italian Language version), DTS-HD Mono English (English Language Version)
Subtitles: English (Italian Language Version), English SDH (English Language Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"Michael Stanford (Stefano Patrizi, The Tough Ones) is on a break from shooting his latest horror film with his friends, visiting his mother (Anita Strindberg, Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key) at their family estate. A series of heinous murders follow and Michael is the main suspect due to his revelation that he murdered his father as a child. Is Michael’s past coming back to haunt him or is there another explanation?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5 (Italian language version), 3.5/5 (English language version)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “High Definition digital transfer from the original camera negative presented in two versions: the original uncut Italian edit with the original score and, for the first time on digital formats, the shorter re-edited English version and electronic score."

Murder Obsession comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.9 GB

Feature: 22.2 GB (Italian language version), 20.8 GB (English language version)

This release comes in two versions. The English-language version is not simply a shorter version; it also has some footage that is exclusive to it. The source used for the Italian-language version is in great shape. That said, there are some minor source imperfections. The sources used for the two versions are comparable in most areas except for the footage that is exclusive to the English language version, and this footage has a noticeable drop in quality (it looks like it comes from a standard definition source). Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, details look crisp, black levels fare well, and any compression-related issues are minor, except for the English-language version footage that comes from a standard definition source (in these moments you can see macroblocking). When compared to Raro’s 2012 Blu-ray release, though this new release uses the same source, this release has a noticeably stronger encode.

Audio: 3.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 3/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

The Italian-language version comes with a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The English-language version comes with a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The Italian language track is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. The English language track has its own that varies in degree throughout. That said, the dialog comes across clearly enough to follow. Also, both tracks have some sibilance issues, and range-wise, neither of these tracks is optimal.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a deleted scene (25 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), an interview with special effects artist Sergio Stivaletti (10 minutes 5 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Claudio Simonetti (22 minutes 4 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Gabriele Albanesi (8 minutes 33 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, reversible cover art, and a 12-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, and an essay titled The Giallo Gothica written by Mikel J. Koven.

Summary:

Directed by Riccardo Freda, who is most known for a pair of gothic horror films that he directed; both films starred Barbra Steele: The Horrible Dr. Hitchcock and The Ghost. He also holds a significant place in Italian horror film history, having co-directed the first Italian horror film with sound, I Vampiri. In a career that spanned almost forty years, he worked in just about every film genre. Though he is most known for his gothic horror films, he also directed a trio of well-regarded giallo films: Double Face, and The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire. It should also be noted that, like his aforementioned gothic horror films, the giallo films that he directed, including Murder Obsession, all contain elements rooted in the supernatural.

The narrative revolves around a childhood trauma that forces an actor to deal with unresolved issues from his past.

One of the key elements of the giallo genre is its use of misdirection to increase tension and further the story at hand. And in this regard, Murder Obsession succeeds, especially with its sleight-of-hand opening sequence. Unfortunately, the overall flow of the narrative is not without its fair share of shortfalls, most notably the rest of the opening act after such a strong opening sequence. First off, Murder Obsession spends way too much time trying to explain who everyone is and what their motivations are. Also, it quickly becomes clear that it is best not to believe the information that is forthcoming. Instead, just go with the flow and enjoy the ride, because when the curtain comes down, Along the way, there will be so many red herrings that trying to keep track of them becomes a chore.

The visuals have a tremendous amount of atmosphere, and at times they are reminiscent of the look that Riccardo Freda employed for his Gothic horror films. And being that this is a Giallo, one of the main draws will, of course, be the murder set pieces. And while there is a sufficient amount of carnage to behold, the crudeness of the special effects takes away from the overall impact of these kill scenes.

Without a doubt, the one area of this production that is the biggest letdown is the performances of the cast, who kind of sleepwalk through their respective roles. Also, there are several recognizable faces in the cast, like Laura Gemser (Emanuelle in America) portraying an actress, Silvia Dionisio (Terror Express) in the role of the protagonist's girlfriend, John Richardson (Torso) portraying a very creepy butler, and Anita Strindberg (A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin) in the role of the protagonist's oddly affectionate mother. Though Murder Obsession is not one of Riccardo Freda’s better films, it is still a good swan song for one of Italian horror’s key directors.

Raro Video UK gives Murder Obsession its best home video release to date, recommended.