Requiescant – Arrow Video (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1967
Director: Carlo Lizzani
Writers: Lucio Battistrada, Andrew Baxter, Adriano Bolzoni, Franco Bucceri, Armando Crispino, Arnold Elias, Denis Greene, Renato Izzo, Frank Mills, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Edward Williams
Cast: Lou Castel, Mark Damon, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Barbara Frey, Mirella Maravidi, Franco Citti, Lorenza Guerrieri, Ferruccio Viotti

Release Date: November 17th, 2015
Approximate running time: 106 Minutes 42 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding:  Region A,B, Region 1,2 NTSC
Retail Price: $39.95

"Lou Castel (Fists in the Pocket, A Bullet for General) plays a young man who was raised to be a pacifist by a travelling preacher after Confederates massacred his family. But when his step-sister runs away, the pursuit reveals a natural talent as a sharp-shooter as well as a bloody and unexpected confrontation with his past.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Requiescant has been exclusively restored in 2K resolution for this release by Arrow Films.

The 35mm original camera negativ was scanned in 2K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan at Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. The film was graded on the baselight grading system at Deluxe Restoration, London.

Thousands of instances of dirt, debris and light scratches were removed through a combination of digital restoration tools. Overall image stability was also improved. Some instances of minor damage and wear remain, in keeping with the condition of the original materials."

Requiescant comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.9 GB

Feature: 30.9 GB

The source used for this transfer looks excellent. Flesh tones look healthy, color saturation, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both audio tracks are in excellent shape. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. 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 a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 59 seconds, LPCM mono), an interview with actor Lou Castel (13 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Carlo Lizzani (27 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), reversible cover art option and a 24-page booklet (limited to first pressing)  with cast & crew information, an essay titled Requiescant written by Pasquale Iannone and information about the restoration.

Included with this release is a DVD that has the same content included on the Blu-Ray included as part of this combo release.

Summary:

Directed by Carlo Lizzani, whose other notable films are The Hunchback of Rome, Wake Up and Die, The Hills Run Red, The Violent Four, San Babila: 8 P.M., and The Bandit.

The narrative revolves around a young man who is forced to confront his past when his present collides with those who are responsible for massacring his family.

Though not as visually operatic as the majority of its contemporaries, Requiescant takes a grounded-in-reality approach. It is a film where the characters and their actions take center stage and drive the narrative. And though vengeance is the main theme, other themes like racism and classism are just as important to the evolution of the story at hand.

Requiescant is a film where the more dramatic moments outweigh the action-oriented moments. This ultimately leads to a slower pace that allows for more reflection. And when it comes to backstory, this is another area where Requiescant often excels. The standout sequence is the moment when the protagonist returns to the place where his family was massacred. And in a flash, the moments from that come back to him as the screen is soaked in blood red.

When it comes to action, there is no scene filled with more tension than the shootout between Requiescant and George Ferguson. The rules are simple: each man must take a drink before they shoot, and their target is a Mexican girl who is being forced to hold a candelabra.

From a performance standpoint, the entire cast is all very good in their respective roles, with Lou Castel (A Bullet for the General) in the role of Requiescant. He delivers a pitch-perfect performance that is in direct contrast with what one would expect from a spaghetti western protagonist. Another strength of his performance is how he evolves his character from a peaceful young man with no experience handling a gun into someone who is so deadly with a gun that they never miss their target.

Another notable performance is by Mark Damon (House of Usher) in the role of a sadistic, racist aristocrat named George Ferguson, who is responsible for the massacre at the beginning of the film. He delivers an utterly convincing performance that is devoid of any sympathy. Other notable cast members include Mirella Maravidi in the role of Ferguson’s, Ferruccio Viotti in the role of Ferguson’s right-hand man, Dean Light, and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini in the role of Father Juan; his character serves as Requiescant’s protector. Ultimately, Requiescant is a highbrow Spaghetti western that is overflowing with social commentary.

Requiescant gets an exceptional release from Arrow Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer