The House Where Death Lives – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1981
Director: Alan Beattie
Writers: Alan Beattie, Jack Viertel
Cast: Patricia Pearcy, David Hayward, John Dukakis, Leon Charles, Alice Nunn, Patrick Pankhurst, Joseph Cotten, Louis Basile, Abraham Alvarez, Simone Griffeth, James Purcell, Shelby Leverington

Release Date: April 23rd, 2024
Approximate running time: 90 Minutes 53 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $44.98

"Meredith Stone, a home care nurse, has been assigned the duty of looking after a wealthy invalid named Ivar Langrock. Cooped up in Langrock's stately country mansion, Meredith quickly suspects that someone sinister is lurking in the manor's dark halls only to discover that Ivar's demented and violent son has been locked away in a hidden room. Shortly thereafter, Ivar's grandson Gabriel also moves into the house and with his arrival a mysterious killer soon begins murdering members of the Langrock family along with their live-in staff." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned and restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative."

The House Where Death Lives comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 33.1 GB

Feature: 24.8 GB

The source looks excellent. Colors look correct, image clarity, 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 English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, this audio track does a great job with ambient sounds, and the score is well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with actor John Dukakis titled Dear John (18 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor David Hayward titled Stuck in That House (15 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author Stephen Thrower titled Mad House (25 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with The Hysteria Continues!, reversible cover art, and a spot gloss and embossed slipcover limited to 5,000 units.

Summary:

The House Where Death Lives is yet another in a long line of films that rely heavily on a twist. What starts off as a story about a woman who accepts a job as a nurse becomes a film where most characters are not trustworthy. And though this provides The House Where Death Lives with several red herrings, it is not hard to see where things are going.

The performances range from adequate to very good, with most falling into the latter category. The standout performance is Joseph Cotton (The Third Man) in the role of Ivar Langrock, the wealthy patriarch of a dysfunctional family. The weakest link is Patricia Pearcy’s (Squirm) portrayal of Meredith Stone.

Content-wise, The House Where Death is a psychological thriller with some Gothic horror elements. And though the narrative is slow-burning, there are enough twists and turns to hold your attention. Though there is a high body count, most of the kills happen in the last 30 minutes. That said, the most gruesome moment is the discovery of a dead dog. Visually, The House Where Death does a great job heightening the mood by building tension. Ultimately, The House Where Death Lives is a very effective thriller that has a solid payoff.

The House Where Death Lives gets an excellent release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Panther Women – Indicator Series (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1967
Director: René Cardona
Writer: Alfredo Salazar
Cast: Ariadne Welter, Elizabeth Campbell, Tongolele, Eric del Castillo, Manuel 'Loco' Valdés, Eda Lorna, Genaro Moreno, María Douglas, Jorge Mondragón, Elena Saldívar, Nathanael León

Release Date: March 25th, 2024 (UK), March 26th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 88 Minutes 6 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK), $39.99 (USA)

"The Panther Women are a witch cult who resurrect their leader by sacrificing the descendants of the family which murdered him. As the cult seeks to kill the youngest descendent, they are taken on by fearless luchadoras Loreta Venus (Welter) and the Golden Rubí (Campbell)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Panther Women was restored in 2K by Permanencia Voluntaria and Cinema Preservation Alliance from the original camera negatives."

The Panther Women comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23 GB

Feature: 19.8 GB

The source looks great; it is a substantial upgrade when compared to VCI’s mediocre release. That said, there are a few moments where the quality of the source dips; an example can be seen in the last screenshot. Most of the time, image clarity, black levels, and contrast are strong. Also, compression is solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, balanced, and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (42 images - stills/lobby cards/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with academic and Latin American horror specialist Valeria Villegas Lindvall titled Cat Fight (23 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English for Spanish film clips), an interview with lucha libre specialist and filmmaker the Killer Film titled Let Them Fight! (14 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Keith J Rainville, publisher of From Parts Unknown and screenwriter of Los campeones de la lucha libre, and an 80-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Panther Women and the Resurgence of Mexican Popular Cinema written by Iain Robert Smith, an archival essay titled Wrestling for Their Lives written by Janina Möbius, an archival essay titled Female Roles and Representations in Mexican Wrestling Films written by Ricardo Cárdenas Pérez, an archival interview with Guillermo Calderón by Viviana García-Besné and Alistair Tremps, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

In a career that spanned six decades and 147 feature films, René Cardona directed nine Santo films. His notable films are The Living Idol, La Llorona (1960), Doctor of Doom, Night of the Bloody Apes and The Bat Woman.

The narrative revolves around a cult of Satan worshipers who track down and kill the descendants of the man who killed their master.

Part horror film, part wrestling film, The Panther Women is a melting pot of genres. Humor also plays a role in the story that unfolds; there is a cowardly cop who is the main target of most of the humor in the mix. That said, though wrestling matches are part of Lucha Libre films, in many films they are nothing more than padding for the narrative. Fortunately, the wrestling scenes in The Panther Women are essential to the story that unfolds.

A wild premise and a briskly paced narrative ensure there is rarely a dull moment. That said, the narrative’s weaknesses are the police procedural moments. Fortunately, the police have a secret weapon in their fight against the forces of evil wrestlers, and the narrative is filled with outrageous moments that are a lot of fun.

The cast is all very good in their roles; there is an enthusiasm in their performances that is infectious. All of the actresses who portray the Satanists and panther women deliver perfectly pitched, diabolical performances. Being a crime-fighting film with wrestlers, it should come as a surprise that there is a Santo-like character named The Angel.

From a production standpoint, The Panther Women is a film that exceeds expectations. There are an ample number of well-executed brawls and wrestling matches. Also, considering the budget limitations, the special effects are better than expected. Another strength is the visuals, which have a Gothic horror vibe. Ultimately, The Panther Women is a highly entertaining mix of action and horror that fans of Lucha Libre films should thoroughly enjoy.

After watching VCI’s horrendous release, I was not originally impressed with The Panther Women. That said, this new release is a perfect example of how a quality release that takes full advantage of the Blu-ray format can enhance one's appreciation for a film. The Panther Women gets a solid release from Powerhouse Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Note: Limited edition of 8,000 numbered units for the UK and US.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Bat Woman – Indicator Series (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1968
Director: René Cardona
Writer: Alfredo Salazar
Cast: Maura Monti, Roberto Cañedo, Héctor Godoy, David Silva, Crox Alvarado, Armando Silvestre

Release Date: March 25th, 2024 (UK), March 26th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 81 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK), $39.99 (USA)

"When Acapulco’s wrestlers start being murdered and their pineal glands mysteriously extracted, the wealthy luchadora Gloria (Monti) adopts her crime-fighting persona of the Bat Woman. Donning her disguise of shiny blue mask, cape, and micro-bikini, she teams up with agent Mario (Héctor Godoy) to foil the evil Dr Williams (Roberto Cañedo) in his dastardly plan to create an army of amphibious ‘fish-men’." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Bat Woman was restored in 4K by Permanencia Voluntaria and Cinema Preservation Alliance, in collaboration with Academy Film Archive and Paso Del Norte, from the original camera negatives."

The Bat Woman comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.9 GB

Feature: 17.7 GB

The source looks excellent; it is a substantial upgrade when compared to VCI’s mediocre release. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, balanced, and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (82 images - stills/lobby cards/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with José Luis Ortega Torres, film critic, teacher, and author of the book Mostrología del cine mexicano, explores the monstrous creations of early Mexican genre cinema titled Fantastique Creatures (13 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with Mauricio Matamoros Durán, journalist, writer, and indie editor of Belcebú, and formerly DC Comics titled Adventures in Mexicolour (20 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Maura Monti titled Bat of Nine Lives (18 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film historian and Mexican cinema specialist David Wilt, and an 80-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Mask of The Bat Woman written by Dolores Tierney, an archival interview with Maura Monti titled Maura Monti Not Tired of Being Sexy, René Cardona; A Biography text taken from Dictionary of Mexican Film Directors, an archival essay titled Luchadoras: From Chicas Modernas to Wrestling Women written by Doyle Greene, an archival essay titled Slugfests Del Sur written by Andrew Coe, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

In a career that spanned six decades and 147 feature films, René Cardona directed nine Santo films. His notable films are The Living Idol, La Llorona (1960), Doctor of Doom, Night of the Bloody Apes and The Panther Women.

The narrative revolves around a superhero named Bat Woman, who assists the police in a case involving wrestlers abducted for a mad scientist's experiments.

Though The Bat Woman has all of the elements that are synonymous with Lucha Libre films, it is also a superhero film with a protagonist who was clearly inspired by the Batman comic book series. The protagonist is a wealthy woman who, instead of living a life of luxury, uses her wealth to fight crime under a secret identity.

The main villain is a diabolical mad scientist who is assembling an army of amphibious ‘fish-men’. And it is the pineal glands extracted from wrestlers that are key to bringing the ‘fish-men’ to life. That said, the ‘fish-men’ look similar to the monster from Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Maura Monti's portrayal of The Bat Woman is the only performance that leaves a lasting impression. Her character's costume is a cape, a mask, and a bikini. And she delivers a scene-stealing performance. That said, when it comes to her character's wrestling matches, it looks like she has a body double.

From a production standpoint, The Bat Woman is a film that often exceeds expectations. The narrative does a great job building and maintaining momentum. The visuals take full advantage of the Acapulco locations, and another strength of the visuals is the underwater sequences. Ultimately, The Bat Woman is a satisfying mix of action and fantasy cinema that fans of Lucha Libre films should thoroughly enjoy.

After watching VCI’s horrendous release, I was not originally impressed with The Bat Woman. That said, this new release is a perfect example of how a quality release that takes full advantage of the Blu-ray format can enhance one's appreciation for a film. The Bat Woman gets an excellent release from Powerhouse Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Note: Limited edition of 8,000 numbered units for the UK and US.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Lady Reporter – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA/Hong Kong, 1989
Director: Mang Hoi
Writers: Sai-Shing Shum, Michael Swift
Cast: Cynthia Rothrock, Elizabeth Lee Mei-Fung, Chin Siu-Ho, Mang Hoi, Ronny Yu, Melvin Wong, Wu Ma

Release Date: April 23rd, 2024
Approximate running times: 87 Minutes 49 Seconds (Original Hong Kong Cut), 89 Minutes 57 Seconds (Export Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese, DTS-HD Mono Mandarin (Original Hong Kong Cut), DTS-HD Mono English (Export Cut)
Subtitles: English (Original Hong Kong Cut), English SDH (Export Cut)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $44.98

"When the FBI learns of an international counterfeiting operation being run through a Hong Kong newspaper, they send one of their leading agents, Cindy, undercover as a reporter in order to investigate. Upon arriving in Hong Kong, Cindy quickly becomes a headline herself after being photographed by a rival tabloid saving a child from a burning building. It doesn't take long for the criminals to realize what is happening and soon they are after Cindy and her good friend Judy. To make matters worse, Judy's father is the lead prosecutor trying to convict the head of the counterfeiting ring and the criminals will stop at nothing to remove him from the case. With the help of a few new friends, Cindy soon finds herself facing off against a wave of henchmen and hitmen all hellbent on stopping her from exposing the truth." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Original Hong Kong Cut, Export Cut)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly restored by Vinegar Syndrome from existing 2k studio masters."

Lady Reporter comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray. 

Disc Size: 46.1 GB

Feature: 21.5 GB (Original Hong Kong Cut), 20.5 GB (Export Cut)

Right now is a great time to be a fan of Hong Kong cinema from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. There have been numerous films released in North America and the UK by different companies. Though there have been instances where one release looks better than the other, that is not the case here; this release looks similar to Eureka Video’s release. The sources used for both versions are comparable, and the sources used are in excellent shape. Colors are nicely saturated; image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono Mandarin)

The Hong Kong cut comes with two audio versions, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD mono mix in Mandarin. It should be noted that there is some dialog in English. The Cantonese language track is in excellent shape. Dialogue always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced, and fight scenes sound robust. The Mandarin language track feels constrained and lacks the range that the Cantonese language track has. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese-language track.

The export cut comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Though this track sounds clean and is in very good shape, it does not sound as robust as the Cantonese track. Also, there are times when the audio sounds muffled; this might be a by-product of the post-dubbing. That said, dialog comes through clearly enough to follow, and ambient sounds are well represented. Included with this track are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, Cantonese language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with removable English subtitles), English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Vincent Lyn titled Playing the Villain (20 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Cynthia Rothrock titled No Mediocre Action (13 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with martial arts film historian Frank Djeng for the Hong Kong cut, reversible cover art, a spot gloss slipcover limited to 6,000 units, and a 16-page booklet with an essay titled Skirt-Wearing Inspectors: Action and Cultural Barriers in Mang Hoi’s Lady Reporter written by Francesco Massaccesi.

Summary:

By the time Cynthia Rothrock made Lady Reporter, she had already established herself as one of the premier women working in Hong Kong action films. Having appeared in films like Yes, Madam and Righting Wrongs, though these films gave her ample screen time to showcase her fighting skills, she was always paired with another actor and was not the lead. With Lady Reporter, she would be given the opportunity to headline a film, and she would prove that she was more than up for the challenge.

The narrative revolves around an FBI agent named Cindy who goes to Hong Kong masquerading as a reporter to look for counterfeiters who are using newspaper printing presses to make counterfeit money.

Hong Kong cinema is filled with films that are known for their resourcefulness, using whatever they can get their hands on to complete a film. A film like Lady Reporter takes this to another level with the way it disregards obvious continuity. The original director, Mang Hoi, who was making his directorial debut, would not be the only director; Corey Yuen (Yes, Madam) would direct additional moments, notably the finale. The most noticeable issue related to continuity is Cynthia Rothrock’s changing hairstyles, sometimes even within the same scene.

Lady Reporter features a solid cast. Cynthia Rothrock is the main attraction in the role of an FBI agent named Cindy. Throughout Lady Reporter, male characters underestimate Cindy, thinking that because she’s a woman, she will be easy to dispose of. Unfortunately for them, Cindy proves that she can more than hold her own against any opponent. The rest of the cast is very good in their roles, especially Ronny Yu (The Bride with White Hair) in the role of the villain, a man named Ronny Dak who's behind the counterfeit operation.

Despite the aforementioned continuity issues, there really is no area where Lady Reporter does not come out ahead. The narrative is a good balance of exposition and action that does a great job building momentum. Also, when it comes to the stunts and action sequences, they are exemplary. Hong Kong action sequences are known for their inventiveness and crazy stunts, and in both of these areas, Lady Reporter delivers in spades. Another strength of the action sequences is how the characters use their surroundings and nearby objects to gain an upper hand. Ultimately, Lady Reporter is a solid action film that fans of Hong Kong action films and Cynthia Rothrock should thoroughly enjoy.

Lady Reporter gets an excellent release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with a strong audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Nude Vampire – Indicator Series (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1970
Director: Jean Rollin
Writers: Jean Rollin, Serge Moati
Cast: Caroline Cartier, Olivier Rollin, Maurice Lemaître, Bernard Musson, Jean Aron, Ursule Pauly, Catherine Castel, Marie-Pierre Castel, Michel Delahaye, Pascal Fardoulis, Paul Bisciglia

Release Date: April 22nd, 2024 (UK), April 23rd, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 84 Minutes 51 Seconds (Both Versions)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10 (Both Versions)
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French (French Language Version), DTS-HD Mono English (English Language Version)
Subtitles: English (French Language Version), English SDH (English Language Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"When Pierre (Olivier Martin), the son of a wealthy industrialist, witnesses a beautiful woman (Caroline Cartier) being pursued and captured by men in bizarre masks, he decides to investigate, uncovering a sinister vampire cult..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “The Nude Vampire  was scanned, restored and color corrected in 4k HDR at Renasci Films, London, using original 35mm negative film materials. A combination of MTI and Nucoda DVO image-processing tools were used to remove the 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.”

The Nude Vampire comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 60.8 GB

Feature: 54 GB

This release uses seamless branching for the two versions. The source used for this transfer looks exceptional. Image clarity, depth, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated and at times vivid, and grain remains intact; the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono French, DTS-HD Mono English)

The French language version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles.

The English-language version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH.

Both audio tracks are in great shape. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include image galleries: original promotional and publicity material (112 images), behind the scenes (57 images) and additional photographs (41 images), French language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an appreciation by author and film historian Virginie Sélavy (10 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for French film clips), an interview with archivist Lucas Balbo titled An Anarchist Vampire in Paris (5 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), extracts from selected interviews with Jean Rollin conducted by Gouyette between 1998 and 2003 titled Fragment d’un dialogue (19 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for French film clips), an updated documentary on the making of The Nude Vampire by Rollin’s personal assistant, Daniel Gouyette, including interviews with key collaborators Natalie Perrey, Jean-Noël Delamarre, and Jean-Pierre Bouyxou titled Le Passage (8 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival extra titled Jean Rollin Introduces The Nude Vampire (5 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for French film clips), an audio commentary with film historians Kevin Lyons and Jonathan Rigby, and an 80-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Private Party written by David Jenkins, an archival introduction by director Jean Rollin, an archival interview with Jean Rollin by Alain Schlockoff, an archival interview with Jean Rollin titled Clocks, Seagulls, Romeo and Juliet: Surrealism Rollin-Style by Andy Black, an essay titled Vote Maurice Lemaitre! written by Jeff Billington, an archival review titled Critical Response written by Pierre Baudry, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Directed by Jean Rollin, a filmmaker whose career spanned five decades. His films are known for their fantasy and erotic elements. Notable films he directed are The Iron Rose, Lips of Blood, and The Night of the Hunted.

The narrative revolves around a young man who becomes infatuated with a mysterious, beautiful woman. Who is this woman, and why are people wearing animal masks for heads watching her every move?

The English language version starts with the opening credits, while the French language version has one scene before the credits. In the English-language version, that same scene precedes the opening credits.

Jean Rollin once again makes a film about a female vampire; this time around, he shoots for the first time in color. Visually, Jean Rollin’s use of color is striking, greatly enhancing his atmospheric visuals. Though he effortlessly makes the transition from black and white to color, the way he frames his compositions remains the same.

The word that best describes the cinema of Jean Rollin is minimalism. His films sparsely use dialog, and character development is nonexistent, yet none of this matters in the grand scheme of things. And though there is a lack of words in his cinema, it is almost like you are watching a silent film. He is able to convey so much through his visuals.

The performances do a good job within the limitations of the story that unfolds. And though no performance stands out more than any other, there is a weak link: Caroline Cartier in the role of the mysterious woman with a rare blood disease. Though she has an alluring quality that is right for the character she is portraying, she lacks the charisma most of Jean Rollin’s leading ladies had.

There are many bizarre things that occur in The Nude Vampire, and one of the more surreal elements is Jean Rollin’s use of twins, something he would return to throughout his career. Twin sisters Catherine Castel and Marie-Pierre Castel make their first appearance in a Jean Rollin film. Though there is ambiguity to their characters, they have a sinister quality at the same time.

The Nude Vampire is a hypnotic tale about vampirism and morality that straddles the line between science fiction and horror. And though there are a lot of things in The Nude Vampire that foreshadow where Jean Rollin was going as a filmmaker, in some areas he is more restrained than in his later films, notably when it comes to nudity. In terms of growth, The Nuder Vampire is a massive leap forward from Jean Rollin’s The Rape of the Vampire. Ultimately, The Nude Vampire is a solid early effort from director Jean Rollin, with its many memorable images and fascinating take on immortality.

The Nude Vampire 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 Demoniacs – Indicator Series (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Belgium, 1974
Director: Jean Rollin
Writer: Jean Rollin
Cast: Joëlle Coeur, John Rico, Willy Braque, Paul Bisciglia, Lieva Lone, Patricia Hermenier, Mireille Dargent, Monica Swinn

Release Date: April 22nd, 2024 (UK), April 23rd, 2024 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 100 Minutes 5 Seconds (Original Theatrical Version), 108 Minutes 32 Seconds (Export Version), 85 Minutes 45 Seconds (Curse of the Living Dead - Alternative English-Language Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10 (All Versions)
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French (Original Theatrical Version, Export Version), LPCM Mono English (Curse of the Living Dead - Alternative English-Language Cut)
Subtitles: English (Original Theatrical Version, Export Version), English SDH (Curse of the Living Dead - Alternative English-Language Cut)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"A gang of ruthless pirates, known as ‘the wreckers’, rape two survivors of a shipwreck. The women, now mute, are guided by a mysterious clown to a ruined castle, where they receive magical powers with which to exact their revenge on the gang." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (Original Theatrical Version, Export Version, Curse of the Living Dead - Alternative English-Language Cut)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “The Demoniacs was scanned, restored and color corrected in 4k HDR at Film Finity, London, using original 35mm negative film materials. Phoenix image-processing tools were used to remove the 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.”

The Demoniacs comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 92.2 GB

Feature: 50.9 GB (Original Theatrical Version), 54.1 GB (Export Version), 31.1 GB (Curse of the Living Dead - Alternative English-Language Cut)

This release uses seamless branching for the original theatrical version and the export version. The source used for this transfer looks exceptional. Image clarity, depth, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated and at times vivid, and grain remains intact; the image always looks organic. 

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono French - Original Theatrical Version, DTS-HD Mono French - Export Version, LPCM Mono English - Curse of the Living Dead - Alternative English-Language Cut)

The original theatrical version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. 

The export version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles.

The alternative English-language cut comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH.

All audio tracks are in great shape. Dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (91 images - stills/posters/home video art), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital mono, text in French with removable English subtitles), outtake footage (2 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an appreciation by author and musician Stephen Thrower titled Vengeance and Purity (41 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for French film clips), an interview with actor Paul Bisciglia titled One Perfect Shot (8 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Willy Braque titled The Iron Eagle (10 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with Jean Rollin collaborator Jean-Pierre Bouyxou titled One of the Demoniacs (20 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival extra titled Jean Rollin Introduces The Demoniacs (3 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), scene select audio commentary with Jean Rollin (50 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film expert Tim Lucas for the export version, and an 80-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Rape, Revenge and The Demoniacs written by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, an archival extra titled The Making of The Demoniacs written by Jean Rollin,  an archival interview with Jean Rollin titled Lascivious Vampires, Deep Melancholy by Mike Lebbing,  archival interview with actor Monica Swinn titled Getting Naked by Jérôme Fandor, and information about the restoration. 

Summary:

Directed by Jean Rollin, a filmmaker whose career spanned five decades. His films are known for their fantasy and erotic elements. Notable films he directed are The Iron Rose, Lips of Blood, and The Night of the Hunted.

The narrative revolves around two young women who come back from the dead and haunt the four thieves who raped and murdered them.

Jean Rollin was a filmmaker known for his abstract and atmospheric horror films laced with erotica. And what his films lack when it comes to spoken words, they more than make up for with their atmospheric visuals, which reinforce the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. That said, The Demoniacs' minimalism might be off-putting to someone unfamiliar with the cinema of Jean Rollin.

The Demoniacs opens with an inventive opening pro-log that introduces the main players before launching into the credits. Then there is a lengthy scene where the four thieves rape and murder two girls. This scene, at nearly fourteen minutes in length, perfectly sets the stage for what follows. Later on, the two girls come across an abandoned place that houses a demonic entity that everyone in town is afraid of. And when the two girls free him, he gives them the powers they need to exact revenge against the four thieves.

When it comes to the performances, the entire cast is fantastic, especially Joëlle Coeur, who portrays the only female in a group of four murderous thieves. She delivers a possessed performance in which she lets go of any inhibitions. And nowhere is this clearer than a moment in the finale where her character masterbates on a pile of seaweed. This was her third and final time working with Jean Rollin; the other films are Schoolgirl Hitchhikers and Bacchanales sexuelles.

Also, Lieva Lone and Patricia Hermenier’s portrayals of ghostly apparitions are memorable. Though their characters do not speak, that is not to say that their performances are not impactful. An interesting sidebar about one cast member, Mireille Dargent, who portrays a clown; she also portrayed a clown in Jean Rollin’s The Iron Rose.

From a production standpoint, Jean Rollin once again proves he's a magician with the way he stretches his anemic resources. That said, Jean Rollin’s exquisite taste when it comes to choosing location is one area where his films always deliver. This is especially clear when it comes to how the visuals fully exploit the locations. Ultimately, The Demoniacs is a film filled with surrealism and symbolism that walks a fine line between arthouse and exploitation cinema.

The Demoniacs 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