The Bastard (I bastardi) – Oblivion (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France/West Germany, 1968
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Ennio De Concini, Duccio Tessari, Mario di Nardo
Cast: Rita Hayworth, Giuliano Gemma, Klaus Kinski, Margaret Lee, Claudine Auger, Serge Marquand, Umberto Raho, Luis Barboo

Release Date: March 15th, 2024
Approximate running time: 91 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (Italy)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono German
Subtitles: English, Italian, French
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: 26,90€ (Italy)

"Two outlaw half-siblings vie for both a woman's love and the spoils of a robbery. It will end in a bloodbath." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2/5

The Bastard (I bastardi) comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.7 GB

Feature: 21 GB

When compared to the Warner Archive DVD, this release's transfer has noticeably more source damage, scratches, lines, specs of dirt, and cigarette burns. Also, where the Warner Archive release presented the film in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, this release is in a 1.66:1 ratio. Colors are inconsistent, image clarity is mostly strong, and black levels are mediocre. Also, there is digital noise reduction throughout.

Audio: 2.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 2.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and a DTS-HD mono mix in German. The English-language tracks sound more robust than the Italian-language tracks. That said, dialog comes through clearly, and range-wise, these tracks tend to be limited. Also, the English-language track has a few pops, hiss', and audio dropouts. Included are removable Italian, English, and French subtitles. The English subtitles translate the Italian-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an alternate ending (2 minutes 7 seconds,  Dolby Digital mono German, no subtitles), and a featurette with Davide Pulici and Roger A. Fratter titled Inside The Bastards (26 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian, no subtitles).

Summary:

Directed by Duccio Tessari, whose other notable films are The Bloodstained Butterfly, Death Occurred Last Night, Puzzle, and Tony Arzenta (Big Guns).

The narrative revolves around two brothers; one brother betrays and breaks the bond with the other.

Though a jewel heist sets the narrative in motion, the narrative shifts towards the conflict that comes about due to that aforementioned heist. At the heart of this conflict are two half-brothers whose fathers died on the same day. And if it wasn’t for their mother, they would have drifted apart. Their personalities could not be further apart; Adam is the older of the two brothers, and greed is what ultimately drives him. While his younger brother Jason is loyal to a fault.

The role that women play in their lives is significant. The first of these women is their alcoholic mother, Martha, whose obsession with the past prevents her from seeing what is happening to her sons. The second of these women is a seductress named Karen, who easily gravitates toward whoever has the most to offer her. The third of these three women is a rancher named Barbara, who tries to heal Jason’s wounds, both physically and emotionally.

Performance-wise, the cast is all very good, especially Margaret Lee (Venus in Furs) in the role of Karen, a femme Fatale-like character. Rita Hayworth (The Lady from Shanghai), in the role of Martha, the alcoholic mother, delivers a memorable performance. Claudine Auger (A Bay of Blood) in the role of Barbara, Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre) in the role of Adam, and Giuliano Gemma (Tenebrae) in the role of Jason round out this cast of recognizable faces.

From a production standpoint, the positives outweigh the negatives. With this film excelling most during it’s violent moments. Another strength of this film is its visuals and nowhere is this clearer than how they take full advantage of the New Mexico locations featured in this film. Standout moments include, the film’s opening sequence which establishes Jason’s brutality, the scene where Karen betrays Jason and this film’s finale provides a satisfying conclusion to the events that have just unfolded.

From a production standpoint, The Bastard’s (I bastardi) positives outweigh the negatives. Notably, when it comes to the visuals, take full advantage of the New Mexico locations featured in The Bastard (I bastardi). The most memorable moments all involve acts of violence, like the opening sequence, which establishes Jason’s brutality, the scene where Karen betrays Jason, and a finale that serves as a perfect coda for the two brothers. Ultimately, The Bastard (I bastardi) is a well-made Italian crime film that feels like a western set in a modern setting.

The Bastard (I bastardi) gets a lackluster audio/video presentation from Oblivion.

Written by Michael Den Boer