Paganini Horror – Severin Films (Blu-ray/CD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1989
Director: Luigi Cozzi
Writers: Luigi Cozzi, Raimondo Del Balzo, Daria Nicolodi
Cast: Daria Nicolodi, Jasmine Maimone, Pascal Persiano, Maria Cristina Mastrangeli, Michel Klippstein, Pietro Genuardi, Luana Ravegninin, Donald Pleasence

Release Date: October 29th, 20219
Approximate Running Time: 83 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.98

"When an all-girl rock band records an unpublished song by Niccolò Paganini – the 19th Century composer said to have sold his soul to the Devil – they will unleash a skintight spandex nightmare of extreme violins, cheesy power ballads, Suspiria-influenced lighting and outlandish Satanic havoc." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "now transferred in 2k from the original negative."

Paganini Horror comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.7 GB

Feature: 18 GB

The source is in good shape. The image generally looks crisp, the colors look great, and though black levels fare well, there are a few instances where they look a tad too bright. Also, though grain is present, there are instances where it looks thicker during darker scenes, and compression is very good.

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

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks are in good shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. That said, the English-language track sounds more robust than the Italian-language track. 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 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), deleted scenes (8 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian, no subtitles), an interview with actor Pietro Genuardi titled The Devil’s Music (15 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Luigi Cozzi titled Play it Again Paganini (30 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a CD that contains Paganini Horror’s 17-track score, and a cardboard insert with the scores track listing.

Summary:

Directed by Luigi Cozzi, whose other notable films include The Killer Must Kill Again, Starcrash, Contamination, The Black Cat, and a pair of Hercules remakes. Before becoming a director, Cozzi also worked on Dario Argento’s The Cat o’ Nine Tails and Four Flies on Grey Velvet.

Paganini's unreleased composition catches the attention of a female rock band as they search for a new hit song. Wanting to bring more attention to this composition, they decide to make a music video in a home where Paganini once lived. Shortly after, things go awry when a demon that they unknowingly rescued from hell targets them. Will they be able to survive the demon's wrath, or has their fate been sealed by it?

Over the course of his two decades as a director, Luigi Cozzi was a rare example of an Italian director who avoided following whatever genre was in vogue at the time. The bulk of the films that he directed were in the science fiction and fantasy genres.

Science fiction and fantasy genres are Italian cinema’s most neglected genres. They’re genres that are heavy on special effects, and Italian genre cinema’s budgetary restrictions make it difficult to pull off the type of special effects that have become synonymous with these two genres. That said, most of Luigi Cozzi's films being in these two genres often result in his films being overlooked.

In recent years, many filmmakers who were previously dismissed have had their legacies reevaluated, fortunately due to advancements in home video technology. This is the case with Luigi Cozzi, especially when it comes to his non-science fiction and fantasy films.

Based solely on the premise, Paganini Horror is ripe with possibilities. And though the premise features a familiar scenario, characters make a pact (unknowingly) with the devil in hope of obtaining the stardom they crave. The way in which Paganini Horror explores this scenario is what ultimately sets it apart from other similar-themed films.

The performances are best described as enthusiastic. The most memorable performance is by Donald Pleasence (Phenomena) in the role of Mr. Pickett (aka the devil). His character may have limited screen time, but he makes a significant impact on the story. Another performance of note is Daria Nicolodi’s (Deep Red) portrayal of Sylvia Hackett, the woman who owns the home that Paganini once lived in.

From a production standpoint, Paganini Horror takes full advantage of its limited resources. The central location provides an ample amount of atmosphere, the visuals do a great job maintaining a foreboding mood, and the kill scenes are sufficiently gory. Ultimately, Paganini Horror is a well-made horror film that fans of Italian horror cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

Paganini Horror gets a first-rate release from Severin Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer