The Inspector Wears Skirts 3: Raid on Royal Casino Marine – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1990
Director: Wellson Chin
Writer: Lee Man-Choi
Cast: Sibelle Hu, Sandra Ng, Kara Hui, Stanley Fung, Billy Lau, Amy Yip, Shing Fui-On, Yip San

Release Date: June 22nd, 2024 (UK), July 9th, 2024 (USA)
Approximate running time: 96 Minutes 39 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Inspector Kan (Stanley Fung), now married to Madame Wu (Sibelle Hu), has been instructed to train the Banshee Squad Members after Madame Wu goes into semi-retirement. For their next mission, the Squad is assigned to go undercover into a Casino Ship to nab a group of thieves responsible for stolen law enforcement and military weapons." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "4K Scan and 2K Remaster from the Original Negatives".

The Inspector Wears Skirts 3: Raid on Royal Casino Marine comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 28.9 GB

Feature: 26.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. That said, the opening credits do not look as strong as the bulk of the transfer. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape, the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include Hong Kong theatrical trailer (4 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with burnt-in English subtitles), a deleted scenes (1 minute 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burnt-in English and Cantonese subtitles), an audio commentary with Frank Djeng, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster (limited to the first pressing) and a double walled O-ring (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Wellson Chin, who directed four The Inspector Wears Skirts films.

An all-female police squad goes undercover on a cruise ship.

The Inspector Wears Skirts 3: Raid on Royal Casino Marine is a textbook example of “if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Just like its predecessor, the bulk of the narrative is filled with training moments with the all-female police squad. The bulk of the action sequences happen in the final act once an all-female police squad is onboard the cruise ship. And though The Inspector Wears Skirts 3: Raid on Royal Casino Marine, like its predecessors, has some action, all of these films are really just comedies.

This time around, the main difference is Sibelle Hu’s (The Seventh Curse) reduced role. Her character, Madam Wu, was the trainer of the all-female police squad in the first two films. Inspector Kan has taken over her previous role, and they are now married, with her character having retired. That said, though Stanley Fung (Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars) is excellent in the role of Inspector Kan, swapping his character with Madame Wu creates an odd dynamic that is not as effective.

Fortunately, there are several characters from the first two films who take on a much larger role. Notably, Sandra Ng (Royal Tramp) plays the role of Amy, an obnoxious character who was often the butt of the jokes from the first two films. Amy Yip (Robotrix) reprises her role from The Inspector Wears Skirts 2, and her breasts once again play a significant role when it comes to the humor. On multiple occasions, her character exposes her breasts as a distraction.

By the third film, the formula was starting to wear thin. And though the narrative does a good job moving things forward, the result is a film that brings nothing new to the table. That said, humor is one area where The Inspector Wears Skirts 3: Raid on Royal Casino Marine never disappoints. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first two The Inspector Wears Skirts, then you should enjoy The Inspector Wears Skirts 3: Raid on Royal Casino Marine.

The Inspector Wears Skirts 3: Raid on Royal Casino Marine gets a solid audio/video presentation from 88 Films and an informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Two Males for Alexa (Bitterer Whiskey) – X-Rated Kult Video (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain/Italy, 1971
Director: Juan Logar
Writers: Juan Logar, Francesco Campitelli, Jesús R. Folgar
Cast: Juan Luis Galiardo, Curd Jürgens, Rosalba Neri, Emma Cohen, Manolo Otero, Eduardo Calvo, Mario Della Vigna, Franco Marletta, Pilar Velázquez

Release Date: May 15th, 2017
Approximate Running Times: 85 Minutes 3 Seconds (Italian Theatrical Version), 86 Minutes 36 Seconds (Spanish Theatrical Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Both Versions)
Rating: FSK 12 (Germany)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono German (Both Versions)
Subtitles: English, German (Both Versions),
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP (Germany)

"Although young Alexa has married the banker Ronald, who is almost 30 years her senior, she lures young, potent men into extramarital affairs, which she even finances with his money. Catalina, Ronald's daughter, smells a rat and tries in vain to convince her father that his young wife Alexa is deceitful. When Alexa spends the night with her new lover in a lonely villa on the sea coast, a life-threatening situation arises. The intoxication of the senses turns into a death rush, which is only drowned out by the waves of the lonely sea coast!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Italian Theatrical Version), 4/5 (Spanish Theatrical Version)

Two Males for Alexa (Bitterer Whiskey) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.9 GB

Feature: 23.8 GB (Italian Theatrical Version), 15 GB (Spanish Theatrical Version)

Quality-wise, the differences between these two versions are minimal. The source for these transfers is in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity is solid, black levels are strong, and compression is very good.

Audio: 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian - Both Versions)

Both versions come with an Italian DTS-HD mono mix and a German DTS-HD mono mix. For this review, I only listened to the Italian-language tracks. Both Italian language tracks are in good shape, and dialog comes through clearly. That said, there are times when the score sounds noticeably louder than the dialog. Included are removable English and German subtitles for the Italian-language tracks.

Extras:

Extras for this release include alternate opening/closing credits (2 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono),  text less opening credits (1 minute 30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), B-roll footage (6 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an option to listen to music from the film (6 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), and an audio commentary with Gerd Nauman, Matthias Künnecke and Bodo Traber for the Italian theatrical version, in German, no subtitles. 

Other extras include reversible cover art, a slip cover and 16-page booklet with an essay titled Im Rausch Der Sinne Due Maschi Per Alexa (In the intoxication of the senses due machine for Alexa) written by Christopher Klaese (all text in the booklet is in German). 

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

Summary:

When a wealthy older man learns that his much younger wife is having an affair, he comes to terms with this revelation by exacting his vengeance on his wife and her lover.

Two Males for Alexa (Bitterer Whiskey) was a Spanish-Italian co-production, and though it fits firmly within the thriller genre, the end result is a film that bears no resemblance to the Italian thriller genre.

The narrative executes the premise well and gives key moments sufficient time to resonate. Also, the use of flashbacks to flesh out the characters is one of the narrative strengths. And without giving away too much about the plot, outside of these aforementioned flashbacks, the majority of Two Males for Alexa (Bitterer Whiskey) takes place in one room.

The cast is all very good in their roles, especially Rosalba Neri’s (Top Sensation) portrayal of the protagonist. Her character, Alexa, is a woman who has married into wealth to give herself a better life, not for love. Other notable cast members are Curd Jürgens (And God Created Woman) in the role of Alexa’s husband, Ronald Marvelling; Juan Luis Galiardo (Inquisición) in the role of Alexa’s lover; and Emma Cohen (The Other Side of the Mirror) in the roles of Alexa’s classmate and Ronald’s daughter.

The visuals do a superb job reinforcing Alexa and her lover's state of mind as their fate sets in. The most memorable moment is the scene where Alexa’s husband reveals to Alexa and her lover their fate. Another exemplary moment is the finale, which provides a very satisfying coda. Ultimately, Two Males for Alexa (Bitterer Whiskey) is a solid Spanish thriller that fans of Italian thrillers should thoroughly enjoy.

Two Males for Alexa (Bitterer Whiskey) gets a strong audio/video presentation from X-Rated Kult Video.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Devil’s Nightmare – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Belgium/Italy, 1971
Director: Jean Brismée
Writers: Pierre-Claude Garnier, Patrice Rhomm, Jean Brismée, Vertunnio De Angelis
Cast: Erika Blanc, Jean Servais, Daniel Emilfork, Jacques Monseau, Lucien Raimbourg, Colette Emmanuelle, Ivana Novak, Shirley Corrigan, Frédérique Hender, Lorenzo Terzon, Christian Maillet, Maurice De Groote, Yvonne Garden

Release Date: May 14th, 2019
Approximate running time: 94 Minutes 54 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono French, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

“A busload of tourists on holiday discover that they are going on an unscheduled trip… a trip into the macabre. They find themselves lost and in need of food and shelter. A gloomy castle ahead seems to be the refuge that have been seeking. What they don’t know is that Baron von Runberg, the castle’s owner, lives under an ancient family curse – one that will draw the unsuspecting guests into a terrifying game of death. As they enjoy a splendid meal at the Baron’s table, a beautiful stranger arrives at the castle. And the nightmare begins…” - Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K scan of the original camera negative."

The Devil’s Nightmare comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.2 GB

Feature: 27.6 GB

The source is in very good shape; print debris is minimal and never intrusive. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is solid, and the image always looks organic. That said, this transfer is a massive upgrade over this film’s previous home media releases.

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Mono French), 3.5/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in English and an LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The French language track is in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. The English language track is in good shape; there are instances where background noise is noticeable, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, the French language track is more robust than the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro’s Promo Reel, a U.S. TV spot (58 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), U.S. television spot for the film (58 seconds), UK theatrical trailer (3 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), U.S. theatrical trailer #1 (3 minutes 2 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), U.S. theatrical trailer #2 (3 minutes 8 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Roland Lethem (29 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with assistant director Robert Lombaerts (23 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with director Jean Brismée (32 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with author and film critic Troy Howarth.

Summary:

The Devil’s Nightmare holds a unique place in Euro-Cult cinema. It was Belgium’s first horror film, a country that, over the years, has not made that many horror films.

Though other 1970s Euro-Cult films were pushing the boundaries when it came to nudity and violence, The Devil’s Nightmare is tame in these two areas. Apart from a gratuitous lesbian love scene, The Devil's Nightmare only features a few moments where Erika Blanc teases nudity. A guillotine decapitation and an Iron Maiden impalement are as violent as The Devil's Nightmare gets.

The seven deadly sins inspired the premise of The Devil's Nightmare, and each character in the story commits a sin. There is a gluttonous man whose obsession with food leads to his demise; there is a woman whose greed ultimately consumes her alive; and a succubus puts a priest’s desires to the test. These are just a few of the seven sins featured in this film.

From a production standpoint, The Devil’s Nightmare has more positives than negatives. One cannot ignore what is arguably the most noticeable shortcoming. The first half of the narrative is a series of moments where the characters interact as they wander around the castle. Fortunately, by the latter half of the narrative, things do pick up considerably.

Without a doubt, The Devil’s Nightmare's greatest asset is Erika Blanc’s (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave) portrayal of the succubus. She delivers a seductive performance that steals every moment that she is in. Other notable performances are Jean Servais' (Rififi) portrayal of a cursed baron and Daniel Emilfork’s (La Belle Captive) sinister portrayal of Satan.

The visuals greatly enhance the story at hand; they are overflowing with atmosphere, and nowhere is this clearer than how they take full advantage of the castle location. Standout moments visually include a black-and-white opening sequence that lacks the foundation for what is about to happen, the succubus’s arrival at the castle, and this film’s ending, which provides a satisfying conclusion.

From a production standpoint, The Devil’s Nightmare has more positives than negatives. One cannot ignore what is arguably the most noticeable shortcoming. The first half of the narrative is a series of moments where the characters interact as they wander around the castle. Fortunately, by the latter half of the narrative, things do pick up considerably. Ultimately, The Devil’s Nightmare is a film that fans of 1970s Eurocult cinema should enjoy.

The Devil’s Nightmare gets a first-rate release from Mondo Macabro that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Strangers Kiss – Fun City Editions (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1983
Director: Matthew Chapman
Writers: Blaine Novak, Matthew Chapman
Cast: Peter Coyote, Victoria Tennant, Blaine Novak, Dan Shor, Richard Romanus, Linda Kerridge, Sloan Roberts, Joe Nipote, Arthur Adams

Release Date: June 25th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 12 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: $39.95

"Hollywood. 1955. Faced with two inexperienced actors, the director (Peter Coyote, E.T.) of Strange and Dangerous (film-within-a-film) encourages the leading lady (Victoria Tennant, L.A. Story) and leading man (Blaine Novak, They All Laughed) to fall in love in "real life" so as to provide the "heat" needed for the inner film's romance. The actress' possessive gangster boyfriend (Richard Romanus, Mean Streets), who happens to be the film's financier, is kept in the dark about this love triangle. When the financier finally realizes what is going on, he flies off in a violently jealous rage. The suspense and tension draws to a tingling close with a strange twist at the ending." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New 4K Restoration from the film's original 35mm internegative".

Strangers Kiss comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.8 GB

Feature: 27 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, contrast, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; the dialog is clear; and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (stills/poster), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a video essay by Chris O'Neill titled Stanley’s Film (9 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with producer Doug Dilge titled Distributor to Producer (32 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Blaine Novak titled An Enemy Cliche (24 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Victoria Tennant titled It Felt Magical (23 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Matthew Chapman titled Comradeship and Love (24 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Walter Chaw, reversible cover art, a slipcover (first pressing only), and a 16-page booklet (first pressing only) with an essay titled Strangers Kiss: A Dangerous Beauty written by Peter Tonguette, archival LA Times about Strangers Kiss written by Sheela Benson, and cast & crew information.

Summary:

Not waiting to lose the chemistry between his two leads, the director conceals from his leading man that the leading lady is the girlfriend of the man financing the film.

Strangers Kiss is a movie within a movie that gives an unflinching look into the world of no-budget filmmaking. Though Strangers Kiss uses Stanley Kubrick's Killer’s Kiss as its launching point, it is not a retelling of that film’s making. Also, despite there being many areas where these two films mirror each other, Strangers Kiss excels most in areas where it differs from Killer’s Kiss. Notably, when it comes to Strangers Kiss, there are directors named Stanley and Stanley Kubrick.

Strangers Kiss, at its core, is a story about a woman who two men are in love with. One man is a nefarious businessman who the woman lives with, and the other is an actor who has fallen head over heels in love with her. Though she is in a relationship of convenience, she never looks elsewhere for affection.

The three leads are excellent in their roles: Victoria Tennant (Flowers in the Attic) in the role of the leading lady, Blaine Novak in the role of the leading man, and Peter Coyote (Bitter Moon) in the role of the director. In the case of Victoria Tennant and Blaine Novak, their on-screen chemistry greatly adds to their characters' authenticity. Peter Coyote is pitch perfect as an authoritarian director determined to get things exactly as he sees them. Dan Shor (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) delivers a superb performance in the role of the producer. His character is often the brunt of the director's frustration.

From a production standpoint, Strangers Kiss is a film where everything falls right into place. The well-executed narrative is filled with tension, and it does an amazing job building towards the finale. For the most part, the visuals let the performances take center stage, with the most stylish moments being the black-and-white film within the film footage. Ultimately, Strangers Kiss does not lose any of its impact, whether you are familiar with Stanley Kubrick’s Killer’s Kiss.

Fun City Editions gives Strangers Kiss an exceptional release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Crippled Masters – Film Masters (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Taiwan/Hong Kong, 1979
Director: Law Chi (Joe Law)
Cast: Thomas Hong Chiu-Ming (Jackie Conn), Shun Chung-Chuen (Frankie Shum), Chen Mu Chuan

Release Date: July 23rd, 2024
Approximate running time: 91 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, Dolby Digital Mono English, DTS-HD Mono Mandarin
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $24.95

"The plot revolves around two men, one who has lost both arms and the other who has lost both legs, as they seek revenge against the villainous master who crippled them. Throughout the film, they undergo rigorous training, mastering their unique fighting styles. As both men hone their skills, they encounter various challenges and adversaries, including other martial artists and the master's henchmen. Along the way, they form a deep bond and develop innovative techniques that capitalize on their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Newly restored in 2K from from 35mm original archival elements".

The Crippled Masters comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.3 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB

Anyone who has suffered from all of the mediocre releases for this film will find this new transfer a revelation. The restoration feature also gives you a clear idea of how bad the cleaned-up source looked. That said, flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, image clarity is strong, and black levels fare well. Also, compression is very good, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options: a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a Dolby Digital mono mix in English, and a DTS-HD mono mix in Mandarin. For this review, I focused on the DTS-HD mono mix in English. That said, I did sample the Mandarin language track, which is in great shape; unfortunately, no English subtitles are provided for this audio track. The English-language track sounds clean, clear, and balanced; range-wise, the fight scenes sound very good. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (4 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burn-in German subtitles), a 2024 recut theatrical trailer (3 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), The Crippled Masters Before and After Restoration Comparison (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a documentary about martial arts films distributed in the U.S. titled Kings of Kung Fu: Releasing the Legends (30 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), original raw scan presentation of The Crippled Masters (91 minutes 33 seconds, 2.35:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Kung Fu Film Theater Compilation from Something Weird (18 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English and Mandarin, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Will Sloan and Justin Decloux of The Important Cinema Club, and a 16-page booklet with a forward written by Philip Elliott Hopkins, and an essay titled The Crippled Masters written by Lawrence Carter-Long.

Kung Fu Film Theater Compilation has these trailers: The Soul of Bruce Lee, The Game of Death!, Black Samurai, The Star, the Rouge, and the Kung Fu Kid, Fists of Vengeance, Wang Yu, King of Boxers (The Screaming Tiger), The Martial Mates, and Yakuza Deka: The Diamond Trap. All the trailers are in English, except Wang Yu, King of Boxers (The Screaming Tiger), which is in Mandarin.

Summary:

Directed by Law Chi (Joe Law), whose other notable films are Thunderbolt, The Golden Triangle, and Amsterdam Connection.

The narrative revolves around two cripples, one without arms and the other without legs. They join forces against a hunchback villain who is the cause of their deformity.

Though the premise is your standard martial arts revenge movie, the result is anything remotely conventional. And nowhere is this clearer than the premise—two crippled fighters who together make one complete fighter—is perfectly executed. And despite there being other martial arts films where two fighters join forces against an unbeatable villain, once again, the way this is used in The Crippled Masters sets it apart from similar themed films.

The Crippled Masters opens with a gruesome introduction where one character has their arms chopped off. Later on, another character has acid poured on his legs. That said, none of the other carnage comes close to these two moments. Also, a hunchbacked and disfigured character serves as the main villain.

When it comes to the performances, it is really a three-man show: Thomas Hong Chiu-Ming (Jackie Conn), Shun Chung-Chuen (Frankie Shum) as the two crippled masters, and Chen Mu Chuan, the hunchback villain. That said, the power of their performances does not lie in the lines they say; instead, it is the action sequences where they shine the most.

From a production standpoint, The Crippled Masters does a great job with its resources. The well-executed narrative moves with good momentum and climaxes with a solid finale. Also, the fight scenes are inventive, especially when it comes to how the three main characters used their deformities. Ultimately, The Crippled Masters is an oddity that is a must-see if you're a fan of 1970s classic martial arts cinema.

Film Masters gives The Crippled Masters its best release to date, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Fata/Morgana – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain, 1965
Director: Vicente Aranda
Writers: Vicente Aranda, Gonzalo Suárez
Cast: Teresa Gimpera, Marianne Benet, Marcos Martí, Antonio Ferrandis, Alberto Dalbés, Antonio Casas, Glòria Roig

Release Date: July 9th, 2024
Approximate running time: 87 Minutes 6 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"A man rehearses a lecture he is planning to give, analyzing serial killers. He claims that a woman is soon to be murdered in the city. It is inevitable, he explains, as some people are born victims while others are born to kill. He plans to identify the future victim through a series of photographs of violent acts.

Fashion model Gim, played by iconic Spanish actress Teresa Gimpera, finds herself alone in a Barcelona that seems almost deserted. She seeks out her lover, Alvaro, for help. On her way to meet him she is harassed by a series of men and followed by a huge and menacing silver truck with blacked out windows. Through a loud speaker on the truck a mechanical voice orders all persons to leave the city immediately.

Gim finds that Alvaro’s former girlfriend, Miriam, is staying in his house having just returned from London where a terrible but unexplained event occurred. In Alvaro’s “art chamber”, an obviously disturbed Miriam finds a large knife disguised as a metallic silver fish. Meanwhile, a group of teenage boys cut out a picture of Gim from a huge advertising billboard. They carry it through the empty city streets in a silent procession." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative".

Fata/Morgana comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.9 GB

Feature: 23.5 GB

The source looks excellent; colors are nicely saturated, black levels are strong, image clarity, contrast, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, this track sounds very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Mondo Macabro preview reel, alternative opening sequence (59 seconds, Spanish text with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Teresa Gimpera titled The Muse of Pop Cinema (24 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with Angel Sala, director of the Sitges Film Festival (19 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Eurocult expert Rachael Nisbet.

Summary:

Directed by Vicente Aranda, whose other notable films are The Exquisite Cadaver, The Blood Spattered Bride, Change of Sex, and Mad Love.

Serial killers besiege Barcelona, causing the inhabitants to flee in a panic. Of the few inhabitants remaining, one is a model who refuses to flee despite repeated warnings that she’s the next victim.

Content-wise, Fata/Morgana is a mix of 1960s pop art cinema and elements that are synonymous with the Giallo genre. It features a sparse narrative that offers little in the way of backstory or character motivations. And though it has a premise ripe with possibilities and the ability to foresee murders before they happen, unfortunately, the execution of the premise is not without its shortcomings. That said, the premise does bear some similarities to Phillip K. Dick’s Minority Report.

The setting is a blend of modern and futuristic elements, leaning more towards the former. And though Barcelona is the main location, the emptiness of the streets and locations adds a tremendous amount of foreboding atmosphere. Visually, Fata/Morgana has an abundance of striking moments, notably the use of black-and-white photos of the murders.

The cast is not much more than pieces on a chess board moved around for maximum effectiveness. Teresa Gimpera (Night of the Devil's) is cast in the role of the protagonist, a model named Gim. In her acting debut, she more than fulfills what is required of her character. The most memorable performance is Marianne Benet’s portrayal of Miriam, a woman who holds the key to the murders.

From a production standpoint, Fata/Morgana is a film that does not maximize the sum of its parts. It is a melting pot of influences and themes, some of which are more effective than others. Ultimately, though the narrative feels like a series of random moments, the payoff finale does a solid job of bringing everything together.

Mondo Macabro gives Fata/Morgana an excellent release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer