The Case of the Bloody Iris – Celluloid Dreams (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1972
Director: Giuliano Carnimeo
Writer: Ernesto Gastaldi
Cast: Edwige Fenech, George Hilton, Annabella Incontrera, Paola Quattrini 

Release Date: June 25th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 57 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $45.95

"The gruesome murders of two young women send a shockwave of fear through the tenants of a high-rise apartment building. For photo models Jennifer and Marylin, it presents a welcome opportunity to move in together in one of the emptied flats. But the aura of terror catches up with everyone and soon, Jennifer feels like prey, stalked and targeted by the gloved killer. As her paranoia grows, Jennifer suspects everyone--her fanatic ex-husband, her spinster neighbor, the lesbian from down the hall, and even her boyfriend. But she is determined to stay one step ahead of the depraved killer!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “This release's transfer was scanned in 2023 at Cinema Communications Services, Rome from the film's original 2-perf Techniscope camera negative in 4K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan.

All restoration and color-grading was performed at Celluloid Dreams Studios in California.

Thousands of speckles and scratches, instances of dirt, debris, picture instability and other signs of film wear were repaired and removed through a careful combination of digital restoration tools and techniques."

The Case of the Bloody Iris comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 89.1 GB

Feature: 59.1 GB

The information provided gives a clear indication of what to expect, and though the source looks excellent throughout, there are a few very minor moments of source damage that remain. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look vibrant, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. That said, this new transfer is a massive upgrade over all of this film’s other home media releases.

The Case of the Bloody Iris comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.4 GB

Feature: 23.3 GB

The Blu-ray uses the same source as the 4K UHD does for its transfer.

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

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 great shape; there are no issues with background hiss or silabance issues. Dialog comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Range-wise, the differences between these two audio tracks are minimal. 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 reversible cover art, an image gallery (21 images - stills/advertisements/lobby cards), Italian theatrical trailer (2 minutes 54 seconds, DTS-HD mono Italian with removable English subtitles), English language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 54 seconds, DTS-HD mono English with removable English subtitles), outtake reel (1 minute 44 seconds, DTS-Mono, no dialog, music from the film playing in the background), an archival interview with actor George Hilton titled Flowers of Blood (20 minutes 43 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Paola Quattrini titled Marilyn (11 minutes 50 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldo and an archival interview director Giuliano Carnimeo titled Drops of Giallo (29 minutes 26 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Guido Henkel.

Note: All orders placed through Celluloid Dreams' website will also come with an exclusive slipcover featuring brand-new, original cover art painted by Thu Lieu Pham, and a set of six beautifully restored 12″x8.25″ color reproductions of the original Italian fotobuste (lobby cards).

Summary:

Though most directors working in Italian cinema in the 1960s and 1970s would move to whatever genre was popular at the moment, There were a handful of directors like Giuliano Carnimeo who worked primarily in one genre. After directing ten spaghetti westerns, he would finally branch out into another genre. And in 1972, he would make his only foray into the Giallo genre with The Case of the Blood Iris.

That said, despite this being his only Giallo, he does a remarkable job exploiting all the key elements that have become synonymous with the genre. The Case of the Bloody Iris is a stylish film, and the visuals don’t waste a moment showcasing its female cast members ample assets. Another area where The Case of the Bloody Iris excels is in its ability to create tense moments. And nowhere is this more clear than when it comes to the murder set pieces.

Without a doubt, The Case of the Bloody Iris’s greatest asset is Edwige Fenech in the role of its protagonist, a model named Jennifer Lansbury. By the time of The Case of the Bloody Iris, she had already established herself as Gaillotine cinema's foremost heroine. And once again, she does not disappoint as she delivers a very satisfying performance.

Another performance of note is George Hilton (The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail) in the role of a suave playboy named Andrea Antinori, who falls in love with Jennifer. His onscreen chemistry is a tremendous asset to the film.

Other notable cast members include Oreste Lionello (Four Flies on Grey Velvet) in the role of a gay photographer named Arthur, Annabella Incontrera (Black Belly of the Tarantula), a lesbian neighbor named Shelia, and Paola Quattrini (Hercules) in the role of Jennifer’s roommate, a model named Marilyn Ricci.

The Case of the Bloody Iris, or the Italian title, Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer? "What Are Those Strange Drops of Blood Doing on Jennifer’s Body?" is one of Giallo cinema’s longest and most bizarre titles. And though The Case of Bloody Iris is a by-the-numbers film that brings nothing new to the table, The result is a highly entertaining film that ultimately succeeds because of its breezy tone.

I am always excited to see more companies releasing foreign and cult movies on Blu-ray and 4K UHD, especially Giallo films. With their first release, Celluloid Dreams gives The Case of the Bloody Iris an exceptional release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of informative extras, highly recommended.

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