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