Off Balance (Phantom of Death) – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1987
Director: Ruggero Deodato
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Vincenzo Mannino, Gigliola Battaglini
Cast: Michael York, Edwige Fenech, Donald Pleasence, Mapi Galán, Fabio Sartor, Caterina Boratto, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Gianni Franco, Marino Masé

Release Date: July 9th, 2024
Approximate running time: 91 Minutes 57 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Italian, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"When a mysterious disease befalls young, virtuosic pianist Robert Dominici (Michael York — Austin Powers), he begins a violent, murderous rampage taunting authorities with his whereabouts. As Robert’s brain and body rapidly decay, Inspector Datti (Donald Pleasence — Halloween, American Rickshaw) must race to find him before he kills again!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration from the negative."

Off Balance (Phantom of Death) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.3 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB

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

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

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD stereo mix in Italian and a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. Both audio tracks are in great shape; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track, English SDH subtitles for the English language track, and English subtitles when watching the English language track for newspaper text in Italian. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a reversible cover art, English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Italian language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian, no subtitles), an interview with director Ruggero Deodato titled An Uncommon Director (32 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth.

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a CD with Pino Donaggio's score and a slipcase.

Summary:

Ruggero Deodato directed Off Balance (Phantom of Death). He is also known for directing Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, House on the Edge of the Park, and Cannibal Holocaust. He started his career as a second unit director, working with Sergio Corbucci and Antonio Margheriti before becoming a director. When the Italian film industry's resources dried up in the 1980s, Ruggero Deodato, like many of his contemporaries, took on films with anemic budgets instead. That said, none of his post-Cannibal Holocaust works achieved the level of quality or success, though some of them have moments that are undeniably Ruggero Deodato.

The narrative revolves around a renowned pianist who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that rapidly ages him. Driven by homicidal rage due to a side effect of his disease, will the police catch him before old age?

The premise is full of possibilities, and Ruggero Deodato does a great job exploring all avenues. And though Off Balance (Phantom of Death) has all the elements that one would expect from an Italian thriller, its intriguing premise and how it immediately reveals the killer's identity set it apart from its contemporaries. That said, when it comes to the kill scenes, they are stylish and filled with the type of carnage that are hallmarks of the Italian thriller genre.

When it comes to Italian-genre cinema, something that you can almost always count on is its ability to put together a cast of recognizable faces. The standout performance is Michael York’s portrayal of the aging pianist. He delivers a remarkable performance in which you feel sympathy for his character despite their actions. Edwige Fenech, who was at her peak in the 1970s and early 1980s, delivers one of his best performances from that latter part of her career. And Donald Pleasence delivers another hysteria-driven performance that fits perfectly with the story that unfolds.

Reportedly, Ruggero Deodato felt no connection to Off Balance (Phantom of Death), calling it his least favorite film, simply a work for hire. And yet, it is a well-polished film, beautifully photographed, and effectively paced. Pino Donaggio once again delivers an exemplary score that does a phenomenal job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Off Balance (Phantom of Death) is a solid film and one of the better post-1970s Italian thrillers.

Off Balance (Phantom of Death) gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer