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Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast): Limited Edition – Raro Video UK (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: UK/Italy, 1966
Director: Michael Reeves
Writers: Michael Reeves, Mel Welles, Charles B. Griffith, F. Amos Powell
Cast: Barbara Steele, John Karlsen, Ian Ogilvy, Mel Welles, Joe 'Flash' Riley, Richard Watson, Edward B. Randolph, Peter Grippe, Lucretia Love

Release Date: July 29th, 2024
Approximate running time: 79 Minutes 4 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"A young British couple, Philip (Ian Ogilvy, Death Becomes Her) and Veronica (Barbara Steele, Black Sunday), are honeymooning in the remote village of Vaubrac, Transylvania. After reluctantly booking into a sleazy guesthouse, the couple encounter Von Helsing (John Karlsen, Slaughter Hotel), a direct descendant of the legendary vampire-hunter, who tells them the town was placed under a curse over 200 years ago, following the brutal execution of Vardella, a grotesque figure accused of witchcraft. Dismissing his story, the couple plan to leave the next morning – but a mysterious car accident is the catalyst for the return of Vardella and a murderous rampage of revenge…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “High Definition digital transfer from the original camera negative".

Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.7 GB

Feature: 22.7 GB

The source is in great shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and the image is free of any digital filtering.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Italian), 4/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in Italian and an LPCM mono mix in English. The English language track is a noticeable improvement over the audio track Raro used for their 2017 Blu-ray release. Both audio tracks sound clear, balanced, and robust. That said, there are a few minor source imperfections on the English 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 an archival audio interview with actress Barbara Steele titled A Bloody Journey to Italy (28 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Ian Ogilvy (12 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author and film critic Kim Newman (19 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with producer Paul Maslansky, Ian Ogilvy and Barbara Steele, moderated by filmmaker David Gregory, reversible cover art, and a 16-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, and an essay titled She Beasts, Slapstick and Siegel Shots: Michael Reeves and the Revenge of the Blood Beast written by Kevin Lyons.

Summary:

Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) was directed by Michael Reeves, who would die tragically from a drug overdose just a few years after completing the film at the very young age of 25. In his all-too-brief career, Michael Reeves would also direct The Sorcerers and Witchfinder General. The score for the U.S. version was composed by Ralph Ferraro (Flesh Gordon), while the original score was composed by Paul Ferris, who also wrote scores for Michael Reeves' two other films, The Sorcerers and Witchfinder General.

Newlyweds on vacation in Transylvania have their honeymoon interrupted when their car loses control and falls into a lake. A two-hundred-year-old spirit, having drowned centuries ago in the same lake, takes over the body of the wife, leaving her husband with only slight bruises. An eccentric old man named Count von Helsing tries to help the husband find his missing wife; he believes that a two-hundred-year-old spirit has taken possession of her.

Despite being shot on a shoestring budget, the end result is a film that far exceeds the sum of its parts. For the first time, director Michael Reeves does a remarkable job when it comes to the performances and the visuals. In regards to the latter, Michael Reeves takes full advantage of the 2.35:1 scope frame. The most memorable moment is a scene where a witch is drowned; this moment foreshadows Michael Reeves' Witchfinder General.

The narrative takes many familiar cliches and names from other horror films. And despite retreading familiar territory, the narrative is an entertaining romp that manages to remain engaging throughout its duration. That said, the anticlimactic ending feels rushed. Also, at 79 minutes in length, Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) is a film that never overstays its welcome.

The performances are much better than they should be, and in several instances they exceed expectations, especially Mel Welles’ (Lady Frankenstein) portrayal of Ladislav Groper, a peeping Tom motel owner. Of course the main draw is Barbara Steele (Black Sunday) in the role of the wife. The main attraction of Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) is Barbara Steele (Black Sunday) in the role of the wife. And though her screen time is limited, she’s in some of the most memorable moments.

Though billed as a horror film, Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) is actually a satisfying blend of horror and humor. The newlyweds' interactions with the Transylvania locals are the source of the humor. Unfortunately, when it comes to moments of fright Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) has few to offer. Ultimately, Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) is a flawed but entertaining film that greatly benefits from Barbara Steele’s participation.

Revenge of the Blood Beast (The She Beast) is another solid release from Raro UK, who continue to best their U.S. releases, highly recommended.