Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain, 1982
Director: Ignacio F. Iquino|
Writers: Juan Bosch, Ignacio F. Iquino, Juliana San José de la Fuente
Cast: Emma Quer, Carlos Martos, Concha Valero, Juan Zanni, Henry Ragoud, Diana Conca, Sylvia Alain, Óscar Daniel, Asunción Vitoria, Miguel R. Giner, Montserrat Miralles

Release Date: September 24th, 2019
Approximate running time: 86 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $32.98

“After being found in bed with another woman, Frederick, a retired mercenary, is blinded by his deranged and spiteful wife, who is then confined to an asylum. Deciding to start a new life and family with his mistress, Helen, but finding that he is unable to successfully impregnate her, Frederick consults with a fertility doctor who agrees to assist in helping them conceive a baby. But unknown to the happy couple, a member of a Satanic sect decides that Helen will be the perfect mother for the Antichrist and intervenes!” - Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 35mm original camera negative."

Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.5 GB

Feature: 22.3 GB

Though there are some minor source-related imperfections, the bulk of the transfer looks excellent. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4/5

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, it is satisfactory.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a promotional stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background (poster/home video art/lobby cards), an audio commentary with film historian and author Kat Ellinger, reversible cover art, and an embossed slipcover (limited to 2,000 units).

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

Summary:

The narrative revolves around a cult that terrorizes a woman who is pregnant with the antichrist.

Though the 1980s saw a decline in genre cinema in Europe, it still produced some wild Euro-cult films that borrowed heavily from successful American films. Case in point: Ignacio F. Iquino’s Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect), a Spanish film that takes elements from Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist.

That said, though there are obvious traces of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist in Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect), the result is a film that makes these familiar elements their own by turning them on their heads. And to simply write off Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) as a clone film that mimics elements from those iconic films would be doing this film a great disservice.

From its opening moments, it becomes abundantly clear that Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) is a film where anything goes. Nowhere is this clearer than how the absurd premise becomes more outlandish as the narrative progresses, with Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) saving its most WTF moment for its finale.

The performances are best described as enthusiastic, and at times they reach an over-the-top quality that rivals telenovelas. The most memorable performance is Diana Conca’s portrayal of an insane wife who, for her own safety, has been kept in the locked room by her husband. She delivers an utterly convincing performance that perfectly captures her character's derangement.

From a production standpoint, Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) was obviously made on an anemic budget, and it does not attempt to hide its flaws. A scene where rubber bats are used to attack a blind character represents the most glaring moment of absurdity for it. Ultimately, Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) is a highly entertaining film that serves up an ample amount of sleaze, carnage, and mayhem.

Secta Siniestra (Bloody Sect) gets a first-rate release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative audio commentary track, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer