Untouched (Sombra verde) – Indicator Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Mexico, 1954
Director: Roberto Gavaldón
Writers: Luis Alcoriza, Rafael García Travesi, Roberto Gavaldón, José Revueltas
Cast: Ricardo Montalban, Ariadne Welter, Víctor Parra, Jorge Martínez de Hoyos, Miguel Inclán, Jaime Fernández, Roberto G. Rivera, Enriqueta Reza, Ana María Villaseñor

Release Date: July 23rd, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 87 Minutes 6 Seconds (Sombra verde, The Original Spanish-Language Version), 85 Minutes 34 Seconds (Untouched, The Shortened, English-Language Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Spanish (Sombra verde, The Original Spanish-Language Version), DTS-HD Mono English (Untouched, The Shortened, English-Language Version)
Subtitles: English (Sombra verde, The Original Spanish-Language Version), English SDH (Untouched, The Shortened, English-Language Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $36.99

"Scientist Federico (Montalban) is tasked with taking a journey into the jungle to search for a rare medicinal root. When he becomes desperately lost, he is rescued by a farmer, and soon begins a torrid affair with the farmer's beautiful daughter, Yáscara (Welter)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (Sombra verde), 4.25/5 (Untouched)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Sombra verde was restored in 4K by the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The English-dubbed version, Untouched was assembled using the same restoration master , but it incorporates footage sourced in standard definition at the start and end of the film."

Sombra verde and Untouched come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.7 GB

Feature: 23.7 GB

This release uses seamless branching for the two versions. Though the source looks great, there is still some minor print debris, and the footage exclusive to Untouched comes from a lesser source. Image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Spanish), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

Sombra verde comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background hiss. Dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Untouched comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in good shape; there is minimal background hiss and some sibilance issues. That said, dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (57 images - stills/lobby cards/advertisements/posters), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 16 seconds, LPCM mono Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with filmmaker, writer, and collector of Mexican film memorabilia Roberto Fiesco titled Casting a Shadow, he examines the lives and careers of Ricardo Montalbán, one of the most beloved Mexican actors, and his co-star Ariadne Welter (23 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an interview with writer, television host, and film historian Rafael Aviña titled Playing with Fire, he delves into the world of director Roberto Gavaldón, and the post-Golden Age Mexican film industry (17 minutes 14 seconds, LPCM stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles),an audio commentary with film historian David Wilt, reversible cover art, and a 44-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Exploring the Enigma: Untouched and the Mystery of Ariadne Welter written by Camilla Baier, a contemporary article on the making of the film titled Untouched in Papantla written by Moisés Vásquez, an archival essay titled Love and Desire in Untouched written by Elisa Lozano, an essay titled Against the Current written by Viviana García Besné, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Roberto Gavaldón directed Untouched (Sombra verde). His other notable films are La Barraca, In the Palm of Your Hand, Night Falls, Soledad's Shawl (El Rebozo de Soledad), and Macario.

Father tries to protect daughter from an outsider. His wife left him for another man who intruded on their secluded world. Fearful his daughter might make the same choice his wife did, the father does everything he can to keep them apart and get the man to leave without his daughter.

Fear and desire are at the heart of what unfolds in Sombra verde (Untouched); the fear comes from the combative relationship of the father and an outsider who is unable to leave until his injuries heal. Fear is also prevalent when it comes to the outsiders uncertainty that he will ever escape the jungle, which nearly killed him. The desire comes from the relationship that the daughter forms with the outsider.

Sombra verde (Untouched) is like two movies; the first half of the narrative revolves around a scientist who ventures into the jungle looking for a rare medical root. In a hurry to get his expedition underway, he hires an inexperienced guide; they get lost and nearly die. In the latter half of the narrative, the scientist, now injured, finds himself on a secluded farm where a farmer, his daughter, and a few servants live. Though there is tension in this latter half, it shifts more towards a forbidden romance.

Though there are some secondary characters who appear in more than one scene. When it comes to the performances, it is the three leads, Ricardo Montalban, Ariadne Welter, and Víctor Parra, who carry Untouched (Sombra verde). Ricardo Montalban (Fantasy Island) delivers a solid performance in the role of Federico Gascón, a scientist who gets lost in the jungle and finds love. The most memorable performance is Víctor Parra’s menacing portrayal of the father. That said, the heart and soul of Untouched (Sombra verde) is Ariadne Welter’s (The Panther Women portrayal of the daughter. She delivers a captivating performance that more than fulfills her role as an object of desire.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Untouched (Sombra verde) does not excel. The well-executed narrative is filled with tension; pacing is never an issue, and a bittersweet finale provides a perfect coda. Roberto Gavaldón’s direction is outstanding, especially the sequences in the jungle. These moments are grueling as characters are faced with extreme weather conditions and the uncertainty of where they are. Ultimately, Untouched (Sombra verde) is a very satisfying mix of action adventure and melodrama that quickly draws you in, and its final images linger on in your mind.

Untouched (Sombra verde) gets an excellent release from Powerhouse Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Note: Limited edition of 3,000 numbered units for the US.

Written by Michael Den Boer