The Red Light Bandit – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Brazil, 1968
Director: Rogério Sganzerla
Writer: Rogério Sganzerla
Cast: Helena Ignez, Paulo Villaça, Pagano Sobrinho, Luiz Linhares, Sonia Braga, Miriam Mehler, Ítala Nandi 

Release Date: October 29th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 92 Minutes 11 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Portuguese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Based on police reports of the real-life bandit who terrorized '60s São Paulo, a charismatic crook (Paulo Villaça) robs the rich, taunts law enforcement and becomes a public hero in an anarchic odyssey that's equal parts crime thriller, urban western, grindhouse roughie, twisted comedy, cultural grenade and still unlike anything you've ever seen." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative."

The Red Light Bandit comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42 GB

Feature: 26.4 GB

Though there is source damage, it is mostly minor instances of debris. When it comes to image clarity, contrast, and black levels, things fluctuate throughout. That said, at least the image retains an organic look, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 3.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Portuguese with removable English subtitles. There is background hiss and other minor imperfections. That said, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise, this audio track is limited.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a short film titled Horror Palace Hotel directed by Jairo Ferreira, this documentary is about the Cinema Marginal Movement (40 minutes 43 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Portuguese with removable English subtitles), an extra with filmmaker Dennison Ramalho titled Introduction to Horror Palace Hotel (5 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Portuguese with removable English subtitles), a short film titled Comics directed by Rogério Sganzerla (10 minutes 11 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono Portuguese with removable English subtitles), a newly created trailer for The Red Light Bandit (1 minute 56 seconds, DTS-HD mono Portuguese with removable English subtitles), a career overview interview with actress Helena Ignez titled The Anti-Muse (24 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Portuguese with removable English subtitles), and an interview with producer and film conservationist Paulo Sacramento titled Cinema Marginal (31 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Portuguese with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

A loner thief who uses a red flashlight and rapes his female victims terrorizes a city while the police struggle to capture him.

The Red Light Bandit is part of the third wave of Brazil’s Cinema Nova known as Cinema Marginal, films geared towards the working class with B film elements. Outside of Brazil, the most well-known marginal filmmaker is José Mojica Marins, aka Coffin Joe. Even if your knowledge of Brazilian cinema is limited, The Red Light Bandit is a film that you should enjoy if you're familiar with the films of José Mojica Marins.

The Red Light Bandit is inspired by the real-life crimes of João Acácio Pereira da Costa, also known as The Red Light Bandit. His crimes were fresh in people's mind being apprehended only a year before The Red Light Bandit’s release. That said, Cinema Marginal's Cinéma vérité style has a lot in common with Italian Neorealism.

The creative force behind The Red Light Bandit was Rogério Sganzerla, who was 22 years old when it was released. So many things in The Red Light Bandit, like narrative structure, editing, and use of sound, are unconventional. The events that unfold have an in-the-moment rawness to them. The performances work well within the parameters being laid out, especially Paulo Villaça’s pitch-perfect portrayal of the protagonist. The score is just as eclectic as every other aspect of The Red Light Bandit; it features Brazilian music, a few American rock and roll songs, classical music, and odd sounds. The visuals, besides being in the moment, have a film noir quality to them. Ultimately, The Red Light Bandit is truly a unique cinematic experience that defies classification.

The Red Light Bandit gets a solid release from Severin Films, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer