Werewolf Woman - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1976
Director: Rino Di Silvestro
Writer: Rino Di Silvestro
Cast: Annik Borel, Howard Ross, Dagmar Lassander, Tino Carraro, Elio Zamuto, Osvaldo Ruggieri, Andrea Scotti, Frederick Stafford, Salvatore Billa, Pietro Torrisi

Release Date: April 25th, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 97 minutes 28  Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / VC-1
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Daniela, a woman troubled from a childhood trauma, begins to have delusions that she is a werewolf. She spends her nights seducing and killing men, until she meets a kind man named Luca, who she falls in love with. Her happiness is short-lived when she is raped and Luca is killed, reverting her back to her werewolf delusions. Daniela gets her revenge by killing her rapists and Luca's killers." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New HD transfer from original 35mm negative".

Werewolf Woman comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 23 GB

Feature: 20.3 GB

Though the source has been cleaned up, digital noise reduction, compression artifacts, and black crush are just a few issues that plague this transfer. That said, this is another disappointing transfer from Raro Video that somehow looks worse than Shriek Show's DVD release.

Audio: 3.5/5 (LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in Italian and an LPCM mono mix in English. Though both audio tracks sound clear and balanced, there are some sibilance issues. Also, range-wise, both audio tracks are satisfactory. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Italian language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian, no subtitles), an interview with director Rino Di Silvestro (19 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 8-page booklet with cat & crew information, and an essay titled Werewolf Woman An Appreciation.

Summary:

Werewolf Woman was co-written and directed by Rino Di Silvestro, whose other notable films include Deported Women of the SS Special Section and Hanna D.: The Girl from Vondel Park.

Traumatized by a sexual assault, a young woman named Daniela struggles to maintain her sanity as she gradually transforms into an ancestor who, centuries earlier, was burned at the stake for being a werewolf.

Werewolf Woman is a sleazy psychological thriller that borrows heavily from the horror genre. Werewolf Woman does attempt to explore the reasons behind the protagonist's actions, making the end result less impactful than it could have been. That said, Werewolf Woman far too often falls back on attention-grabbing exploitive elements, like nudity from its leading lady and gory deaths in which victims’ throats are ripped out.

In the scene that drives that narrative, a trio of rapists surprises Daniela at her new home while her boyfriend is away. Subsequently, the boyfriend arrives home during their assault, and violence ensues as the trio of men brutally beats him to death. This moment also proves to be pivotal, as it indicates that just prior to these men’s arrival, Daniela had finally achieved a breakthrough and was on the verge of overcoming her original trauma.

Though none of the performances are lacking, it is Annik Borel’s (Truck Turner) portrayal of the protagonist in Werewolf Woman that truly stands out. So much depends on her character, and she delivers a performance that elevates everyone involved. Notable cast members include Howard Ross (The New York Ripper), who plays against type as the protagonist's boyfriend, and Dagmar Lassander (Forbidden Photos of a Lady Above Suspicion), who portrays the protagonist's sister. Though Dagmar Lassander’s role is little more than a cameo, her sex scene is sure to leave an indelible mark on most viewers of Werewolf Woman.

From a production standpoint, Werewolf Woman is a film that maximizes its resources. The narrative begins with a dream sequence that retells an event from the past. After this initial setup;  the narrative is always told via the protagonist's point of view. Pacing is never an issue; the narrative does a great job balancing exposition and carnage moments. Ultimately, Werewolf Woman is a well-made exploitation film that fans of 1970s Italian genre cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

Raro Video gives a Werewolf Woman a mediocre audio/video presentation that leaves a lot of room for improvement.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Devil Fetus / Her Vengeance – Vinegar Syndrome (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1983 (Devil Fetus), Hong Kong, 1988 (Her Vengeance)
Directors: Lau Hung Chuen (Devil Fetus), Lam Ngai Choi (Her Vengeance)
Cast: Eddie Chan, Pak-Kwong Ho, Hsiu-Ling Lu, Ouyang Sha-fei, Lau Dan (Devil Fetus), Pauline Wong, Lam Ching-Ying, Elaine Jin, Kelvin Wong, Sit Chi-Lun, Shing Fui-On, Billy Chow, Hon Yee-Sang, Chan Ging, Tse Fook-Yiu (Her Vengeance)

Release Date: March 18th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 92 Minutes 13 Seconds (Devil Fetus), 82 Minutes 48 Seconds (Her Vengeance - CAT III), 90 Minutes 2 Seconds (Her Vengeance - CAT IIb)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Devil Fetus), 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Her Vengeance - Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Cantonese (Devil Fetus, Her Vengeance - Both Versions), DTS-HD Mono Mandarin (Devil Fetus, Her Vengeance - CAT IIb), DTS-HD English (Devil Fetus),
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $54.98

Devil Fetus: "A young woman purchases a suspiciously phallic-looking antique vase from a street auction only to soon become the target of a lustful demonic spirit. When her husband discovers her fornicating with the evil entity, he destroys the vase, leading to his and his wife’s grotesque deaths. Fearing that the entity may have impregnated the recently deceased woman with a demonic fetus, a priest seals off the evil spirit in the woman's bedroom so as not to be disturbed. However, several years later, the young woman's family accidentally breaks the seal, unleashing a supernatural force upon their household. As the family attempts to battle this malicious entity, they must find the priest who originally trapped the demon in order for him to return and finish the job once and for all." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Her Vengeance: "Ying is a mild-mannered hostess at a local nightclub where, one night, she accidentally insults a group of drunken thugs. While returning home later that night, Ying is attacked by the drunkards and is viciously beaten and assaulted. Seeking retribution, Ying enlists the help of a former Triad member who is now confined to a wheelchair. Although reluctant to help in her pursuit of vengeance, he offers Ying a job at his bar to help her get a fresh start. However, soon after, she encounters one of her attackers and, seizing the moment, kills him. With blood now on her hands, Ying is set on a path of violence that she can no longer walk away from, leaving those in her life caught up in the bloodshed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (Devil Fetus), 4.5/5 (Her Vengeance - Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "Newly color-graded and restored by VS from studio-supplied masters."

Devil Fetus comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.7 GB

Feature: 28.1 GB

Though the source looks excellent for most of the time, there are a few moments where quality drops and some very minor instances of debris. For most of the time, image clarity is solid, colors look correct, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Her Vengeance comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.9 GB

Feature: 22.6 GB (CAT IIb Version), 22.6 GB (CAT III Version)

The sources for the two versions look excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Her Vengeance CAT IIb Version, DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Her Vengeance CAT III Version), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Devil Fetus, Alternate DTS-HD Mono Cantonese - Her Vengeance CAT III Version), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono Mandarin - Devil Fetus, DTS-HD Mono Mandarin - Her Vengeance CAT IIb Version), 3.5/5 (DTS-HD English - Devil Fetus)

Devil Fetus comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and a DTS-HD mono mix in Mandarin. The best-sounding track is the Cantonese-language track; the English-language track has instances of background noise. That said, dialog comes through clearly, and range-wise, all audio tracks are satisfactory. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

Her Vengeance: the CAT IIb version features two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD mono mix in Mandarin. Of the two audio tracks, the Cantonese language track sounds more robust. Removable English subtitles are included for the Cantonese language track.

Her Vengeance CAT III version comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese and a DTS-HD mono mix in Cantonese labeled alternate mix. Though the original Cantonese language track sounds more robust than the alternate Cantonese language track, there are times when dialog sounds boxy on both audio tracks. Each Cantonese language track includes a removable English subtitle track.

Extras:

Extras on the disc with Devil Fetus include an image for Devil Fetus with music from the film playing in the background, a theatrical trailer for Devil Fetus (2 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital Cantonese with removable English), alternate shots from the censored version of Devil Fetus (1 minute 58 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese, no subtitles), an interview with actor Hsu Meng-Kuang titled Eagle Blood & Pig Guts, he discusses Devil Fetus (12 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film writer Travis Woods for Devil Fetus, a theatrical trailer for Her Vengeance (3 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital Cantonese with removable English), alternate "crime doesn't pay" ending for Her Vengeance (1 minute, Dolby Digital mono, no dialog), a video essay by John Charles titled Her Vengeance in Four Cuts, he discusses Her Vengeance’s multiple versions (7 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and a video essay by author and film historian Samm Deighan titled Her Vengeance and Category-III Rape Revenge Films (11 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras on the disc with Her Vengeance include an audio commentary with Bruce Holecheck (Cinema Arcana), Art Ettinger (Ultra Violent Magazine), and Ryan Smith (Dreamhaven Books) for the CAT III version.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 6,000 units), and a 20-page booklet with an essay titled Resurrecting Her Vengeance written by John Charles.

Summary:

Devil Fetus: A demon takes possession of a woman after she releases it from an antique vase she purchased. She dies when the demon is expelled; fearing she might be pregnant with the demon's child, a priest seals the evil spirit within her bedroom. Years later, the demon returns when someone in her family breaks the seal.

Though Devil Fetus is currently classified as a CAT III film, this rating did not take effect until five years after its release. In a time before CAT III films existed, it is not difficult to see how a movie like Devil Fetus would receive this rating, albeit retroactively. Besides sex with a demon, there is melting flesh, an Alien-like moment where a fetus exits its mother belly, and a gruesome kill scene with a dog.

Devil Fetus is a supernatural horror film about demonic possession. Though Devil Fetus has many elements that one expects from a film about demonic possession, the result is a film that relies more on atmosphere than exposition. That said, despite the narrative's shortcomings, Devil Fetus does a good job holding your attention. Furthermore, its WTF ending somehow tops everything that precedes it.

Devil Fetus is not a film that one watches or recalls for its performances. The characters are mere props that lack any dimension. That said, one observation that can be made about the performances is that the cast gives their all.

From a production standpoint, Devil Fetus is clearly a film made with limited resources. In comparison to studios like Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest, the films produced by Lo Wei Motion Picture Company never reach the quality of those two companies. That said, the real star of Devil Fetus are its practical special effects that work really well despite their own limitations. Something that is all too common in Hong Kong cinema is using music that is uncredited, and Devil Fetus’ score features Vangelis’ La Petite Fille de la Mer and contains samples from Ennio Morricone’s score for The Thing. Ultimately, Devil Fetus is a film that aims solely to entertain and nothing more.

Her Vengeance: A nightclub hostess seeks revenge against five men who beat and rape her.

Lam Ngai Choi directed Her Vengeance. He is also known for directing The Seventh Curse, Erotic Ghost Story, Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky, and The Cat. Her Vengeance is a remake of the 1973 Shaw Brothers film Kiss of Death. CAT III was introduced by the Hong Kong motion picture rating system in 1988, and Her Vengeance was one of the first films to receive this rating.

There are as many of four versions of Her Vengeance; the differences are explained in an extra included with this release. Though the CAT III version is uncut, all carnage is intact, it is seven minutes shorter than the CAT IIb version. Where the CAT IIb version omits a lot of the most graphic content; it actually has more scenes that flesh out characters.

Though there is some initial hostility between the protagonist and the five men who later assault her, it is a jarring shift that occurs when the moment occurs. From that moment onward the narrative is relentless and uncompromising as there is an endless barrage of brutality and carnage. That said, as unflinching as these moments of brutality and carnage are, none come close to the scene where the five men violated her.

All around the performances are outstanding; especially the five actors who portray the men who violated the protagonist. These men are psychopaths who take pleasure in others' suffering, making their demise all the more enjoyable. The standout performance is Pauline Wong (The Blue Jean Monster), who portrays the protagonist, Ying. She delivers a performance that perfectly conveys her character's determination to exact vengeance on those who violated her. Another performance of note is Lam Ching-Ying (Mr. Vampire), a former triad who was once in a relationship with the protagonist's sister and now he’s in a wheelchair.

The most surprising aspect of Her Vengeance is how Lam Ngai Choi handles the story that unfolds. Where other rape revenge films have protagonists that are methodical in their execution of their revenge, Ying’s attempts at revenge rarely go smoothly. Another strength of Ngai Choi Lam’s direction are the visuals; they do a superb job heightening the mood.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Her Vengeance does not excel. The well-executed narrative does an excellent job building momentum to a carnage filled finale. Though most Hong Kong films have action sequences even if they are not action films, the action in Her Vengeance is mostly contained to its finale. That said, when it comes to action the wheelchair martial arts moments are what standout. Ultimately, Her Vengeance is one of the high water marks of CAT III cinema, making it a must-see for fans of these films.

Vinegar Syndrome gives two CAT III Hong Kong films an excellent release, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Oldest Profession – Film Movement (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1974
Director: Noboru Tanaka
Writer: Akio Ido
Cast: Meika Seri, Junko Miyashita, Genshû Hanayagi, Moeko Ezawa, Shiro Yumemura

Release Date: March 18th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 84 Minutes 50 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $41.98

"19-year-old Tome is a sex worker who draws in customers around the red-light district of Osaka. She lives with her mentally disabled younger brother, Saneo, and her mother, Yone, who is also still active as a sex worker despite being over 40 years old. One day, after receiving a request for a young girl, Tome goes to the designated inn. On arrival she encounters Yone, who is unable to find work. A few days later, Yone tells Tome that she is pregnant..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Restored in 4K by Nikkatsu Corporation in 2021 from the 35mm original negative."

The Oldest Profession comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.5 GB

Feature: 22.9 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid; and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. Colors are nicely saturated and at times vivid for the one-color sequence.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Japanese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a trailer (1 minute 17 seconds, LPCM mono Japanese with non-removable English subtitles), a video essay by Japanese cinema expert Jasper Sharp titled Private Business & Public Obscenities (14 minutes 47 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 2,000 units), and a 16-page booklet with cast & crew information, and an essay titled Osaka Eros written by Alexander Fee.

Summary:

Noboru Tanaka directed The Oldest Profession. In the 1970s he was one of the more prominent directors making romantic pornography films for Nikkatsu. The films Night of the Felines, The Hell-Fated Courtesan, A Woman Called Sada Abe, Watcher in the Attic, Angel Guts: Nami, and Village of Doom are among his other notable works. The Oldest Profession is also known under the title Confidential: Secret Market.

The Oldest Profession was the only Nikkatsu roman porno shot on film shot in black and white (there is one sequence in color). The Oldest Profession is a grim exploration into the world of prostitution in the red-light district of Osaka. By shooting the events that unfold in black and white instead of color, it adds a realism that gives a documentary-like view of this world. It was a stylistic choice, not related to the budget, to shoot in black and white.

The narrative revolves around Tome, a young woman who works as a prostitute. She is part of a dysfunctional family; her mother is also a prostitute, and she has a mentally disabled brother. Where her mother sells herself to survive, Tome does it as an act of rebellion. Besides Tome, there are other characters who weave in and out of her story; notably a young man with who she forms a bond.

All around, the performances are excellent, especially Meika Seri’s (Female Yakuza Tale: Inquisition and Torture) portrayal of Tome. She delivers an utterly convincing portrayal that perfectly captures her character's state of mind. Though her character rarely shows emotion, she has a rare burst of emotion when her brother kills himself. Another performance of note is Shiro Yumemura’s (The Watcher in the Attic) portrayal of Saneo, Tome’s mentally disabled brother.

Though the focal point is prostitution and its effect on Tome, the narrative also delves into taboo subject matter. These are moments where Tome indulges her brother's perversions towards her. At 84 minutes in length, though longer than most romantic pornography films, the narrative drags or wastes a moment. When it comes to the sex scenes, instead of inventiveness to block certain elements, there is a rough around the edges quality to them. Ultimately, The Oldest Profession is an exemplary romantic pornography film, making it a must-see for fans of the genre.

The Oldest Profession gets an excellent release from Film Movement that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Rulers of the City: Limited Edition – Raro Video UK (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1976
Director: Fernando Di Leo
Writers: Fernando Di Leo, Peter Berling
Cast: Jack Palance, Al Cliver, Harry Baer, Gisela Hahn, Enzo Pulcrano, Carmelo Reale, Edmund Purdom, Vittorio Caprioli

Release Date: March 24th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 96 Minutes 2 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 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)

"Tony (Harry Baer, Fox and His Friends), a debt collector for a small-time Roman boss, dreams of making it big. He meets Rick (Al Cliver, Zombie Flesh Eaters) and decides to back him up in order to screw over an American gangster, called Scarface Manzari (Jack Palance, Batman), who monopolizes all the crime in the city. But Rick is driven by revenge on Manzari because he had treacherously killed his father after a robbery years earlier." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “2020 4K restoration of the original negative."

Rulers of the City comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.4 GB

Feature: 29.7 GB

This is another solid upgrade from Raro Video UK when compared to their earlier 2012 Blu-ray release. Colors have never looked better; image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 3.75/5 (LPCM Mono Italian), 3.5/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in Italian and an LPCM mono mix in English. Though both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, they are limited in range. That said, the Italian language track has a fuller sound compared to 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 interview with Eurocrime authority Mike Malloy on the childhood revenge theme in poliziotteschi (13 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette titled Violent City, featuring comments by director Fernando Di Leo, actor Al Cliver, editor Amedeo Giomini, and weapons expert Gilberto Galimberti (15 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo in Italian with non-removable English subtitles), reversible cover art, and a 12-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, and an essay titled Running in Hell: Italian Crime Films and Fernando Di Leo’s Poetics written by Francesco Massaccesi.

Summary:

Fernando Di Leo directed Rulers of the City. He’s a filmmaker who is most known for his work in the Poliziotteschi genre. His notable films include To Be Twenty, Slaughter Hotel, and Caliber 9.

A debt collector joins forces with a man seeking revenge against a crime boss who rules the city.

When it comes to Poliziotteschi, Fernando Di Leo stands in a class all his own. Though there are films in this genre directed by other directors that are on par with his most celebrated Poliziotteschi, no other filmmaker influenced this genre more than he did. That said, even one of Fernando Di Leo’s lesser Poliziotteschi is superior to most of his contemporaries' films; case in point, Rulers of the City.

Though revenge is central to the story that unfolds in Rulers of the City, its narrative has two stories that intersect by the time the finale arrives. One of these stories revolves around a debt collector named Tony who wants the other guys he works with to respect him, and to prove his worth he takes on a dangerous job of collecting from a notorious crime boss nicknamed Scarface. The other story revolves around Rick, a man who works for Scarface. Rick is not your average criminal; he has ulterior motives for working with Scarface that are tied to the death of his father. These two characters' stories intersect, and they work together to bring down Scarface.

This cast is one of the weaker ones that Fernando Di Leo worked with; that said, the main draw is Jack Palance (The Mercenary) in the role of a crime boss named Manzari, aka Scarface. He is an actor known for delivering sinister and cold-hearted performances, and once again he delivers an exemplary performance. When it comes to the two leads, Harry Baer (Fox and His Friends) and Al Cliver (Zombie), who portray Tony and Rick, they both deliver one-note performances. Of these two performances, Al Cliver’s bland performance was especially disappointing.

Though Rulers of the City is not part of the Milieu Trilogy, content-wise, it bears many similarities to the three films that make up the Milieu Trilogy. Fernando Di Leo’s direction is solid, especially when it comes to action set pieces. The narrative opens and closes with its two best action sequences. Also, though there is a car chase, a staple of Poliziotteschi cinema, Rulers of the City does something different with a lengthy on-foot chase. The well-constructed narrative has an ample amount of tense moments, and it does a superb job building to a bloody shootout finale. Composer Luis Bacalov (Django), a frequent collaborator of Fernando Di Leo, delivers another excellent score that reinforces the mood. Ultimately, despite its shortcomings, Rulers of the City is a highly entertaining film, making it a must-see for fans of Poliziotteschi cinema.

Raro Video UK gives Rulers of the City its best home video release to date, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Don't Torture A Duckling: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1972
Director: Lucio Fulci
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Lucio Fulci, Roberto Gianviti
Cast: Florinda Bolkan, Barbara Bouchet, Tomas Milian, Irene Papas, Marc Porel

Release Date: March 24th, 2025 (UK), March 25th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 105 Minutes 7 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK), $49.95 (USA)

"When the sleepy rural village of Accendura is rocked by a series of murders of young boys, the superstitious locals are quick to apportion blame, with the suspects including the local "witch", Maciara (Florinda Bolkan, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin). With the bodies piling up and the community gripped by panic and a thirst for bloody vengeance, two outsiders - city journalist Andrea (Tomas Milian, The Four of the Apocalypse) and spoilt rich girl Patrizia (Barbara Bouchet, The Red Queen Kills Seven Times) - team up to crack the case. But before the mystery is solved, more blood will have been spilled, and not all of it belonging to innocents...” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The original 35mm camera negatives was scanned in 4K resolution at L'Immagine Ritrovata. The film was restored and graded in SDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision at Dragon DI.

All materials sourced for this project were made available by Intramovies."

Don't Torture A Duckling comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 91 GB

Feature: 71.6 GB

The source is in excellent shape; it looks phenomenal, and it is a noticeable upgrade over Arrow Video’s 2017 Blu-ray release. Flesh tones look healthy, color saturation, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Mono Italian), 3.75./5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono mix in English. These two audio tracks are comparable to Arrow Video’s 2017 Blu-ray release. While the sound is clear and devoid of any background hiss or distortion, both tracks exhibit sibilance issues, particularly noticeable during the score. That said, dialogue consistently comes through clearly, and ambient sounds are well represented. Range-wise, the Italian language track sounds somewhat fuller than the English language track. This release includes removable English SDH for the English language track as well as removable English for the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), a video essay titled Giallo a la Campagna with Mikel J. Koven, author of La Dolce Morte: Vernacular Cinema and the Italian Giallo Film (27 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay titled Hell is Already in Us with film critic Kat Ellinger (20 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with cinematographer Sergio D’Offizi titled The DP's Eye (46 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Florinda Bolkan titled Those Days with Lucio (28 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian removable English subtitles), an archival interview with assistant editor Bruno Micheli titled From the Cutting Table (25 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian removable English subtitles), an archival interview with assistant makeup artist Maurizio Trani titled Endless Torture (16 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian removable English subtitles), two archival audio interviews with Lucio Fulci titled Lucio Fulci Remembers (20 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian removable English subtitles) and (13 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Barbara Bouchet titled Who Killed Donald Duck (18 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian removable English subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a 36-page booklet (limited to the first pressing) with cast and crew information, an essay titled Lucio Fulci’s Dark Dream written by Barry Forshaw, an essay titled In Sunshine and in Shadow: The Film Music of Riz Ortolani written by Howard Hughes, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Lucio Fulci is primarily remembered for his trilogy of zombie films that he made in the late 1970s and early 1980s. From 1979's Zombie to his death in 1996, his films were filled with gore and violence, cementing his reputation as the "godfather of gore." It is this latter period that most audiences outside of Italy are most familiar with, unaware of his pre-zombie films that should have made him more than just a director for hire. During his career, Fulci would only direct a handful of giallo films, including One on Top of the Other, Lizard in a Woman’s Skin, Don’t Torture a Duckling, Seven Notes in Black, The New York Ripper, and Murderock.

The giallo genre Lucio Fulci would achieve his greatest success as an artist, crafting some of the best films of his career. Don’t Torture a Duckling was originally released in 1972 but was blacklisted because of its controversial story, which led to its limited release in Europe. It never received a release in America, and Anchor Bay’s DVD marked Don’t Torture a Duckling's arrival on American shores.

Murder is one of the central themes that is present in all gialli, and the majority of gialli are populated by adult characters. Don’t Torture a Duckling is an exception, with this film focusing on a murderer of children, which adds to Don’t Torture a Duckling's sinister premise. As far back as 1931, films like Fritz Lang's M dealt with the death of a child at the hands of a madman. It's no surprise that Don't Torture a Duckling sparked controversy when it was first released because murdering children is still an issue that is more prevalent today than ever.

The score by Riz Ortolani is one of his most memorable, giving Don't Torture a Duckling a melancholy feel that mirrored the film's loss of innocence. And though Don’t Torture a Duckling is not as gory as Lucio Fulci's later films, there are still a few sadistic moments, like when Maciara, an outcast, is whipped in a cemetery by the townspeople who believe she is the reason their children are dying. This scene is one of Lucio Fulci’s most brutal and haunting scenes that he ever filmed. That said, Lucio Fulci keeps most of the violence in the background while he focuses more on character and story. Also, the scenic country landscapes are beautifully shot, as Lucio Fulci uses every inch of the scope frame.

The lack of budget has plagued Lucio Fulci for the majority of his career, in contrast to his contemporary Dario Argento, who has been blessed with a larger budget and stronger casts. Fortunately, Don’t Torture a Duckling features the best cast Lucio Fulci would ever work with and a solid screenplay that tells a compelling story filled with religious and sexual undertones. And unlike most gialli that try to copy Dario Argento’s style, Don’t Torture a Duckling does not do this, and because of this, Don’t Torture a Duckling succeeds where others have failed in part due to their inability to create a fresh take on the genre.

Don't Torture A Duckling makes its way to 4K UHD via a solid release from Arrow Video, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer