Tokyo Emmanuelle – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1975
Director: Akira Katô
Writer: Toshio Ashizawa
Cast: Kumi Taguchi, Fujio Murakami, Mitsuko Aoi, Naka Fuyuki

Release Date: July 7th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 70 Minutes 34 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £15.00 (UK)

"Kyoko, played by the stunning Kumi Taguchi (Wolf Guy, Deep Throat in Tokyo), heads back home from Paris to Tokyo following a spat with her French lover, Pierre, in this sensual Japanese riposte to the French erotic classic. After meeting with her old friend Eiko, she is introduced to Maki, a scholar and libertine whose philosophy in the boudoir guides the young woman on her odyssey of sexual reawakening." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "High-Definition Blu-Ray Presentation In 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio."

Tokyo Emmanuelle comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 29 GB

Feature: 20.2 GB

The source is in excellent shape; there is some very minor print debris that remains. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, black levels are strong, and image clarity and compression are solid.

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 an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (14 stills), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an introduction by Kei Chiba titled Lost in Translation (18 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an introduction by Mio Hatokai titled Emmanuelle Goes to Tokyo (7 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with David Flint and Jasper Sharp, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 28-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Exotic Flesh written by Dakota Noot, and an essay titled From Paris to Tokyo to Soho Square written by Jasper Sharp.

Summary:

Akira Katô directed Tokyo Emmanuelle. He’s known for Crazy for Love, Statue in Fire, Newlywed Hell, and Slave Wife. Tokyo Emmanuelle is not merely a film that appropriates a name; it is a Japanese reimagining of Just Jaeckin's Emmanuelle film. That said, the clearest difference between these two comes down to how the protagonist views sex. Nikkatsu would make a sequel titled Tokyo Emmanuelle: Private Instruction with Kumi Taguchi reprising the role of Kyoko.

While her husband is away, a Japanese woman who's been living in Paris for six years takes a trip to Tokyo, and once there she’s bombarded by sexual encounters.

After a stylish pre-credits opening sequence shot in black and white, the narrative quickly dives into the erotic content. Once in Tokyo, everything is in color, providing a stark contrast to the protagonist's life in Paris. There is an abundance of nudity, and Tokyo Emmanuelle never wastes an opportunity to show off its female cast. That said, exposition takes a backseat to moments of erotica, many of which are laced with innuendo.

Kumi Taguchi (Wolf Guy) is cast in the role of Kyoko; she has an exotic look that perfectly plays into the story that unfolds. She has a strong physical presence, and even when she shares moments with other women, she overshadows them and remains the focal point. That said, it is clear why she was cast in the role of Kyoko.

Although it is clear that Kyoko is very much in love with her husband and is not looking to leave him, she is still a woman with an enormous sexual appetite. Numerous people conspire to drive a wedge between Kyoko and her husband, despite her willingness to sexually explore. Tokyo Emmanuelle is a beautifully photographed film that makes use of a wide range of locations, which it effectively exploits for many memorable moments, notably a scene where Kyoko lathers up her body in soap before a bath. Ultimately, Tokyo Emmanuelle is a film that plays to its audience, and it delivers in spades.

Tokyo Emmanuelle gets an exceptional release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Sex Rider Wet Highway – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Japan, 1971
Director: Koretsugu Kurahara
Writer: Tatsuya Asai
Cast: Mari Tanaka, Ken Yoshizawa, Ken Mizoguchi, Yuki Seto, Akira Takahashi, Kinji Takinami, Norihiko Umetani

Release Date: July 7th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 67 Minutes 31 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Japanese
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £15.00 (UK)

"Mina is suffering last-minute nerves on the eve of her wedding day, but when she is involved in a hit-and-run, she is forced to take a diversion from her road to the altar to a deserted lake among the mountains in an attempt to cover her tracks. However, the body of the victim, a down-and-out named Ryo (Ken Yoshizawa; Ecstasy of Angels, Guts of a Beauty), is far from as cold as she first assumes." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "High-Definition Blu-Ray Presentation In 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio."

Sex Rider Wet Highway comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.8 GB

Feature: 18.8 GB

The source is in excellent shape; there is some very minor print debris that remains. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, black levels are strong, and image clarity and compression are solid.

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 an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (12 images - stills/poster), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 30 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Japanese with removable English subtitles), an introduction by Ken Terawaki titled Highway to Nowhere (10 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Japanese with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Earl Jackson and Jasper Sharp, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 12-page booklet with cast & crew information and an essay titled Sex at Speed: An Erotic Drive Off a Cliff written by Caitlin Casiello.

Summary:

Koretsugu Kurahara directed Sex Rider Wet Highway. Before becoming a director, he worked as an assistant director on two films directed by Yasuharu Hasebe: Massacre Gun and Stray Cat Rock: Delinquent Girl Boss. Like a lot of his contemporaries, he stayed with Nikkatsu when they made the transition to romantic pornography films. Out of the nine films that he directed, his most notable is Bad Girl Mako, an action crime film, and his only foray as a director of romantic pornography films.

An engaged woman who is having an affair has her life turned upside down when she accidentally hits a man with her car and nearly kills him.

Sex Rider Wet Highway is part of a group of films referred to as romantic pornography films; it was Nikkatsu’s seventh film after their rebranding. Although Sex Rider Wet Highway has many of the core elements that are synonymous with romantic pornography films, the result was something that is closer to the action and youth films that Nikkatsu was leaving behind by the early 1970s. That said, Sex Rider Wet Highway actually bears more similarities to Bad Girl Mako than any other film that Koretsugu Kurahara directed.

Sex Rider Wet Highway is a film about the consequences of the choices we make. The protagonist, Mina, is having an affair the day before her wedding, and when she leaves with her lover, her car accidentally hits a man. She drives away, instead of stopping to check on the man, only to return after being abandoned by her lover. When she returns, the injured man, who is actually ok, acts like he’s near death. Frightened, she takes the man's body to a lake and disposes of it.

There are really only two characters who get any substantial screentime: Mari Tanaka (Love Hunter) in the role of Mari, and Ken Yoshizawa (Ecstasy of the Angels) in the role of Ryô, the man that Mari hits with her car. They are given more to work with than your average romantic pornography film, and they deliver solid performances. Another character of note is a hunter who sees Mari dump Ryô’s body; he tries to blackmail her before taking her by force.

It is amazing how much freedom Nikkatsu gave directors making romantic pornography films as long as they delivered a few mandatory elements. For Koretsugu Kurahara’s first foray into romantic pornography films, he not only adapts to these types of films’ requirements, but he also does a superb job infusing in elements that elevate the story that unfolds.

Although the visuals often exceed expectations, when it comes to the sex scenes, they are not as artful or inventive as most romantic pornography films are. Despite the sex scenes obscuring most of what would be considered obscene in Japan, there are a few moments where obstructions are used.

The most surprising aspect of Sex Rider Wet Highway is how exposition-heavy it is. After an initial sexual encounter that opens the film, it is nearly 20 minutes before the next sex scene. That said, things get sleazier, picking up considerably in the last 40 minutes, culminating in a scene where Mari and Ryô are having sex while driving erratically to their fate. A strength of the narrative is its effective use of flashback sequences, which flesh out Ryô's past. Ultimately, Sex Rider Wet Highway serves as an exemplary representation of romantic pornography films, showcasing creativity and solidifying its status as one of the genre's high points.

Sex Rider Wet Highway gets an exceptional release from 88 Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Sampo: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Finland/Soviet Union, 1959
Director: Aleksandr Ptushko
Writers: Viktor Vitkovich, Grigori Yagdfeld, Väinö Kaukonen
Cast: Urho Somersalmi, Anna Orochko, Ivan Voronov, Andris Osins, Ada Voytsik, Eve Kivi, Georgiy Millyar, Mikhail Troyanovskiy

Release Date: September 16th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Finnish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"Based on the Finnish national epic “Kalevala,” Ptushko’s ravishing, mystical fantasy tells the story of a sinister witch, Louhi (Anna Orochko) who covets the Sampo, a magical, rainbow-colored mill that can produce endless salt, grain, and gold. When the hero Lemminkäinen (Andris Oshin) attempts to stop her, Louhi literally steals the sun, plunging the world into eternal darkness." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Sampo has been beautifully restored in 4K by KAVI—the Finnish National Audiovisual Institute—for its first-ever release in its original Finnish-language version by Deaf Crocodile."

Sampo comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.3 GB

Feature: 24.7 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 5/5 

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Finnish with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 32 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Finnish with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with Michael J. Nelson of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and RiffTrax, hosted by comic book artist Bob Fingerman, and Deaf Crocodile’s Dennis Bartok (71 minutes 39 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with film historian Steve Bissette, and a 32-page booklet with a text piece titled Remembering Film Scholar Alan Upchurch written by Dennis Bartok, a reprint of Alan Upchurch’s article titled Russian Fantastika Part Two that originally appeared in Video Watchdog, archival images, cast & crew information, a synopsis and production notes, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Sampo was directed by Aleksandr Ptushko, who's been referred to as the Soviet Ray Harryhausen because of his work in special effects, notably stop-motion animation. Notable films he directed are Ilya Muromets, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, and Ruslan and Ludmila. Sampo is one of three films he directed that received U.S. release, albeit in truncated and dubbed-into-English versions that greatly altered them. Sampo was released in the U.S. under the title The Day the Earth Froze; this version removes around 24 minutes and has alternate opening credits with English-language titles.

Sampo is based on Kalevala, an epic collection of poetry published in the 19th century. The protagonists and antagonists in Kalevala battle over a wealth-making machine called a Sampo. A key inspiration of J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Silmarillion is Kalevala. Sampo was a Soviet/Finnish co-production in which each scene was shot four times using multiple cameras, since it was produced for Russian and Finnish audiences and dubbed into each language.

An evil witch forces a blacksmith to make her a Sampo, a magical device that creates an abundance of salt, grain, and gold, by kidnapping his sister.

Sampo’s meticulously constructed narrative does a superb job drawing you in and holding your attention. It is a film overflowing with imagination, wondrous sights, and mythical creatures. The narrative is filled with surprises and effectively builds toward an epic finale where good confronts evil.

Sampo’s production design creates a stark difference between moments that are based in reality and fantasy. Most of the film takes place in the case of the latter, artificial landscapes that heighten the mood. That said, the production design is exemplary; its attention to detail is amazing.

Sampo’s most endurable asset is its Ray Harryhausen-like special effects, which bring things alive, creating an utterly tangible world. Sampo is beautifully photographed, filled with exquisite landscapes, which take full advantage of the 2.35:1 scope frame. That said, watching Sampo in Finnish instead of English is an eye-opener, especially clear when it comes to the performances. Ultimately, Sampo is one of the high-water marks of Soviet fantasy cinema.

Sampo gets an excellent release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Punishment – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy, 1973
Director: Pierre-Alain Jolivet
Writers: Richard Bohringer, Pierre-Alain Jolivet, Richard Bohringer
Cast: Karin Schubert, Georges Géret, Amidou, Claudie Lange, Marcel Dalio, Anne Jolivet, François Leccia, Jean Lescot, François Maistre

Release Date: September 9th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 14 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.99

"Britt (played by Karin Schubert) is a high-class Paris escort, pimped out by her older girlfriend, Francoise. After being abused by a client, Britt rebels. Well-connected vice lord Manuel takes her to a seedy hotel in Lyon in the south of France. There she is locked in an empty room and forced to take part in a series of bizarre acts inflicted on her by a procession of Manuel’s clients. Raymond, Manuel’s second in command, begins to take pity on Britt and returns to Paris with her. But events there take an even more dangerous turn and Britt and Raymond have to flee for their lives." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative".

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

Disc Size: 34.6 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio is in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with soundtrack composer and cast member Bookie Binkley (35 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author Jean-Luc Marret (8 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Noel Very (22 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary by film historian and author Samm Deighan.

Summary:

An escort who rebels against John is sent to a place by her madam to break her and make her more submissive.

The Punishment is a film that truly lives up to its name. It is a bleak journey into the darkest sides of humanity. Those who have power use it to degrade those they feel are inferior. Submission is insufficient; they aim to break and demoralize you.

The narrative disregards both time and space in a manner reminiscent of the cinema of Alain Robbe-Grillet. It opens with a pre-credits sequence that foreshadows an event that leads into the climax. The moments in between the opening and closing scenes take place in the present and the past. The way in which the narrative moves between these two time frames is effortless.

The soul of The Punishment is Karin Schubert (The Girl in Room 2A), who portrays the protagonist, an escort who defies a John and is put through hell for it. Whether present or past, her character only knows misery, and she delivers an extraordinary performance that perfectly captures her character's torment. When it comes to the rest of the performances, they all pale in comparison to Karin Schubert’s portrayal of the protagonist.

What The Punishment lacks in regard to exposition, it more than makes up for in mood. The narrative consists of moments featuring the protagonist, who is confined to a room with only a bed, and her interactions involve men who are brutal towards her. While all of this is unfolding, there is the sound of another woman nearby screaming. Another strength is Bookie Binkley’s exemplary score, which does a phenomenal job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, The Punishment is a gripping psychological drama, and its bittersweet conclusion lingers with you.

The Punishment gets an exceptional release from Mondo Macabro, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Veerana: Vengeance of the Vampire – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: India, 1988
Directors: Shyam Ramsay, Tulsi Ramsay
Writers: J.K. Ahuja, Shyam Ramsay, Omar Khayyam Saharanpuri, Safi Ur-Rahman
Cast: Jasmin, Hemant Birje, Sahila Chaddha, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Satish Shah, Rajesh Vivek, Vijayendra Ghatge, Gulshan Grover 

Release Date: September 9th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 140 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Hindi
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.99

"In Veerana: Vengeance of the Vampire, a local landowner’s daughter is possessed by the spirit of a dead witch and becomes a bloodsucking seductress. On the next moonless night, she will be used in a hideous ritual to raise the evil witch from her tomb." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand new 4k transfer from film negative, digitally restored."

Veerana: Vengeance of the Vampire comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.9 GB

Feature: 37.7 GB

The source has some minor debris and emulsion stains, which vary in degree throughout. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression. That said, this transfer is a noticeable upgrade over Mondo Macabro’s DVD release.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Hindi with removable English subtitles. The audio is in good shape; any distortion is minor and never too intrusive. Dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an introduction by Tim Paxton (6 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles) and a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Hindi, no subtitles).

Summary:

After years of being away, a young woman returns to the family home for the first time since her parents' untimely deaths. She quickly realizes that things are not what they seem when she discovers that a witch's spirit has possessed her cousin Jasmine.

Before Veerana, there were no female monsters in Bollywood horror films. Veerana is an iconic character that forever changed Bollywood horror films. That said, the Veerana character is India’s equivalent to Japan’s of a woman with long, unkempt hair that covers her face. Veerana’s release was delayed because of issues related to censorship.

Despite the reference to vampires in its title, Veerana: Vengeance of the Vampire, there are no vampires, only a vengeful spirit. Bollywood horror films' blending of genres may be off-putting to some, but Veerana effectively combines these genres. And nowhere is Veerana more effective than when it comes to supernatural moments. That said, the musical numbers are very good, especially the song and bubble bath sequence.

When discussing the performances, everything starts and ends with Jasmin’s (which also happens to be the name of her character) portrayal of Jasmine, a woman possessed by a witch’s spirit. Her piercing eyes greatly aid her mesmerizing performance. That said, it is a shame that Veerana would mark her final onscreen appearance in a career that only had three films.

Veerana is a riveting tale about possession that does an exceptional job building the impending terror. Veerana is beautifully photographed. Its striking use of color is reminiscent of Mario Bava. Visually, Veerana is a tour de force of style and atmosphere. Its most striking moment is a scene where an adolescent Jasmin is in her room on a swing, and her mother is in the background. Her mother has figured out that all is not well with her daughter. The juxtaposition of the two characters in this scene magnifies the impending danger. Ultimately, Veerana is Shyam Ramsay and Tulsi Ramsay’s masterpiece.

Mondo Macabro gives Veerana: Vengeance of the Vampire its best audio/video presentation to date; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Ilya Muromets: Standard Edition – Deaf Crocodile (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Soviet Union, 1956
Director: Aleksandr Ptushko
Writer: Mikhail Kochnev
Cast: Boris Andreyev, Shukur Burkhanov, Andrei Abrikosov, Natalya Medvedeva, Yelena Myshkova

Release Date: September 16th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 44 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Russian
Subtitles: English (Non-Removable)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"a stunning Cinemascope ballad of heroic medieval knights, ruthless Tugar invaders, wind demons, and three-headed fire-breathing dragons. Based on one of the most famous byliny (oral epics) in Kievan Rus’ culture, the film stars Boris Andreyev as the bogatyr (warrior) Ilya, waging a decades-long battle against the Tugars who threaten his homeland, kidnap his wife, and raise his son to fight against him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The film has been restored in 4K for its first-ever official U.S. release in its original form by Deaf Crocodile, in association with Seagull Films."

Ilya Muromets comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22 GB

Feature: 21.3 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Russian with non-removable English subtitles. Although dialogue always comes through clearly, sometimes the score and ambient sounds are noticeably louder.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a restoration trailer (3 minutes 26 seconds, DTS-HD mono with text in English), an audio commentary with film historian Steve Bissette, and a 28-page booklet with a text piece titled Remembering Film Scholar Alan Upchurch written by Dennis Bartok, a reprint of Alan Upchurch’s article titled Russian Fantastika Part One that originally appeared in Video Watchdog, archival images, cast & crew information, a synopsis and production notes, and information about the restoration.

Summary:

Ilya Muromets was directed by Aleksandr Ptushko, who's been referred to as the Soviet Ray Harryhausen because of his work in special effects, notably stop-motion animation. Notable films he directed are Sampo, The Tale of Tsar Saltan, and Ruslan and Ludmila. Ilya Muromets is one of three films he directed that received U.S. release, albeit in truncated and dubbed-into-English versions that greatly altered them. Ilya Muromets was released in the U.S. under the title The Sword and the Dragon. Besides retitling Ilya Muromets, he added a voice-over narration and changed character names.

A crippled man receives a magical potion from pilgrims after barbarian invaders kidnap his fiancée. This potion cures his paralysis, and they present him with a magical sword to aid in his battle against the barbarians.

The narrative immediately engages you with a gripping tale of a hero whose legend grows with each new conquest. While the narrative is quite effective in driving the story forward, there are a few lulls; fortunately, they never disrupt the overall momentum. That being said, the narrative includes a sufficient number of well-timed twists, which significantly enhance the tension.

Although Aleksandr Ptushko creates a world firmly entrenched in the realm of fantasy, when it comes to the visuals, they do an exceptional job blending real locations with sets. And in the case of the latter, the production design is exemplary; the attention to detail is astounding. Another strength of the visuals is how effectively it uses the 2.35:1 scope frame, filling every inch with picturesque landscapes and arresting moments that heighten the mood.

Content-wise, Ilya Muromets is much more than a fantasy film; it is a melting pot of genres. There’s fantasy, action, romance, and even a musical number. For many, the main draw of Ilya Muromets is its use of practical special effects, most of which hold up extremely well. The biggest and most impressive special effects moment is saved for an epic battle that culminates the film, where a three-headed dragon shows up. The action sequences, some of which feature hundreds of extras, give them an epic feel. Ultimately, Ilya Muromets is an extraordinary cinematic experience that creates a magical world that’s utterly believable and filled with symbolism.

Ilya Muromets gets an excellent release from Deaf Crocodile that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer