The House with Laughing Windows: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1976
Director: Pupi Avati
Writers: Pupi Avati, Antonio Avati, Gianni Cavina, Maurizio Costanzo
Cast: Lino Capolicchio, Francesca Marciano, Gianni Cavina, Giulio Pizzirani, Bob Tonelli, Vanna Busoni, Pietro Brambilla

Release Date: December 2nd, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 110 Minutes 42 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $59.95

"Art restorer Stefano (Lino Capolicchio, The Bloodstained Shadow) arrives at an isolated Italian village to repair a fresco depicting the agonizing martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. The original painter was a death artist—a madman so obsessed with mortality that, according to whispered rumors, he tortured his models in their final moments of life. When people begin to turn up dead, Stefano is forced to consider the possibility that the artist has returned to continue his brutal career—and that he is the primary target." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “The film is presented in 4K resolution in HDR10.

The original 35mm camera negative was scanned and restored in 4K 16-bit at L’Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna.

The film was color graded at Rustore Studios, London.

All materials sourced for this new master were made available by Acek and SND.”

The House with Laughing Windows comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 90.2 GB

Feature: 68.6 GB

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

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), a essay by film critic Kat Ellinger titled The Art of Suffering (14 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for Italian film clips), a essay by film critic Chris Alexander titled La Casa e Sola (19 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles for Italian film clips), a a documentary on the film titled Painted Screams, directed by Federico Caddeo, featuring interviews with co-writer/director Pupi Avati, co-writer Antonio Avati, assistant director Cesare Bastelli, actors Lino Capolicchio, Francesca Marciano, Giulio Pizzirani, and Pietro Brambilla, production designer Luciana Morosetti, assistant camera operator Toni Scaramuzza, sound mixer Enrico Blasi, and Emanuele Taglietti, son of assistant production designer Otello Taglietti (94 minutes 3o seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson, an audio commentary with film critics Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, and a 60-page perfect-bound book with cast & crew information, an essay titled A Window onto Pain: fascism, Hegemony, and the Paradox of Memory in Pupi Avati’s The House with Laughing Windows written by Matt Rogerson, an essay titled Queer Unmasking: Defilement as an Act of Baptism in The House with Laughing Windows written by Willow Maclay, an essay titled Smooth Like Syphilis, Hot Like Blood written by Alexia Kannas, an essay titled The Resurrection of Saint Sebastian: Suffering, Sacrifice and Secrecy in Pupi Avati’s Restoration Comedy The House with Laughing Windows written by Anton Bitel, an essay titled Outside of Modernity, Outside of History: The House with Laughing Windows written by Stefano Baschiera, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Although Pupi Avati continues to make films and has worked consistently since the mid-1970s, he is not as well known as his contemporaries. While he’s most known for two horror films he directed, Zeder and The House with Laughing Windows, most of his output is from other genres. Besides directing, he’s a prolific screenwriter whose notable credits for other directors include Dracula in the Provinces and Macabre.

A restorer is commissioned to save a controversial mural of Saint Sebastian located in a rural community church.

Where most Italian cinema of the 1970s was driven by cycles of films that piggybacked whatever was popular at the time, the same cannot be said about The House with Laughing Windows, a film unlike anything else. The House with Laughing Windows is a folk horror film, it is a mystery film, and it is a giallo. That said, no one genre dominates, as they perfectly fuse into a truly unique cinematic experience.

The narrative, like the painting the protagonist is restoring, slowly peels away its layers, bringing things into focus as it reveals the truth. While the initial setup does an effective job drawing you in, things start off mundanely before a sinister tone creeps in and engulfs the rest of the narrative. A strength of the narrative is how it builds momentum by building upon tense moments; every time the protagonist gets closer to uncovering the truth, something derails him.

To say that The House with Laughing Windows is a disturbing film is an understatement. Its opening credits firmly establish an unnerving tone; a restrained hanging man screams every time a knife pierces his flesh. Although this sequence is shot in a striking sepia tone, The House with Laughing Windows is not as reliant on overly stylish visual set pieces like most 1970s Italian horror and giallo films. Ultimately, The House with Laughing Windows is a grueling but rewarding film that overflows with symbolism and atmosphere.

Arrow Video gives The House with Laughing Windows a definitive release. 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

Triple Threat: Three Films With Sammo Hung – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1974 (The Manchu Boxer), Hong Kong, 1988 (Paper Marriage), Hong Kong, 1990 (Shanghai, Shanghai)
Directors: Wu Ma (The Manchu Boxer), Alfred Cheung (Paper Marriage), Teddy Robin (Shanghai, Shanghai)
Cast: Tony Liu, Tao Min-Ming, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Wilson Tong, Wu Ma, Kim Ki-Joo, Kao Chiang (The Manchu Boxer), Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Maggie Cheung, Alfred Cheung, Dick Wei, Joyce Godenzi, Billy Chow, Hsiao Hou, Chin Ka-lok, Tony Morelli, Philip Ko (Paper Marriage), Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Yuen Biao, George Lam, Anita Mui, Lawrence Cheng, Sandy Lam, Lo Lieh, Tien Niu (Shanghai, Shanghai)

Release Date: December 8th, 2025 (UK), December 9th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 86 Minutes 39 Seconds (The Manchu Boxer - Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 92 Minutes 53 Seconds (The Manchu Boxer - Extended Cut), 92 Minutes 8 Seconds (Paper Marriage), 87 Minutes 55 Seconds (Shanghai, Shanghai - Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 93 Minutes 24 Seconds (Shanghai, Shanghai - Extended Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Manchu Boxer - Both Versions), 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Paper Marriage, Shanghai, Shanghai - Both Versions)
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin (The Manchu Boxer - Both Versions), LPCM Mono Cantonese (Paper Marriage, Shanghai, Shanghai - Both Versions), LPCM Mono English (The Manchu Boxer - Hong Kong Theatrical Cut, Paper Marriage, Shanghai, Shanghai - Hong Kong Theatrical Cut)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £34.99 (UK), $74.95 (USA)

"Just as the kung fu film seemed to be losing steam as the 1970s came to a close, a new generation of martial arts stars rose to the top of Hong Kong cinema. Amongst them were Yuen Biao, Jackie Chan and the irrepressible Sammo Hung, who found fame as the director and star of The Iron-Fisted Monk, The Magnificent Butcher and Encounter of the Spooky Kind. Presented here are three films spanning Hung’s career, from a supporting role in The Manchu Boxer to stardom in Paper Marriage and Shanghai, Shanghai.

In Wu Ma’s The Manchu Boxer, Hung (who doubles up as the film’s fight choreographer) plays the villainous foil to a roaming martial artist who enters a boxing tournament to defeat a gang of bandits. Then, in the action comedy Paper Marriage, Hung stars as a down-on-his-luck Chinese boxer living in the United States who is paid to marry an immigrant from Hong Kong (Maggie Cheung). She wants to gain American citizenship, but he just wants to keep the loan sharks off his back. Finally, in Shanghai, Shanghai, a young man (Yuen Biao) goes looking for his brother, a police officer, in the big city – and also finds himself embroiled with a ruthless gangster played by Hung." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5 (The Manchu Boxer - Both Versions), 4.5/5 (Paper Marriage, Shanghai, Shanghai — Both Versions)

Here’s the information given about the transfer, "brand new 2K restorations of the original Hong Kong theatrical cuts of all three films and brand new 2K restorations of the extended international versions of The Manchu Boxer and Shanghai, Shanghai."

The Manchu Boxer - Hong Kong theatrical cut and Paper Marriage come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44 GB

Feature: 19.6 GB (The Manchu Boxer - Hong Kong Theatrical Cut), 20.9 GB (Paper Marriage)

Shanghai, Shanghai - Hong Kong theatrical cut comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.4 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB

The Manchu Boxer - extended cut and Shanghai, Shanghai - extended cut come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.7 GB

Feature: 21.2 GB (The Manchu Boxer - Extended Cut), 21.4 GB (Shanghai, Shanghai - Extended Cut)

Paper Marriage and Shanghai, Shanghai sources are notably stronger than The Manchu Boxer’s source. That said, The Manchu Boxer has moments where flesh tones and colors look slightly off, and image clarity and black levels are not as convincing as they should be. Paper Marriage and Shanghai, Shanghai are in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid. None of the sources have any issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.5/5 (Paper Marriage - Both Audio Tracks, Shanghai, Shanghai - Cantonese Language Tracks), 4.25/5 (Shanghai, Shanghai - English Language Track), 3.75/5 (The Manchu Boxer — All Audio Tracks)

Both versions of The Manchu Boxer come with a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin with removable English subtitles. The Manchu Boxer, the Hong Kong theatrical cut, also comes with a LPCM mono mix in English and removable English subtitles for Mandarin text.

Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced; that said, they are limited range-wise.

Paper Marriage comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track and a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English subtitles for a song and text in Cantonese when watching the English language version.

Both versions of Shanghai, Shanghai come with a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. Shanghai, Shanghai, the Hong Kong theatrical cut, also comes with a LPCM mono mix in English and removable English subtitles for a song and text in Cantonese.

All audio tracks for Paper Marriage and Shanghai, Shanghai are in excellent condition; however, the Cantonese language track of Shanghai, Shanghai sounds fuller compared to its English language counterpart. That said, dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and action sequences sound robust.

Extras:

Extras on disc one include a theatrical trailer for The Manchu Boxer (3 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Mandarin with burnt-in English subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Paper Marriage (3 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with Paper Marriage director Alfred Cheung titled Happily Ever After (21 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with East Asian cinema expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and martial artist & filmmaker Michael Worth for The Manchu Boxer, and an audio commentary with genre cinema experts Arne Venema and Dominie Ting for Paper Marriage.

Extras on disc two include a theatrical trailer for Shanghai, Shanghai (3 minutes 22 seconds, LPCM mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles) and an audio commentary with Frank Djeng and producer/writer F.J. DeSanto for Shanghai, Shanghai.

Extras on disc three include The Manchu Boxer: The Extended Cut and Shanghai, Shanghai: The Extended Cut. Disc three is limited to 2,000 copies.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a O-card slipcase (limited to 2,000 copies), and a 24-page booklet (limited to 2,000 copies) with cast & crew information for each film, an essay titled The Big Boss on Sammo Hung written by James Oliver, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

The Manchu Boxer: A skilled martial artist's father disowns him, and he abandons martial arts after taking a man's life. While traveling, he accidentally kills an old man who attacked him. Overcome with guilt, he decides to care for the man's family. This decision leads to a series of events that ultimately compel him to participate in a martial arts tournament.

Wu Ma directed The Manchu Boxer. Notable films he’s directed or co-directed include The Water Margin, All Men Are Brothers, From China with Death, Along Comes a Tiger, The Heroes, The Dead and the Deadly, Picture of a Nymph, and Just Heroes. Besides directing, he was also a prolific actor, appearing in over 300 films.

Although The Manchu Boxer has most of the core elements that one would expect from a martial arts film, the result is a film that is too formulaic and lacks inspiration. Its opening setup does a solid job laying the foundation for a tale about redemption, and yet the protagonist's journey is lacking any true obstacles and gets bogged down in its predictability. A lethargic-paced narrative that never establishes momentum, let alone builds it, further hinders things.

Star power is an integral factor in all of the martial arts films that are considered classics, and this is an area where The Manchu Boxer is sorely lacking. Tony Liu (The Lady Assassin) is in the cast in the role of the hero, a martial artist who goes on a soul-searching mission after killing two men. While he’s lacking in charisma, the narrative is so weak that even a more notable actor could not save The Manchu Boxer. The most notable cast member is Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (The Magnificent Butcher); he portrays an evil henchman.

The most disappointing aspect of The Manchu Boxer is its action sequences, which is even more surprising since Sammo Hung Kam-Bo was also this film’s action choreographer. That said, the biggest and best action set piece is a tournament sequence saved for the finale. Uncredited music cues are all too common in 1970s martial arts cinema, and The Manchu Boxer appropriates Pink Floyd’s Time and a music cue from Once Upon a Time in the West. Ultimately, The Manchu Boxer is a forgettable martial arts film that even the most dedicated fans of 1970s martial arts cinema may struggle to endure.

Paper Marriage: A man who owes a loan shark a large sum of money agrees to marry a woman so she can get a green card and become an American citizen.

Alfred Cheung directed Paper Marriage. He’s known for Let’s Make Laugh, On the Run, Her Fatal Ways, The Banquet, and Green Hat.

Paper Marriage is a different kind of film for Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (Wheels on Meals); while he had firmly established himself as a leading man in 1980s Hong Kong cinema, he was not what one would expect for a romantic lead. Maggie Cheung (In the Mood for Love) is cast opposite of Sammo Hung Kam-Bo in the role of Jade Lee, a Hong Kong immigrant trying to become an American citizen. Both actors deliver exceptional performances, and their solid onscreen chemistry reinforces them.

The premise is full of elements that lend themselves to comedy, and the two leads embrace every situation enthusiastically. The best moments come from the absurd situations that the two leads find themselves in. Some of these include taking a job where they conduct painful experiments and a mud wrestling scene with Maggie Cheung’s character. Much of the humor relies on physical comedy, arising from characters inadvertently causing harm to themselves and others.

What starts off as a story about two characters forced to take desperate measures evolves into a story about two characters who fall in love. The well-executed narrative does a superb job drawing you in and building momentum to a very satisfying finale. The stuntwork and action sequences are exemplary, and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo always surprises with his athleticism. Ultimately, Paper Marriage is a well-crafted romantic comedy that works as well as it does because of its two lead performances.

Shanghai, Shanghai: A man from a small town quickly finds himself in trouble after getting caught between two rival criminal organizations while searching for his older brother in Shanghai.

This film is a period drama set in 1930s Shanghai, and its outstanding production design immerses you in the world it portrays. Although this film is a star vehicle for Yuen Biao (Knockabout), who is cast in the role of the protagonist, he’s actually surrounded by a solid ensemble cast. That said, a cast of colorful characters, acrobats, revolutionaries, and criminals ensure there is always something that holds your attention.

All around, all the cast are outstanding, especially Yuen Biao in the role of a country rube named Little Tiger, Anita Mui (Rumble in the Bronx) in the role of a revolutionary, and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo (Heart of Dragon) in the role of a crime boss. Other performances of note are George Lam (The Owl vs Bombo) in the role of Little Tiger’s brother, a military officer named Big Tiger, and Sandy Lam in the role of Pao, an acrobat who becomes romantically involved with Little Tiger.

Although there is a lot of gunplay and explosions, that does not mean that this film veers away from traditional martial arts action. The stuntwork is impressive and the action set pieces are exemplary. Although the film gives Yuen Biao ample opportunities to show off his athleticism, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo's character delivers the most memorable action moments. The film reserves its most impressive moments for the finale, where Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo engage in an epic showdown.

The narrative does a superb job drawing you in; it moves briskly and is very effective in building momentum to its excellent finale. The most surprising aspect of the narrative is just how exposition-heavy it is. Another strength of this film is its effective use of humor, which enhances the unfolding story. Ultimately, Shanghai, Shanghai is a skillfully made and highly entertaining movie that is sure to appeal to fans of 1980s Hong Kong action.

Eureka Video’s Triple Threat: Three Films With Sammo Hung is a solid release that comes with strong audio/video presentations and informative extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Wicked Games: Three Films by Robert Hossein: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1955 (The Wicked Go to Hell), France/Italy, 1958 (Nude in a White Car), France/Italy/West Germany, 1961 (The Taste of Violence)
Director: Robert Hossein (All Films)
Cast: Marina Vlady, Henri Vidal, Serge Reggiani, Jacques Duby, Robert Dalban, Robert Hossein (The Wicked Go to Hell), Robert Hossein, Marina Vlady, Odile Versois, Héléna Manson, Henri Crémieux, Pascal Mazzotti (Nude in a White Car), Robert Hossein, Giovanna Ralli, Mario Adorf, Hans H. Neubert, Madeleine Robinson, Dany Jacquet (The Taste of Violence)

Release Date: November 17th, 2025 (UK), November 18th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 92 Minutes 59 Seconds (The Wicked Go to Hell), 92 Minutes 35 Seconds (Nude in a White Car), 85 Minutes 34 Seconds (The Taste of Violence)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (The Wicked Go to Hell), 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Blonde in a White Car), 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (The Taste of Violence)
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono French (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £39.99 (UK), $69.95 (USA)

The Wicked Go to Hell: "In a hard penitentiary, two prisoners fight off the rumour that one of them denounced a recently executed inmate. With their fellow convicts at their throats they join forces and escape. Along the way, they hole up in a remote beach cabin where they take the angel-faced occupant (Marina Vlady, 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her) as their hostage while they figure out their next move." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Nude in a White Car: "On an evening stroll, Pierre (Robert Hossein, also director) is invited into a white car by a female voice. Upon getting in he finds a nude blonde with her face obscured by shadow. After sharing an intimate moment, Pierre tries to get to know her but she produces a revolver and orders him to leave. Astonished by the events, Pierre determines to find the woman and traces the car to an address where two blonde sisters live (Marina Vlady, 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her and Odile Versois, Passport to Shame), one who claims to never go out and another who is paralysed." - synopsis provided by the distributor

The Taste of Violence: "In a Latin American country ruled by a dictator, revolutionary leader Perez (Robert Hossein, also director) holds up a train to kidnap the dictator’s daughter (Giovanna Ralli, The Mercenary) to trade her for captured revolutionaries. Perez takes her across dangerous terrain with his two lieutenants Chamaco (Mario Adorf, The Italian Connection) and Chico. But the bounty on her head is high and compatriots may be easily tempted to switch sides." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (The Wicked Go to Hell, Nude in a White Car), 4/5 (The Taste of Violence)

Here’s the information provided about the transfers, “Each film in this collection was restored in 2K by Gaumont. Additional color correction was applied to The Taste of Violence by Radiance Films for this release. The films were supplied to Radiance Films as digital files and are presented in their original aspect ratio.”

The Wicked Go to Hell comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.3 GB

Feature: 25.4 GB

Nude in a White Car comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.8 GB

Feature: 25.2 GB

The Taste of Violence comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31 GB

Feature: 24.7 GB

All of the sources are in excellent shape, although The Taste of Violence does not look as strong as the other two films; it is not far behind them quality-wise. Flesh tones look healthy, contrast and black levels are strong, image clarity and compression are solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. All of the audio tracks are clean and free of any imperfections, dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds and the scores are well represented.

Extras:

Extras for The Wicked Go to Hell include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 19 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), a newly created ‘making of’ featurette titled Picking Strawberries, with historian Lucas Balbo, featuring archive interviews with Hossein and Jean Rollin (14 minutes 52 seconds, LPCM stereo English and French with removable English subtitles), a featurette by Howard S. Berger titled Behind Marked Eyes: The Cinematic Stare of Robert Hossein (27 minutes 4 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film critic and author Tim Lucas.

Extras for Nude in a White Car include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 38 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Marina Vlady (8 minutes 34 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), a video essay by critic Samm Deighan titled The Evolution of the Femme Fatale in Classic French Cinema (16 minutes 39 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Tim Lucas.

Extras for The Taste of Violence include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 54 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an appreciation by filmmaker and Western authority Alex Cox (7 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an interview with author C. Courtney Joyner on The Taste of Violence and the Zapata Western subgenre (26 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Tim Lucas.

Other extras include reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 40-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Robert Hossein’s Cinema of Reluctance written by Walter Chaw, an archival writing titled The Wicked Go to Hell and Frédéric Dard translated by Lucas Balbo, Robert Hossein on Nude in a White Car translated by Lucas Balbo, Robert Hossein on The Taste of Violence translated by Lucas Balbo, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

Robert Hossein directed The Wicked Go to Hell, Nude in a White Car, and The Taste of Violence. Other notable films he directed include Double Agents, The Secret Killer, and Cemetery Without Crosses.

The Wicked Go to Hell: Two escaped convicts end up at an isolated house by the seaside where a painter and his girlfriend live. Not wanting to take any chances, they kill the boyfriend, while they let his girlfriend remain alive for now.

Rififi forever changed the landscape of French crime cinema, and for his directorial debut, Robert Hossein, who starred in that film, would make a film in the same vein. The Wicked Go to Hell was adapted from a play written by Frédéric Dard, an author whom Robert Hossein would return to often as a director and an actor. Robert Hossein’s other Frédéric Dard adaptations include Nude in a White Car, Double Agents, The Wretches, The Menace, and Paris Pick-Up.

The opening setup effectively establishes the characters, and as the narrative unfolds, it skillfully builds momentum through a series of increasingly tense moments. What starts off as a story about two prisoners being accused of being snitches evolves into a prison break in which they let their violent impulses guide them as they try to remain free. By the time the narrative reaches the last act, there is one more shift; this time revenge takes center stage.

All around, the performances are excellent, especially Marina Vlady’s (Chimes at Midnight) portrayal of Eva, the girlfriend of the painter who’s killed by the two escaped convicts. Her character's evolution from a passive character into a femme fatale is remarkable. Other performances of note are Henri Vidal (The Damned, 1947) and Serge Reggiani (Le Doulos) in the roles of two cold-blooded convicts. Director Robert Hossein makes an appearance as one of the prison convicts.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where The Wicked Go to Hell does not excel. The well-executed narrative is overflowing with tension, and things move along briskly. Another strength of the narrative is how the tension comes from the obstacles the two convicts face trying to remain free. Robert Hossein’s direction is solid; he delivers an ample amount of visually arresting moments. Ultimately, The Wicked Go to Hell stands out as an exemplary French noir that captivates you from the start, maintains your focus throughout, and delivers a powerful, vengeance-driven finale.

Nude in a White Car: A mysterious blonde woman seduces a drifter in her car one evening, and after he leaves the car, she nearly kills him. His only clue to uncovering her identity is the car's license plate, which leads him to two sisters.

Nude in a White Car is an exemplary example of how to execute a mystery film. It draws you in with a sequence that sets everything in motion, and it holds your attention with a series of tension-filled twists. The opening setup sees a man who accepts a ride from a blonde woman, and shortly after he gets inside of the car, she seduces him. Her demeanor quickly changes when he wants to get a closer look at her; she kicks him out of the car and tries to run him over. From there, the narrative is driven by the protagonist's determination to uncover her identity.

When the man meets the two sisters for the first time, the narrative employs a well-executed twist that makes his task of covering the woman's identity difficult. While both sisters are blonde, one of them is wheelchair-bound, and the other does not drive at night. Giving them a handicap, the narrative effectively obscures which one of them was driving the car that night. Can Eva walk or is Hélène trying to frame her sister?

Although there are secondary characters, it is ultimately the three leads' performances that leave any lasting impression. Robert Hossein cast himself in the role of Pierre Menda, a man who becomes obsessed with unmasking a blonde woman who picked him up, seduced him, and tried to kill him. Odile Versois (The Last Vacation) is cast in the role of Hélène Lecain, the older of the two sisters and the caretaker of her sister. Marina Vlady (Princess of Cleves) is cast in the role of Hélène’s wheelchair-bound younger sister Eva.

The narrative has so many things going for it. There is a friction between the two sisters as they compete for Pierre’s affection. Why doesn’t the guilty party get rid of Pierre? Why doesn’t Pierre just walk away and cut his losses? All of these greatly enhance the mystery that's unfolding, making the revelation in the finale all the more potent. Another area where Nude in a White Car excels is its visuals; it's filled with striking moments that greatly enhance the mood. Ultimately, Nude in a White Car is one of the best examples of French noir and it is arguably Robert Hossein’s best film as a director.

The Taste of Violence: Revolutionaries kidnap a dictator's daughter and hold her for ransom in exchange for their imprisoned comrades who are scheduled for execution.

There had been Euro Westerns before Sergio Leone forever changed that landscape with A Fistful of Dollars. One of them is Robert Hossein’s The Taste of Violence, a film that is an early example of a subgenre known as Zapata westerns. These films were set in Mexico during a revolution, and there are two characters: a Mexican bandit/revolutionary and an opportunist from another country usually America. That said, The Taste of Violence fits firmly into the Zapata western subgenre, despite lacking the latter.

The narrative is simple: revolutionaries trying to save the lives of their fellow comrades. The revolutionaries lack the men and firepower needed to free them by force, so they kidnap a dictator's daughter as their bargaining chip. Although they effortlessly achieve their initial goal, getting her to the exchange for their men becomes a monumental task.

All around the cast is excellent in their roles, especially Giovanna Ralli's (The Mercenary) portrayal of Maria, the dictator's daughter. Maria’s calmness is deceptive and when the time arrives, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to free herself from her captors. The other performance of note is Robert Hossein in the role of Perez, the leader of a group of revolutionaries fighting the dictator and his military. A cast member of note is Mario Adorf (The Specialists) in the role of a hotheaded revolutionary named Chamaco.

The most surprising aspect of The Taste of Violence is how much of its carnage is offscreen. That said, most of the time words defuse conflict, not violence. The visuals do a remarkable job heightening the mood, and the most striking moment is a scene where Perez and Maria walk down a city street where revolutionaries are hanging. Another area where The Taste of Violence excels is how effectively its narrative creates tense moments that build upon each other. Ultimately, The Taste of Violence is a well-crafted film that is overflowing with social commentary and its power lies in the words that are spoken.

Wicked Games: Three Films by Robert Hossein is an exceptional release from Radiance Films that comes with strong audio/video presentations and insightful extras, highly recommended.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer