The Key: 2-Disc Edition – Cult Epics (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1983
Director: Tinto Brass
Writer: Tinto Brass
Cast: Stefania Sandrelli, Frank Finlay, Barbara Cupisti, Franco Branciaroli, Ricky Tognazzi, Ugo Tognazzi

Release Date: March 24th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 111 Minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian/English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $49.95

"Art professor Nino (Frank Finlay) feels he can no longer satisfy his younger, passionate wife Teresa (Stefania Sandrelli) the way she desires. He articulates his innermost thoughts and sexual fantasies in a diary, including the secret wish to see his daughter's fiancé's Laszlo (Franco Branciaroli) make love to Teresa. Nino leaves the key to the drawer, containing the diary, out for his wife to find." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "4K Transfer and Restoration from the original camera negative."

The Key comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 59.8 GB

Feature: 56.3 GB

This transfer looks exceptional. Flesh tones look healthy; colors are vibrant; image clarity and black levels are solid; compression is very good; and the image looks organic. That said, there are two things I considered when coming up with a score for this transfer. How does it compare to this film’s previous home video releases, and does it look any better than this transfer? It looks exceptional.

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

Disc Size: 44.1 GB

Feature: 29.8 GB 

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and English. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds and the score are well-represented. Included are removable English subtitles for the dialogue and text in Italian.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer for All Ladies Do It (3 minutes 21 seconds, LPCM mono Italian and English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Frivolous Lola (2 minutes 17 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Cheeky (3 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM mono Italian and English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for The Key (3 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM mono Italian and English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Marcus Stiglegger.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer for All Ladies Do It (3 minutes 21 seconds, LPCM mono Italian and English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Frivolous Lola (2 minutes 17 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer for Cheeky (3 minutes 24 seconds, LPCM mono Italian and English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer for The Key (3 minutes 7 seconds, LPCM mono Italian and English, no subtitles), a Tinto Brass photo gallery with music playing in the background, The Key poster gallery (33 images), Outtakes of The Key: Venice (10 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with music from the film playing in the background), an archival interview with Tinto Brass (16 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with music critics Pier Paolo De Sanctis and Claudio Fulano titled Sensuous Morricone (28 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a location featurette titled Keyhole Venice (7 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with music from the film playing in the background), an interview with actor Franco Branciaroli titled Brass’ Talisman (38 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an option to listen to Ennio Morricone’s score (32 minutes 5 seconds, LPCM mono, 10 tracks), and an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani and Marcus Stiglegger. 

Other extras include reversible cover art with original Italian poster art, a slipcase (limited to the first pressing) and a 20-page booklet with an essay titled The Body of a Generation: Stefania Sandrelli From Sicily to Venice written by Eugenio Ercolani, and archival images.

Summary:

Tinto Brass directed The Key. He’s known for Deadly Sweet, Salon Kitty, Snack Bar Budapest, and All Ladies Do It. The Key was adapted from Kagi, a novel written by Junichiro Tanizaki. Kagi has been adapted 7 times to date, the first adaptation directed by Kon Ichikawa under the title Odd Obsession and the most recent being Hiroki Inoue's The Key: Professor's Pleasure.

After noticing his wife Teresa’s interest in their daughters’ fiancées. Nino decides to spice up their sex life by encouraging his wife’s desires for this other man. Nino and Teresa's discovery of each other's diaries complicates matters significantly. This revelation ends up putting additional strains on their already troubled marriage. Will Nino be able to put his jealousy aside or will he let things go so far that there will be no turning back from the damage that has been done?

Tinto Brass's career can be broken down into three stages: the initial stage saw him making what are arguably his most mainstream films; then he made a shift in the latter half of the 1960s, where these films are best described as avant-garde, and the third stage saw him venture into erotic cinema. People know him most for this latter stage, and at the same time, his detractors are unfair in their assessment of films. To dismiss his films from Salon Kitty onward as mere pornography completely overlooks Tinto Brass's true intentions. His works prioritize emotional depth over mere titillation, and his incorporation of humor distinguishes him from other erotic filmmakers.

Although Tinto Brass had directed two erotic films before The Key, Salon Kitty and Caligula, they lean more into exploitation cinema than any of his other erotic films. The Key is a turning point in Tinto Brass's career, establishing a consistent look and vibe in his subsequent works. He first discovered the novel Kagi in the 1960s and reportedly waited two decades to adapt it so that Stefania Sandrelli would be age-appropriate for the role of the wife.

All around, the cast are outstanding, especially Stefania Sandrelli (Seduced and Abandoned) in the role of Teresa Rolfe, the wife of a man who takes secret erotic photographs of her while she sleeps. From the beginning of her career, Stefania Sandrelli has consistently played characters regarded as objects of desire. In The Key, she arguably delivers her finest performance to date. Notable cast members include Frank Finlay (Twisted Nerve) in the role of Teresa’s husband, Barbara Cupisti (Stage Fright) in the role of Teresa’s daughter, and Ugo Tognazzi (Weak Spot) portrays a drunk.

From a production standpoint, The Key is Tinto Brass’s most accomplished film. Set in the early months of 1940, this period film features exemplary production design that effectively recreates the era. The narrative is perfectly constructed, successfully capturing your attention and building momentum. Ennio Morricone, in his one and only collaboration, delivers an exceptional score that gives The Key elegance while retaining its sensual atmosphere. Visually, The Key is a beautifully photographed film that takes full advantage of Venice’s locations and Stefania Sandrelli’s ample assets. Ultimately, The Key is an extraordinary exploration of jealousy and desire, making it Tinto Brass's crowning achievement as a filmmaker.

The Key gets an exceptional release from Cult Epics that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a trio of insightful extras, 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