The Double: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1971
Director: Romolo Guerrieri
Writers: Libero Bigiaretti, Sauro Scavolini, Sandro Continenza
Cast: Ewa Aulin, Jean Sorel, Lucia Bosè, Silvano Tranquilli, Sergio Doria, Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Marilù Tolo

Release Date: July 20th, 2026 (UK), July 21th, 2026 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Giovanni (Jean Sorel, Rosa la rose, fille publique) is shot in an underground parking garage by a mysterious bearded man. As his life flashes before his eyes, through flashbacks we learn about his life and what led to this moment. His flirtatious wife, Lucia (Ewa Aulin, Death Smiles on a Murderer) and the fissures her behavior creates complications with the family business, Lucia’s relationship with a traveling hippie, and her beautiful mother-in-law (Lucia Bosé, Fellini Satyricon)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, “The Double was restored in 4k from the original camera negative by Video Mercury and supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition file.”

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

Disc Size: 36.2 GB

Feature: 28.2 GB

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

Audio: 5/5 (LPCM Mono Italian), 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono mix in English. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. The Italian language track sounds more robust than 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 archival interview with director Romolo Guerrieri and star Eva Aulin newly edited for this release (14 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an appreciation by author Stephen Thrower (26 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with author/film historian Tim Lucas, reversible cover art, a removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings; and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Compelled to Death in The Double written by Nathaniel Thompson, and information about the transfer.

When you highlight the title on the main menu, there is an Easter egg; it is an extended scene from a Greek release (2 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with non-removable English subtitles).

Summary:

Romolo Guerrieri directed The Double. He’s known for Johnny Yuma, The Sweet Body of Deborah, Detective Belli, Young, Violent, Dangerous, and Covert Action.

A man ambushed and shot after getting out of his car lay on the ground, remembering the events that led to that moment.

Although the killers' identity is never kept a secret, the way in which the narrative unfolds ensures that the mystery of their motive is kept intact. From there, the narrative shifts to a series of flashbacks that provide backstory about the man who was shot. The narrative shifts to a series of flashbacks that fill in backstory about the shot man. Through a series of flashbacks, the narrative effectively puts into perspective the who’s and the why's of the story that unfolds.

While there are a handful of visually striking moments, The Double relies more on atmosphere than stylized set pieces. Moments where the visuals stand out are scenes where it showcases its three leading ladies' beauty, especially Ewa Aulin and Lucia Bosè, who portray a daughter and a mother who look alike. Another area where the visuals excel is how they take advantage of the scenic landscapes.

The entire cast is outstanding in their roles, especially Ewa Aulin (Death Laid an Egg), who portrays Lucia, the much younger, flirtatious wife of the protagonist. She delivers a performance that more than fulfills her role as an object of desire. Another performance of note is Jean Sorel (A Lizard in a Woman's Skin) in the role of Giovanni, a jealous husband who’s shot by a man with a vendetta. His performance fulfills a function that is similar to his role in Short Night of Glass Dolls.

Although the narrative moves at a deliberate pace, its puzzle box structure ensures that there is never a dull moment. Another strength of the narrative is its ability to use tension to build momentum to an exemplary finale that will catch most viewers off guard. Not to be overlooked when discussing The Double is Armando Trovajoli’s (Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow) score, which does a superb job enhancing the mood. Ultimately, The Double is a solid thriller that effortlessly blurs the line between reality and fantasy.

The Double gets an exceptional release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer