The Bastard (I bastardi) – Oblivion (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France/West Germany, 1968
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Ennio De Concini, Duccio Tessari, Mario di Nardo
Cast: Rita Hayworth, Giuliano Gemma, Klaus Kinski, Margaret Lee, Claudine Auger, Serge Marquand, Umberto Raho, Luis Barboo

Release Date: March 15th, 2024
Approximate running time: 91 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (Italy)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono German
Subtitles: English, Italian, French
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: 26,90€ (Italy)

"Two outlaw half-siblings vie for both a woman's love and the spoils of a robbery. It will end in a bloodbath." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 2/5

The Bastard (I bastardi) comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.7 GB

Feature: 21 GB

When compared to the Warner Archive DVD, this release's transfer has noticeably more source damage, scratches, lines, specs of dirt, and cigarette burns. Also, where the Warner Archive release presented the film in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, this release is in a 1.66:1 ratio. Colors are inconsistent, image clarity is mostly strong, and black levels are mediocre. Also, there is digital noise reduction throughout.

Audio: 2.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 2.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and a DTS-HD mono mix in German. The English-language tracks sound more robust than the Italian-language tracks. That said, dialog comes through clearly, and range-wise, these tracks tend to be limited. Also, the English-language track has a few pops, hiss', and audio dropouts. Included are removable Italian, English, and French subtitles. The English subtitles translate the Italian-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an alternate ending (2 minutes 7 seconds,  Dolby Digital mono German, no subtitles), and a featurette with Davide Pulici and Roger A. Fratter titled Inside The Bastards (26 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian, no subtitles).

Summary:

Directed by Duccio Tessari, whose other notable films are The Bloodstained Butterfly, Death Occurred Last Night, Puzzle, and Tony Arzenta (Big Guns).

The narrative revolves around two brothers; one brother betrays and breaks the bond with the other.

Though a jewel heist sets the narrative in motion, the narrative shifts towards the conflict that comes about due to that aforementioned heist. At the heart of this conflict are two half-brothers whose fathers died on the same day. And if it wasn’t for their mother, they would have drifted apart. Their personalities could not be further apart; Adam is the older of the two brothers, and greed is what ultimately drives him. While his younger brother Jason is loyal to a fault.

The role that women play in their lives is significant. The first of these women is their alcoholic mother, Martha, whose obsession with the past prevents her from seeing what is happening to her sons. The second of these women is a seductress named Karen, who easily gravitates toward whoever has the most to offer her. The third of these three women is a rancher named Barbara, who tries to heal Jason’s wounds, both physically and emotionally.

Performance-wise, the cast is all very good, especially Margaret Lee (Venus in Furs) in the role of Karen, a femme Fatale-like character. Rita Hayworth (The Lady from Shanghai), in the role of Martha, the alcoholic mother, delivers a memorable performance. Claudine Auger (A Bay of Blood) in the role of Barbara, Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre) in the role of Adam, and Giuliano Gemma (Tenebrae) in the role of Jason round out this cast of recognizable faces.

From a production standpoint, the positives outweigh the negatives. With this film excelling most during it’s violent moments. Another strength of this film is its visuals and nowhere is this clearer than how they take full advantage of the New Mexico locations featured in this film. Standout moments include, the film’s opening sequence which establishes Jason’s brutality, the scene where Karen betrays Jason and this film’s finale provides a satisfying conclusion to the events that have just unfolded.

From a production standpoint, The Bastard’s (I bastardi) positives outweigh the negatives. Notably, when it comes to the visuals, take full advantage of the New Mexico locations featured in The Bastard (I bastardi). The most memorable moments all involve acts of violence, like the opening sequence, which establishes Jason’s brutality, the scene where Karen betrays Jason, and a finale that serves as a perfect coda for the two brothers. Ultimately, The Bastard (I bastardi) is a well-made Italian crime film that feels like a western set in a modern setting.

The Bastard (I bastardi) gets a lackluster audio/video presentation from Oblivion.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Tony Arzenta: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France/Denmark, 1973
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Franco Verucci, Ugo Liberatore, Franco Verucci, Roberto Gandus
Cast: Alain Delon, Richard Conte, Carla Gravina, Marc Porel, Roger Hanin, Nicoletta Machiavelli, Erika Blanc, Rosalba Neri, Anton Diffring

Release Date: March 25th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 112 Minutes 27 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"Alain Delon (Le Cercle Rouge) stars as efficient and ruthless mob assassin Tony Arzenta. With a young family, Tony wants to leave his life of crime to ensure his young son will not get caught up in the revenge killing that so often accompanies people in his position. But the bosses don't make it easy and Tony finds himself on a bloody mission that takes him across Europe to eradicate his former employers." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Tony Arzenta was scanned in 4K resolution and restored by Titanus/RAI Com in Italy. The film was supplied to Radiance Films as a High-Defintion digital file."

Tony Arzenta comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.8 GB

Feature: 32.8 GB

This release uses a brand new 4K restoration for its source, and compared to Explosive Media’s German Blu-ray release, it is a noticeable improvement in every area. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic. Black levels are strong; this release does not have the black crush and compression issues Explosive Media’s release does. Also, this is another exemplary encode from Fidelity in Motion.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Italian and a LPCM mono mix in English. The audio, like the video, has undergone additional restoration by Radiance Films; the audio tracks for this release do not have the distortion issues that are present on Explosive Media’s German Blu-ray release. That said, both audio tracks are in great shape, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise, both audio tracks sound very good. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track. And when watching with the English language track, there is a second removable English subtitle track for two dialog exchanges that are in Italian.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Alain Delon (12 minutes 8 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), a featurette with Eurocrime authority Mike Malloy titled Not a Gangster, Not a Cop, the Eurocrime Genres Other Professions (11 minutes 13 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), six scene specific audio commentary tracks with film critic Peter Jilmstad (53 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 20-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Beautiful But Dangerous: The Crime Cinema of Alain Delon written by Leila Wimmer and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Tony Arzenta was directed by Duccio Tessari, a filmmaker who was not a stranger to Poliziotteschi cinema. Other Poliziotteschi that he directed include The Bastard, Tough Guys, and a Poliziotteschi/Giallo hybrid, Death Occurred Last Night.

The main attraction of Tony Arzenta is Alain Delon (Le Samouraï), in the role of the protagonist. Once again, he delivers a solid performance as a cold-blooded hitman whose wife and son are murdered by his former employer when he tries to walk away from his job as a hitman. Another strength of his performance is how the film balances his character's life between his family life and his life as a killer.

Without a doubt, one of the hallmarks of Poliziotteschi cinema is its action sequences. And in this regard, Tony Arzenta delivers in spades. The two most memorable action sequences are a car chase and a torture scene. The first car chase happens after the funeral of Tony’s wife and son. This is a fantastic car chase in which Tony recklessly purses a car with hitmen who tried to kill him after the funeral. The torture scene takes place at a junkyard, where a man is tortured with a blowtorch.

Another area where Tony Arzenta excels is in its fabulous cast of who’s who of European cult cinema. (Thieves' Highway) in the role of a crime boss named Nick Gusto; Marc Porel (Don't Torture a Duckling) in the role of Domenico Maggio, Tony’s trusted friend; Carla Gravina (The Antichrist) in the role of Sandra, a woman who saves Tony’s life; and Rosalba Neri (Amuck!) in the role of the crime boss's wife.

Though the premise retreads familiar ground, one can even draw some similarities between Tony Arzenta and Jef Costello, the character Alain Delon portrayed in Le Samouraï. The result is an exhilarating experience that quickly establishes tension that builds to a fever pitch by the time its ending arrives. Ultimately, Tony Arzenta is a solid example of Poliziotteschi cinema.

Though this is a UK release, it is region-free. That said, this is a must-have purchase if you are a fan of Poliziotteschi. Tony Arzenta gets a solid release from Radiance Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Death Occurred Last Night: Limited Edition – Raro Video UK (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/West Germany, 1970
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Biagio Proietti, Duccio Tessari, Artur Brauner
Cast: Raf Vallone, Frank Wolff, Gabriele Tinti, Gillian Bray, Eva Renzi, Gigi Rizzi, Beryl Cunningham, Checco Rissone

Release Date: January 29th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 36 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 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: £16.99 (UK)

"A lonely widower appeals to the police to find his missing daughter. The sceptical police officer picks up the case but it becomes murder when her body is recovered. Now they must find the culprit before the vengeful father does first." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “High Definition digital transfer from the original camera negative."

Death Occurred Last Night comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.4 GB

Feature: 29.1 GB

Though this release and Raro’s 2014 release come from the same source, the result is transfers that are like night and day. This release’s transfer is a noticeable improvement over Raro’s 2014 release, which was a VC-1 video transfer. In every area—image clarity, black levels, and compression—this transfer looks better than Raro’s 2014 release. That said, there are a few moments where image clarity is not as strong during darker moments. Another area where this new transfer is better is that it retains an organic look, whereas Raro’s 2014 release had some digital noise reduction.

Audio: 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. Both tracks are in very good shape; any background noise is minor. Dialog comes through clearly enough to follow, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, these two audio tracks are satisfactory. That said, the Italian-language track is the slightly stronger of these two audio tracks. That said, these two audio tracks are comparable to Raro's U.S. releases of audio tracks. 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 a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 39 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an archival introduction by Fangoria editor Chris Alexander (7 minutes 13 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio essay about Italian Noirs by Francesco Massaccesi and narrated by Howard S. Berger (11 minutes 6 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, and a 12-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, and an essay titled Death Occurred Many Times: The Thrillers of Duccio Tessari written by David Sodergren.

Summary:

Death Occurred Last Night is one of three exceptional gialli directed by Duccio Tessari. The other two films are Puzzle and The Bloodstained Butterfly. Other notable films that he directed include A Pistol for Ringo, The Return of Ringo, and Tony Arzenta. The screenplay for Death Occurred Last Night was adapted from a novel written by Giorgio Scerbanenco. Several of his novels were adapted by Fernando Di Leo into films, most notably Naked Violence and Milano Caliber 9.

The narrative revolves around a father who convinces a police inspector to take a special interest in finding his mentally challenged twenty-five-year-old daughter, who disappeared without a trace.

Structurally, Death Occurred Last Night is an interesting mixture of two of Italian cinema's most popular genres in the first half of the 1970s, namely giallo and poliziotteschi. Death Occurred Last Night leans more towards the latter of these two genres. Also, there are elements from both of these genres that crop up throughout Death Occurred Last Night. The result is a film unlike any that has come before or since it, making it a film that is in its own genre.

The initial set-up is pitch perfect, as characters motivations are always clearly defined. And one of Death Occurred Last Night’s greatest assets is how it introduces the distraught father and then subtly pushes him into the background while a pair of detectives and a low-life smuggler are blackmailed into helping them search for the father's missing daughter. Keeping the father away from the seedy investigation they are conducting ultimately makes his reemergence in the latter half of the narrative all the more potent, thus making his transformation from a grieving father into a man with a vendetta all the more believable.

Considering that the premise is about women being abducted and forced into a world of sex slaves, the content that lies within is handled in such a way that it is never exploitative. Also, though there are many women in various stages of dress, Death Occurred Last Night's portrayal of them is never vulgar, which ultimately humanizes them and gives them added dimensions that are often lacking in other similar-themed films. When it comes to despicable characters, Death Occurred Last Night retains that right for those who are responsible for abducting the mentally challenged young woman.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Death Occurred Last Night does not excel. The visuals are outstanding as they reinforce the events that are unfolding onscreen. The narrative is perfectly paced, as each new revelation is given just the right amount of time to sink in before unveiling the next. And though there are many detractors of Death Occurred Last Night’s odd score, it has a jarring effect that complements that story really well.

The cast is superb in their respective roles, with the strongest performance coming from Frank Wolff (Cold Eyes of Fear) in the role of Duca Lamberti, the detective who, through persistence, uncovers the truth about the missing girl. While the most memorable performance comes from Raf Vallone's (The Godfather: Part III), in the role of Amanzio Berzaghi, the father of the missing disabled girl. Another performance of note is that of Gillian Bray's (Virgins of the Seven Seas) Donatella Berzaghi, the mentally challenged young woman who has been abducted. Ultimately, Death Occurred Last Night is an extraordinary film that firmly pulls you in and lingers in your mind long after its final reveal.

Raro Video UK gives Death Occurred Last Night its best home video release to date, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Bloodstained Butterfly – Arrow Video (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/West Germany, 1971
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Duccio Tessari
Cast: Helmut Berger, Giancarlo Sbragia, Ida Galli, Silvano Tranquilli, Wendy D'Olive, Günther Stoll, Wolfgang Preiss, Lorella De Luca

Release Date: August 22nd, 2016 (UK), August 23rd, 2016 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 99 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"When a young female student is savagely killed in a park during a thunderstorm, the culprit seems obvious: her lover, TV sports personality Alessandro Marchi (Giancarlo Sbragia, Death Rage), seen fleeing the scene of the crime by numerous eyewitnesses. The evidence against him is damning… but is it all too convenient? And when the killer strikes again while Marchi is in custody, it quickly becomes apparent that there's more to the case than meets the eye…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "All restoration work was carried out at L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. The original 35mm 2-perf Techniscope camera negative was scanned in 4K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan with a wetgate and was graded on Digital Vision's Nucode Film Master.

Thousands of instances of dirt, debris and light scratches were removed through a combination of digital restoration tools. Overall image stability and instances of density fluctuation were also improved."

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

Disc Size: 44.8 GB

Feature: 25.1 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, black levels are strong, and the image retains an organic look. That said, there are some darker moments where black levels and contrast are not as convincing as they should be.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio mixes are in very good shape; the dialog is always clear, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it needs to, especially the score. 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 introduction with actor Helmut Berger (1 minute 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a promotional image gallery (posters/stills), English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 16 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), Italian language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 16 seconds, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Lorella De Luca titled Me and Duccio (8 minutes 23 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Helmet Berger titled Mad Dog Helmet (17 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Ida Galli aka Evelyn Stewart titled A Butterfly Named Evelyn (54 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a video essay by author Troy Howarth titled Murder in B-Flat Minor (26 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman. reversible cover art, and a 32-page booklet (first pressing only) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Perversion Story: A Brief Introduction to the Italian Giallo written by James Blackford, an essay titled Baroque and Roll: The Film Music of Gianni Ferrio written by Howard Hughes, an essay titled Breaking the Fourth Wall in the Bloodstained Butterfly written by Leonard Jacobs and information about the restoration.

Included with this release is a DVD that has the same content as the Blu-ray included as part of this combo release.

Summary:

The Bloodstained Butterfly is one of three exceptional gialli directed by Duccio Tessari. The other two films are Death Occurred Last Night and Puzzle. Other notable films that he directed include A Pistol for Ringo, The Return of Ringo, and Tony Arzenta.

When a young woman is murdered in the park, law enforcement collects an overwhelming amount of evidence that leads them to their suspect. On trial and now in custody, two witnesses to the original girl’s death were also murdered. Do the police have the right man? Does he have an accomplice, or is there something more sinister going on?

Though there are many elements in The Bloodstained Butterfly that one would associate with the giallo genre, the result is easily one of the more unique films to emerge from the giallo genre. One of its major differences is that the investigation to find the killer is completed in the first act, and the middle act is spent with the suspected killer on trial. And by the time the final act rolls around, a few more bodies turn up. Before everything comes to a head with a jaw-dropping ending,

The narrative is meticulously constructed, and pacing is never an issue, as The Bloodstained Butterfly does a superb job letting each new revelation fully reach its maximum impact. Another strength of The Bloodstained Butterfly is its ability to keep the majority of the cast in play in regards to who the killer is. And just when it appears that the killer has been unmasked, a few well-timed moments of misdirection are thrown in for good measure for the final act.

Performance-wise, the entire cast is great in their respective roles. This film’s standout performance comes from Helmut Berger (The Damned) in the role of an accomplished concert pianist named Giorgio. Another performance of note is Giancarlo Sbragia (Equinox) in the role of Alessandro Marchi, the man on trial for murdering the woman in the park.

From a production standpoint, there is not a single area where The Bloodstained Butterfly is lacking. One of its stronger assets is its visuals and how they play a role in the story at hand. Also, for a film that has many standout moments visually, no moment stands out more than the initial murder of the young woman in the park. Ultimately, The Bloodstained Butterfly is a solid example of the Giallo in its golden age.

The Bloodstained Butterfly gets a first-rate release from Arrow Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Death Occurred Last Night - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/West Germany, 1970
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Biagio Proietti, Duccio Tessari, Artur Brauner
Cast: Raf Vallone, Frank Wolff, Gabriele Tinti, Gillian Bray, Eva Renzi, Gigi Rizzi, Beryl Cunningham, Checco Rissone

Release Date: March 6th, 2014
Approximate running time: 97 minutes 38 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / VC-1
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP

"A mentally handicapped woman is kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery, sending her distressed father and a jaded police detective on the hunt for clues in Milan's underworld." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

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

Death Occurred Last Night comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.8 GB

Feature: 19.6 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Though flesh tones and colors look very good, there are a few moments where they look off. The image generally looks crisp, the black levels are adequate, and the compression is good. That said, Raro Video once again uses digital filtering, which takes away any organic qualities that the source may have had.

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. Both tracks are in very good shape; any background noise is minor. Dialog comes through clearly enough to follow, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, these two audio tracks are satisfactory. That said, the Italian-language track is the slightly stronger of these two audio tracks. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an introduction by Fangoria editor Chris Alexander (7 minutes 12 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 38 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), a slipcover, and a eight-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Darkness of Duccio Tessari written by Chris Alexander, Duccio Tessari biography, and Duccio Tessari filmography.

Summary:

Death Occurred Last Night is one of three exceptional gialli directed by Duccio Tessari. The other two films are Puzzle and The Bloodstained Butterfly. Other notable films that he directed include A Pistol for Ringo, The Return of Ringo, and Tony Arzenta. The screenplay for Death Occurred Last Night was adapted from a novel written by Giorgio Scerbanenco. Several of his novels were adapted by Fernando Di Leo into films, most notably Naked Violence and Milano Caliber 9.

The narrative revolves around a father who convinces a police inspector to take a special interest in finding his mentally challenged twenty-five-year-old daughter, who disappeared without a trace.

Structurally, Death Occurred Last Night is an interesting mixture of two of Italian cinema's most popular genres in the first half of the 1970s, namely giallo and poliziotteschi. Death Occurred Last Night leans more towards the latter of these two genres. Also, there are elements from both of these genres that crop up throughout Death Occurred Last Night. The result is a film unlike any that has come before or since it, making it a film that is in its own genre.

The initial set-up is pitch perfect, as characters motivations are always clearly defined. And one of Death Occurred Last Night’s greatest assets is how it introduces the distraught father and then subtly pushes him into the background while a pair of detectives and a low-life smuggler are blackmailed into helping them search for the father's missing daughter. Keeping the father away from the seedy investigation they are conducting ultimately makes his reemergence in the latter half of the narrative all the more potent, thus making his transformation from a grieving father into a man with a vendetta all the more believable.

Considering that the premise is about women being abducted and forced into a world of sex slaves, the content that lies within is handled in such a way that it is never exploitative. Also, though there are many women in various stages of dress, Death Occurred Last Night's portrayal of them is never vulgar, which ultimately humanizes them and gives them added dimensions that are often lacking in other similar-themed films. When it comes to despicable characters, Death Occurred Last Night retains that right for those who are responsible for abducting the mentally challenged young woman.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Death Occurred Last Night does not excel. The visuals are outstanding as they reinforce the events that are unfolding onscreen. The narrative is perfectly paced, as each new revelation is given just the right amount of time to sink in before unveiling the next. And though there are many detractors of Death Occurred Last Night’s odd score, it has a jarring effect that complements that story really well.

The cast is superb in their respective roles, with the strongest performance coming from Frank Wolff (Cold Eyes of Fear) in the role of Duca Lamberti, the detective who, through persistence, uncovers the truth about the missing girl. While the most memorable performance comes from Raf Vallone's (The Godfather: Part III), in the role of Amanzio Berzaghi, the father of the missing disabled girl. Another performance of note is that of Gillian Bray's (Virgins of the Seven Seas) Donatella Berzaghi, the mentally challenged young woman who has been abducted. Ultimately, Death Occurred Last Night is an extraordinary film that firmly pulls you in and lingers in your mind long after its final reveal.

Raro Video gives Death Occurred Last Night a good audio/video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Alive or Preferably Dead – Koch Media/Explosive Media (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1969
Director: Duccio Tessari
Writers: Ennio Flaiano, Giorgio Salvioni, Duccio Tessari
Cast: Giuliano Gemma, Nino Benvenuti, Cris Huerta, Antonio Casas, Julio Peña, George Rigaud, Arturo Pallandino, Brizio Montinaro, Sydne Rome

Release Date: November 25th, 2021
Approximate Running Time: 101 Minutes 59 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: FSK 16 (Germany)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono German
Subtitles: English, German
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: €13.99

"The two dissimilar brothers, the heavily indebted gambler and daredevil Monty and the farmer Ted, do not like each other very much and have successfully avoided each other until the death of their rich uncle brings them together. In order to enjoy the inheritance, however, the two must meet one condition: get along peacefully for six months." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Alive or Preferably Dead comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46 GB

Feature: 24.5 GB (102 Minute Version), 20.3 GB (German Theatrical Version) 

It should be noted that, though the backcover states a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, the film is actually presented in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which appears to be an open matte presentation. That said, it is a shame about the aspect ratio since the source used for this transfer is in great shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, and image clarity and black levels are strong.

Audio: 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Mono English), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian, and a DTS-HD mono mix in German. Though the English language track has some silabance issues, dialog comes through clearly, ambient sounds, and the score are well-represented. The Italian language track fared much better; dialog comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; and when compared to the English language track, the Italian language track is more robust. Included with this release are removable German and English subtitles. It should be noted that the English subtitles directly translate what’s being said on the English language track. That said, the English subtitles appeared to be timed with the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (63-posters/lobby cards/stills), U.S. theatrical trailer (3 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), the German theatrical version of Alive or Preferably Dead (101 minutes 59 seconds, 1.33: 1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD mono German with removable German subtitles), and reversible cover art without the ratings logo.

Summary:

After Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, the spaghetti western genre made a noticeable shift away from violence towards humor, with most of the violence in these latter spaghetti western films best described as cartoonish. A case in point is Alive or Preferably Dead, a spaghetti western that bears little resemblance tone-wise to the types of spaghetti westerns that were inspired by Sergio Leone.

Alive or Preferably Dead was directed by Duccio Tessari, a versatile filmmaker who worked in three of Italian cinema’s most popular genres from the 1960’s and 70’s: spaghetti western, giallo, and poliziotteschi. Notable films directed by Duccio Tessari include Death Occurred Last Night, The Bloodstained Butterfly, and Tony Arzenta.

The opening moments of Alive or Preferably Dead can be jarring for anyone who is familiar with the spaghetti western genre. The opening setup takes place in the big city of what looks like the Victorian age and not the old west. Even the music cues used in these opening moments lack the vibe that one associates with spaghetti western scores. Fortunately, things start to improve when one of the two lead characters, Monty Mulligan, leaves the big city for the old west. From there, Alive or Preferably Dead starts to resemble the type of spaghetti westerns that became popular because of the Trinity films: They Call Me Trinity, and Trinity Is Still My Name.

Though the buddy scenario is one of the spaghetti westerns' more exploited elements. These ‘buddy’ spaghetti westerns are often hit or miss, more often falling into the latter category. The success of these spaghetti westerns is heavily dependent on the chemistry of the actors who play them. In Alive or Preferably Dead, one of the most recognizable faces in spaghetti westerns, Giuliano Gemma (Day of Anger), teams up with Nino Benvenuti (Mark Shoots First), a first-time actor who has only appeared in two other films. Needless to say, their chemistry is spotty, with Giuliano Gemma carrying most of the weight.

Based solely on the premise, alive or preferably dead, should have turned out better than dead. The premise of two brothers from two different worlds who are forced to live together for six months in order to collect their inheritance is ripe with possibilities. And yet, the result is a film that even the most diehard spaghetti western fans will find underwhelming. That said, there is one area where Alive or Preferably Dead does very well, and that is humor, especially the series of schemes that never work out in the two brothers' favor.

Alive or Preferably Dead makes its way to Blu-ray via a flawed release that has the film in an incorrect aspect ratio.

Written by Michael Den Boer