High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava: The Prince of Terror/The Man Who Didn't Want to Die/School of Fear/Eye Witness – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Release Date: Italy, 1993
Director: Lamberto Bava (All Films)
Cast: Martine Brochard, Barbara Cupisti, Tomas Arana, Carole André, David Brandon, Lino Salemme, Wanja Mary Sellers, Stefano Molinari, Virginia Bryant, Antonella Antinori, Jacques Sernas, Daria Nicolodi

Release Date: August 26th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 91 Minutes 50 Seconds (The Prince of Terror), 94 Minutes 59 Seconds (The Man Who Didn't Want to Die), 100 Minutes 17 Seconds (School of Fear), 99 Minutes 53 Seconds (Eye Witness)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (All Films)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (All Films), DTS-HD Mono English (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films), English SDH (All Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $104.95

The Prince of Terror: "For the first film in the series, director Lamberto Bava and screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti (THE BEYOND, DEMONS) delivered “a wild ride” (Euro Fever) that’s part home-invasion thriller, part supernatural shocker and one totally over-the-top gorehound blast: ‘Prince of Terror’ Vincent Omen (Tomas Arana of THE CHURCH and THE SECT) is cinema’s top horror director. But when a disgruntled screenwriter – a no-holds-barred performance by David Brandon of STAGEFRIGHT – attacks Omen and his family in their secluded villa, it will unleash a grisly maelstrom of graphic brutality courtesy of special effects maestro Sergio Stivaletti (THE MASK OF SATAN, CEMETERY MAN).” – Synopsis provided by the distributor

The Man Who Didn't Want to Die: "In the early ‘70s, the legendary Mario Bava began adapting a savage short story by poliziotteschi novelist Giorgio Scerbanenco (CALIBER 9) for a film project. When Lamberto Bava eventually directed it in 1989 – from a screenplay by Gianfranco Clerici (HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK, THE NEW YORK RIPPER) – Italian TV refused to broadcast the violent thriller for nearly 20 years: After an art heist in a luxury villa goes horrifically wrong, a gang member (Gino Concari of Andrea Bianchi’s MASSACRE) left for dead will hunt down his accomplices in a mission of brutal revenge.” – Synopsis provided by the distributor

School of Fear: "In the most unsettlingly creepy film of the quartet, producer/director Lamberto Bava – along with screenwriters Roberto Gandus (MACABRE, PAPAYA: LOVE GODDESS OF THE CANNIBALS), Dardano Sacchetti (THE PSYCHIC, ZOMBIE), Giorgio Stegani (CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, EYE WITNESS) and composer Simon Boswell (DEMONS 2, SANTA SANGRE) – present a private academy where the curriculum is defined by unadulterated evil: When an idealistic young teacher (Alessandra Acciai of Luigi Cozzi’s THE BLACK CAT) arrives mid-semester at an exclusive school, she’ll anger the stern principal (Italian horror icon Daria Nicolodi), unlock a nightmare of trauma and discover that child’s play can be the deadliest game of all.” – Synopsis provided by the distributor

Eye Witness: "For his final film in the High Tension series, director Lamberto Bava crafted a unique twist on the giallo genre with a screenplay by Giorgio Stegani (SCHOOL OF FEAR, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST) and Massimo De Rita (BLASTFIGHTER, STREET LAW) from a story by Bava, a haunting score by Simon Boswell (PHENOMENA, STAGEFRIGHT) and an outstanding performance by Barbara Cupisti of CEMETERY MAN, THE CHURCH and OPERA fame: When a blind woman (Cupisti) is the only witness to a murder, the cops – and the killer – set their sights on ending her ordeal forever.” – Synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (All Films)

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative."

The Prince of Terror comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.3 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative."

The Man Who Didn't Want to Die comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.7 GB

Feature: 28.5 GB

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative."

School of Fear comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.4 GB

Feature: 30 GB

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative."

Eye Witness comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.7 GB

Feature: 30.2 GB

All of the transfers are comparable; their sources look excellent. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic appearance.

Audio: 4.25/5 (All Audio Tracks Except DTS-HD Mono English - The Man Who Didn't Want to Die), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English - The Man Who Didn't Want to Die)

Each film comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Itallian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. All tracks are comparable, except The Man Who Didn't Want to Die’s Italian-language track sounds more robust than its English-language track. All tracks sound clean, dialogue always comes through clearly and everything sounds balanced. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian-language track and removable English SDH for the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras for The Prince of Terror include an interview with director Lamberto Bava titled The Adventure of Anfri; he discusses the High Tension TV series and Anfri production company (16 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Lamberto Bava titled We Call Him Maestro; he discusses The Prince of Terror (17 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years Of Italian Giallo Films.

Extras for The Man Who Didn't Want to Die include an interview with screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti titled Stephen King Italian Style (15 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles) and an interview with Lamberto Bava titled The Scerbanenco Touch; he discusses The Man Who Didn't Want to Die (22 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).

Extras for School of Fear include an interview with screenwriter Roberto Gandus titled Play The Game (9 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Simon Boswell titled When Bava Met Boswell (31 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Lamberto Bava titled The Tale of Evil Children; he discusses School of Fear (18 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a 15-track compilation CD of Simon Boswell’s scores for Lamberto Bava films, and an insert with the track listing.

Extras for Eye Witness include an interview with actress Barbara Cupisti titled Love is Blind (12 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Lamberto Bava titled The Last Giallo; he discusses Eye Witness (15 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth.

Summary:

Lamberto Bava directed The Prince of Terror, The Man Who Didn't Want to Die, School of Fear, and Eye Witness; they are part of a TV series called High Tension. Notable films directed by Lamberto Bava are Macabre, A Blade in the Dark, Demons, and Demons 2.

The Prince of Terror: A horror filmmaker and his family, who live in an isolated villa, are terrorized by intruders seeking revenge against them.

The Prince of Terror opens with a clever moment of misdirection, a scene where a woman is being chased by a zombie, and when the camera pulls back, it's revealed that a movie is being made. This sequence does an excellent job foreshadowing what is yet to come for a film that is all about deception. The opening setup also establishes the protagonists and other key characters.

When it comes to the performances, they suit the story really well. Tomas Arana (Body Puzzle) is cast in the role of the protagonist, a horror filmmaker named Vincent Omen. The most memorable performance is David Brandon (StageFright), who portrays Paul Hilary, the screenwriter behind all of Vincent Omen’s films.

Lamberto Bava made a career out of films that are primarily in a central location, and the villa in The Prince of Terror makes for a perfect place for a killer to stalk their prey. Not only is the villa isolated, but it also has a ridiculous number of windows, giving someone on the outside a clear view of the inside of the house. While the villa does not offer Vincent and his family many places to conceal themselves, it does make for a very cinematic experience.

The premise is well-executed, and the narrative does a superb job building momentum with a series of tense moments. Vincent’s past comes back to haunt him; the intruders are using props and elements from his films. When it comes to carnage, most of it is offscreen, and the most gruesome moment is a character dying by a golf ball. Ultimately, The Prince of Terror is a well-crafted horror film whose finale offers up some supernatural undertones.

The Man Who Didn't Want to Die: Thieves robbing art and antiquities encounter trouble when one of them is gravely wounded. Fearing exposure, they do not take him to the hospital and instead dump his body. When they learn that someone discovered his body and took him to the hospital, they decide they must finish him off before he talks.

The origins of The Man Who Didn't Want to Die are more interesting than its actual execution. The Man Who Didn't Want to Die is an adaptation of Giorgio Scerbanenco’s (Milano calibro 9) story of the same name. According to Lamberto Bava, his father Mario originally was going to make a film adaptation of The Man Who Didn't Want to Die, but the production company went out of business.

Despite a strong opening setup and a solid final act, the narrative's lack of tension and overall ability to sustain momentum undermine any of its strengths. Another knock against the narrative is its overreliance on exposition. While things pick up considerably in the last 25 minutes, it is too little too late by then.

The acting is best described as serviceable. Gino Concari is cast in the role of Giannetto, the man who didn't want to die. His character spends most of his screentime in a hospital bed, which is good for the film since he’s easily the weakest link. The most notable cast member is Martine Brochard (Eyeball), who portrays Madame Jaclaud; her character arranges for the selling of stolen art and antiques.

Although Lamberto Bava has ventured outside of horror and fantasy, it is these two genres where he’s found his biggest success. With The Man Who Didn't Want to Die, Lamberto Bava makes a rare foray into the Poliziotteschi genre. The result is an uneven film that at its best delivers some tense moments, while the majority of the time it just plods along. Ultimately, The Man Who Didn't Want to Die is not one of Lamberto Bava’s better films and is only recommended for completists.

School of Fear: A young woman with a troubled past finds a teaching job at a school where her predecessor died under sinister circumstances.

While not directly an homage to the cinema of Mario Bava, School of Fear takes on the evil child character that played a significant role in several of his films. What drives the narrative are two things: what are the children hiding and why are the games they play so deadly? Opposite of the children is a young woman/teacher who’s never recovered from a traumatic event from her childhood.

The cast is predominantly made up of child actors who all more than fulfill the role of a Bad Seed-like child. When it comes to the adult cast, their performances suit the story well. The most surprising performance is Alessandra Acciai (The Black Cat) in the role of Diana Berti, the young woman with a traumatic past. The most notable cast member is Daria Nicolodi (Phenomina), who portrays the headmistress of the school.

While the opening setup does a solid job of setting things up, the narrative is too slow-moving and never really creates any momentum. An area where the narrative did deliver is its use of flashbacks, which reveal the extent of the trauma inflicted on Diana. Visually, School of Fear is a beautifully photographed film that has a handful of striking moments. Ultimately, for all of its shortcomings, one thing we can say about School of Fear is that it does not lack atmosphere.

Eye Witness: A blind woman witnesses a murder. When the killer discovers there is a witness, they set out to silence them.

It is a shame that Lamberto Bava did not make more gialli; it is a genre that he excelled at the most. Although Eye Witness employs many familiar giallo tropes, it does not try to conceal the killer's identity. That said, what drives the narrative is the cat-and-mouse game between a blind witness and the killer, where the latter has to go to great extremes despite the former's handicap.

Most of the performances exceed expectations, especially Barbara Cupisti’s (Opera) portrayal of Elisa, the blind witness. She delivers a remarkable performance that is always convincing. The weakest performance is Stefano Davanzati (The Final Executioner) in the role of police commissioner Marra.

When it comes to one of the staples of the giallo genre, the murder set pieces, Eye Witness delivers several stylish kills. The well-executed narrative is overflowing with tension and it is very effective at building momentum to its climactic moment of truth. Ultimately, Eye Witness is Lamberto Bava’s last great film and a solid giallo that fans of the genre should thoroughly enjoy.

High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava is a solid release from Severin Films that gives each film a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Exposed – Klubb Super 8 (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Sweden, 1971
Director: Gustaf Wiklund
Writer: Tony Forsberg
Cast: Christina Lindberg, Heinz Hopf, Janne Carlsson, Björn Adelly, Tor Isedal, Bert-Åke Varg, Siv Ericks, Håkan Westergren, Margit Carlqvist

Release Date: August 21st, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 55 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono Swedish, Dolby Digital Mono German
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $47.98

"17-year-old Lena (Christina Lindberg, 21 years old) is alone in town while her parents are on vacation. She is torn between her innocent boyfriend Jan and the older, worldly and perverted girl photographer Helge (Heinz Hopf, whom Christina Lindberg played against in Thriller – A Cruel Picture). Lena hikes a ride with Lars (Janne "Loffe" Carlsson) and his open-minded wife. The couple party, swim naked and have sex in front of the wide-eyed Lena. Back in the big city, she is once again attracted to Helge and his sick parties and erotic games. Memories, the present, violent fantasies and reality mix in the sexually confused girl's head." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Restored original Swedish version."

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

Disc Size: 44.7 GB

Feature: 18.1 GB

The verbiage provided about the source is too vague. That said, there are noticeable nicks, scratches, and other imperfections throughout. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity is strong, there are no issues with compression and the image retains an organic appearance. That said, black levels are not as convincing as they should be.

Audio: 3.75/5 (LPCM Mono Swedish)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Swedish and a Dolby Digital mono mix in German. For this review I only listened to the Swedish-language track. That track sounds clear and balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented. Included are removable English subtitles for the Swedish-language track.

Extras:

Extras on Blu-ray disc one include a U.S. edit of Exposed under the title Diary of a Rape (77 minutes 4 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono English with removable English subtitles), a French version of Exposed under the title La possédée (82 minutes 38 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), a German version of Exposed under the title Verbotene Früchte der Erotik (77 minutes 24 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono German with removable English subtitles), and an audio Commentary with Patrick von Sychowski and Rickard Gramfors (Klubb Super 8).

Extras on Blu-ray disc two include a U.S. theatrical trailer under the title The Depraved (3 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a Swedish theatrical trailer (1 minute 55 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with music from the film), an extra titled The Music—two songs from the film: Exposed Theme/Lena Theme by Bernt Egerbladh (6 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), image galleries with music from the film playing in the background: Christina Lindberg Centerfolds, Unpublished Contact Sheets, Christina Lindberg in Cannes 1971, and Poster and Image Gallery, an archival featurette titled Overexposed, featuring interviews with actress Christina Lindberg and director Gustav Wiklund (17 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), an interview with film editor/actor/producer Lasse Lundberg (9 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Björn Adelly (8 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), an interview with Christina Lindberg titled Christina Back in Cannes 2026 (14 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Swedish with removable English subtitles), and a video essay about actor Heinz Hopf by Rickard Gramfors (20 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include a slipcover (limited to 2,000 units).

Summary:

Gustaf Wiklund directed Exposed. His only other theatrical feature film, Sängkamrater (Wide Open), also stars Christina Lindberg. Other titles that Exposed has been released under include The Depraved and Diary of a Rape.

A young woman named Lena is torn between two lovers: a sadistic blackmailer and a naive boy she goes to school with.

Exposed is a coming-of-age story about a young woman and her two suitors; one shows her the darker side of life, while the other offers a safer, more mundane view. The opening setup quickly grabs you with a series of candid nude photographs; while no words are spoken, these photos are central to the blackmail plot that unfolds. The narrative is not told in the most conventional way, as some events are only a figment of Lena’s imagination. Although Exposed’s moment of truth lacks resolution, it is in line with Lena’s inability to make decisive decisions. That said, the narrative offers a few interesting twists; unfortunately, there are a few lulls that disrupt momentum.

Even at this early stage of her career, Christina Lindberg's (Thriller: A Cruel Picture) physical presence is remarkable; she’s able to convey so much by saying few words. Despite being typecast in roles like Lena, an innocent, naive character corrupted by perversions, she would still bring an enthusiasm to every performance. When discussing the performances, one must not overlook Heinz Hopf’s portrayal of Lena’s lover turned blackmailer.

Although Exposed effectively blends its psychological aspects with melodrama, its inability to decide if it wants to be an exploitation or arthouse film ultimately hurts it. There are only two scenes that stand out when it comes to the more exploitative moments: the opening photographic sequences and a bondage scene where Lena puts an end to her blackmailer once and for all. Ultimately, despite its more exploitative moments, Exposed is not as perverse of a film as its advertising or trailer suggests.

Klubb Super 8 gives Exposed its best home media release to date. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Two Boxes: Televised Terror in Franco's Spain: Limited Edition – Transmission Video Distribution (Blu-ray)

Release Dates: Spain, 1972 (La cabina), Spain, 1974 (El televisor)
Directors: Antonio Mercero (La cabina), Narciso Ibáñez Serrador (El televisor)
Cast: José Luis López Vázquez, Agustín González, Goyo Lebrero, Tito García (La cabina), Narciso Ibáñez Menta, María Fernanda D'Ocón, Kiti Mánver, José Miguel Aguado, Rafael Navarro, Sergio Doré, Estanis González (El televisor)

Release Date: August 3rd, 2026
Approximate Running Times: 35 Minutes 54 Seconds (La cabina), 67 Minutes 57 Seconds (El televisor)
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 12 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Spanish (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK)

"Spain in the early 1970s was a country in transition, with increasing economic prosperity and the expectations of a growing middle class in direct conflict with the dying Francoist regime, where state surveillance, media censorship, and social control were still the norm. Inspired by mystery-horror anthology series such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Twilight Zone, this unique period in history is depicted with terrifying clarity and dark humor in these two infamous television films: La cabina and El televisor. 

In Antonio Mercero’s La cabina, a group of officials install a telephone box outside a block of flats. After a man enters to make a phone call, he finds himself unable to leave, attracting the attention of fascinated locals as he grows increasingly desperate to escape. A sensation upon release, La cabina also developed a huge cult following in the UK after regularly screening on late-night TV.

In Narcisco Ibáñez Serrandor’s El televisor, a man living a dreary suburban life has a simple dream: to possess his own television. When he finally gets his wish, the dream soon becomes a dangerous, all-consuming obsession. Originally a special episode of Serrandor’s hugely popular series Tales to Keep You Awake, El televisor’s escalating dread and shocking conclusion still retains its power to shock over 50 years later." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (La cabina), 3.75/5 (El televisor)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "La cabina was supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital file by Televisión Española.

El televisor was supplied to Radiance Films as a high-definition digital file by Televisión Española. Additional clean-up was performed by Radiance Films."

La cabina and El televisor come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.1 GB

Feature: 9.6 GB (La cabina), 18.3 GB (El televisor)

La cabina is in better shape than El televisor, which exhibits more noticeable source-related debris. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4/5 (La cabina - LPCM Mono Spanish, El televisor - LPCM Mono Spanish)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Spanish with removable English subtitles. Both tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with Spanish film expert Antonio Lazaro-Reboll on horror in Francoist Spain (37 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with co-screenwriter of La cabina Jose Luis Garci (18 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an archival La cabina location featurette with Antonio Mercero Santos (13 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an archival press conference from 1999 with director Narciso Ibanez Serrandor promoting El televisor (6 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Spanish with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with writers and filmmakers Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton for La cabina, an audio commentary with film critics and horror experts Jonathan Rigby and Kevin Lyons for El televisor, a removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, an O-card slipcover (limited to 5,000 copies), a 36-page booklet (limited to 5,000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Two Boxes: Televised Terror in Franco's Spain written by Alex Mendibil, an essay titled Fear of the Box: The Late Night Legend of La cabina on British TV written by Paul Martinovic, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

La cabina: A man goes inside a recently installed telephone box; when he tries to make a call, the phone does not work. When he tries to leave the telephone box, it has become sealed and impenetrable. From there, a crowd gathers and quickly grows in size, and any attempt to free is unsuccessful.

For a film that only clocks in at 36 minutes, La cabina conveys so much in regard to social commentary and subtext. Themes explored bureaucratic inefficiency, psychological distancing, and isolation. La cabina is a film overflowing with psychological horror, which is mostly conveyed through the use of black humor. That said, what is happening to the protagonist is no laughing matter.

While there are several people who try to help the protagonist and an abundance of spectators enjoying his plight, there is really only one actor who stands out: José Luis López Vázquez in the role of the protagonist. He delivers a remarkable performance that perfectly conveys his character's fright and hopelessness. Confined in a small space, so much of his performance relies on his body language.

The most striking aspect of La Cabina is the visuals and how they constantly come up with interesting compositions despite its confined space. Another area where the visuals excel is their ability to create and sustain a forbidding mood. The narrative masterfully builds tension, culminating in the revelation of the protagonist's fate. Its finale is an exclamation mark on the dangers of institutional inefficiency with the cycle of events starting over. Ultimately, La cabina is a surrealist nightmare that explores universal themes that are all too real.

El televisor: Narciso Ibáñez Serrador directed El televisor. He’s most known for The House That Screamed, Who Can Kill a Child, and Twilight Zone-like television series Historias para no dormir.

A man who has spent his life doing what is right, always going to work, and providing for his family finally has enough money to buy the television he’s longed for. What starts off as a moment of escapism turns into a waking nightmare when he’s unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy.  

El Televisor is best described as a psychological melodrama with horror and fantasy elements. A common trend in early 1970s Spanish cinema is to use horror elements to convey social commentary, because any other genre would have censored said content. The most notable themes explored in El Televisor are consumerism and media consumption. While the themes being explored veer into dark territories, they are laced with a subversive humor.

All around, the cast are outstanding in their roles, especially Narciso Ibáñez Menta (the director’s father) in the role of the protagonist, a bank employee named Enrique. He delivers an utterly convincing performance of a man who loses sight of what is really important and gets overwhelmed by his obsession. María Fernanda D'Ocón gives an equally compelling performance in the role of Susana, Enrique’s wife.

The visuals, while not overly stylish, mostly let the performances be the focal point. The narrative does an excellent job drawing you in, and from there it effectively builds upon a series of tense moments that culminate with a carnage-filled finale. Another strength of El Televisor is how well it taps into elements that are universal and highlight their sinister undertones. Ultimately, El Televisor is an extraordinary film that’s overflowing with imagination and foreboding atmosphere.

The best part of cinema is venturing outside of your comfort zone and discovering something unexpected. While I am familiar with 1970s Spanish cinema, La cabina and El televisor were two genuine surprises. That said, Transmission Video Distribution’s Two Boxes: Televised Terror in Franco's Spain is a must-have purchase for fans of 1970s Spanish cinema, and I regard it as one of 2026’s best home media releases. Highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer