Alien 2: On Earth - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1980
Directors: Ciro Ippolito, Biagio Proietti
Writer: Ciro Ippolito
Cast: Belinda Mayne, Mark Bodin, Roberto Barrese, Benedetta Fantoli, Michele Soavi, Valeria Perilli, Danilo Micheli, Claudio Falanga, Donald Hodson, Ciro Ippolito, Peter Shepherd

Release Date: June 10th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 84 minutes 52 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Italian, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"In the sci-fi monster movie Alien Terror (aka Alien 2: On Earth) a spaceship lands back on Earth after a failed mission. There’s only one minor problem: the astronauts have been replaced by hideous creatures that can penetrate people’s bodies and make them explode! A group of cave explorers are attacked by the monsters inside an underground cave, but the survivors are in for a surprise when they finally manage to escape the trap..." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Alien 2: On Earth comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 30.6 GB

Feature: 26.9 GB

Though no information is provided about the source, it looks similar to Midnight Legacy’s 2011 Blu-ray release. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction. That said, there is stock footage that has print debris and scratches.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Stereo Italian), 3.75/5 (DTS-HD Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options: a DTS-HD stereo mix in Italian and a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score are well represented. That said, the Italian language track sounds fuller 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 interview with filmmaker Eli Roth titled Franchised Terrorist (11 minutes 36 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians and hosts of Wild, Wild Podcast Adrian Smith and Rod Barnett.

Summary:

When a NASA space capsule returns an alien entity to Earth, chaos ensues!

So what is Alien 2 on Earth? Is it some long-forgotten sequel to the Alien franchise? Alien 2 on Earth is one of many films that emerged from Italian cinema in the 1970s and 1980s. These films were loosely based on successful American movies. That said, these Italian rip-offs were sequels in name only.

The narrative follows a group of friends on a cave diving expedition. During their adventure, one of them discovers a strange-looking rock. This rock somehow transforms into an alien entity that stalks them and ultimately devours them. The narrative is quite routine, and there are no significant surprises. After the initial setup, it's painfully obvious where things are headed. Even the film's big reveal at the end comes off as anticlimactic.

The acting is one-dimensional, devoid of expression. The only performance of note is that of future filmmaker Michele Soavi (Cemetery Man) in the role of Burt, one of the cave explorers. That said, even if they had a stronger cast, it would not have saved this film.

From a production standpoint, Alien 2 on Earth suffers from a myriad of problems. The narrative is lethargically paced, the direction is uninspired, and there is only a minimal amount of carnage, most of which happens in the last 30 minutes. Alien 2 on Earth saves its most memorable moments for its finale, a sequence that takes place in a bowling alley. One of the few bright spots is Guido De Angelis and Maurizio De Angelis’ (Torso) score under the pseudonym Oliver Onions.

Alien 2 on Earth is an awful film, and yet there is something oddly compelling about this celluloid abomination. If you enjoy Shockley Spaghetti nightmares, then you should dive in headfirst. However, everyone else should steer clear if they want to avoid having their brains melted.

Alien 2: On Earth gets a first-rate release from Raro Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Planet of the Vampires: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Spain, 1965
Director: Mario Bava
Writers: Mario Bava, Alberto Bevilacqua, Callisto Cosulich, Antonio Román, Rafael J. Salvia
Writers English Language Version: Louis M. Heyward, Ib Melchior
Cast: Barry Sullivan, Norma Bengell, Ángel Aranda, Evi Marandi, Stelio Candelli

Release Date: May 27th, 2024
Approximate running times: 89 Minutes 28 Seconds (Italian Version), 87 Minutes 32 Seconds (English Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian (Italian Version), LPCM Mono English (English Version)
Subtitles: English (Italian Version), English SDH (English Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK)

"In the outer reaches of deep space, the spaceship Galliott answers a distress signal from Aura, an unexplored planet. As the ship attempts to land, members of the crew inexplicably begin to attack one another. This is the start of a terrifying expedition into the unknown, one plagued by paranoia, possession and violent mayhem wrought upon the unsuspecting explorers by the planet’s mysterious inhabitants." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (Both Versions)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Planet of the Vampires was scanned in 4K resolution at Fotocinema in Rome in collaboration with CSC Cineteca Nazionale, Titanus and RAICOM. The film was restored in 2K resolution and supplied to Radiance Films as a 2K digital file. The restoration was supervised by Lamberto Bava and supported by Nicolas Winding Refn."

Planet of the Vampires comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.1 GB

Feature: 25.5 GB

This release uses seamless branching for the two versions. The source is in excellent shape; this is easily the best The Planet of the Vampires has ever looked on Blu-ray. This is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion that looks phenomenal. Colors look vivid, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono Italian), 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono English - Gino Marinuzzi Jr.’s Original Score), 4/5 (LPCM Mono English - Kendall Schmidt's Alternate Score)

The Italian version comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. This audio track sounds excellent; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

The English version comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. For this version, there is an option to watch with Gino Marinuzzi Jr.’s original score or a Kendall Schmidt alternate score created for the English language version. Both of these audio options sound clear, balanced, and robust when they should. That said, there is a faint background hiss on the audio track with Kendall Schmidt’s alternate score.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (48 images - stills/home video art/posters/other promotional materials), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Trailers from Hell with filmmaker Josh Olsen (2 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Trailers from Hell with filmmaker Joe Dante (3 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a reconstruction of the German cut-down Super 8 version; Italian version (17 minutes 10 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono Italian with removable English subtitles) and English version (17 minutes 10 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Lamberto Bava (13 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a critical appraisal of Mario Bava and Planet of the Vampires titled Transmissions from a Haunted World (41 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark, reversible cover art, a collection of six exclusive postcards featuring promotional material, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, a 20-page booklet featuring a new translation of Renato Pestriniero’s original short story and an 80-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Gazing Into the Abyss of Deep Space and the Realms of Horror written by Jerome Reuter, an essay titled A World of Endless Night: The Artistry of Planet of the Vampires written by Martyn Conterio, an essay titled The Birth of Alien: Visiting Planet of the Vampires written by Barry Forshaw, an essay titled Planet of the Vampires: Utopian Possibilities written by George Daniel Lea, an essay titled Terror from Space: Lovecraft and Cosmic Horror in Planet of the Vampires written by Kyle Anderson, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

When it comes to Italian cinema, science fiction is the one genre that far too often misses the mark, or when it does work, as in the case of films like Contamination, Beast in Space, or Alien 2: On Earth, it is for all the wrong reasons. This brings us to Mario Bava’s Planet of the Vampires, one of the few times that he would ever venture into the science fiction genre. With his only other foray into this genre being the film The Day the Sky Exploded, he was the cinematographer on that film. First and foremost, what distinguishes Planet of the Vampires from the majority of Italian science-fiction films is Mario Bava's incorporation of film elements typically associated with the horror genre.

The narrative is well constructed, allowing each new revelation an ample amount of time to fully resonate before moving to the moment of terror. And though the characters are not much more than mere props in the grander scheme of things, this ultimately proves not to be a problem since this film's greatest strength is its atmospheric visuals. Some of the most striking moments are the scenes where the first corpses rise from their tombs and the one where the Captain and crew members are trapped on what appears to be an alien spaceship.

As mentioned before, the performances are one of Planet of the Vampires' strongest assets, and they are best described as adequate. Notable cast members include Stelio Candelli (Nude for Satan), Norma Bengell (Hellbenders), Ivan Rassimov (The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, Spirits of Death) and Barry Sullivan (Violent Naples) in the role of Captain Mark Markary. Overall, Planet of the Vampires is one of those rare examples where a film exceeds the sum of its parts, and there is no denying this film’s influence on the science fiction genre. Its influence can be traced to films like Alien.

Planet of the Vampires gets an exceptional release from Radiance Films; the film has never looked or sounded better, and it comes with a wealth of insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Starcrash: Special Edition – Shout! Factory (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1979
Director: Luigi Cozzi
Writers: Luigi Cozzi, Nat Wachsberger, R.A. Dillon
Cast: Marjoe Gortner, Caroline Munro, Christopher Plummer, David Hasselhoff, Joe Spinell

Release Date: September 14th, 2010
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 38 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: PG
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $26.97

"Prepare yourself for a vintage science fiction adventure film you will never forget, as the sultry Stella Star (Caroline Munro) and her alien sidekick Akton (Marjoe Gortner) team up with robot lawman Elle (Judd Hamilton) on a high adventure to save the universe. It's a cosmic mash-up of daring escapes, wild special effects, beautiful women in sexy space bikinis and nonstop action on a dozen alien worlds. Roger Corman presents the ultimate European space opera, a colorful and dazzling chase through the galaxy that will blast you through the blackness of a hundred million nights!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "NEW Anamorphic Widescreen Transfer."

Starcrash comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.2 GB

Feature: 13.6 GB

Colors look very good, black levels are strong, and details generally look crisp. That said, the special effects shots do not look as sharp as the majority of this transfer does. This transfer looked good 14 years ago; unfortunately, by today's standards, it looks dated, and it would greatly benefit from a fresh new scan.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 English, DTS-HD Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English and a DTS-HD Stereo mix in English. You can’t go wrong with either of these audio tracks; both sound clean, clear, and balanced. Range-wise, both tracks sound very good, especially when it comes to the score and special effects.

Extras:

Extras on the Blu-ray include 2 radio spots (1 minute 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a TV spot (32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), French theatrical trailer (2 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French, no subtitles), U.S. theatrical trailer (2 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles),  U.S. theatrical trailer with audio commentary by filmmaker Joe Dante who edited the trailer (2 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Trailers from Hell with Eli Roth (2 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), photo galleries: design (11 images), storyboards (10 images), behind-the-scenes (69 images), promotional artwork (57 images) and fan artwork (12 images), an interview with director Luigi Cozzi (41 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio interview with composer Mars of Deadhouse music tilted The Music of John Barry (12 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a scene by scene production trivia, anecdotes and critical analysis track, and an audio commentary with author and Star Crash expert Stephen Romano.

Extras on a DVD include a career spanning interview with actress Caroline Munro (72 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Making of the Special Effects by Armando Valcauda (23 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with text in English, no subtitles), Behind-The-Scenes footage with audio commentary by Stephen Romano (19 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), 17 deleted and alternate scene with text information about these scenes (36 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and the original screenplay illustrated with story-board and concept art (DVD-Rom Content).

Other extras include reversible cover art and a 12-page booklet  with an essay titled All the Stars in the Universe written by Stephen Romano.

Summary:

The Emperor hires Stella Star and her sidekick Akton to find his missing son, Simon. Their search leads them to Count Zarth Arn, who has created a secret weapon that he plans to use in his takeover of the galaxy. Stella Star and Akton quickly need to find out where Count Zarth Arn is hiding this weapon of mass destruction and stop him before he can use it.

Directed by Luigi Cozzi, who is also responsible for such sci-fi classics as Contamination and the revival of the Hercules character, this is a pair of movies starring Lou Ferrigno. Luigi Cozzi is obviously a man who loves the sci-fi genre, and his enthusiasm for this genre is evident in every one of his films that he has directed in this genre. Despite his love of the sci-fi genre, his films often tend to suffer from insufficient financing, and nowhere is this more evident than in the special effects.

Starcrash, like many Italian films made during the 1970s and even more so in the 1980s, are carbon copy clones of successful Hollywood blockbusters. With little or no budget, filmmakers rushed to produce these films, aiming to capitalize on the success of another movie. Starcrash has Star Wars written all over it, with many of its characters and parts of its plot being an almost direct lift from the Star Wars film. Despite being yet another Italian cash-in clone film, to Starcrash’s credit, it has elements that would ironically show up in later films in the Star Wars saga. That said, these similarities are most likely a pure coincidence.

Starcrash has an impressive set of actors for a film that is essentially nothing more than a B film. Caroline Munro (The Golden Voyage of Sinbad) is cast in the role of Stella Star, a smuggler who travels through the galaxy with her loyal sidekick Akton. Her character has an absurd amount of costume changes, with many of her outfits showcasing her ample assets. 

Distinguished actor Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music) has a limited role as the Emperor. The role is nothing more than filler, and just about any actor could have played it, but Plummer adds something to it that a lesser actor might not have. Then there is character actor Joe Spinell (Maniac), who portrays the main villain, Count Zarth Arn. He made a career of portraying menacing characters, and in Stracrash, he steals every scene he’s in. David Hasselhoff’s (Knight Rider) character is not introduced until the last 40 minutes, despite being prominently billed.

Too many sci-fi films have bumbling robots that tend to be the butt of every joke. In Starcrash, the robot’s name is L, and to top things off, he has the most hideous southern accent you have ever heard. Ultimately, Starcrash may not be the most technically advanced sci-fi epic to ever grace the silver screen, but in the end, it is one hell of an adventure that offers plenty of laughs and nonstop action.

Starcrash comes with a ridiculous amount of extras that cover every aspect of this film, and unfortunately, the transfer leaves plenty of room for improvement.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Contamination – Arrow Video (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1980
Director: Luigi Cozzi
Writers: Luigi Cozzi, Erich Tomek
Cast: Ian McCulloch, Louise Marleau, Marino Masé, Siegfried Rauch, Gisela Hahn, Carlo De Mejo, Carlo Monni

Release Date: July 6th, 2015 (UK), July 7th, 2015 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 20 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"A cargo ship drifts up the Hudson River. Its crew: all dead, their bodies horribly mutilated, turned inside out by an unknown force. Its freight: boxes upon boxes of glowing, pulsating green eggs. It soon becomes clear that these eggs are not of this planet, and someone intends to cultivate them here on Earth. But who? And to what end?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Contamination has been exclusively restored in 2K resolution for this release by Arrow Films. The original camera negative was scanned in 2K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan at Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. The film was graded on the Baselight grading system at Deluxe Restoration, London.

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

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

Disc Size: 44.7 GB

Feature: 27.9 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look. Also, when compared to Blue Underground’s DVD release, this new transfer is a marked improvement in every way, especially in regards to image clarity, contrast, and black levels.

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Mono Italian), 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, an LPCM mono mix in Italian and an LPCM mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the English-language track sounds more robust than the Italian-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 a graphic novel based on the original screenplay, a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 14 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), an interview with Goblin keyboardist Maurizio Guarini titled Sound of the Cyclops (11 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled Imitation Is The Sincerest Form of Flattery: a Critical Analysis of the Italian Cash-in (17 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a career spanning interview with director Luigi Cozzi titled Luigi Cozzi vs. Lewis Coates (42 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Luigi Cozzi titled Luigi Cozzi on Contamination (22 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a Q&A from 2014 with Luigi Cozzi and actor Ian McCulloch (41 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Fangoria editor Chris Alexander, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and a twenty four page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay about the film titled 35 years of Contamination written by Chris Alexander 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:

Directed by Luigi Cozzi, whose other notable films include The Killer Must Kill Again, Starcrash, Paganini Horror, The Black Cat, and a pair of Hercules remakes. Before becoming a director, Cozzi also worked on Dario Argento’s The Cat o’ Nine Tails and Four Flies on Grey Velvet.

When alien pods that are prone to explode and release flesh-dissolving fluids are discovered on a ship that has arrived in port with no survivors, red flags are raised. Wanting to know more about the alien pods, the government puts together a team that includes a former astronaut who had seen these pods before while he was on Mars. When they discovered that the alien pods originated from South America, the government sent in their team of experts to exterminate them once and for all.

Content-wise, Contamination is clearly a product of its time, as it borrows liberally from films like Alien and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. And such mimicry of successful Hollywood films has long been a staple of Italian cinema. Unfortunately, by the early 1980s, Hollywood began to produce their own "B" films.

Many elements in Contamination are borrowed from other films, but when it comes to their execution, the film falls short. Notably, there is a scene where someone's chest explodes, and this moment should make you feel uneasy or at least frighten you. Instead, such gut-busting moments are prone to evoking laughter at how absurd they come off due to poor execution.

Needless to say, trying to make sense of what is unfolding onscreen quickly proves to be a futile matter. Also, if one is determined to watch Contamination to its bitter end, then there really is only one plan of action: turn off your mind and embrace the chaos.

When it comes to the performances, they are best described as adequate. The only performance that leaves any lasting impression is Ian McCulloch’s (Zombie) portrayal of an alcoholic former astronaut, Ian Hubbard.

Fortunately, all is not lost. The anemic narrative moves along briskly, and though some things don't gel well, there isn't much time to dwell on them. Another area where the film surprises and can be a lot of fun is its unintentional humor. No scene more epitomizes the side-splitting humor in Contamination than the scene where a woman taking a shower discovers that she is locked in the bathroom with one of the alien pods. Ultimately, Contamination is an ‘A’ example of shlock cinema.

Arrow Video gives Contamination a definitive release, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Battle of the Worlds – Film Detective (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1961
Director: Antonio Margheriti
Writer: Ennio De Concini
Cast: Claude Rains, Bill Carter, Umberto Orsini, Maya Brent, Jacqueline Derval, Renzo Palmer, Carlo D'Angelo, John Stacy, Giuliano Gemma

Release Date: August 9th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 81 Minutes 36 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Scientists are puzzled as it begins orbiting the Earth before intentions are made clear with an unleashed fleet of lethal flying saucers!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Presented from a 4k Scan from Original 35mm Archival Print."

Battle of the Worlds comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.7 GB

Feature: 19.7 GB

The source used for this transfer looks very good; any source damage that remains is minor. The image generally looks crisp; though colors tend to look good, they do fluctuate, and black levels are adequate. Also, any compression-related issues are minor, and though grain is present, it does not look consistent throughout.

Audio: 3.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English. The audio is in good shape; any source imperfections are minor. Though dialog comes through clearly, range-wise, things sound flat. Included are removable English SDH subtitles and removable Spanish subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by author Tim Lucas titled A Cinematic Outsider: The Fantastical Worlds of Antonio Margheriti (30 minutes 38 seconds, DTS-HD mono Stereo English with removable English subtitles and removable Spanish subtitles), an audio commentary with author and film historian Justin Humphreys with removable English subtitles and removable Spanish subtitles, and a 12-page booklet with an essay titled Margheriti’s World written by Don Stradley.

Summary:

Directed by Antonio Margheriti, whose notable films are The Virgin of Nuremberg, Castle of Blood, The Long Hair of Death, Web of the Spider, and Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes. Before Antonio Margheriti made a name for himself in the gothic horror genre, he was the premier Italian filmmaker working in the sci-fi genre, directing Assignment: Outer Space, Battle of the Worlds, and the Gamma One Quadrilogy (The Wild, Wild Planet, The War of the Planets, War Between the Planets, and Snow Devils).

When released in Italy, Battle of the Worlds was about fifteen minutes longer than the US theatrical release. That said, this release from Film Detective actually clocks in about two minutes shorter than Alpha Video’s 2004 DVD release.

The narrative revolves around a group of scientists given the task of destroying a runaway asteroid that is orbiting the Earth.

Over the last twenty years, just about every genre or subgenre of Italian cinema has been given the spotlight because of the DVD and Blu-ray formats, except Peplum and SciFi. Fortunately, in more recent years, in the case of the latter, it has been gaining some traction.

1950s/1960s sci-fi cinema that was made before 2001: A Space Odyssey looks primitive, and most of the narratives are far-fetched even by sci-fi cinema standards. Surprisingly, a film like Battle of the Worlds based solely on a story actually holds up really well, and many elements in it foreshadow what was to come in space travel.

Though Italian genre cinema has had a long history of hiring a name actor from Hollywood or Europe that would give their films a wider appeal outside of Italy, in most cases, when they hired someone from Hollywood, it would be someone past their prime. Case in point Claude Rains (The Invisible Man - 1933) plays the role of Professor Benson, an eccentric scientist who is in charge of the group investigating the orbiting asteroid. He delivers a maniacal performance that perfectly captures his character's determination to solve problems. That said, outside of Claude Rains, the rest of the cast is merely serviceable.

Though Battle of the Worlds does a good job maximizing its limited resources, that is not to say that it does not have its shortcomings. a narrative that has pacing issues. The first fifty minutes are just the scientists interacting and trying to figure out why the asteroid is orbiting Earth. Aliens don't make an appearance until the last thirty minutes, and when the aliens do appear, they are only flying saucers. The most surprising aspect of The Battle of the Worlds is its production design, especially the aliens' lair inside the asteroid. Ultimately, Battle of the Worlds positives outweigh its negatives. If you're a fan of 1950s and 1960s sci-fi, you are sure to enjoy Battle of the Worlds.

Battle of the Worlds gets a strong release from Film Detective that comes with a good audio/video presentation and a trio of informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1966
Director: Pietro Francisci
Writers: Ian Danby, Pietro Francisci, Fernando Paolo Girolami
Cast: Leonora Ruffo, Mario Novelli, Roland Lesaffre, Kirk Morris, Alfio Caltabiano, Leontine Snell, Nando Angelini, Giovanni De Angelis, Mirella Pamphili, Gianni Solaro, Antonio Ho, John Chen, Gordon Mitchell, Pietro Francisci, Renato Montalbano

Release Date: July 4th, 2023
Approximate running times: 91 minutes 6 Seconds (Italian Theatrical Version), 86 minutes 24 Seconds (Alternate English Language Version)
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (Italian Theatrical Version), DTS-HD Mono English (Alternate English Language Version)
Subtitles: English (Italian Theatrical Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Aliens from the constellation Hydra crash-land on the island of Sardinia. A prominent scientist, his daughter, several young technicians, and a pair of spies are taken hostage by the beings so they can use them to repair their spaceship’s broken engine. With that done, they take off towards their home planet, taking the Earthlings with them. However, the humans attempt to mutiny against their captors, inadvertently sending their tiny spaceship hurtling into the infinite beyond." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5 (Italian Theatrical Version), 4/5 (Alternate English Language Version)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New 4K Restoration of the film."

Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.7 GB

Feature: 25.3 GB (Italian Theatrical Version), 16.9 GB (Alternate English Language Version)

There are two versions provided, and quality-wise, in most areas, these two versions are comparable. That said, the sources used for these transfers are in excellent shape. Colors and flesh tones look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and there does not appear to be any digital noise reduction.

It should be noted that this release's aspect ratio is 1.37:1, though the original theatrical release was 1.85:1. Looking at the image and how characters and objects are in frame, this appears to be an open matte presentation.

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

The Italian theatrical version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles.

The alternate English-language version comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English.

Quality-wise, these two tracks are comparable. Both of these audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. Also, ambient sounds are well represented, and range-wise, they sound robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an audio commentary with author and film historian David Del Valle for the Italian theatrical version and an alternate English-language version of Star Pilot.

Summary:

Directed by Pietro Francisci, who is most remembered for directing Hercules and Hercules Unchained. Most of the films that he directed were either peplum or fantasy films. With Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) being his only foray into science fiction.

There are two versions of Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra), the original Italian theatrical release in 1966, and eleven years later it would be rereleased in the U.S. in a shorter version whose dub would contain many references to the Star Trek TV series. The U.S. version also omits a scene with the professor's daughter, a model who is shooting a television commercial.

The narrative revolves around a group of humans who discover an alien spaceship that crashed on Earth. And when the aliens learn that the humans know of their existence, they take the humans back to their home planet.

Italian sci-fi cinema is a genre that could never really compete with Hollywood in regards to special effects. And though these films more often than not had strong set designs, it is hard to look past their crude special effects. Also, Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) uses stock special effects footage from another film, Invasion of the Astro-Monster and Gorath.

The performances are best described as serviceable and enthusiastic. With the most memorable performances being the two female leads, Leonora Ruffo (Hercules in the Haunted World) in the role of Kaena, the leader of the aliens, and Leontine Snell in the role of the professor's daughter Lusia. Other notable cast members include Kirk Morris (The Witch's Curse) and Gordon Mitchell (The Giant of Metropolis); both of these actors made a name for themselves starring in Peplum. Also, director Pietro Francisci appears as himself in Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra).

The thing that sets Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) apart from other Italian sci-fi films is its modern setting. Instead of being set in the future, aliens from a more advanced society come to Earth. With the sci-fi elements coming from the aliens and their spaceship.

Star Pilot's (2+5: Missione Hydra) most durable asset is composer Nico Fidenco’s (Emanuelle in America) superlative score. The most memorable moment is a scene where Lusia, now on the spaceship, floats up to the ceiling after unbuckling her seatbelt in zero gravity. Ultimately, though, there are areas where one could easily tear down a film like Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra). It is the type of film that would be ripe for Mystery Science Theater 3000. The result is a film that is actually a lot of fun and, more importantly, never takes itself seriously.

Star Pilot (2+5: Missione Hydra) gets a strong release from Raro Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and an informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer