Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 - 88 Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1991
Director: Joe D'Amato
Writer: Rossella Drudi
Cast: Kristine Rose, Ruth Collins, Frederick Lewis, Maurice Dupré, Kristin Cuadraro, Ale Dugas, Fred Woodruff, James Jackson, Laura Gemser

Release Date: November 24th, 2025 (UK), November 25th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 42 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono English, LPCM Mono Italian
Subtitles: English SDH, English
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD, Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £25.00 (UK), $44.95 (USA)

"In this steamy tale of desire and money, a young woman named Sarah (Kristine Rose) has to act as an executor for the will of her ex-lover Lionel Durrington (James Jackson). To ensure that the heir is honorable and worthy, she must work her way through all of them to decide who the fortune must go to. But as she meets and sleeps with each one, she uncovers dark family secrets." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4.25/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Brand new 4K remaster from the original negatives."

Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 59.4 GB

Feature: 57.7 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, contrast and black levels and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 features an intentional soft-focus aesthetic, resulting in varying levels of image clarity throughout the film.

Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.5 GB

Feature: 26.9 GB

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

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono English), 4/5 (LPCM Mono Italian)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in English and a LPCM mono mix in Italian. There are no issues with distortion or background hiss; dialogue always comes through clearly, and ambient sounds and the score are well represented. Included are removable English SDH for the English-language track and removable English subtitles for the Italian-language track.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include Italian opening and closing titles (3 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles) and an audio commentary with Italian cinema experts Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include Italian opening and closing titles (3 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Music Historian Pierpaolo De Sanctis titled Eros in the Plastic Age (19 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Piero Montanari titled Seven Notes, Eleven Nights (21 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with dubbing director Mark Thompson Ashworth titled Filmirage: From Dawn Till Dusk (40 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti.

Other extras include reversible cover art, a slipcase (limited to the first pressing), and an 8-page booklet with an essay titled Softcore Shenanigans Italian-Style written by Calum Waddell.

Summary:

Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 was directed by Joe D'Amato, a name that is synonymous with Italian sexploitation cinema. He’s most known for his Black Emanuelle, which starred Laura Gemser. Although he mostly worked in softcore and hardcore films, he did direct a few notable horror films: Death Smiles on a Murderer, Beyond the Darkness, and Absurd.

Named by an ex-lover to be an executor of his estate, a woman is given only eleven days to choose who will inherit his fortune.

Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 is a sequel to Eleven Days, Eleven Nights, a film that was clearly a cash-in on 9 ½ Weeks. Both of the Eleven Days, Eleven Nights films revolve around a protagonist named Sarah Asproon, an author who based her books on her sexual experiences and those of those she interviews. In Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2, a family of deviants surrounds her and does their best to seduce her and claim the family fortune. What unfolds is a series of salacious moments that uncover the family's darkest and most perverse secrets.

Although Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 carries over the protagonist from its predecessor, this time around a different actress portrays the role. Kristine Rose (Demonic Toys) is cast in the role of Sarah Asproon, and while she may be lacking during exposition moments, she always delivers when it comes to erotica. Most of the cast is made up of first-timers who have no other credits, except Ruth Collins (Witch Academy) and Laura Gemser, a frequent collaborator of Joe D'Amato.

Although Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 includes all the essential elements typical of softcore erotica, its minimalistic narrative challenges viewers to stay engaged throughout its 92-minute runtime. Additionally, the story features a clever plot twist that adds depth to the unfolding events. Regardless of the genre or budget constraints, one consistent aspect of Joe D'Amato's films is their beautiful cinematography. Ultimately, despite its shortcomings, Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 works better than it should because of Joe D'Amato’s craftsmanship.

88 Films gives Eleven Days, Eleven Nights 2 an excellent release that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and informative extras. Recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Absurd (Rosso Sangue) – Severin Films (Blu-ray/CD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1981
Director: Joe D’Amato
Writer: George Eastman
Cast: George Eastman, Annie Belle, Charles Borromel, Katya Berger, Kasimir Berger, Hanja Kochansky, Ian Danby, Ted Rusoff, Edmund Purdom, Carolyn De Fonseca, Cindy Leadbetter, Lucia Ramirez, Mark Shannon, Michele Soavi, Martin Sorrentino, Goffredo Unger

Release Date: September 25th, 2018
Approximate Running Times: 88 Minutes 33 Seconds (Rosso Sangue), 93 Minutes 55 Seconds (Absurd)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (Rosso Sangue), DTS-HD Mono English (Absurd)
Subtitles: English (Rosso Sangue), English SDH (Absurd)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.98

"Borrowing heavily from Halloween, D’Amato unleashes gut-spewing Greek boogeyman (screenwriter George Eastman) into suburban America for a saga of doomed nurses, butchered babysitters, bio-chemical clergy and some of the most insane splatter scenes in Italian gorehound history." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "a 2k scan from the original negative."

Rosso Sangue and Absurd come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46 GB

Feature: 16.9 GB (Rosso Sangue), 23.3 GB (Absurd)

There are two versions of this film included with this release, and they are both in excellent shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity and black levels are strong, compression is very good, and both transfers retain an organic look.

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

Audio options for Rosso Sangue are a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. Audio options for Absurd are a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. Both audio tracks are in great shape. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with English text), an archival interview with director Aristide Massaccesi titled D’Amato on Video (19 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Michele Soavi titled A Biker (Uncredited) (17 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with co-screenwriter/actor/co-producer Luigi Montefiore aka George Eastman titled The Return of the Grim Reaper (30 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), and a CD with Carlo Maria Cordio’s score. It should be noted that the CD is only available with the first 2500 copies.

Summary:

Directed by Joe D’Amato (Emanuelle in America), a prolific filmmaker who has just under two hundred films that are accredited to him as a director. And besides his extensive filmography as a director, he also worked extensively as a cinematographer, most notable on films like The Antichrist and What Have You Done to Solange?. 

Though Absurd is an indirect sequel of sorts to Anthropophagus, its only connection to Anthropophagus is that they both feature George Eastman (Rabid Dogs) in similar-type roles. Alternate titles for Absurd include Anthropophagous 2, Rosso Sangue (Red Blood), and Horrible.

The narrative revolves around a priest who is in pursuit of a living-dead madman who possesses an unusual ability to heal himself when injured.

The narrative is simple: George Eastman is cast in the role of Nikos Karamanlis, a man with a rare blood disease that allows him to heal his wounds quickly. Nikos escapes from a laboratory in Greece where a priest had taken care of him. Somehow Nikos boards a plane and flies to America, where he then proceeds to raise hell, ripping to shreds anyone who crosses his path. The priest enlists the help of local law enforcement to track down Nikos, who is becoming more demented with each new injury from which he heals himself. In many ways, the Nikos character is like the Frankenstein monster, and the priest is his creator, who is now forced to kill the thing he helped bring to life.

Of course, the best part of Absurd is watching George Eastman go bonkers. All of the kill scenes are entertaining and on par with other kill scenes from similar Italian horror films from this era. Some of the deaths include a drill bit through the temple, a meat-cutting saw to the head, and a woman being forced into a blazing hot oven.

Besides George Eastman, the cast also features two other familiar faces in prominent roles: Edmund Purdom (Pieces) in the role of the priest and Annie Belle (House on the Edge of the Park) in the role of a nurse named Emily. Other notable cast members brief cameos come from Michele Soavi (Cemetery Man) and Mark Shannon, whose appearance in Absurd appears to be taken from another film that he also did with Joe D’Amato. Ultimately, Absurd is a crazy film that sticks to its strengths—blood and guts.

Absurd gets an exceptional release from Severin Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation, two versions of the film, and a wealth of extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Anthropophagous – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1980
Director: Joe D’Amato
Writers: George Eastman, Joe D’Amato
Cast: Tisa Farrow, Saverio Vallone, Serena Grandi, Margaret Mazzantini, Mark Bodin, Bob Larson, Rubina Rey, Simone Baker, Mark Logan, George Eastman, Zora Kerova, Joe D’Amato

Release Date: September 25th, 2018
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.98

"It was seized by UK authorities as a ‘Video Nasty’ and accused of being an actual snuff film. Yet even by ‘80s Italian gore-spewing standards, this grueling shocker from sex & sleaze maestro Joe D’Amato (Beyond the Darkness) still stands as perhaps the most controversial – and extreme – spaghetti splatter epic of them all." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K scan from the original 16mm negative."

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

Disc Size: 43 GB

Feature: 26.3 GB

Though there are some noticeable instances of source-related damage at the beginning of the film, source-related damage for the bulk of this transfer is minimal. The image looks crisp, the colors look very good, and the grain remains intact. Also, there are moments where black levels are not as convincing as they should be. That said, it is hard to imagine Anthropophagous looking much better than this transfer does.

Audio: 4/5 (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. These two tracks are comparable quality-wise; they are both in good shape. Dialog 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. It should be noted that the dialog in the opening sequence is in German, and only the English subtitles for the Italian language track translate this dialog.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with English text), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes, Dolby Digital mono with English text), a theatrical trailer (1 minute 39 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Zora Kerova titled Inside Zora’s Mouth (9 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Bruno Micheli titled Brother and Sister in Editing (12 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with FX artist Pietro Tenoglio titled Cannibal Frenzy (5 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actor Saverio Vallone titled The Man Who Killed the Anthropophagus (13 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), and an interview with screenwriter and actor Luigi Montefiori a.k.a. George Eastman titled Don’t Fear the Man-Eater (13 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles).

Summary:

Directed by Joe D’Amato (Emanuelle in America), a prolific filmmaker who has just under two hundred films that are accredited to him as a director. And besides his extensive filmography as a director, he also worked extensively as a cinematographer, most notable on films like The Antichrist and What Have You Done to Solange?.

The narrative revolves around a psychopath who hungers for human flesh and stalks and kills a group of tourists trapped on an island.

It is a shame that Joe D’Amato (Emanuelle in America) did not direct more horror films. Though he made his debut as a director with the horror film Death Smiles on a Murderer, a film that had all the ingredients that have become synonymous with Italy’s most celebrated horror films, instead of exploring further within the horror genre, he would make an abrupt detour towards soft-core erotica films like the Black Emanuelle film series.

He eventually returned to the horror film genre with Beyond the Darkness. He would create a new kind of horror film that owed more to the erotic films he directed than Death Smiles on a Murderer. And with his next foray into the horror genre, Anthropophagous, he would venture into the by-the-numbers horror template.

Though Anthropophagous opens with gruesome double murder, it is thirty-three minutes before the next violent outburst. The bulk of the first act revolves around the tourists planning their trip, traveling to the island, and hanging out in an abandoned house once they reach the island. Fortunately, things pick up considerably by the last act. The bulk of the carnage occurs during the last act.

Performance-wise, the cast is best described as serviceable. The most memorable performance is by George Eastman (Rabid Dogs) in the role of a flesh-eating psychopath named Nikos Karamanlis. Other notable cast members include Serena Grandi (Miranda), Zora Kerova (Cannibal Ferox), and Tisa Farrow (Zombie).

Despite his films being hampered by anemic budgets, Joe D’Amato was a gifted filmmaker who often overshadowed his limited resources. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to creating memorable set pieces. Standout moments include a scene in the cellar where a cat on a piano foreshadows someone lurking in the shadows with a knife, a flashback sequence that explains how Nikos Karamanlis became Antropophagus, and the scene where Antropophagus rips a fetus from its mother's womb. Ultimately, Anthropophagous is a must-see film if you're a fan of blood-soaked, gut-munching spaghetti nightmares.

Anthropophagous gets a strong release from Severin Films that comes with a good audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Death Smiles on a Murderer – Arrow Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1973
Director: Aristide Massaccesi (Joe D’Amato)
Writers: Claudio Bernabei, Joe D’Amato, Romano Scandariato
Cast: Ewa Aulin, Klaus Kinski, Angela Bo, Sergio Doria, Attilio Dottesio, Marco Mariani, Luciano Rossi, Giacomo Rossi Stuart

Release Date: May 21st, 2018 (UK), May 22nd, 2018 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 88 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Italian, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A,B/Region 1,2 NTSC
Retail Price: £24.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Set in Austria in the early 1900s, Death Smiles on a Murderer stars Ewa Aulin, (Candy, Death Laid an Egg) as Greta, a beautiful young woman abused by her brother Franz (Luciano Rossi, Death Walks in High Heels, The Conformist) and left to die in childbirth by her illicit lover, the aristocrat Dr. von Ravensbrück (Giacomo Rossi Stuart, Kill, Baby... Kill!). Bereft with grief, Franz reanimates his dead sister using a formula engraved on an ancient Incan medallion. Greta then returns as an undead avenging angel, reaping revenge on the Ravensbrück family and her manically possessive brother." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 2K resolution at EuroLab.

The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3store Studios. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, picture instability and other instances of film wear were repaired or removed through a combination of digital restoration tools and techniques."

Death Smiles on a Murderer comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.9 GB

Feature: 24.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors look very good, flesh tones look healthy, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

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. These two tracks, quality-wise, are comparable. Both audio tracks sound clean, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound very good. 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 English language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a Italian language theatrical trailer (2 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an image gallery, a video essay by Kat Ellinger titled Smiling on the Taboo: Sex, Death and Transgression in the horror films of Joe D’ Amato (21 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with director Joe D’Amato titled D’ Amato Smiles on Death (5 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Ewa Aulin titled All About Ewa (42 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with author and film critic Tim Lucas. reversible cover art and a 44-page booklet (limited to first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled The Thousand and One Days of Aristide written by Stephen Thrower, an essay titled The Angel Ends Where the Devil Begins: Shooting Death Smiles on a Murderer written by Roberto Curti, an interview with Romano Scandariato and information about the transfer.

Summary:

Directed by Joe D’Amato (Emanuelle in America), a prolific filmmaker who has just under two hundred films that are accredited to him as a director. Death Smiles on a Murderer is the only time Joe D’Amato uses his real name, Aristide Massaccesi, in a film he directed.

The narrative revolves around a man grieving the death of his sister, who brings her back to life by using the formula engraved on an ancient Incan medallion.

Though there have been Italian gothic horror films in color, most of these films pale in comparison to their black-and-white counterparts. And nowhere is it clearer than when it comes to the visuals. Black-and-white cinematography creates an atmosphere that is rarely rivaled by films shot in color. This brings us to Death Smiles on a Murderer, an Italian gothic horror film that was shot in color and released long after the gothic film genre had reached its apex.

Content-wise, Death Smiles on a Murderer has all the ingredients that have since become synonymous with Italian gothic horror cinema. Most notably, a protagonist comes back from the dead to avenge those who did them wrong, setting the events that unfold in an era from the past. Another element that Italian gothic horror cinema has become known for is the way that this genre uses taboo subjects. A few of the taboo subjects that appear in Death Smiles on a Murderer include abortion and incest.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where Death Smiles on a Murderer does not deliver in spades. The diabolical premise is superbly realized, and there are an ample number of grotesque set pieces. And visually, Death Smiles on a Murderer achieves an atmosphere that is sorely lacking in other Italian Gothic horror films that were shot in color.

Performance-wise, the cast is all very good, especially Ewa Aulin (Death Laid an Egg) in the role of Greta von Holstein, the woman whose brother resurrects her from the dead. Another performance of note is Luciano Rossi (Death Walks at Midnight) in the role of Greta’s brother Franz. Throughout his career, he often portrayed secondary characters’ that often stood out, and with this film, he is given a rare opportunity to portray a character that showcases his range as an actor. Other notable cast members include Giacomo Rossi Stuart (Kill, Baby, Kill!), who portrays the doctor who performs the abortion that killed Greta, and Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre), who does what he does best, portraying a maniacal character. Ultimately, Death Smiles on a Murderer is one of the best examples of Italian gothic horror cinema, and it is arguably Joe D’Amato’s most underrated film.

Death Smiles on a Murderer gets an exceptional release from Arrow Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer