Waves of Lust - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1975
Director: Ruggero Deodato
Writers: Franco Bottari, Fabio Pittorru, Gianlorenzo Battaglia, Lamberto Bava
Cast: Al Cliver, Silvia Dionisio, John Steiner, Elizabeth Turner

Release Date: June 16th, 2026
Approximate Running Time: 88 minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Two carefree youngsters, Irem and Barbara (Al Cliver and Silvia Dionisio), are invited for a weekend cruise on a yacht owned by Giorgio (John Steiner, Caligula), a ruthless and cynical industrialist. He is married to Silvia (Elizabeth Turner), a disturbed woman who allows herself to be physically and mentally terrorized by him. But then she falls into a ménage à trois with Irem and Barbara, who all conspire against Giorgio, whose misogyny and paranoia push him over the edge into madness." — synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Presented in a 4K restoration."

Waves of Lust comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27.7 GB

Feature: 25.1 GB

The source looks excellent; the flesh tones and colors look correct; the image clarity and black levels are strong; there are no issues with compression, and the grain remains intact.

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian with removable English subtitles. Dialogue comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release are 4 deleted scenes from the more explicit English-language version (4 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with non-removable English subtitles), TV commercials directed by Ruggero Deodato who provides audio commentary (20 minutes 19 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an archival documentary titled Erotic Tsunami, featuring comments by Ruggero Deodato, screenwriter Lamberto Bava, and actor Al Cliver (17 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film critics and hosts of Wild, Wild Podcast Adrian Smith and Rod Barnett.

Summary:

Ruggero Deodato directed Waves of Lust. He is also known for directing Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, House on the Edge of the Park, and Cannibal Holocaust. He started his career as a second unit director, working with Sergio Corbucci and Antonio Margheriti before becoming a director.

A rich philanderer, who is into sadomasochism, invites a young couple to join him on a cruise on his luxurious yacht. What should have been a pleasurable trip out at sea quickly turns deadly when someone’s temper leads to one of the passengers' deaths.

In its opening setup, Waves of Lust establishes itself as an erotic melodrama where the bulk of the narrative is spent with all the main players behaving decadently. It is not until the final act when Waves of Lust veers into the realm of the thriller. Unfortunately, it is too little too late by then, and an underwhelming twist ending only adds further insult to injury.

Instead of revolving around a black-gloved killer, Waves of Lust is a film that relies more on atmosphere than carnage. While Waves of Lust is devoid of the tropes that one associates with the giallo, it is a film that is very effective at creating tension. That said, Waves of Lust shares many elements with Knife in the Water and Dead Calm, other claustrophobic dramas that take place on a boat.

Besides a child on the beach, there are only four characters. When it comes to the performances, the cast are all very good in their roles. The standout performance is John Steiner (Shock) in the role of Giorgio, a wealthy industrialist who always gets what he wants. Silvia Dionisio (Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man) and Elizabeth Turner (Beyond the Door), whose characters often wear little or no clothing, provide plenty of eye candy. The weakest performance is Al Cliver (Zombie), who delivers his usual wooden performance.

Although the narrative offers few surprises and pacing tends to lag, the visuals are an area where Waves of Lust often excels. The most memorable moment is a scene where an eel is mutilated. While nowhere near as brutal as the animal carnage in Cannibal Holocaust, it is still a moment that will make most feel uneasy. Composer Marcello Giombini (Terror Express) delivers a solid score that reinforces the mood. Ultimately, Waves of Lust’s positives outweigh its negatives, making it a film that fans of 1970s Italian sleaze should enjoy.

Waves of Lust gets a first-rate release from Raro Video that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a trio of informative extras.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Profane Exhibit – Unearthed Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada/Italy/Germany/Spain, 2013
Directors: Jeremy Kasten, Uwe Boll, Ruggero Deodato, Anthony DiBlasi, Marian Dora, Ryan Nicholson, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Michael Todd Schneider, Sergio Stivaletti, Nacho Vigalondo
Cast: Christine Ahanotu, Stephanie Bertoni, Jennifer Bliman, Tara Cardinal, Thomas Goersch, Mel Heflin, Clint Howard, Tina Krause, Monique Parent, Eihi Shiina, Josh Wasylink, Caroline Williams

Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 109 Minutes 52 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English/Japanese/German/Spanish
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"Ladies and gentlemen! My fellow creatures of the night! You are invited to join us on a perilous journey into the land of the damned. Please ensure to keep your limbs safely inside the speeding vehicle at all times, for what you are about to witness is a dangerous miracle of the macabre. Ten renowned horror movie directors from all over the world have recreated their most gruesome dreams and frenzied nightmares for your viewing displeasure. Your ticket entitles you to enjoy a surfeit of screams, palpitations, and gut-wrenching violence - the like of which has never before been seen by man or beast. Watch your step, don't look behind you, and try to keep your eyes open because you are about to witness...'The Profane Exhibit.'" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

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

Disc Size: 41.4 GB

Feature: 30 GB

The source looks excellent; colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English, Japanese, German, and Spanish. The audio sounds clear, balanced, and robust when it should. Included are removable English subtitles for the whole film, removable English subtitles for all languages not English, and removable Spanish subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include image galleries with music from the film playing in the background, a trailer (1 minute 51 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with editor/director Jeremy Kasten (20 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Michael Todd Schneider (13 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with director Uwe Boll (12 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with screenwriter/producer Amanda Manuel (10 minutes 52 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Awakened Manna is a featurette about this segment and The Profane Exhibit (23 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles), a featurette titled Sergio Stivaletti's Tophet Quorum (14 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles),  a featurette titled 'Ten Years Later' by Marian Dora (14 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English and German with non-removable English subtitles for German), World Premiere interview with Michael Todd Schneider and Amanda Manuel (13 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), World Premiere Q & A with Michael Todd Schneider and Amanda Manuel (34 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with  Michael Todd Schneider, Amanda Manuel and Ultra Violent Magazine's Art Ettinger, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

The Profane Exhibit is an anthology horror that contains ten segments by ten filmmakers. Though many of these segments have connected to others thematically, it is their in-your-face depiction of violence that binds them. That said, these segments are filled with gore, sex, and depravity.

Mother May I: A demon-possessed nun abuses young girls.

The Hell Chef: A woman uses her culinary skills to help another woman make a meal out of her boyfriend.

Basement: An incestious father keeps his daughter in the basement to shield her from the dangers of the outside world.

Bridge: Two children threaten anyone who dares to cross a bridge.

Tophet Quorom: A woman distressed after losing a child at birth discovers a sinister secret lurking in her family's cellar.

Goodwife: A faithful wife’s reaction to discovering her husband is a serial killer revolts him.

Mors in Tabula: A skilled surgeon tries to save a gravely ill young boy.

Sins of the Father: An elderly father has the tables turned on by his son, who recreates the room where his father abused him years before.

Manna: After fulfilling their carnal desires, the members of a BDSM club eat their victims.

Amouche Bouche: A man’s death is told in reverse.

The strongest segments are The Hell Chef and Tophet Quorom, while the weakest are Bridge and Amouche Bouche. In the case of these latter two, they are dialog-free, and there is very little in the way of an actual story. The Hell Chef is by far and away the most fun; its premise is absurd, and its carnage is cartoonish. Tophet Quorom has the strongest narrative, and its gore special effects elevate it beyond the other segments.

The main draw for most viewers will be The Profane Exhibit’s extreme moments of carnage. Unfortunately, many of these segments are very short, and they lack resolution. Over a decade ago, I became aware of The Profane Exhibit's existence. Since then, it has been greatly hyped as a must-see for extreme horror cinema fans. That said, considering the reputation of the directors involved, the result is a massive letdown.

The Profane Exhibit gets an exceptional release from Unearthed Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Off Balance (Phantom of Death) – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1987
Director: Ruggero Deodato
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Vincenzo Mannino, Gigliola Battaglini
Cast: Michael York, Edwige Fenech, Donald Pleasence, Mapi Galán, Fabio Sartor, Caterina Boratto, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Gianni Franco, Marino Masé

Release Date: July 9th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 57 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo Italian, DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"When a mysterious disease befalls young, virtuosic pianist Robert Dominici (Michael York — Austin Powers), he begins a violent, murderous rampage taunting authorities with his whereabouts. As Robert’s brain and body rapidly decay, Inspector Datti (Donald Pleasence — Halloween, American Rickshaw) must race to find him before he kills again!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration from the negative."

Off Balance (Phantom of Death) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.3 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB

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

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Stereo Italian, 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 are in great shape; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track, English SDH subtitles for the English language track, and English subtitles when watching the English language track for newspaper text in Italian. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a reversible cover art, English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Italian language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian, no subtitles), an interview with director Ruggero Deodato titled An Uncommon Director (32 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historians Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth.

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a CD with Pino Donaggio's score and a slipcase.

Summary:

Ruggero Deodato directed Off Balance (Phantom of Death). He is also known for directing Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, House on the Edge of the Park, and Cannibal Holocaust. He started his career as a second unit director, working with Sergio Corbucci and Antonio Margheriti before becoming a director. When the Italian film industry's resources dried up in the 1980s, Ruggero Deodato, like many of his contemporaries, took on films with anemic budgets instead. That said, none of his post-Cannibal Holocaust works achieved the level of quality or success, though some of them have moments that are undeniably Ruggero Deodato.

The narrative revolves around a renowned pianist who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that rapidly ages him. Driven by homicidal rage due to a side effect of his disease, will the police catch him before old age?

The premise is full of possibilities, and Ruggero Deodato does a great job exploring all avenues. And though Off Balance (Phantom of Death) has all the elements that one would expect from an Italian thriller, its intriguing premise and how it immediately reveals the killer's identity set it apart from its contemporaries. That said, when it comes to the kill scenes, they are stylish and filled with the type of carnage that are hallmarks of the Italian thriller genre.

When it comes to Italian-genre cinema, something that you can almost always count on is its ability to put together a cast of recognizable faces. The standout performance is Michael York’s portrayal of the aging pianist. He delivers a remarkable performance in which you feel sympathy for his character despite their actions. Edwige Fenech, who was at her peak in the 1970s and early 1980s, delivers one of his best performances from that latter part of her career. And Donald Pleasence delivers another hysteria-driven performance that fits perfectly with the story that unfolds.

Reportedly, Ruggero Deodato felt no connection to Off Balance (Phantom of Death), calling it his least favorite film, simply a work for hire. And yet, it is a well-polished film, beautifully photographed, and effectively paced. Pino Donaggio once again delivers an exemplary score that does a phenomenal job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Off Balance (Phantom of Death) is a solid film and one of the better post-1970s Italian thrillers.

Off Balance (Phantom of Death) gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

 Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man – Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1976
Director: Ruggero Deodato
Writers: Fernando Di Leo, Alberto Marras, Vincenzo Salviani
Cast: Marc Porel, Ray Lovelock, Adolfo Celi, Franco Citti, Silvia Dionisio, Marino Masé, Renato Salvatori, Sofia Dionisio, Alvaro Vitali

Release Date: October 13th, 2020
Approximate Running Time: 96 Minutes 30 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English (Italian language)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.99

"Never before in film history have we seen such nihilistic and pathological behavior from protagonists, who in this film happen to be two policeman: Alfredo (Marc Porel) and Antonio (Ray Lovelock) members of an anti-crime squad who shoot down their assailants even before they have committed a crime." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “new HD transfer”.

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 29.4 GB

Feature: 21.2 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels look strong throughout. Overall this is one of Raro Video’s stronger transfers that’s not hampered by egregious digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5

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 sound, clean, clear, balanced and robust when it needs too. Included with this release are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include English language trailer for Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man (4 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), a making of documentary titled Crime Busters (41 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with English subtitles), a slipcover and four-page leaflet with an essay about Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, a biography and filmography for Ruggero Deodato.

Summary:

With a title like Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man, it is not surprising that this film is one of the more violent entry’s to emerge out of the Poliziotteschi genre. Right from the get go this film establishes a brutal tone that not only sustains throughout, it actually escalates to a fever pitch by the film’s explosive conclusion.

Whether it be the film’s lengthy motorcycle chase that opens the film or the way this film’s to main characters Anthony and Alfredo, who quickly resolve a hostage situation. Pacing is never an issue as things move along at a break neck pace. There is an immediacy to Anthony and Alfredo’s actions that makes the things they do all the easier to digest. Sure they don’t exactly play by book, but then those who they are taking down don’t have a total disregard for law and order.

Narrative wise, though the plot is fairly routine cops verse thugs. It is the way Anthony and Alfredo approach their job that sets this film apart when compared to other Poliziotteschi films. Another key ingredient to why this film has such an enduring legacy, is the way it depicts brutality of screen. Instead of bringing suspects, they torture and in some cases break their neck. And when trying to get information from a female suspect, they use their place a law enforcement officers to gain sexual favors. And while there’s never a shortage of violence that erupts on-screen, most of which gets directed towards human suspects. There is a scene in two suspects being chased by Anthony and Alfredo run over a blind man’s seeing eye dog. Had this been just about any other director this scene would not be a disturbing. A few years later Ruggero Deodato would direct what is arguably one of the most controversial film’s in Italian history, the aforementioned Cannibal Holocaust. A notorious film know for it’s cruel depiction of animal’s being tortured to death.

Performance the is not a single performance that is lacking. The chemistry between Marc Porel (Don’t Torture a Duckling) and Ray Lovelock (Oasis of Fear) is without a doubt this film greatest asset. Regrettably a proposed sequel would never materialize. It would be interesting to see where they went with these characters. Two other performances of note include Adolfo Celi (Danger: Diabolik) in the role of the boos of the anti-crime squad and Renato Salvatori (Rocco and His Brothers) in the role of Roberto Pasquini, a.k.a. Bibi, the crime boss that the anti-crime squad are desperate to find and take down.

Live Like a Cop, Die Like a Man gets a strong release from Raro Video that comes with an insightful extra, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer