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

Beyond the Darkness – Severin Films (Blu-ray/CD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1979
Director: Joe D’Amato
Writers: Ottavio Fabbri, Giacomo Guerrini
Cast: Kieran Canter, Cinzia Monreale, Franca Stoppi, Sam Modesto, Anna Cardini, Lucia D’Elia, Mario Pezzin, Walter Tribus, Klaus Rainer, Edmondo Vallini, Simonetta Allodi

Release Date: July 25th, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 18 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $34.98

"CinzIa Monreale (The Beyond) and Franca Stoppi (The Other Hell) star in this psycho-sexual sickie featuring torture, cannibalism, necrophilia, unrequited love and other perversions, totally uncensored and set to a pounding score by Goblin.." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "restored in HD for the first time ever."

Beyond the Darkness comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 42.3 GB

Feature: 25.5 GB

Over the years, Beyond the Darkness has had a troubled history with transfers from previous home video releases, leaving a lot of room for improvement. For this release, the transfer gives Beyond the Darkness its most accurate-looking colors, and flesh tones look natural. Image clarity is strong (there is an intended soft focus look to the visuals), there are no issues with compression, and the image retains an organic look, although the grain does look thicker in some moments. Also, it looks like this release uses the same 2K restoration that 88 Films used for their Blu-ray release.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono English), 3.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Of these two tracks, the English language track is the stronger of the two; it sounds more robust than the Italian language track, which sounds flat. That said, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and Goblin’s score is well represented. The only subtitles included are removable English subtitles for the English-language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with English text), a then and now locations featurette titled Locations Revisited (20 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), Goblin Reborn Perform Buio Omega Live 2016 (4 minutes 17 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo), an interview with actress Cinzia Monreale titled Sick Love (8 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Franca Stoppi titled The Omega Woman (15 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles) and a documentary titled Joe D’Amato: The Horror Experience (68 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), a CD with Goblin’s score, and an Easter Egg with producer Terry Levine who released the film in the U.S. under the title Buried Alive (2 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles. 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?.

The narrative revolves around a young man who is unable to let go of his recently deceased girlfriend, so he steals her corpse, and he uses his skills as a taxidermist to preserve her the way he remembered.

Throughout Joe D’Amato's career, he would primarily work within the horror and erotic genres. And he would shift away from soft-core erotica to hard-core sex films as his career progressed as a director.

And though there is a fair amount of sleaze on display throughout Beyond the Darkness, this film is a horror film, first and foremost. And when it comes to its depiction of carnage, Beyond the Darkness reaches a level of grotesqueness that has never been seen before or obtained since!

The premise for Beyond the Darkness can be traced back to Mino Guerrini’s Italian gothic horror film The Third Eye. The narrative does a superb job of setting the tone and maintaining a frantic pace that lets each moment of sadistic horror linger onscreen for maximum effect. That being said, the more melodramatic dialog, the more heavy moments are just a means to an end. And it is ultimately this film’s graphic, blood-soaked set pieces that drive the story at hand.

Performance-wise, the entire cast is good in their respective roles. The standout performance is Franca Stoppi (The Other Hell) in the role of an older spin-stress, Iris, whose obsession with the protagonist is what leads to her becoming his partner in crime. Another performance of note is Cinzia Monreale (The Beyond) in the dual roles of Anna and Elena Völk. She spends the majority of her screen time as a lifeless corpse, and the bulk of her dialog comes during the film’s finale. The most uneven performance in this film is by Kieran Canter in the role of the film’s protagonist. He spends the majority of the time with a blank expression on his face. Fortunately, all is not lost, and his performance shines brightest during his character's darkest moments.

Another strength is Goblin’s phenomenal score, which does a superb job reinforcing the mayhem that is unfolding. Visually, the film does not miss a beat, and nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to the aforementioned gory set pieces. Some of these shocking moments include a scene where the protagonist removes a hitchhiker's fingernails while she is alive, a scene where Iris helps dispose of a victim by hatching her limbs as she lay lifeless on the bathroom floor, and a scene where the protagonist makes love to a woman he has just met while the corpse of his dead girlfriend lays in a bed next to them. Ultimately, Beyond the Darkness is a perfect mix of horror and depravity, making it Joe D’Amato’s crowning achievement as a filmmaker.

Beyond the Darkness gets a solid release from Severin Films, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Emanuelle and Françoise – Severin Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1975
Director: Joe D'Amato
Writers: Bruno Mattei, Joe D'Amato
Cast: George Eastman, Rosemarie Lindt, Annie Carol Edel, Maria Rosaria Riuzzi, Giorgio Fieri, Massimo Vanni, Eolo Capritti, Patrizia Gori, Luciano Rossi

Release Date: April 30th, 2019
Approximate Running Time: 98 Minutes 15 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.98

"When a cold-hearted stud (George Eastman of Antropophagus infamy) drives her sister to suicide, Emanuelle (Rosemarie Lindt of Salon Kitty and Who Saw Her Die?) plots a seduction that includes sodomy, torture, J&B, lesbianism, cannibalism, meat cleavers and a super-groovy ‘70s soundtrack." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

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

Emanuelle and Françoise comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22 GB

Feature: 17.6 GB

The source used for this transfer is in good shape; there are no noticeable issues related to source damage. Flesh tones and colors look correct, the image at times looks soft (though this appears to be intentional), and though black levels fare well, there are moments where they are not as convincing as they should be. Also, compression is very good, and there does not appear to be any egregious use of digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 3.5/5 (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. The Italian-language track is the stronger of these two audio mixes. The Italian-language track sounds clean, clear, and balanced throughout. The English-language track has a hiss that is present throughout most of this track. With that being said, 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.

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, a German theatrical trailer (3 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital mono German with removable English subtitles), deleted and alternate scenes (14 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono), an interview with actress Maria Rosaria Riuzzi titled Three Women and a Mirror (14 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles) and an interview with actor George Eastman titled The Other Side of the Mirror (15 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).

Summary:

Directed by Joe D’Amato, a prolific filmmaker whose output primarily consisted of erotica and horror films. Notable films he directed include Death Smiles on a Murderer, Emanuelle in America, and Beyond the Darkness. Joe D’Amato would direct five Emanuelle films; four of these films would fall into what is now regarded as black Emanuelle films.

Besides directing, Joe D’Amato also worked as a cinematographer on most of his films. And when he worked as a cinematographer, he used his real name, Aristide Massaccesi. His notable credits as a cinematographer include What Have You Done to Solange?, The Devil’s Wedding Night, and Escape from Death Row. Alternate titles that Emanuelle and Françoise have been released under include Emanuelle’s Revenge, Blood Vengeance, and Demon Rage.

The narrative revolves around the sister of a woman who committed suicide, the man she blames for her sister's death, and her revenge.

Italian-genre cinema never wasted an opportunity to capitalize on a successful film. During its peak in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Italian-genre cinema produced dozens of films that tried to capitalize on whatever was popular at the time.

That said, there are also many instances of films that were adapted from lesser-known films. In the case of Emanuelle and Françoise, the premise bears a striking resemblance to the Greek film The Wild Pussycat. Besides the premise, there are many instances throughout the Emanuelle and Françoise narratives that mirror The Wild Pussycat’s narrative.

From a production standpoint, Emanuelle and Françoise have all the elements that have become synonymous with the films of Joe D’Amato. There is an ample amount of sleaze and nudity. And there are a few unsettling moments that are undeniably Joe D’Amato. The memorable moment is a hallucinatory sequence where a group of people sitting at a table feast on a body.

Without a doubt, Emanuelle and Françoise's strongest asset is George Eastman’s (Absurd) portrayal of Carlo, the womanizing lover of the sister who kills herself. This role is the polar opposite of the types of roles that he is most known for portraying. Another performance of note is Patrizia Gori's (Cry of a Prostitute) in the role of Françoise, the woman whose suicide sets the story that unfolds in motion. Ultimately, Emanuelle and Françoise is another solid example of Joe D'Amato’s ability as a filmmaker to create a film that exceeds the sum of its parts.

Severin Films gives Emanuelle and Françoise a strong release that comes with a good audio/video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer