Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist: Limited Edition – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1975
Directors: Angelo Pannacciò, Luca Damiano
Writers: Giulio Albonico, Aldo Crudo, Franco Brocani, Angelo Pannacciò
Cast: Richard Conte, Françoise Prévost, Elisabeth Tulin, Patrizia Gori, Jean-Claude Vernè, Mimma Biscardi, Franco Garofalo, Sonia Viviani, Salvatore Baccaro

Release Date: April 8th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 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: $42.99

"After photographing a naked woman at a waterfall, and discovering she was absent from all photos, Peter (Jean-Claude Vernè) returns to the scene only to find a mysterious “Tahal” pendant that initiates a hysterical and sex-crazed possession. As Peter spirals into baffling madness, people start to die in inexplicable ways prompting Peter’s nun sister, Elena (Patrizia Gori, Cry of a Prostitute), to call an exorcist (veteran actor Richard Conte — The Godfather, in his last role) to rid him of the insidious demon!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Un urlo dalle tenebre was scanned in 2K from the original uncut camera negative by Variety Films. Restoration, grading, and audio remastering commissioned by Cauldron Films."

Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.4 GB

Feature: 26.7 GB

The source appears to be excellent; the flesh tones look healthy, the colors are accurate, the image clarity is sharp, and both the black levels and compression are solid. Additionally, the image maintains an organic appearance.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (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. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian language track sounds more robust. 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 actress Elena Fusco titled Angelo, A Portrait (25 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Giuliano Sorgini titled Exploitation Symphony (15 minutes 58 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Maurizio Centini titled Delivering the Devil (22 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with script supervisor Silvia Petroni titled Half a Film (10 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with film historian Eugenio Ercolani titled Introducing the Devil (24 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth, reversible cover art, a slipcover, a CD that comes with Giuliano Sorgini’s 19-track score, and a 28-page booklet with an essay titled A True Mystery: the Films of Angelo Pannacciò written by Alessio Di Rocco, an essay titled Pannacciò’s Exorcist written by Alessio Di Rocco, a track listing for the score, information about the transfer, and promotional images and rare photos.

Summary:

A teenage boy becomes possessed by a demon after finding a mysterious “Tahal” pendant.

Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist had two directors. Luca Damiano, who started the film, was replaced by Angelo Pannacciò (known for Sex of the Witch). Though the former was replaced, some of his footage remains. In addition to taking over Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist and filming additional footage, the movie also reuses scenes from Prisoners of the Mind, a film produced by Angelo Pannacciò. That said, combining footage from three sources makes for a confusing narrative.

Italian cinema is recognized for its clones of successful Hollywood films, and Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist serves as a prime example of this trend. While the title itself suggests a connection, there are several moments in the film that echo themes from The Exorcist. Although the comparisons to The Exorcist are valid, it is important to note that Italian cinema has a rich history of demonic possession films that dates back to Brunello Rondi's Il Demonio. Other notable Italian demonic possession films besides Il Demonio are Beyond the Door, Lisa and the Devil, and The Antichrist.

Despite Italian genre cinema’s ability to create miracles out of minuscule resources, far too many of these films look cheaply made. This is especially clear when it comes to Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist’s special effects. Crudely executed are these special effects, including moving furniture, objects flying through the air, and slit throats. Another area where Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist is lacking is its uninspired visuals.

Something Italian genre cinema understood well is that you needed recognizable actors to help sell the movie. The cast features two notable names; Richard Conte (Tony Arzenta) in the role of the exorcist and Françoise Prévost (I Promised to Pay), who portrays the mother of the boy who is possessed. Richard Conte’s top billing is a bait and switch; his character does not arrive until the last 20 minutes. When it comes to the performances, no one leaves a lasting impression.

The narrative is too predictable, right down to its jump scares, which are never a surprise. Another drawback of the narrative is that it moves too slowly, and it is unable to ever build any momentum. Even its big set piece, the exorcism, is underwhelming. The only area where Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist comes out ahead is Giuliano Sorgini's (Let Sleeping Corpses Lie) exemplary score, which does a superb job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist is a film that most will find a chore to get through.

Cries and Shadows: The Return of the Exorcist gets an exceptional release from Cauldron Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Note: This Blu-ray/CD set is strictly limited to 2000 copies.

Written by Michael Den Boer

A Fistful of Dollars: Limited Edition – Arrow Video (4k UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Spain/West Germany, 1964
Director: Sergio Leone
Writers: Víctor Andrés Catena, Jaime Comas Gil, Sergio Leone, Fernando Di Leo, Ryûzô Kikushima, Duccio Tessari, Tonino Valeri
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Marianne Koch, Gian Maria Volontè, Wolfgang Lukschy, Sieghardt Rupp, Antonio Prieto, Mario Brega 

Release Date: May 12th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 99 Minutes 46 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 Italian, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £34.99 (UK)

"A nameless stranger (Eastwood) rides into the Mexican border town of San Miguel and quickly finds himself in the middle of a bloody battle for power between two rival families, the Baxters and the Rojos. Cannily realising there's money to be made from playing each side against the other, the Man with No Name soon finds himself caught in the crossfire as the body count escalates, his only chance of escape a standoff against the Rojos' mercilessly cruel leader, Ramón (Gian Maria Volonté)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's presentation, "A Fistful of Dollars (Per un pugno di dollari) has been exclusively restored by Arrow Films and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The soundtrack is presented in restored original mono Italian and English mono, as well as remixed Italian and English 5.1 audio.

The original 35mm 2-perf Techniscope camera negative was scanned and restored in 4K/16-bit resolution at L'immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. The film was further restored and color graded in SDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision at Silver Salt Restoration, London.

The original Italian film and audio materials sourced for this new restoration were made available from Unidis Jolly Film SRL. Materials were delivered by the Cineteca di Bologna and L'immagine Ritrovata, Bologna.

Additional English picture and audio materials were made available from Amazon / MGM Studios.

A 35mm Inhibition Technicolor print was sourced from The Cinema Museum, London, for color reference.

Principal audio restoration on the original mono tracks was completed by Bad Princess Productions. Additional 5.1 audio restoration work was completed by Þorsteinn Gislason."

A Fistful of Dollars comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 84.1 GB

Feature: 76.4 GB

I have lost count of how many times I have purchased A Fistful of Dollars across various home media formats, starting with VHS. It is an understatement to say that Sergio Leone's films have been treated poorly. Fortunately, recent years have seen a dedicated effort to address previous shortcomings. Based on the information provided about this release by Arrow Video and the viewing experience of this presentation, it is evident that Arrow Video's is the best home media release of A Fistful of Dollars to date. The source looks immaculate; flesh tones look perfect, colors have the right temperature and never look amped up, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. Once again, Fidelity in Motion delivers an exemplary encode.

Audio: 5/5 (All Audio Tracks)

This release comes with four audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Italian, and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. The audio, like the video, has undergone extensive restoration, and all of the tracks sound outstanding. Dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and Ennio Morricone’s score sounds robust. When it comes to ambient noise, they never sound artificial; they are perfectly balanced. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language tracks and removable English SDH for the English language tracks.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include A Fistful of Dollars/For a Few Dollars More - Burning at Both Ends double feature - four radio spots (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), A Fistful of Dollars/For a Few Dollars More - Burning at Both Ends double feature - two TV spots (1 minute 23 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), A Fistful of Dollars/For a Few Dollars More - Burning at Both Ends double feature trailer (2 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), 10 radio spots (5 minutes 59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), U.S. theatrical trailer (2 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), UK theatrical teaser (59 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), German theatrical trailer (3 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono German with removable English subtitles), German re-release theatrical trailer (4 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono text in German and English, no subtitles), Italian theatrical trailer (3 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival audio commentary with film historian and Sergio Leone biographer Sir Christopher Frayling, and an archival audio commentary with film historian and critic Tim Lucas.

There are two easter eggs on the 4K UHD disc. The first allows you to view the TV prologue before the main feature, and it can be found when selecting the English language version. The other is an alternate trailer that can be found in the trailer gallery.

Included with this release is a second disc (a Blu-ray), which contains most of the extras. Extras on the Blu-ray disc include three archival image galleries; A Fistful of Dollars On the Set, Promoting A Fistful of Dollars, and A Fistful in Pictures, three alternate credit sequences; German opening credits (2 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in German, no subtitles), original English credits (3 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital mono with text in English, no subtitles), and Italian re-release credits (3 minutes 20 seconds), an archival featurette titled Locations Comparisons: Then and Now (5 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo, music from the film playing in the background), The Network Prologue with Harry Dean Stanton (7 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with filmmaker Monte Hellman titled Not Ready for Primetime, he discusses A Fistful of Dollars’ U.S. television broadcast (6 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette with screenwriter Sergio Donati, producer Alberto Grimaldi, and voice dubber Mickey Knox titled Tre Voci: Three Friends Remember Sergio Leone (11 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Clint Eastwood titled A Few Weeks in Spain (8 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Sir Christopher Frayling titled A New Kind of Hero (22 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Sir Christopher Frayling titled The Frayling Archives: A Fistful of Dollars (18 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival featurette on the film's remastering for DVD titled Restoration Italian Style (5 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Marianne Koch titled Marisol: Sergio Leone’s Madonna of the West (31 minutes 37 seconds, DTS-HD stereo German with non-removable English subtitles), highlights from the original rushes titled A Fistful of Outtakes (36 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo, music from the film playing in the background), a video essay by Lovely Jon titled The Day the Soundtrack Changed (22 minutes 36 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Paolo Bianchini titled A Night at the Movies (12 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Ennio Morricone biographer Alessandro de Rosa titled Wind & Fire (16 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with guitarist Bruno Battisti D'Amario titled Four Fingers Four Picks (15 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an interview with film historian and critic Fabio Melelli titled When It All Started  (13 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), a chipboard slipcase (limited to the first pressing), a double sided fold out poster (limited to the first pressing), and a 60-page perfect bound book (limited to the first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Strange and Magnificent written by Henry Blyth, an essay titled A Shot in the Arm for the Western written by Pasquale Iannone, an essay titled The Sound of a New Era written by Eloise Ross, and information about the presentation.

The extras for this release are comprehensive; they collect an abundance of archival content and add some new extras.

Summary:

When Sergio Leone directed A Fistful of Dollars, he had only directed The Colossus of Rhodes, a by-the-numbers Sword and Sandal film. And yet, by the time he unleashed A Fistful of Dollars, his growth as a filmmaker was substantial. And though the cinematic flourishes in Colossus of Rhodes foreshadow where Sergio Leone was going as a filmmaker, it is a film that stands out like a sore thumb in his filmography.

When discussing A Fistful of Dollars, it is always best to address the elephant in the room. It is widely acknowledged that A Fistful of Dollars is an unofficial remake of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo, a film which is an uncredited adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest.

A Fistful of Dollars is overshadowed by the four spaghetti westerns directed by Sergio Leone that followed it. The result is a truly remarkable cinematic experience that influenced hundreds of films and put the spaghetti western genre on the map.

One thing that you can count on when it comes to spaghetti westerns is that most of them have opening sequences that give their protagonist a grand entrance. And in A Fistful of Dollars, Clint Eastwood’s character gets a spectacular entrance.

Speaking of Clint Eastwood, though he was not Sergio Leone’s original choice, It would be hard to imagine any other actor doing what Clint Eastwood did. He portrays a character who’s a man of few words and who lets his gun do most of the talking.

Another performance of note is Gian Maria Volontè (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion) in the role of Ramón Rojo, the ringleader of one of the gangs that Clint Eastwood’s character pits against each other. He delivers another operatic performance that walks a fine line that comes close, but never goes over the top.

From a production standpoint, A Fistful of Dollars is a film that maximizes its resources and milks them for all their worth. Though the premise covers familiar ground, in Sergio Leone’s hands, it feels fresh. The well-executed narrative has an ample amount of action and double and triple crosses. With an exemplary finale shootout that provides a perfect climax. Another strength is Ennio Morrione’s remarkable score. Ultimately, A Fistful of Dollars is not only one of the best spaghetti westerns, it is one of the best westerns ever made.

A Fistful of Dollars gets a phenomenal release from Arrow Video. This film has never looked or sounded better, and there is a wealth of insightful extras. Highly 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

Killer Cop: Limited Edition – Raro Video UK (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1975
Director: Luciano Ercoli
Writer: Gianfranco Calligarich
Cast: Arthur Kennedy, Claudio Cassinelli, Sara Sperati, Franco Fabrizi, Bruno Zanin, Francesco D’Adda

Release Date: April 28th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 96 Minutes 52 Seconds (Italian Version), 95 Minutes 27 Seconds (English Version)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Versions)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian (Italian Version), DTS-HD Mono English (English Version)
Subtitles: English (Italian Version), English SDH (English Version)
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"Police inspector Matteo Rolandi (Claudio Cassinelli, The Suspicious Death Of A Minor) witnesses a massacre in a hotel when a bomb explodes and kills dozens of civilians. The prime suspect, a young political activist (Bruno Zanin, Amarcord), is shot dead soon after, despite being under the protection of General Attorney Di Federico (Arthur Kennedy, The Man From Laramie). As Inspector Rolandi continues his investigation, he soon discovers a terrifying conspiracy behind the act of brutal terrorism." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “High-Definition digital transfer."

Killer Cop comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33.1 GB

Feature: 26.3 GB

This release uses seamless branching for the two versions. This is another solid upgrade from Raro Video UK when compared to their earlier 2015 Blu-ray release. Colors have never looked better; image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid. That said, this transfer appears to use the same 2k master Cineploit used for their German Blu-ray release.

Audio: 4.5/5 (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. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian-language track and removable English SDH for the English-language track. There is a second removable English subtitle for Italian text when watching the English-language version.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival interview with production manager Alessandro Calosci titled The Professional (20 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth, reversible cover art, and a 12-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, and an essay titled The Police Have Their Hands Tied - Luciano Ercoli and Killer Cop written by Barry Forshaw.

Summary:

Though the focal point of most Italian crime is cops versus criminals. There are a handful of films that go beyond the scope of this genre's set limits. Case in point is Killer Cop, which is a film that starts off just like any other Italian crime film before shifting into something that goes against many of this genre's staples.

The plot revolves around a narcotics detective named Matteo Rolandi, and when something goes horribly wrong during one of his investigations, he then becomes obsessed with uncovering the whos and the whys of this tragic event. This put him in conflict with another character named Armando Di Federico, a specially appointed judge who does everything he can to keep Rolandi away from the case and block him from obtaining any evidence.

Content-wise, as you can see, this is more about police procedure, and all crimes committed are all pushed on the back burner until Killer Cop’s justice Italian-style finale. Also, besides focusing heavily on police procedure, another area where this film often puts its focus is on political aspects of the story at hand.

From a production standpoint, Luciano Ercoli once again delivers solid visuals. With this film’s standout moment being a pivotal hotel bombing sequence, which reinforces the political undertones. Pacing is never an issue, as things move along at a good pace from one revelation to the next. Giving each plot twist just enough time to settle in. Another strength of this film is another remarkable, albeit familiar-sounding, score from Stelvio Cipriani.

Performance-wise, so much relies on this film’s protagonist, Matteo Rolandi. And cast in this key role is an actor named Claudio Cassinelli (What Have They Done to Your Daughters?, The Suspicious Death of a Minor). Fortunately, Cassinelli is up for the challenge and delivers a strong performance that does not miss a beat. Another performance of note is Arthur Kennedy (Lawrence of Arabia, Let Sleeping Corpses Lie) in the role of Armando Di Federico, the judge who is constantly at odds with Rolandi.

That said, this film’s English title, Killer Cop, kind of does it a disservice, while its Italian language title, La polizia ha le mani legate, which roughly translates into ‘The Police Have Their Hands Tied,’ gives one a clearer sense of what this film is ultimately about.

Raro Video UK delivers another upgrade over their North American release, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Night Train Murders – Severin Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1975
Director: Aldo Lado
Writers: Roberto Infascelli, Ettore Sanzò, Aldo Lado, Renato Izzo
Cast: Flavio Bucci, Macha Méril, Gianfranco De Grassi, Enrico Maria Salerno, Marina Berti, Franco Fabrizi, Irene Miracle, Laura D'Angelo, Dalila Di Lazzaro, Daniele Dublino

Release Date: April 29th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 22 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $44.95

"When two young girls taking a train home for the holidays encounter a pair of sadistic thugs, it will trigger a nightmare of sexual brutality and parental revenge." - synopsis provided by the distributor

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

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "scanned in 4K from the original camera negative".

Night Train Murders comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.1 GB

Feature: 59.8 GB

The bulk of the source looks excellent; that said, there are occasional moments of print debris, and in the scene leading into the end credits, there is a noticeable flare-up of source damage (a screenshot example below). When compared to previous home media releases, this transfer is an improvement in every way. Colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Night Train Murders comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.3 GB

Feature: 28 GB

The Blu-ray uses the same source as the 4K UHD does for its transfer.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4.5/5 (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 has some background hiss, and the English language track sounds fuller. That said, both audio tracks sound clear and balanced, and Ennio Morricone’s score is well-represented. Both audio tracks have some dialog in German; the subtitles for the Italian language track translate the German dialog, while the subtitles for the English language track say, ‘Speaking German.’ Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Ultra Violent Magazine's Art Ettinger and Cinema Arcana's Bruce Holecheck, and an archival audio commentary with director Aldo Lado, Moderated By Freak-O-Rama's Federico Caddeo.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 50 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Irene Miracle titled Train in Vain (16 minutes 7 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Gianfranco De Grassi titled Back on the Train (8 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with actress Macha Méril titled The Veiled Lady (21 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Aldo Lado titled Hear My Train A-Comin' (81 minutes 413 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a video essay by Kat Ellinger, author of Daughters of Darkness titled Night Train Murders and Sadean Women: Power, Pleasure and the Subversion of Morality (9 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with Art Ettinger and Bruce Holecheck, and an archival audio commentary with Aldo Lado and Federico Caddeo.

Other extras include reversible cover art.

Summary:

Aldo Lado directed The Night Train Murders. Though he had a career that spanned 42 years, he’s most remembered for his work in the thriller genre: Short Night of Glass Dolls, Who Saw Her Die?, and The Night Train Murders.

Two thugs and a bourgeois woman terrorized, raped, and killed two girls on their way home for the Christmas holiday.

My first time watching Night Train Murders, I had high expectations because I had already seen Aldo Lado’s Short Night of the Glass Dolls and Who Saw Her Die? Both of these films I thoroughly enjoyed. Italian cinema has long been known for mimicking genres and films that were popular at the time by creating a film of its own to capitalize off of the other films' success. Would Night Train Murders be another clone that offers little in return, or will this film be a fresh take on the source material? There are many elements of Night Train Murders that mirror Wes Craven’s Last House on the Left.

Fate is central to Night Train Murders' storyline; characters' choices play a role in their destiny. Though the two girls, Margaret and Laura, experience the brunt of the two thugs' sadism, they are not the first victims. Macha Méril (Deep Red) portrays a bourgeois woman traveling on the train alone who is the two thugs' first victim. While she initially finds their actions repulsive, she gradually transforms into one of their accomplices. As she begins to revel in the chaos, the two thugs increase their violence, further testing the boundaries of their actions. Did her enthusiasm encourage the boys to go further than they otherwise would have? Her body language and her facial expressions lead the viewer to believe that she is the one orchestrating everything.

In a film filled with unflinching moments of brutality, the most disturbing is a scene with a voyeur. Instead of going for help, he stops to watch the two girls being raped, before being forcibly invited to join in. Despite his fear of the potential consequences for not participating, it is the manner in which he vanishes afterward that reinforces his guilt. He doesn’t tell anyone about what has just happened. Franco Fabrizi (What Have They Done to Your Daughters?) portrays this character superbly.

Flavio Bucci (Suspiria) and Gianfranco De Grassi (Savage Three) are cast in the roles of the two thugs, Blackie and Curly. Flavio Bucci has a unique face that adds to his character's menacing demeanor, while Gianfranco De Grassi does a phenomenal job capturing his character's unpredictability. Of these two characters, Curly is the more insecure, and he relies on drugs to give him an edge. Though there is no character in Night Train Murders that matches Krug from Last House on the Left, the combination of these two characters comes close.

Rounding out the cast are Irene Miracle (Inferno) and Laura D'Angelo (Closed Circuit) in the roles of Margaret and Laura, respectively. It was both actresses' first film, and they deliver exceptional performances that make you feel their characters' terror and suffering. Other cast members of note include Enrico Maria Salerno (The Bird with the Crystal Plumage) and Marina Berti (An Angel for Satan) in the roles of Margaret’s parents. That said, all around, the cast is outstanding.

Ennio Morricone's exemplary score is not to be overlooked when discussing Night Train Murders. Outside of its main theme, the bulk of the score is a harmonica played by Curley throughout. His instincts as a composer were unrivaled, and he often made inspired choices, like the use of a harmonica, which foreshadows impending doom.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Night Train Murders does not excel. Though the premise feels familiar, the result is a well-constructed narrative that does an excellent job building tension and momentum to its cathartic finale. The visuals do a remarkable job heightening the mood, especially in the way in which they accentuate claustrophobic spaces. The most powerful moment visually are two scenes that juxtaposition images of Margaret and Laura with the former's parents while they are getting ready for their trip and while they are being violated. Ultimately, Night Train Murders is an extraordinary morality tale that is a perfect blend of De Sade and The Last House on the Left.

Night Train Murders gets a solid release from Severin Films, highly 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.

 

                                  Screenshot example of source damage.

Written by Michael Den Boer

I Want to Get Even: Limited Edition – Neon Eagle Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Indonesia, 1987
Director: Maman Firmansyah
Cast: Eva Arnaz, Clift Sangra, Nena Rosier, Rengga Takengon, Hendro Tangkilisan, Dicky Zulkarnaen, H.I.M. Damsyik, Yona S. Kamarullah, Tuty Kusnendar, Husen Nur

Release Date: November, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 5 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Indonesian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.99

"Irma, a pregnant bar hostess with a troubled marriage (to put it lightly) to bulky lunk Rudy. Her life isn’t great but she’s making the best of it. But things go quickly downhill for her when she’s kidnapped and assaulted by local druglord Cobra. She escapes her captors only to find her idiotic hubby less than sympathetic. When she refuses his demands that she abort their baby, he pushes her from a moving car!

Meanwhile, Cobra betrays his business partner Roni, played by ubiquitous Indo character actor Dicky Zuklarnean, setting up a bloody gang war, while in the background Rudy keeps trying and failing to get retribution on the criminals. These two narrative threads end up meeting in the film’s truly explosive finale, when Irma finally gets her ultraviolent revenge!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K restoration."

I Want to Get Even comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 27 GB

Feature: 26.3 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and compression are solid, and black levels are strong throughout.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Indonesian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Indonesian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Though both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, the Indonesian audio track sounds noticeably more robust. Included are removable English subtitles for the Indonesian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an audio commentary with Andrew Leavold, reversible cover art, a slipcover (limited to 1500 copies), and a 16-page booklet (limited to 1500 copies) with an essay titled An Eye for an Eye written by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and a home video art gallery.

Summary:

Maman Firmansyah directed I Want to Get Even. The only other notable film he directed is Escape from Hellhole.

A drug dealer named Cobra likes to abduct women and have his way with them. One of his victims, Irma, manages to escape him, and when her husband finds out, he sets out to get revenge.

Indonesian cinema is known for its outrageous plots where anything can and will happen. The main narrative revolves around a bad guy named Cobra who runs a drug syndicate, and when he’s not working, he has women abducted and then has his way with them. The other narrative revolves around a woman named Irma, who's married to a man who can’t get aroused unless he slaps her around a few times. That said, the narrative feels like two films that ultimately come together for an explosive finale.

The opening credits do a superb job setting the tone by showing what kind of man Cobra is and the lengths his men will go to. A sinister synth score reinforces the mood of this sequence. Though things start off strong, it is not always smooth sailing, since the narrative never firmly establishes any momentum. The sequences where characters are kicking ass and blowing things up are where the narrative excels, while the scenes where men are assaulting women feel excessive.

Despite Eva Arnaz’s (The Warrior) character Irina being top-billed and prominently featured on the promotional art on a dirt bike with a bazooka over her shoulder, she's not the main attraction. The most memorable performance is the actor who portrays Cobra; he really gets into the role with sadistic glee. That said, all of the performances work well within the confines of the story that unfolds.

Indonesian genre cinema always worked with anemic resources, and yet they almost always made films that held your attention. Though the narrative can be repetitive, I Want to Get Even is a film that fully exploits its resources; it is a highly entertaining mix of action, brutality, and mayhem that fans of Indonesian genre cinema should thoroughly enjoy.

I Want to Get Even gets a first-rate release from Neon Eagle Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, highly recommended.

Note: This edition is limited to 1500 copies.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer