FleshEater – Vinegar Syndrome (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1988
Director: S. William Hinzman
Writers: S. William Hinzman, Bill Randolph
Cast: S. William Hinzman, John Mowod, Leslie Ann Wick, Kevin Kindlin, Charis Kirkpatrik Acuff, James J. Rutan, Lisa Smith, Denise Morrone, Mark Strycula, Kathleen Marie Rupnik, Matthew C. Danilko, David A. Sodergren

Release Date: April 26th, 2022
Approximate Running Time: 88 Minutes 47 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $49.99

"While assisting on a dig, a construction worker accidentally destroys the final resting place of a demonic zombie, rousting him from his unholy slumber, and reigniting his taste for human flesh. Meanwhile, a group of teenagers have decided to spend the night camping in the woods for a Halloween hayride, only to have their partying interrupted with the arrival of an ever-growing army of bloodthirsty undead! Will anyone survive the night in one piece?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 16mm original camera negative."

FleshEater comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 59.9 GB

Feature: 59.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in excellent shape. Color saturation looks very good, image clarity and black levels are strong throughout, and a healthy layer of grain is present throughout. That said, it's hard to imagine FleshEater looking any better than this transfer.

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

Disc Size: 42.8 GB

Feature: 24.2 GB

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and included with this release are removable English SDH subtitles. There are no issues with distortion or background, and overall, things sound good considering the limitations of the source. Dialog comes through clearly, and ambient sounds and the score are well-represented. That said, things are limited range-wise.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with cinematographer Simon Manses, composer Erica Portnoy, and producer Andrew Sands.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include an extensive behind-the-scenes still gallery, an interview with hairstylist/makeup artist Terrie Godfrey titled Minor Budget Majorette (7 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with unit manager Paul Giorgi titled Meatballs and Missing Actors (8 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with actor John Mowod titled To Live and Die in PA (8 minutes 57 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with special makeup effects artist Jerry Gergely titled Crushed Pink Grapefruit Brain (14 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with actress Heidi Hinzman titled Family of FleshEaters (9 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with Erica Portnoy titled Carnage in Compositions (7 minutes 30 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with Bonnie Hinzman titled The Family Continues (7 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with Simon Manses titled All Roads Lead Back to FleshEater (18 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), an interview with Andrew Sands titled Zombie Nosh LLC (19 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH subtitles), and an audio commentary with Simon Manses, Erica Portnoy, and Andrew Sands.

Other extras include reversible cover art and an embossed slipcover limited to 5,000 units.

Summary:

There’s no denying the impact that a film like Night of the Living Dead had on zombies in cinema. And though there have been other zombie films that have had a lasting impact, there have been far more films that are best forgotten.

The creative force behind FleshEater was Bill Hinzman, who wrote, directed, edited, and acted in FleshEater. He got his start as a filmmaker when he appeared in George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, a film that clearly influenced FleshEater. Though he would appear in sixteen films, The Majorettes is the only other film that he directed.

FleshEaters' narrative revolves around a group of friends who venture out on a trip to the country for Halloween, and what starts off as fun and games. When attacked by flesh-eating zombies, trunks quickly turn deadly.

Though FleshEater has all the elements that one would want from a zombie film, Most notably, there are plenty of gory moments. The result is a film that ultimately gets bogged down by a lethargic narrative. Fortunately, things pick up considerably by the time the zombies take center stage.

As mentioned before, one can easily find many similarities between FleshEater and Night of the Living Dead. And none is more obvious than when it comes to both films' endings.

From a production standpoint, FleshEater has all the hallmarks of low-budget cinema. There are minimal locations and wooden performances that are as lifeless as the zombies in the film. That said, special effects are one area where FleshEater exceeds expectations. Ultimately, FleshEater is a predictable film that brings nothing new to the table.

FleshEater makes its way to 4K UHD via an excellent release from Vinegar Syndrome that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful 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 VLC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Cross Shot – Cineploit (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1976
Director: Stelvio Massi
Writers: Lucio De Caro, Maurizio Mengoni, Piero Poggio, Dardano Sacchetti
Cast: John Saxon, Lee J. Cobb, Renzo Palmer, Lino Capolicchio, Rosanna Fratello, Antonella Lualdi, Thomas Hunter

Release Date: February 4th 2022
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 21 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono German
Subtitles: English, German
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: 24,90 EUR

"An occasional gangster kills a policeman during a robbery. A merciless chase begins in which a ruthless press, brutal underworld and the police participate. The hunted man knows too much about his pursuers, which makes him a candidate for death. Can he escape the "life and death" chase?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Worldwide 2K Blu-Ray Premiere!"

Cross Shot comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.4 GB

Feature: 28 GB

The source used for this transfer looks great. Colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong throughout.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 3.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options: a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian, and a DTS-HD mono mix in German. The Italian language track is in great shape; the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. The English language track does not fare as well as its Italian counterpoint. There is a noticeable background hiss that varies in degree. That said, the dialog comes through clearly enough to follow. Included with this release are removable English and German subtitles for the Italian language track. 

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (11 images – posters/home video art), a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor John Saxon titled Italian Adventures (47 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable German subtitles), an option to listen to Piero Pintucci’s fourteen song score, a double-sided Poster with the two Italian locandias and a media book packaging that contains a 28-page booklet with a composer Piero Pintucci biography (text in German & English), an essay titled From Italo-Western to Poliziesco written by Udo Rotenberg (text in German & English), an essay titled The Apocalypse Can Wait written by Udo Rotenberg (text in German & English) and images from the film (lobby cards/posters).

Additionally, this release includes multilingual menus in English and German.

Summary:

Poliziotteschi cinema, more than any other genre, was where director Stelvio Massi most excelled. And, while the majority of his Poliziotteschi were more about style than substance, there’s no denying that when it came to action set pieces, he was one of the premier directors working in Poliziotteschi cinema.

Crossshot is yet another tale about the mafia. And in its opening moments, there’s an assassination of a mafia don that sets the tone for what follows. From there, things escalate when witnesses in a trial for a mafia don are threatened not to testify, which leads to the Don's being released.

Besides being a story about the mafia, Cross Shot’s narrative has two parallel stories about a police commissioner named Jacovella who’s frustrated by a system that ties his hands and allows criminals to do whatever they want without fear of punishment. The other parallel story is about a journalist named Maselli who uses his newspaper to highlight police brutality.

The performances were very good. The strongest performance came from John Saxon (The Cynic, the Rat and the Fist) in the role of police commissioner Jacovella. He delivers a solid performance that’s in line with his other Poliziotteschi films. Other notable performances include Lee J. Cobb (12 Angry Men) in the role of a blind mafia Don named Dante Ragusa and Renzo Palmer (The Big Racket) in the role of a principled journalist named Maselli.

From a production standpoint, Cross Shot is a film that maximizes its resources. Though the premise covers familiar ground, the narrative does a good job of building tension. That said, though Poliziotteschi cinema is known for its action set pieces, Cross Shot does not have that much action. Ultimately, Cross Shot is a slow-moving film that fans of Poliziotteschi cinema will get the most mileage out of.

Cross Shot makes its way to Blu-ray via a strong audio/video presentation from Cineploit and a good selection of extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Great Kidnapping – Cineploit (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1973
Director: Roberto Infascelli
Writers: Augusto Caminito, Marcello D'Amico, Roberto Infascelli
Cast: Enrico Maria Salerno, Lee J. Cobb, Jean Sorel, Luciana Paluzzi, Claudio Gora, Laura Belli, Giambattista Salerno

Release Date: February 4th 2022
Approximate Running Time: 96 Minutes 25 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono German
Subtitles: English, German
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: 24,90 EUR

"A completely new dimension of organized crime is shaking Milan to its foundations. Criminal gangs that have discovered kidnapping and hostage-taking for themselves. The line of the judicial authority contributes its part to the success of this crime dimension by also summarily fulfilling the demands of the hostage takers to protect the victims who are in danger of death. Children of rich parents are chosen as victims, who try to leave the police out of it at all costs and willingly pay behind their backs. When one day Inspector Jovine (Lee J. Cobb) unexpectedly resigns from his job, he is replaced by Inspector Cardone (Enrico María Salerno), who is considered uncompromising and tough as nails. Cardone is considered a hardliner in his field, who is completely resistant to any demands from criminal subjects and thus deliberately puts the life of the kidnap victim at risk. An excellent kidnapping spectacle with an inexorable outcome." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Worldwide 2K Blu-Ray Premiere!"

The Great Kidnapping comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.6 GB

Feature: 27.8 GB

The source used for this transfer is in very good shape and any print-related debris is minimal. Colors look very good, details generally look crisp, and though black levels fare well, there are a few darker scenes where image clarity is not as strong.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 3.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian, and a DTS-HD mono mix in German. The Italian language track is in great shape; the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. The English language track, when compared to its Italian language counterpart, sounds boxy, and there are also sibilance-related issues. That said, the dialog comes through clearly enough to follow. Included with this release are removable English and German subtitles for the Italian language track. It should be noted that when watching with the English language track during the opening credits, there’s dialog in Italian that is not subtitled. When viewed with the Italian language track, the same scene has English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery (23 images – posters/home video art/lobby cards), a featurette about actor Lee J. Cobb with Mike Malloy, Eurocrime: The Italian Cop & Gangster Films That Ruled the 70s (17 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable German subtitles), an option to listen to Stelvio Cipriani’s eight-song score, a double-sided Poster with the two Italian locandinas, and media book packaging that contains a 28-page booklet with director Roberto Infascelli biography (text in German & English), an essay titled Do The Police Only Watch or Do They React Too? written by Udo Rotenberg (text in German & English) and images from the film (lobby cards/posters).

Additionally, this release includes multilingual menus in English and German.

Summary:

The Great Kidnapping is a ripped-from-the-headlines story about kidnappings, which were prevalent in Italy at that time, and violent criminals who used the system to thwart being brought to justice. The narrative revolves around a police commissioner named Cardone, who refuses to bend to the criminals' demands; instead, he’s hell-bent on coming at them head-on.

Though The Great Kidnapping has all the elements that are synonymous with Poliziotteschi cinema, the result is a film more police procedural than the all-out action extravaganzas that became prominent in the latter half of the 1970s.

At the heart of The Great Kidnapping is a tale about holding onto one's principles when faced with adversity that forces your hand to reevaluate said principles. With police commissioner Cardone’s moral compass being put to the test when his son is kidnapped.

The cast are all very good in their respective roles, especially Enrico Maria Salerno's (Execution Squad) portrayal of police commissioner Cardone. He delivers a superb performance as a man whose determination to bring down the kidnappers forces him to make a choice between his principles and saving his son. Cast in the role of Cardone’s son is Enrico Maria Salerno’s son, Giambattista Salerno.

From a production standpoint, the premise is well-executed, and the narrative does a great job of building tension. The narrative reaches a boiling point when police commissioner Cardone’s son is kidnapped. Also, composer Stelvio Cipriani’s solid score features music cues that will give you déjà vu. Ultimately, The Great Kidnapping is an exemplary example of Poliziotteschi's cinema.

The Great Kidnapping makes its way to Blu-ray via a strong audio/video presentation from Cineploit and a good selection of extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers – Olive Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy/Japan/Netherlands, 1964
Directors: Hiromichi Horikawa (segment Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko), Ugo Gregoretti (segment La Feuille du Route), Claude Chabrol(segment L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel), Jean-Luc Godard (segment Le Grand escroc)
Cast: Mie Hama, Ken Mitsuda, Gabriella Giorgelli, Guido Giuseppone, Giuseppe Mannajuolo, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Catherine Deneuve, Francis Blanche, Charles Denner, Jean Seberg, László Szabó

Release Date: April 25th, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese/Italian/French/German/English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: OOP

"The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers combines the talents of top-tier directors and actors from the world of American, French, Italian and Japanese cinema in an entertaining tale of sensational swindles taking place around the globe.

Claude Chabrol directs L'Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel, Jean-Luc Godard directs Le Grand escroc, Ugo Gregoretti directs La Feuille du Route, and Hiromichi Horikawa directs Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko.

The eclectic cast of actors includes Jean Seberg, Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Francis Blanche and Ken Mitsuda.

Lending their considerable talents behind the camera are cinematographers Raoul Coutard, Tonino Delli Colli, Asakazu Nakai and Jean Rabier.

The Amsterdam segment, A River of Diamonds (directed by Roman Polanski), which was featured in original theatrical release of The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers, has been removed from presentations of the film at the request of the director." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.2 GB

Feature: 21.6 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Details look crisp, there are no issues with compression and contrast, and black remains strong throughout.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mix in mono, and the following languages are spoken in this film: Japanese, Italian, French, German, and English. The dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced throughout. Subtitle options for this release include English subtitles for all foreign languages or English subtitles for all non-English language dialog.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 56 seconds, DTS-HD mono French, no subtitles). It should be noted that the trailer contains footage from Roman Polanski’s segment La Rivière de Diamants.

Summary:

Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko: Looking for an easy way to raise a large sum of money, a young woman who works as a geisha at a bar pretends to be interested in a composer who carries a bag filled with money.

Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko was directed by Hiromichi Horikawa, whose other notable films include Contract Killer, The Militarists, and The Alaska Story. Key collaborators on Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko include cinematographer Asakazu Nakai (High and Low) and composer Keitaro Miho (Everything Goes Wrong).

At the heart of this film is a tale about greed and how a moment of indiscretion ends in disaster for a young woman who thought she had just pulled off the perfect crime. The characters are well defined and the performances are very good, especially Mie Hama (You Only Live Twice) in the role of the young woman who works as a geisha. The visuals do a superb job of reinforcing the mood, and this tale’s ending provides a very satisfying conclusion.

La Feuille du Route: Desperate to be with the man she loves, a woman whose reputation has been tarnished marries an elderly man so she can remain in Naples.

La Feuille du Route was directed by Ugo Gregoretti, whose other notable films include Omicron and Le Belle Famiglie. Key collaborators on La Feuille du Route include cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli (Once Upon a Time in the West) and composer Piero Umiliani (5 Dolls for the August Moon).

At the heart of this film is a tale about virtue and the lengths a young woman goes through to be with the man she loves. There is a tongue-in-cheek approach to the story at hand. This is most evident in how the pimp manipulates elderly men into marrying the women who work for him. The entire cast is all very good in their respective roles. The standout performance was by Giuseppe Mannajuolo (Murder Rock) in the role of a lawyer who comes up with the idea of having prostitutes marry elderly men to avoid the stigmata that usually befalls those who work in this profession.

L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel: A man who is obsessed with the Eiffel Tower is conned into buying the landmark by con men.

L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel was directed by Claude Chabrol, whose other notable films include Les Bonnes Femmes, Les Biches, La Rupture, Juste avant la nuit, and Les noces rouges. Key collaborators on L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel include cinematographer Jean Rabier (Cleo from 5 to 7) and composer Pierre Jansen (Le Boucher).

At the heart of this film is a tale about obsession and how a gang of thieves uses one man’s obsession to deceive him into buying the Eiffel Tower. Claude Chabrol is best known for his suspenseful films, but he also directs comedies. This tale is played strictly for laughs, and no moment is more humorous than this film’s absurd ending. And when it comes to the performances, the entire cast is very good in their respective roles. Standout performances include Jean-Pierre Cassel (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie) in the role of the ringleader of a gang of swindling thieves and Francis Blanche (Belle de Jour) in the role of L’Allemand, the man conned into buying the Eiffel Tower.

Le Grand escroc: An American reporter on assignment in Marrakech tracks down and interviews a counterfeiter for a documentary that she is working on.

Le Grand Esroc was directed by Jean-Luc Godard, whose other notable films include Breathless, Contempt, Bande à Part, Alphaville, Pierrot le Fou, and Weekend. Key collaborators on Le Grand escroc were cinematographer Raoul Coutard (The Bride Wore Black) and composer Michel Legrand (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg).

Content wise, out of the four tales, this one is by far and away the most political. The narrative explores morality and how there is a fine that divides what is and what is not morally acceptable. Needless to say, the tone of this tale is in direct contrast to the other three tales, which all have a sense of irony in their conclusions. Notable cast members include László Szabó (Made in U.S.A.) in the role of a police inspector, Charles Denner (Z) in the role of the counterfeiter, and Jean Seberg (Who’s Got the Black Box) in the role of an American reporter named Patricia Leacock.

Besides the aforementioned composers, this film also features music that was composed by Serge Gainsbourg (Slogan).

A fifth segment that was directed by Roman Polanski (Repulsion, What?) titled La Rivière des Diamants is not included as part of this release. This segment was removed at the director’s request.

Olive Films gives The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers a solid audio and video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Conquest - Code Red (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/Spain/Mexico, 1983
Director: Lucio Fulci
Writers: Giovanni Di Clemente, Gino Capone, José Antonio de la Loma, Carlos Vasallo
Cast: Jorge Rivero, Andrea Occhipinti, Conrado San Martín, Violeta Cela, José Gras, Gioia Scola, Sabrina Siani

Release Date: September 29th, 2020
Approximate running time: 88 minutes 43 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo English
Subtitles: N/A
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"From a place beyond time, a cruel and evil shadow has fallen over the peaceful land of Cronos. The demon sorceress Ocron controls Cronos’ sun which threatens the lives of all the people. The only hope for the people lies with two warriors who are willing to enter Ocron’s dark domain to destroy her. Journey to a world of sorcery, ancient legends and dashing heroes. A place beyond imagination where good and evil are pitted in the ultimate battle.” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Here’s the information given about the transfer, “New 2019 HD Master”.

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

Disc Size: 22.4 GB

Feature: 19.3 GB

The source used for this transfer is in very good shape, and any print debris is minor. Conquest was shot with a diffused look, and this transfer does a good job of retaining the film’s intended look. That said, the image generally looks crisp, the black levels are adequate, the colors look correct, and though grain is present, it looks thick. When compared to Conquest’s previous home video, this transfer is the best this film has looked to date.

Audio: 3.75/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in English. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. Ambient sounds and the score are well-represented. This release comes with no subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview titled Banana Man interviews Jorge Rivero (8 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview titled A Conversation with Star Jorge Rivero (23 minutes 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Lucio Fulci’s filmography is one of the more interesting of the Italian genre filmmakers who worked in the 1960’s, 1970’s, and 1980’s. Where most of his contemporaries focused on one genre, he was a versatile filmmaker who worked in just about every genre. In most of the genres that he worked in, he excelled. Then there is a film like Conquest, his only foray into the fantasy genre.

Lucio Fulci’s films post The New York Ripper had a noticeable decline quality-wise. And though the same can be said for most filmmakers working in Italian genre cinema in the 1980’s, It is even more prevalent when it comes to the films directed by Lucio Fulci. By this point in his career, he was a director for hire who was happy to be still working, and because of this, most of his films from this part of his career feel like he was on autopilot.

Though Conquest has all the elements that one would expect from a fantasy film, The result is a melting pot of ideas instead of a cohesive film. And nowhere is this more egregious than in a muddled narrative that's confusing.

The performances are best described as serviceable. With most of the cast being nothing more than props, The only two characters that are remotely fleshed out are Andrea Occhipinti (A Blade in the Dark) in the role of Ilias, a young man on a magical journey with his bow that shoots laser beam arrows, and Jorge Rivero (The Last Hard Men) in the role of Mace, a Beastmaster-like character who assists Ilias on his journey.

From a production standpoint, Conquest was a film working with an anemic budget. The special effects are crude, and the werewolf creature and other monsters' makeup looks cheap. The use of soft-focus visuals to enhance the atmosphere has minimal effect. And being that this is a Lucio Fulci movie, it should not come as a surprise that there are a few gore-related moments. Ultimately, Conquest is a mildly entertaining sword and sorcery film.

Conquest gets a strong release from Code Red that comes with a serviceable audio/video presentation and two interviews.

Written by Michael Den Boer

A Quiet Place in the Country – Shout! Factory (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy/France, 1968
Director: Elio Petri
Writers: Tonino Guerra, Elio Petri, Luciano Vincenzoni
Cast: Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, Georges Géret, Rita Calderoni

Release Date: September 26th, 2017
Approximate running time: 106 minutes 12 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.99

"A prominent painter Leonardo (Franco Nero, John Wick: Chapter 2) is plagued by nightmares that include himself and his lover/press agent Flavia (Vanessa Redgrave, The Devils). His agent is convinced that he just needs some rest. So, he rents a villa in the countryside. Between creating a new painting and trying to fix up the dilapidated cottage, Leonardo's nightmares continue but … they are now getting worse. Will the nightmares continue and take the artist into a downward spiral into madness?” – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 3.25/5

This disc has a disclaimer about the transfer and it says, "This new HD master was created from the best surviving film elements in the vault."

A Quiet Place in the Country comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35 GB

Feature: 27.7 GB

The source used for this transfer is in good shape. There is print related damage to varying degrees throughout. Colors and flesh look accurate, and details look crisp throughout. That said, this transfer is best described as serviceable.

Audio: 3.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options: a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian. Both audio mixes are in good shape, and any background noise is never intrusive. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the ambient aspects are well represented. Included with this release are removable English subtitles. It should be noted that the English subtitles are a direct translation of the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a U.S. theatrical trailer (2 minutes 9 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Franco Nero titled Journey into Madness (32 minutes 7 seconds, DTS-HD stereo Italian with English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film historian/author Troy Howarth.

Summary:

A Quiet Place in the Country was co-written and directed by Elio Petri, whose other notable films include The Assassin (L'assassino), The 10th Victim, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, Property Is No Longer a Theft, and The Working Class Goes to Heaven.

At the heart of A Quiet Place in the Country is a tale about an artist who is trying to create something that is commercially viable without giving up his own needs as an artist. And his artistic vision becomes distorted due to the demands brought on by the commercializing of his art.

Though there is a linear structure to the protagonist's deteriorating state of mind, This is the only area where A Quiet Place in the Country resembles traditional cinema. Needless to say, there are many layers to A Quiet Place in the Country. And multiple viewings are recommended.

The cast members deliver excellent performances in their respective roles. With A Quiet Place in the Country's greatest asset being Franco Nero’s (Django) performance in the role of the protagonist, a tortured artist named Leonardo Ferri. This character is in direct contrast to the type of character he usually portrays, and he delivers an utterly convincing performance that is arguably one of the best performances of his career.

Another performance of note is Vanessa Redgrave (Camelot) in the role of Flavia, Leonardo’s lover and business manager. Other notable cast members include Georges Géret (Diary of a Chambermaid) in the role of a groundskeeper named Attilio and Rita Calderoni (The Reincarnation of Isabel) in the role of a housekeeper named Egle.

From a production standpoint, A Quiet Place in the Country’s main theme of madness is superbly realized. And nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to how the dreamlike/nightmarish visuals perfectly reinforce the protagonist's state of mind. Not to be overlooked is Ennio Morricone’s jarring score, which reinforces the mood.

A Quiet Place in the Country gets a strong release from Shout! Factory that comes with a good audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer