6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Tourists take a boat to a remote island, where they find that most of the people have disappeared, and something is stalking them. They find a hidden room in the big mansion on a hill, and an ancient diary, which gives them clues to the source of the terror - the Anthropophagus Beast...
Starring: George Eastman, Tisa Farrow, Saverio Vallone, Zora Kerova, Serena GrandiHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 34% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English, English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Joe D'Amato's "Anthropophagous" a.k.a. "The Savage Island" (1980) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors 88 Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with George Eastman; new audio commentary by critics Eugenio Ercolani and Nanni Cobretti; new program with actress Zora Kerowa; multiple vintage trailers; and more. In English and Italian, with optional English and English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
The doomed
88 Films' release of Anthropophagous is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. The Blu-ray is Region-Free, too.
Please note that some of the screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual color values of this content.
Screencaptures #1-23 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #25-30 are from the 4K Blu-ray.
In 2017, we reviewed this Blu-ray release of Anthropophagous from 88 Films, which introduced a very nice 2K restoration of the film. This combo pack introduces a new 4K restoration sourced from the original 16mm camera negative. In native 4K, the 4K resotration can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I viewed the entire film in native 4K with Dolby Vision, and then sampled various areas of the 1080p presentation.
In native 4K, the film has a very healthy and attractive organic appearance. On the previous 2K restoration, there were some small nicks and blemishes that I thought could have been removed, and on the 4K restoration virtually all are eliminated. This is the first obvious improvement. I noticed some color adjustments, too. They are small. However, anyone that has seen the previous 2K restoration will spot areas where these adjustments were made. I think that they are effective because they do not alter the proper values of the primaries. Rather, they strengthen them in some areas, but without altering the temperature. The daylight footage from Athens, but elsewhere as well, boasts a terrific dynamic range, so I would say that this is another obvious improvement. In 1080p, I do not think that the difference is meaningful. The darker and indoor footage from the island reveals a lot of inconsistencies, but this is an inherited limitation. However, there is one segment where some additional encoding optimizations could have been made. The native 4K presentation handles it quite well, but the 1080p presentation looks a tad shaky. You can see an example here. This is a shaky spot on the 2K restoration as well. The Dolby Vision grade is convincing. It helps tighten up the visuals, which is a meaningful improvement because the 16mm original material produces plenty of grain spikes, and in native 4K some of the grain could appear overexposed. Darker areas with different shadow nuances are handled nicely, too. All in all, I think that the native 4K presentation is clearly the most attractive one, so it should be your preferred presentation of the film. My score is 4.75/5.00.
There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH (for the English track) and English (for the Italian track) subtitles are provided.
I prefer the original English track. The moody soundtrack is rather nice and sounds good, but all actors were overdubbed in English, so you should expect to hear plenty of unevenness. This is how many, many Italian genre films were shot. In other words, the lossless track accurately reproduces the native qualities of the original soundtrack. The upper register is healthy and stable. I did not notice any hiss, pops, cracks, etc.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
It is a bit surreal to see that Joe D'Amato's Anthropophagous appears to have received its definitive release on the home video market, which is a lavish combo pack. I recall tracking down this film during the VHS era, while exploring Serena Grandi's filmography, and having a pretty strange experience with it because it was dubbed in Polish. I had absolutely no idea what was said in it, but a few of its graphic visuals stayed with me. Even though it is not my kind of film, to have it fully restored in 4K and released on 4K Blu-ray is incredible. 88 Films' combo pack presents the new 4K restoration on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray Region-Free discs with a great selection of exclusive new and archival bonus features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to the fans.
The Italian Collection #07 / 88 Films Exclusive
1980
The Italian Collection #07
1980
Remastered Special Edition
1980
4K Restoration | The Grim Reaper
1980
The Grim Reaper
1980
(Still not reliable for this title)
Rosso sangue
1981
Quella villa accanto al cimitero | Limited Edition
1981
Buio Omega / The Italian Collection #24
1979
Le notti del terrore | 4K Restoration
1981
Un gatto nel cervello / The Italian Collection #39
1990
Zombie Holocaust | Doctor Butcher M.D. | 4K Restoration
1980
2012
2014
1982
E tu vivrai nel terrore - L'aldilà | Standard Edition
1981
Zombi 3 / The Italian Collection #09
1988
[•REC]: Apocalypse | [•REC] 4: Apocalipsis / [•REC] 4: Apocalypse
2014
La chiesa | Unnumbered Edition
1989
2018
2016
2015
Indicator Series
1987
1985
Alien Contamination
1980
1981