6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Baron Kurt Von Sepper is an Austrian aristocrat who lives in austere obscurity in a large castle. He has just married his seventh wife, Anne, to whom he seems most ardently attached. One day, she finds a mysterious golden key which gives access to a secret passage where she finds Bluebeard's six previous wives. It is then that the Baron recounts to her the horrid and bizarre details of his past. It remains for Anne to fight for her survival and to avoid becoming just another beautiful frozen body.
Starring: Richard Burton, Joey Heatherton, Raquel Welch, Virna Lisi, Nathalie DelonHorror | 100% |
Erotic | 51% |
Psychological thriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
BDInfo
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Cineastes and scholars often praise, borderline worship, films from the 1970s, and understandably so. It was a decade of challenging endeavors, respecting audience intelligence and patience, with studios and talent taking risks to deliver textured, meaningful work. But there were stinkers too, a lot of them, with 1972’s “Bluebeard” (an adaptation of a French folktale) caught between a desire to appear like a sophisticated production and the cold reality of its campy-ish approach to horror. It’s a deeply weird serial killer story, and one with a confused sense of tone and morality, rendering the picture quite ridiculous as it strives to explore an absurd figure of evil with a straight face.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a clear look at production achievements. Color is impressive, delivering lush hues with castle tours, visiting rooms filled with deep reds. Costuming is equally distinct, providing rich primaries. Skintones are natural, and the famous beard is occasionally quite blue. Detail is healthy at times, examining the spooky dwelling, which is loaded with dead animals and ornate decoration, adding dimension and texture to the viewing experience. Delineation is strong, preserving shadowy encounters. Grain is a bit inconsistent, with some blockiness at times. Source is good condition.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix delivers decent dialogue exchanges, keeping performances intelligible while periodically wrestling with elements of age and mild damage. Scoring cues are also appreciable, offering satisfactory instrumentation with Ennio Morricone's lively themes. Sound effects register as intended.
I suppose it comes as no surprise to learn that Nazis somehow factor into this tale, with an awkward revenge subplot stapled onto the picture to give it some sense of justice to keep "Bluebeard" from being completely repellent. The production does have its achievements, including wonderful set decoration, costuming, and scoring, and supporting performances are more engaged than Burton, who visibly looks like he'd rather be anywhere but in this movie. The feeling is understandable, with "Bluebeard" struggling to commit to a house of horrors atmosphere when the ludicrousness of it all is dying to take command of the feature.
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