6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A writer accepts a bet that he cannot spend the night alone in a haunted castle on All Soul's Eve. Once night falls at the castle, several who had been murdered therein return to life, reliving their deaths and seeking to kill the writer for his blood in a vain attempt to stay alive beyond that one night. Elisabeth Blackwood, one of the living dead, tries to aid his escape from the castle...
Starring: Barbara Steele, Georges Rivière, Margarete Robsahm, Arturo Dominici, Silvano TranquilliHorror | 100% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Note: These versions of these films are available in 4K UHD and 1080 Blu-rays as part of Severin's Danza Macabra: Volume Two — The Italian Gothic
Collection.
Severin released Danza
Macabra: Volume One — The Italian Gothic Collection in 2023, and as I mentioned in our Danza Macabra: Volume One — The Italian Gothic Collection Blu-ray
review, it was maybe just a little strange that the collection did not include the film from which it culled its very title. That situation
has been rectified with this "new, improved" Volume Two, which includes not just the two alternate versions of Danza Macabra / Castle of Blood,
both offered in 4K UHD and 1080 presentations, but three other somewhat later Italian gothic offerings (in 1080) as well. As usual, Severin has
aggregated some really appealing supplements to help sweeten the pot (cauldron?).
Note: Screenshots are sourced from Severin's 1080 presentations of both versions. Screenshots 1 through 4 are from Danza Macabra,
and screenshots 5 through 8 are from Castle of Blood.
Danza Macabra and Castle of Blood are presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Severin Films with HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p
transfers
in 1.85:1. "Standard" AVC encoded 1080p transfers in 1.85:1 are included on two separate discs. Danza Macabra has the following
information on text cards before the presentation (and I have repeated this information verbatim, despite some slightly curious verbiage):
Castle of Blood was restored and preserved in 2022 by Cinematographique Lyre in collaboration with Cinematheque francaise, with the support of CNC, th e9th arrondissement Council (Paris), companies Artus Films, Lobster Films and Severin Films, and all contributors of the crowdfunding campaign held on the proarti platform, among whom Maria Barsanti, Vincent Garnier, Catherine Guilleret, Esperanza Lozano_Guillen, Anne and Romain Soubeyran.Since Severin is offering new 1080 and 2160 restorations of both versions of the film, I'll try to address everything in one fell swoop, but to cut to the chase, the difference between these new and definitely improved offerings and the one offered as a bonus item on Severin's release of Nightmare Castle is night and day, or, perhaps more accurately given the story's shadowy setting, night and night. This is another film where tolerance of rather heavy grain may affect reactions when comparing the 2160 to the 1080 version, and while the 4K offering definitely has a grittier overall look, there are no major resolution problems of note. Both resolutions offer noticeably improved detail levels and far less observable age related wear and tear when compared to Severin's "bonus item" from years ago, but that said, the opening credits for Castle of Blood are still very badly damaged and have obviously undergone little or actually no restoration / clean up. There's still occasional crush on display in both the 4K and 1080 versions (the opening scene in the carriage is a notable example), and while it's probably somewhat ameliorated courtesy of HDR on the 4K disc, I frankly wouldn't say it's completely eliminated. The deepness of the blacks may indicate how generally excellent contrast can be, and this has really appealingly modulated gray scale that emphasizes the moody cinematography. My 4K score is 4.25.
The restoration work was performed in 4K at laboratories Eclair Classics / L'Immagine Ritrovata (Bologne - Paris) and L.E. Diapason (Paris), from the original 35mm image and sound negatives and original dupe negatives. Various 35mm prints served as reference. The restored version includes some sequences initially cut out when the film was first released.
Danza Macabra features the Italian language version in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono, with an option for a hybrid Italian-English version also in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. Castle of Blood offers the shorter English dub in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. While there are some arguable variances between these choices, on the whole I'd say they're rather similar, with really good dialogue representation but some pretty brash high end that is immediately apparent in some of the hyperbolic string cues, as well as other "underscore" that almost sounds like some of Dominic Frontiere's early electronic music choices for some moments in The Outer Limits: Season One, some of which may be strident enough to encourage some listeners to turn their volumes down. Other sound effects reverberate well, and midrange in particular in both languages is quite full bodied. Optional English subtitles are available.
Disc One (4K UHD)
- Danza Macabra
- Commentary with Rod Barnett of NaschyCast and The Bloody Pit, and Dr. Adrian Smith, Co-Author of Norman J. Warren - Gentleman of Terror
- Castle of Blood
- Trailer (HD; 1:38)
- TV Spot (HD; 1:04)
For those who have never seen either version of this film, this may admittedly be a case of the expectation exceeding actual realization, since my hunch is many will probably find both versions (especially the Italian) somewhat on the slow side. That said, for those willing to go with the kind of trance like flow of this tale, both versions offer mood in abundance. Longtime fans of these two iterations will most likely be more than pleased with the Severin release's technical merits, and as usual for the label, the supplements are excellent. Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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