Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Eyeball 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 18, 2024

Umberto Lenzi's "Eyeball" (1975) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films. The supplemental features on the release include archival program with Umberto Lenzi; three audio commentaries; recent program with actress Martine Brochard; video essay by critic Mike Foster; vintage promotional materials; and more. In English or Italian, with optional English and English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Eyeball is difficult to place in the company of Orgasmo, Paranoia, and So Sweet... So Perverse. It can make a good companion piece to Spasmo, which is not a film you will hear mentioned whenever the all-time greatest gialli are discussed. However, all of Umberto Lenzi’s gialli are very rarely brought up whenever the best of these genre films are discussed. There are different reasons for this. For example, a few of Lenzi’s gialli do not play according to the genre’s established rules. They have flexible personalities and feel quite comfortable entering territories where the classic giallo begins to look problematic. Also, Lenzi frequently dedicated more time to crafting and tweaking effective character arcs rather than building memorable atmospheres. Another big reason is the fact that a lot of people, including many prominent critics, did not like Lenzi, especially later in his career, when he became very outspoken and fought back against what he frequently claimed was a carefully orchestrated campaign to destroy his public image and compromise his films. (Lenzi’s violent poliziotteschi, not his gialli, were the biggest targets, and several of them were unjustly accused of promoting fascism). In other words, critiquing and ranking Lenzi’s gialli has always been a tricky business, and while they have not been completely ignored, they certainly have not been mentioned as often as they deserve.

It is not an exaggeration to state that Eyeball is Lenzi’s most straightforward giallo, which is arguably the main reason it is the easiest to critique, too. To be clear, Eyeball is not bad or even mediocre giallo, but it works with material unlikely to impress a seasoned giallo aficionado. Also, it is an Italian-Spanish production, and as such it required that Lenzi does certain things in it in a very particular way. While directing, Lenzi loved improving things, so the production restrictions, whatever they may have been, undoubtedly affected his creativity.

Shortly after entering Barcelona, a group of American tourists become targets for a vicious killer who likes to kill with a large dagger. The first victim is a young girl without any enemies or dark secrets, so without having the slightest clue why someone would want her dead, veteran detective Tudela (Andres Mejuto) begins probing the life stories of the people who knew or had come in contact with her. When the killer strikes again, Tudela’s attention is redirected to Mark Burton (John Richardson), a married writer, who is stuck in a complicated affair with his secretary (Martine Brochard) and suspects that his mentally unstable wife may have followed him to Barcelona.

Eyeball produces various curveballs, a common practice in the conventional giallo. They are logical and effective, but the thrills that should emerge with them to create the excitement a great giallo is expected to deliver are a mixed bag. The best thrills come from the most graphic material, which is short and stylistically familiar. For example, the highlight of Eyeball is a reimagination of a notorious sequence from Nic Roeg’s classic thriller Don't Look Now.

Interestingly, the entire cast is very good and genuinely enthusiastic, so there is plenty of material that could have been instantly forgettable but works well. Lenzi’s direction is good, too. As a result, even though figuring out the killer is not at all difficult, going through the curveballs and reaching the moment where Lenzi no longer protects his identity is definitely an enjoyable experience.

Eyeball can be viewed with English and Italian audio tracks. (There is also a Spanish dub track for this film). The English audio track should be considered the original audio track because the majority of the actors utter their lines in English. However, both tracks feature overdubbing.

Eyeball 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

88 Films' release of Eyeball is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray disc and the Blu-ray disc are Region-Free.

Please note that some of the screencaptures included 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 #1-25 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #29-34 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

In the United Kingdom, Eyeball made its high-definition debut with this release in 2018, which was also produced by 88 Films. The combo pack introduces an exclusive new 4K makeover of the film. In native 4K, the 4K makeover can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I chose to view with HDR and later spent time with the 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray.

I have a copy of the previous Blu-ray release in my library and think that it offers a wonderful presentation of the film, but the new 4K makeover is a thing of beauty. After viewing it last night, I would enthusiastically declare it one of the best done for an Italian genre film. All visuals, regardless of whether they feature plenty of natural light or come from darker areas, boast outstanding delineation, clarity, and depth. Highlights and shadow nuances, especially in areas with a variety of different details, look particularly impressive. Also, density levels are excellent, so on a large screen, you will see consistently great, very attractive visuals. Color balance and reproduction are outstanding. On the previous Blu-ray release, some parts of the film appeared just a tad too warm, but here everything is balanced properly and as a result the entire film has a gorgeous, enormously convincing period appearance. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. The HDR grade handles darker areas very well. I did not see any crushing or flattening. Also, while comparing the native 4K and 1080p presentations, I noticed that in a couple of different areas select primaries like blue, red, and brown become noticeably lusher. As expected, the dynamic range of the visuals is superior, too.

Does this mean that the 1080p presentation on the Blu-ray is inferior? No, I do not think so. In 1080p, the new 4K makeover still looks mighty impressive. It is better than the previous presentation of the film as well. However, in native 4K, the superior dynamic range of the visuals makes the 4K makeover appear even more striking. I really, really liked what I saw on my system.

Eyeball 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English LPCM 2.0 and Italian LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH (for the English track) and English subtitles (for the Italian track) are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The English track should be considered the original track for Eyeball because too many actors utter their lines in English. However, it features overdubbing, like the Italian track, because this was a standard practice in Italy for several decades. I viewed the entire film with the English track.

The overall quality of the lossless English track is very good. I think that the most interesting dynamic contrasts emerge whenever Bruno Nicolai's score does a lot to enhance the desired atmosphere and during the killings, where some old-fashioned effects are used to elevate intensity. However, the film's original sound design is not impressive. The upper register is very healthy. All exchanges, despite some sporadic unevenness introduced by the overdubbing, are very easy to follow.

Eyeball 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson, and Eugenio Ercolani. The bulk of the information addresses the production history of Eyeball, its visual style and genre identity, Umberto Lenzi's career and body of work, and comments about different cast and crew members.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and David Flint. Again, there is plenty of information about the production history of Eyeball but also the exact period in which it emerged, the city of Barcelona and locations where key segments were shot, the evolution of Umberto Lenzi's career and the type of genre films he made, etc.

• Commentary Three - this audio commentary was recorded by critic Justin Kerswell of Hysteria Lives and several of his compatriots. The commentators recall their first experiences with Eyeball explain why they enjoy the film and what makes it unique. As expected, there are plenty of observations about its style and genre tricks, as well as its creator Umberto Lenzi and his body of work.

• An Eye for Murder - in this program, actress Martine Brochard discusses her early days in Italy (after relocating from France), why she was seen as a sex symbol, and involvement with Eyeball. Brochard shares some interesting information about her character and the shoot in Barcelona, and Umberto Lenzi's personality and working methods. In Italian, with English subtitles. (21 min).

• Genre Maestro - in this archival program, Umberto Lenzi discusses his love for the classic American film noirs and American stars and explains how they influenced his style, how the Italian film industry operated when he entered it and why he "arrived late to thrillers (gialli)", the evolving censorship rules during the 1960s and 1970s, and the most glorious period of his career (when he made his notorious over-the-top poliziotteschi). Lenzi also addresses some of his greatest critics and clarifies why he was labeled a "fascist". In Italian, with English subtitles. (18 min).

• The Wandering Eye[Ball] - this video essay was created by critic Mike Foster. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Locations Featurette - this recent program visits some of the locations in Barcelona that Umberto Lenzi used in Eyeball. Then-and-now comparisons are included. With music. (3 min).

• English Title Sequence - presented here is the alternate English title sequence for Eyeball, called The Secret Killer. Fully restored in 4K. With music. (2 min).

• English End Credits - fully restored in 4K. Presented with music. (1 min).

• Trailer Reel - presented here are several vintage trailers for Eyeball. In English and Italian. (6 min).

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary One - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Troy Howarth, Nathaniel Thompson, and Eugenio Ercolani. The bulk of the information addresses the production history of Eyeball, its visual style and genre identity, Umberto Lenzi's career and body of work, and comments about different cast and crew members.

• Commentary Two - this audio commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and David Flint. Again, there is plenty of information about the production history of Eyeball but also the exact period in which it emerged, the city of Barcelona and locations where key segments were shot, the evolution of Umberto Lenzi's career and the type of genre films he made, etc.

• Commentary Three - this audio commentary was recorded by critic Justin Kerswell of Hysteria Lives and several of his compatriots. The commentators recall their first experiences with Eyeball explain why they enjoy the film and what makes it unique. As expected, there are plenty of observations about its style and genre tricks, as well as its creator Umberto Lenzi and his body of work.

• An Eye for Murder - in this program, actress Martine Brochard discusses her early days in Italy (after relocating from France), why she was seen as a sex symbol, and involvement with Eyeball. Brochard shares some interesting information about her character and the shoot in Barcelona, and Umberto Lenzi's personality and working methods. In Italian, with English subtitles. (21 min).

• Genre Maestro - in this archival program, Umberto Lenzi discusses his love for the classic American film noirs and American stars and explains how they influenced his style, how the Italian film industry operated when he entered it and why he "arrived late to thrillers (gialli)", the evolving censorship rules during the 1960s and 1970s, and the most glorious period of his career (when he made his notorious over-the-top poliziotteschi). Lenzi also addresses some of his greatest critics and clarifies why he was labeled a "fascist". In Italian, with English subtitles. (18 min).

• The Wandering Eye[Ball] - this video essay was created by critic Mike Foster. In English, not subtitled. (14 min).

• Locations Featurette - this recent program visits some of the locations in Barcelona that Umberto Lenzi used in Eyeball. Then-and-now comparisons are included. With music. (3 min).

• English Title Sequence - presented here is the alternate English title sequence for Eyeball, called The Secret Killer. Fully restored in 4K. With music. (2 min).

• English End Credits - fully restored in 4K. Presented with music. (1 min).

• Trailer Reel - presented here are several vintage trailers for Eyeball. In English and Italian. (6 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Booklet - 80-page illustrated booklet featuring multiple essays on Eyeball, vintage promotional materials, and technical credits.

• Poster - reversible mini-poster with original Italian and recent English poster art.

• Cards - six collectible lobby cards for Eyeball.

• Cover - reversible cover with vintage Italian poster art for Eyeball.

Eyeball 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

While a fine and enjoyable genre film, Eyeball does not have an enigmatic star like Carroll Baker, who appeared in Umberto Lenzi's most effective gialli. Eyeball should be on your radar, but before you pick it up, I strongly encourage you to create room in your library for Paranoia, Orgasmo, and So Sweet... So Perverse. This lavish combo pack introduces an exclusive new 4K makeover of Eyeball that is a genuine stunner. It has a fantastic selection of bonus features too, one of which is a terrific overview of Lenzi's career and cinematic oeuvre by Lenzi himself. The 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray discs are Region-Free. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.