Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.0

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 17, 2024

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of the Inside the Mind of Coffin Joe collection from Arrow Video.

If you know about Coffin Joe, no introduction is necessary, and if you don't, no introduction could probably ever suffice. That said, for those who aren't aware of this weirdly iconic Brasilian character, he (it?) sprang from the febrile imagination of one José Mojica Marins, a writer and director who in addition to those tasks in fact played Coffin Joe in several films aggregated in this gonzo new collection from Arrow Video. Rather interestingly, and perhaps saliently, one supplement in this immense set has the redoubtable Stephen Thrower refusing to call Marins "insane", despite the fact that other pundits have described Marins as meeting that clinical definition, while another supplement is devoted to Marins as a "neuro divergent" and at least possibly ADHD afflicted filmmaker. That rather wide gamut of reactions will probably be matched by the general public, though if Marins was "crazy", he was crazy like a fox, as they say, and his films, while intentionally provocative and rather frequently horrifyingly graphic in terms of bodily immolations and the like, generally have rather impressive production values, which suggests a certain competency at least. One way or the other, virtually all of Marins' films are suffused with mood, even if narrative structures can be on the wobbly side. This is another impressive effort from Arrow Video that is obviously designed to cater to a cult audience, but that particular demographic should find themselves very well served by this release.

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind may offer one of the more self revelatory titles in this collection, but as a film it's kind of a mix tape of Marins' previous efforts, albeit expanded at times here to show even more graphic imagery of various bodily immolations and other graphic activities. There's more of the "meta" aspects that have informed some of the previous efforts in this set like Awakening of the Beast, including Marins more or less as himself as the story progresses. Much as in Awakening of the Beast, exposure to Coffin Joe becomes a disruptive influence, albeit in this instance for one person rather than the quartet in the other film, a conceit which allows Marins to utilize a number of snippets from earlier pieces.

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arrow's insert booklet offers some general information about all of the transfers, followed by more individualized information about this particular film, as follows:

The Coffin Joe films by José Mojica Marins have been exclusively restored by Cinecolor, in cooperation with One Eyed Films and Arrow Films. All restoration work was overseen by producer Paulo Sacramento in collaboration with Arrow Films.

The original film elements sourced for this project represent the best existing film elements available, and while every effort has been made to present these films in the highest quality possible, some instances of damage remain, in keeping with the condition and age of these materials. Likewise, the audio soundtracks which at times have a slightly rough quality of are in keeping with their production origins. In places audio synch will appear loose as very little audio was ever recorded live and the mixes were generally recorded and created in post-production.

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind / Delírios de um Anormal is presented in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio with mono Brazilian Portuguese audio.

The film was scanned and restored in 4K resolution from the original 35mm camera negative.

The audio was remastered from an original 35mm print.

Additionally, a prefatory text card offers the following further information:

2023 4K restoration executed at Cinecolor Brazil Lab with the support of Arrow Films and under the supervision of Mojica's last producer, Paulo Sacramento.

Digital restoration done from the original 35mm image negatives supplied by Cinemateca Brasileira.

The audio files were restored from the preexisting telecine of a 35mm print.

This presentation offers some of the most secure color timing of the set, though there can still be traces of the yellow-orange undertone I've noted in a number of other reviews of the color films in the collection, a slight anomaly which is probably discernable in some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review. Some of the "recycled" material appears here in tinted or toned form, choices that can arguably slightly decrease fine detail levels at times. On the whole, though, detail is precise, meaning it can be quite gruesome at times. Perhaps surprisingly, there are not huge variances in clarity or grain structure despite this having been cobbled together from a variety of previously produced films and newly shot material.

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind features LPCM Mono audio in the original Portuguese. This is another track that can reveal some very slight distortion and/or crackling at higher amplitudes, probably most noticeably in some of the wacky source cues or sound effects Marins always favors. Otherwise, though, the track offers capable support for all dialogue. Optional English subtitles are available.

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Arrow has packaged Hellish Flesh and Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind together on one disc, with the following supplements:

• Aesthetics of Garbage: José Mojica Marins, a Complicated Icon (HD; 30:56) is an interview with Andrew Leavold, who gives an overview in the genre context of Boca do Lixo (Mouth of Garbage), the ultra low budget movement in Brasil that Marins was ostensibly a part of.


• Beyond Good and Evil (HD; 15:31) is an interesting video essay by Kat Ellinger which concentrates on the connections between Marins' films and Friedrich Nietzsche.


• Trailers

  Hellish Flesh (HD; 3:53)

  
  

  Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind (HD; 3:49)

  /blockquote>

• Audio Commentary for Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind doesn't come with the same explanatory introductory menu text as on the other discs with commentaries, but features Paulo Darte, Carlos Primati, Nilcemar Leyarte and José Mojica Marins. Subtitled in English. This is accessible under Special Features once the film has been chosen.

Hallucinations of a Deranged Mind Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The newly shot material for this film is actually rather stylish, and I kept wishing there were actually more of it, instead of the "new, improved" retreads the film offers more abundantly. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements very enjoyable for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.