Planet of the Vampires 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Planet of the Vampires 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman November 2, 2026

They may have missed Halloween by a few days with its slew of kids (and adults, based on my own non-scientific array of trick or treaters) dressed up as Dracula, but Radiance's US branch is releasing a new 4K / 1080 combo pack of Mario Bava's Planet of the Vampires, more than two years after their UK cohort released a 1080 edition of the film (review link below). There aren't many directors whose surnames have become (virtual) adjectives, with Wellesian and Felliniesque springing instantly to mind, but for those who have ever wondered what "Bava-esque" means, there's arguably no finer place to start than on this pesky planet.

As mentioned above, Radiance's UK branch put out a 1080 release of Planet of the Vampires over two years ago, and my Planet of the Vampires Blu-ray review has the customary information, along with two links to reviews of Region A releases (both in 1080) which have more fulsome plot recaps than my review of the first Radiance release.

Planet of the Vampires 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc in this package.

Planet of the Vampires is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Radiance Films with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. An AVC encoded 1080p transfer in the same aspect ratio is included on a separate disc. Radiance sent a check disc for purposes of the review of the UK 1080 release, and so I wasn't privy to any verbiage in an insert booklet included with that edition, though I noted at the time Radiance's website mentioned a "4K scan of the film from the original negative under the supervision of Lamberto Bava and carried out at Fotocinema in Rome in collaboration with CSC Cineteca Nazionale". A full retail set was sent to me this time, and the insert booklet contains the following generic information on the transfer:

Planet of the Vampires was scanned in 4K resolution at Fotocinema in Rome in collaboration with CSC Cineteca Nazionale, Titanus and RAICOM. A 4K digital file was supplied to Radiance Films for this UHD release. The restoration was supervised by Lamberto Bava and supported by Nicolas Winding Refn.

As with Radiance's previous 1080 release, the Italian version of the film also includes the following prefatory text:

The digital restoration of Tenore nello spazio was carried out from the original 35mm Kodak Eastman Color negative, provided by Italian International Film.

The process was performed by comparing the colorimetry with a contemporary 35mm positive print, preserved at the Cineteca Nazionale.

The color correction was carried out under the supervision of Lamberto Bava, assistant director the of the film.

The scanning, digital restoration and film recording processes, using the Digital Intermediate 35mm Kodak polyester process, were performed by the Fotocinema studio in Rome in 2015.

This is an impressive looking 4K upgrade, though I might caution those who are familiar with the quasi-adjective Bava-esque to maybe slightly temper their expectations in terms of what the HDR / Dolby Vision grades actually provide. There are absolutely gorgeous new highlights throughout the, well, Bava-esque palette, with blues, purples, reds and greens all popping extremely well, though that said, maybe I suffered from unwarranted expectations in just how much highlights and general palette energy could be improved. There is improvement, and noticeable improvement, but it may not be as gobsmacking as some might desire. The film's often very heavy grain structure may provide a few impediments, including with regard to detail levels, and the unremitting darkness and mist laden environments out on the planet may also tend to slightly mask fine detail levels at times. All of that said, considering the hurdles the compressionists must have encountered given the unrelenting darkness, mist, and at times thick grain, things look commendably well resolved throughout. The HDR grades do help elucidate shadow detail, though perhaps not entirely consistently.

Planet of the Vampires 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Both of the prior Region A Blu-ray releases look like they only featured the English language version of the film, while this Radiance release offers the same Italian or English language versions that were on their previous 1080 release, with both languages offered via DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. Both tracks offer post looped dialogue that is almost hilariously mismatched with lip movements, even in the English language version, but both provide capable support for dialogue (such as it is*) and effects. The two scores are quite interesting, with Kendall Schmidt's reminding me somewhat of John(ny) Williams' great percussion laden themes for all the Irwin Allen sci-fi series of the sixties. Optional English subtitles are available.

*I love how in the English language version an underling says that "even infrared lighting" can't penetrate the planetary fog, to which Barry Sullivan immediately replies "I've set it to infrared, maybe that will help".

Planet of the Vampires 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K UHD Disc

• Italian Version (1:29:28) and English Version (1:27:32) are accessible under the Play Menu.


• English Version (Kendall Schmidt Score) is accessible under the Play Menu.


• Audio Commentary by Tim Lucas

1080 Disc

• Italian Version (1:29:28) and English Version (1:27:32) are accessible under the Play Menu.


• English Version (Kendall Schmidt Score) is accessible under the Play Menu.


• Audio Commentary by Tim Lucas


• Transmissions from a Haunted World (HD; 41:00) is a very interesting newly produced documentary with a variety of talking heads offering their thoughts on Bava and the film.


• Lamberto Bava (HD; 13:09) is a 2022 interview featuring Bava reminiscing about the production. Subtitled in English.


• Super 8 Version offers two different language "digests" which are somewhat confusingly described as having been recreated from the German Super 8 version:

  Italian Version (HD; 17:10)

  
  

  English Version (HD; 17:10)

• Joe Dante (HD; 3:49) features Dante's Trailers From Hell overview.


• Josh Olson (HD; 2:30) is another Trailers From Hell overview.


• Trailer (HD; 2:15)


• Gallery (HD)

Additionally, this Limited Edition comes very handsomely packaged, with a slipbox enclosing a keepcase with reversible sleeve and a nicely produced perfect bound collectors' booklet with several interesting essays and lots of images. The keepcase encloses art cards and a kind of cool booklet reprinting Renato Pestriniero's original short story. An Obi strip is (of course) included.

Planet of the Vampires 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

You kind of have to love that the new supplemental documentary on the 1080 disc states that Barry Sullivan is best remembered for his role on the pilot for Night Gallery: Season One, where he portrayed the agent helping Joan Crawford get new eyes in the segment directed by some kid named Steven Spielberg or something like that. Some aware of Sullivan's decades long career in film, television and Broadway may want to quibble with that assessment, but I found it particularly delightful since I've always loved that particular Night Gallery vignette. One way or the other, though, this release offers solid technical merits and some appealing on disc supplements. The 4K UHD presentation is incredibly gorgeous, though the (color) space between the SDR 1080 and HDR 2160 presentations may not be as vast as some may be expecting. Recommended.