Planet of the Vampires Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Planet of the Vampires Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 3, 2022

Mario Bava's "Planet of the Vampires" (1965) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on release include exclusive new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw; archival audio commentary by critic and Mario Bava biographer Tim Lucas; episodes of Trailers From Hell with Joe Dante and Josh Olson; original trailer for the film; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

There is something out there -- something that wants your body.

If you ever find yourself stuck in a discussion where someone is questioning your opinion that Mario Bava was a cinematic genius, use this brand new Blu-ray release of Planet of the Vampires to prove that you are right. Demand that this someone views Planet of the Vampires with you in complete silence and when its final credits roll ask whether he is ready to concede that you were right. If the answer is yes, it means that this someone is worth engaging in future discussions. If the answer is no or not yet, get up, shake hands, and exit the discussion with a smile because you still won. Life is too short, so do not waste any more of your precious time on someone so dishonest.

Why am I giving you this advice? Because a couple of nights ago, after a viewing of Planet of the Vampires, I found myself stuck in a very strange discussion with, well, someone that changed my opinion. However, he did not change my opinion of Bava and Planet of the Vampires. This someone concluded that he had done so, but only because I exited the discussion with a smile. At the center of this discussion was his claim that Planet of the Vampires is “begging for a remake”, which I instantly and very passionately dismissed. Our disagreement then produced very surprising fireworks which revealed to me that this someone neither understands nor appreciates what makes Planet of the Vampires a wonderful and timeless film. The final and most intensely debated aspect of our discussion was the ability of contemporary cinematic technology, which would mean digital technology, to create vastly superior foreign worlds than the one seen in Planet of the Vampires, as well as the ability of contemporary directors to shoot much more exciting films. I made it clear that neither contemporary digital technology nor contemporary directors using it can reproduce what Bava does in Planet of the Vampires because they can only simulate the “excitement”, which is a crucial detail the someone before me could not even begin to grasp but was determined to dismiss.

Now, I would like to explain why Planet of the Vampires is an excellent film to use against Bava non-believers, and why what it does cannot be bettered by a contemporary director taking advantage of contemporary digital technology.

First, I must confess that I don't rank Planet of the Vampires amongst Bava’s greatest masterpieces. However, I think that it sums up perfectly the greatness of his mastery. Why? Because it is a wonderful promotional piece for Bava’s ability to produce unforgettable visuals while being creative with color, light, and shadow. Because it is a great example of Bava’s ability to be a unique storyteller capable of engaging the minds of viewers of all ages. And because it quickly makes it impossible not to agree that Bava was a great stylist that could move through different genres with equally striking authority.

Second, what Planet of the Vampires does cannot be bettered in a contemporary film because what makes it unique and attractive is multi-layered and organic. (Remember, there are no conventional cinematic special effects in it). In other words, while contemporary digital technology may produce more complex visuals, they would be devoid of life, thus instantly making the overlapping of sci-fi and horror material and its blending with human drama that is at the center of Planet of the Vampires impossible to replicate. Additionally, like most visionary directors, Bava uses the viewer’s mind to expand the story of Planet of the Vampires beyond what is shown on the screen. In a contemporary remake of Planet of the Vampires, the inevitable more complex visuals will instantly begin eroding this particular aspect of the story as well. Why? Because the more the mind is engaged in processing the busy visuals, the less time it would have to respond to the type of engagement that occurs in Planet of the Vampires. (While not a brilliant intellectual mind-bender, the second half of Plant of the Vampires definitely offers plenty of food for thought that an adult mind will appreciate).

Bava worked with cinematographer Antonio Rinaldi, who later on assisted him on the cult classic Danger: Diabolik as well as the excellent thriller Five Dolls for an August Moon.

*Kino Lorber's release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master. Despite the existence of a 4K master that was prepared after the film was apparently restored in 4K overseas, it offers the most convincing organic presentation of the original English language version of Planet of the Vampires that can be had on a disc. (The overseas 4K master has only Italian and French audio options).

Planet of the Vampires Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Planet of the Vampires arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

In the United States, Planet of the Vampires made its high-definition debut in 2014 via this release courtesy of Scorpion Releasing. This new release is sourced from an exclusive new 2K master.

I like the technical presentation a lot. The film tends to look just a tiny bit softer than I would have preferred, but delineation, clarity, and depth range from good to very good. This master is also very nicely graded, so the strength of Mario Bava's mastery -- which covers everything from the unique use of color, light, and shadow to terrific sets and positioning of the camera -- is extremely easy to appreciate. Ideally, color saturation and the overall dynamic range of the visuals could be a bit better, but at this point, I think that the sizeable shift in quality can be accomplished as convincingly as possible only if the film is presented in native 4K. Why? Because improved saturation without the expansion of the dynamic range would not produce a drastically different result, which is why the current presentation of the film in 1080p is so good. There are no traces of problematic digital tinkering. Some small surface imperfections remain -- such as nicks, blemishes, tiny vertical lines, and dark spots -- but there are no large cuts, debris, warped or torn frames to report in our review. All in all, I think that this is a very solid organic presentation of Planet of the Vampires that represents a pretty significant upgrade in quality over the old presentation of the film. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Planet of the Vampires Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is clear and easy to follow. Gino Marinuzzi's spooky score produces good dynamic contrasts as well. However, in the final third of the film, there are at least two examples where the dynamic stability is a bit shaky. My guess is that an elaborate restoration could introduce some enhancements that would address the areas where the fluctuations become obvious. On the other hand, I'd say that the overall balance is still fine.

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

• Commentary One - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw. The commentators discuss Mario Bava's business relationship with American International Pictures (AIP), the evolution of Bava's style, the conception of Planet of the Vampires and the various very unique tricks (not special effects) that are seen throughout it, some of the 'confusing' parts from the film's narrative, the promotional campaign and the film's cult reputation and impact on other directors/films.

• Commentary Two - this archival audio commentary was recorded by critic and Mario Bava biographer Tim Lucas. The bulk of the comments address the production history of Planet of the Vampires, the visual style of the film and Bava's unique tricks that substituted conventional special effects, the special sets that were built at Cinecittà Studios, the important role music has throughout the film, etc. I think that this is one of Mr. Lucas' very best commentaries, so if you enjoy Planet of the Vampires you should not just skip through it.

• Alternate Music Score Highlights - a collection of highlights from Planet of the Vampires with alternate music themes. Presented in 1.33:1 ratio. In English, not subtitled. (21 min).

• Original Italian Opening Credits - with music. (3 min).

• Trailers From Hell One - presented here is an archival episode of Trailers From Hell with director Joe Dante (Piranha). In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Trailers From Hell Two - presented here is an archival episode of Trailers From Hell with screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence). In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Planet of the Vampires. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Cover - a reversible cover with vintage poster art for Planet of the Vampires.

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

A part of me agrees with Joe Dante that Mario Bava's Planet of the Vampires qualifies to be described as "pulp science fiction". However, there is another, much bigger part of me that vehemently disagrees with Dante because it finds what his description implies seriously misleading. What does "pulp science fiction" imply? A whole range of qualities that are typically associated with very simplistic films that tend to produce predictable thrills and chills. Planet of the Vampires can be that kind of a simplistic genre film only if you focus on its visual brilliance, which admittedly isn't at all difficult, and ignore the various fascinating themes that emerge in its second half. Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release is sourced from a very attractive new 2K master and offers the best technical presentation of the original English language version of Planet of the Vampires that I have seen to date. If you reside overseas and decide to acquire it for your collection, please keep in mind that it is Region-A "locked". VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.