6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The corpse of reporter Gregory Moore (Jean Sorel of LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN) is found in a Prague plaza and brought to the local morgue. But Moore is actually alive, trapped inside his dead body and desperately recalling how the mysterious disappearance of his beautiful girlfriend (Barbara Bach of THE SPY WHO LOVED ME) led to a terrifying conspiracy of depravity. Can a reporter with no visible signs of life solve this perverse puzzle before he meets his ultimate deadline? Ingrid Thulin (THE DAMNED, SALON KITTY) co-stars in this unusual and startling giallo (also known as PARALYZED and MALASTRANA) that marked the debut of writer/director Aldo Lado (WHO SAW HER DIE?) and features a superb score by the legendary Ennio Morricone.
Starring: Ingrid Thulin, Jean Sorel, Mario Adorf, Barbara Bach, Fabijan ŠovagovićHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 92% |
Mystery | 19% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
One of the more potentially horrifying uses of a botanical in the history of medical science was the not all that long ago utilization of curare, the often deadly poisonous paralytic agent that is frequently mentioned in terms of “poison tipped arrows”. Kind of amazingly, at least to those who tend to delight in the “miracle” of modern medicine, curare was routinely used as a muscle relaxant in both surgeries and even electroshock therapy as recently as the mid-20th century. I came across the use of curare in my research on classic actress Frances Farmer, where it was clearly listed as being administered to patients about to undergo electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). When I first published my article about Farmer many decades ago, one of the more “energetic” responses I received was from a gentleman who found the whole idea of a paralytic poison being used in such circumstances patently ridiculous, something he felt “obviously” disproved other elements of my research. That said, not only has the use of curare been widely documented, at least in the internet age that grew after my article first saw the light of day, I also had the unique opportunity of being invited to meet with one of the “fathers of ECT” in the United States, who confirmed that curare was indeed regularly used for electric shock therapy patients in the early days of that “technology”. One of the frightening things about curare that ended up being disclosed in its use in actual surgeries, however, is that when it was used alone, it did absolutely nothing to abate pain, it simply made the patients unable to respond to it, since they were completely paralyzed. Luckily, better agents have been discovered and/or manufactured in the meantime, but for those wanting a cinematic treatment of what being hopelessly paralyzed while doctors poke and prod an apparently lifeless body might be like, Short Night of Glass Dolls might provide ample documentation.
Short Night of Glass Dolls is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.34:1. The film has received a couple of other global releases, one from 88 Films for the United Kingdom market, and another German Blu-ray release from Camera Obscura that Svet reviewed several years ago. I don't have either of these releases to do a side by side comparison, but based solely on a screenshot comparison (always a bit risky, of course), it looks like this release can vary a bit in terms of brightness from the Camera Obscura release, but the palette looks similar if not downright identical. Detail levels are excellent throughout the presentation, with elements like the downy fine hairs on faces clearly visible even in less than optimal lighting, and elements like the textures on fabrics of costumes and upholstery looking nicely precise and problem free. As Svet mentioned in his review, there are some slight density fluctuations (I noticed some in a few establishing shots), but there is no really major damage of any kind. Grain resolves naturally throughout, and there are no issues with digital tweaking that I spotted.
The Setup Menu on this disc slightly mislabels the two soundtracks (Italian and English) as being DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0, when they are actually DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There's no substantial difference in amplitude or overall mix between the two aside from the obvious variances due to voice acting. As is typically the case with many Italian films, sync is loose in both versions. Fidelity is fine, supporting narration, dialogue and the great Ennio Morricone score.
This will be a rather harrowing picture for those who put themselves in Gregory's shoes (and/or paralyzed feet), though the film's vignette driven flashback style means that momentum can kind of stumble now and again. Gialli fans may not in fact want to even consider this as a "real" giallo, but it's still a rather riveting experience, and the finale, while arguably on the Grand Guignol side, is extremely memorable. While it's great that this release includes Ennio Morricone's score as an isolated track and also features a very enjoyable commentary track, the Camera Obscura release that Svet reviewed looks like it had substantially more plentiful bonus content, so those with region free players may want to consider that version. Recommended.
Cosa avete fatto a Solange?
1972
Il profumo della signora in nero
1974
Solamente nero
1978
Sette orchidee macchiate di rosso
1972
Una lucertola con la pelle di donna
1971
Tutti i colori del buio
1972
Chi l'ha vista morire?
1972
Profondo rosso
1975
La dama rossa uccide sette volte
1972
L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo
1970
Una farfalla con le ali insanguinate
1971
Special Edition | La morte cammina con i tacchi alti
1971
Sette scialli di seta gialla | Standard Edition
1972
Special Edition | La morte accarezza a mezzanotte
1972
Il gatto a nove code | Special Edition
1971
Virgin Killer / Red Rings of Fear / Orgie des Todes
1978
2018
Non si sevizia un paperino
1972
Sei donne per l'assassino
1964
Passi di danza su una lama di rasoio
1973