7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
After a delirious night of drinking, three herdsmen create a female doll from cloth and a strangely formed wooden root. When their creation comes to life in form of an evil and beautiful female demon, they have to fear for their lives.
Starring: Peter Simonischek, Giovanni Früh, Andy Voß, Pamela PratiHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 74% |
Mystery | 1% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
German: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Georg Tressler's "Sukkubus" (1989) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Mondo Macabro. The supplemental features on the disc a new program with actor Peter Simonischek and restored vintage trailer for the film. In German, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Sukkubus arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Mondo Macabro.
We recently reviewed German label Subkultur Entertainment's Region-B release of Sukkubus here. This release is sourced from the same master that was used to prepare the German release, but I need to make a small clarification. After we published our review, we were told that the film was restored in 2K, not 4K. Mondo Macabro's release states that it was restored in 4K as well, so keep this in mind.
Obviously, my take on the restoration work remains the same. I think that the entire film looks quite impressive now, remarkably healthy as well, so whether the master was finalized in 2K or 4K is basically irrelevant. Without having seen the film before, I can comfortably state that the grading work is very convincing as well. How do I know this exactly? Because it is very easy to see that the current balance between the primaries and supporting nuances is such that it actually strengthens the dynamic range of the visuals. When the balance isn't right, and especially when there are awkward changes with digital roots, the exact opposite scenario is present. Image stability is outstanding.
The only notable discrepancy between Subkultur Entertainment's release and Mondo Macabro's release is in the size of the file for the main feature. The former uses a bigger file on a dual-layer disc, while the latter uses a smaller file on a single-layer disc. So, if you project, you should keep this detail in mind. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature. However, if you decided to turn them off, you will have to use your remote control because there is no option do so via the main menu.
The film does not have an elaborate music score. It uses all kinds of different organic sounds and noises to build its atmosphere, so the dynamic contrasts are quite modest. The dialog is very basic as well. The English translation is excellent.
I could tell that Sukkubus would be a different film even before the emergence of the demon because there was something very unique about its atmosphere. Even though it comes from the '80s, it reminded me of the '70s classic horror thriller The Wicker Man, which does some very similar things to alter the identity of the Scottish town of Galloway. I thought that this was very interesting, and after viewing an archival interview with Georg Tressler where he discusses the state of German cinema and references the styles of different international directors, I am quite certain that there is a legit connection between the two films.
This release is sourced from the same excellent 2K restoration -- not 4K restoration as initially reported -- that the folks at German label Subkultur Entertainment prepared and introduced in 2021. Sukkubus is a small film, but I liked it so much and was so impressed by the restoration that at the end of December I ended up placing the German release on my Top Ten international list. So, if you like different and very atmospheric films, pick up Mondo Macabro's North American release for your library. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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