6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.2 |
Hugo is a brilliant turn-of-the-century scientist-loved and respected by his family and friends, admired by his colleagues. But he is a man quickly becoming obsessed with a curious and frightening question... what is the mysterious apparition found in the photographs of his dying subjects? Hugo brings to a family boating party his newest invention-a motion picture camera. The party quickly turns into a disaster as he captures on film the tragic drowning of his son and his fiancee. When the film is replayed later, the same ghostlike presence appears. It flies towards his son, and vanishes inside his dying body. Has Hugo discovered The Asphyx, the spirit of the dead described in Greek mythology?
Starring: Robert Powell (I), Robert Stephens, Jane Lapotaire, Alex Scott (I), Ralph ArlissHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.35:1
English: LPCM 2.0
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
I'm a confessed sucker for any story involving the mid-to-late 19th century overlap of science and spiritualism. Between advances in electricity and the germ theory of disease--along with the game-changer of Darwin's Origin of Species--scientists and the public at large were increasingly aware that there was more to life than could be seen with the naked eye. Suddenly, subjects that had previously been confined to the realm of religion--like the supposed existence of the soul and the possibility of life after death--were open to scientific inquiry. What's embarrassing in retrospect is how notable scientists and philosophers like William Crookes and Henry James were so caught up in the psychic possibilities that they were duped by the chicaneries of two-bit mediums and trance artists, mesmerists and faith healers. It was all bunk, of course, little more than mind games and clever parlor tricks, but it's fun to imagine what might've happened if science had made profound paranormal discoveries before the turn of the 20th century. That's the basic premise of The Asphyx, a little-seen British sci-fi/horror film from 1973 that dabbles in spirit photography and the quest for immortality. It's not quite an undiscovered cult gem, but gothic horror fans will find a lot to love in its creaky Victorian setting and loveably lo- fi special effects.
Kino and Redemption Films have teamed up for quite a few titles now, but The Asphyx is hands down the duo's best-looking Blu-ray release thus
far. As I mentioned above, David Lean's go-to guy Freddie Young was the cinematographer here, and you can tell from the lighting and compositions and
focus that there was a real pro behind the lens. More so, the film has received a fantastic restoration, culminating in a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer
that's clean, sharp, and colorful. The 35mm print is practically spotless aside from a few blink-and-you'll-miss-'em white specks, and as usual from Kino,
you can expect an image that hasn't been slathered in DNR or artificially boosted with edge enhancement. The grain structure looks entirely natural and
the picture is crisp enough as it is, with a level of detail that far surpasses what could be seen on previous DVD releases. From the costumes and props to
the actors' facial features--everything looks cleaner and more finely resolved. Color is stable and balanced too, with a rich warm palette periodically
interrupted by some bright ectoplasmic blues. Contrast and black levels, likewise, are spot-on.
Not that the disc includes both the theatrical cut (1:26:52) and an extended version (1:39:01), which features a lot of additional
dialogue and some small character-driven moments that had been previous chopped out. Unfortunately, the extra footage from the extended cut isn't in
nearly as good of shape. Here's the disclaimer you'll read when you choose to play the extended version:
I'm used to relatively low-budget 1970s horror films having crackly, sometimes muffled audio, but The Asphyx sounds clear and clean, with a Linear PCM 2.0 track that's free of pops, splice noises, and drop-outs. Dialogue is the focus here--it's always well-recorded, balanced in the mix, and easily understood--but there are also some surprisingly potent effects for a film of this age, like the shrill screaming of the Asphyx as it gets sucked toward the light. Much of the film goes unscored, but there are occasional classical cues, and these all sound fine. My lone complaint is that the disc includes no subtitle options for those who might need or want them.
An old-fashioned morality-driven fright film about the dangers of playing God, The Asphyx is no forgotten masterpiece, but it is a fun piece of gothic b-horror that explores the short-lived Victorian-era intersection between science and the supernatural. For a movie of this sort, it features excellent production design and cinematography, which correlates to a surprisingly striking Blu-ray presentation. Recommended for all Hammer Horror hounds, steampunk tinkerers, and wannabe Spiritualists.
2015
1963
1973
Collector's Edition
1970
Dracula / Warner Archive Collection
1958
2014
Dracula's Dog / Kino Cult #16
1977
Deluxe Edition
1920
Warner Archive Collection
1931
1959
1966
Collector's Edition
2023
2016
2K Restoration
1968
AIP Cut | 60th Anniversary
1963
Collector’s Edition
1986
Collector's Edition
1967
1977
2K Restoration
1980
Slipcover in Original Pressing
1977