6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Purif, a young peasant from South Italy, is suspected of being a witch possessed by a demon.
Starring: Daliah Lavi, Frank Wolff, Marķa Teresa OrsiniHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 95% |
Drama | 38% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as a part of All the Haunts Be Ours: A Compendium of Folk Horror.
All the Haunts Be Ours advertises itself as "the most comprehensive collection of its kind", which may initially beg the question as to "kind of
what?". But the release also comes with a front cover sobriquet
proclaiming it "a compendium of folk horror", which may then beg the next obvious question as to what exactly "folk horror" is. In that
regard, this set
begins with a fascinating and diverse documentary which has its own subtitle referencing folk horror, Woodlands Dark and Days
Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror, which provides a veritable glut of clips from international films which director (and this entire set's guiding
light) Kier-La Janisse has assembled to help define the genre, but perhaps the best answer is to simply echo a certain Supreme Court Justice named
Potter Stewart who was trying to decide a case involving supposed pornography, and who famously opined, "I shall not today attempt further to define
the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description, and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I
know it when I see it. . ."
Il Demonio is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Severin's insert booklet contains a fairly brief blurb about the provenance of the transfer, stating "restored from the original negative at RAI-TV in Rome, including newly located footage missing from all previous releases". This is an often very appealing looking transfer, one graced with generally consistent contrast and some nicely inky black levels, as well as a nuanced gray scale. Detail levels are excellent for the most part, especially in the many close-ups. There are noticeable variations in brightness, with some brief flashing running through the presentation that is admittedly minor but still discernable. Damage is really commendably absent. Grain resolves naturally throughout.
Il Demonio features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track in the original Italian, and while this may have been post looped per the production standards of the day, I have to say synch is not especially "loose", as is often mentioned in verbiage accompanying Italian releases from this period. The sound is still somewhat boxy at times, especially with regard to dialogue, but the really interesting, astringent and quasi- electronic score from Piero Piccioni sounds full bodied, if often pretty brash. Optional English subtitles are available.
Tim Lucas makes a case that Il Demonio utilizes the hoary trope of "who are the real monsters?", since Purificata, despite her obvious anger management issues, still is the victim of this piece, surrounded by a patriarchal society tied to ancient rites that make believers zealots, and superstitious ones at that. This is a really interest film and a total showcase for an amazing Daliah Lavi. Technical merits are generally solid, and the supplements very well done. Highly recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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