The House by the Cemetery Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The House by the Cemetery Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 29, 2023

Fans of physical Blu-ray and/or 4K UHD media often have to navigate a rather roiling sea of changing licensing agreements in various regions, and in that regard The House by the Cemetery is certainly no exception. Region A consumers were treated to both a 4K UHD and 1080 release by Blue Underground back in 2020, which provided the basis for both of these two new releases (i.e., 4K UHD and 1080) from Arrow, but Blue Underground evidently re- released their 1080 version in 2022, and what I suspect was an older transfer was included in Blue Underground's 2015 The Lucio Fulci Collection release. Reaching even further back into the dim mists of Region A time, Blue Underground brought out what seems to be its first 1080 release way back in 2011. If Blue Underground has been the "go to" label for this film on this side of the pond, Region B has been well served by Arrow itself, which has been bringing out 1080 releases of the film since 2012, according to our database. As usual, though, with these new versions Arrow has sweetened the pot (plot? -- i.e., grave) by offering a beautifully packaged release that includes the supplements from the many Blue Underground releases, along with newly curated items. About the only "downside" some may have with this release is that the 4K UHD version does not include the Dolby Atmos track that was offered on Blue Underground's release.

There is more than copious plot information available in both Martin Liebman's The House by the Cemetery Blu-ray review and Svet Atanasov's The House by the Cemetery 4K Blu-ray review to hopefully satisfy most, as well as two manifest examples of "different reviewers means different opinions". With that said, I won't waste time repeating narrative mechanics here, other than to agree with commentator Troy Howarth's assessment that The House by the Cemetery actually offers one of the stronger narratives from this era of Fulci films. There is still manifest blood, guts and other gore, per Fulci's standard operating procedure, but this is a rather smartly crafted quasi-ghost story that should be near perfect viewing for those looking for some spooky Halloween thrills.

The House by the Cemetery Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The House by the Cemetery is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.35:1. Arrow includes the same insert booklet in both its 1080 and 4K UHD releases, which offers the following information on the restoration:

The House by the Cemetery / Quella villa accanto al cimitero is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1 and is presented in HDR10 and Dolby Vision on the 4K Ultra HD release. The English audio is presented in its original mono and a 5.1 surround remix. The Italian audio is presented in its original mono.

The new 4K restoration was produced by Blue Underground. The original 35mm camera negative was scanned, graded in HDR10 and restored in 4K resolution at Augustus Color, Rome, Italy. Dolby Vision HDR colour grading and additional restoration were completed at Illuminate Hollywood, Studio City, CA, USA.

Audio restoration of the English soundtracks was completed at Post Haste Digital/Deluxe Media, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Audio restoration of the Italian soundtrack was completed at Bad Princess Productions, London.

Kind of interestingly, despite this being culled from Blue Underground's restoration, there are some subtle differences between this presentation and Blue Underground's own 1080 presentation, at least judging by the always risky gambit of comparing screenshots. This Arrow release looks just a tad darker than the Blue Underground release (compare screenshot 12 from this review with screenshot 2 from the Blue Underground 1080 review, and note the stain glass windows in the background), something that may actually help to slightly expose grain a bit more, as counterintuitive as that may sound. The palette is generally really nicely suffused, and I have to say I actually preferred the SDR grading to some of the tweaks that HDR and/or Dolby Vision add to the 4K UHD iteration. As some of the supplements get into, Fulci's repeated use of techniques like rack focus attain new precision in this restoration, with fine detail being quite impressive in the many close-ups (Fulci has a tendency to offer a character in extreme close-up at the very edge of the frame, where he then readjusts focus to reveal someone in the background). Grain is nicely resolved throughout, and any age related wear and tear is absolutely negligible in my considered opinion.

The House by the Cemetery Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The House by the Cemetery features DTS-HD Master Audio Mono tracks in either English or Italian, duplicating the film's original theatrical exhibition, as well as a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 reimagining in English. Both mono tracks offer good reproduction of the film's often gruesome sound effects, while offering secure renderings of score and dialogue as well. The 5.1 track definitely opens things up, especially in isolated effects moments like when Norman drops a tape into a furnace chute, as well as some of the mayhem that ensues in the cellar, but it's really a rather restrained surround repurposing, which I for one like. Optional English subtitles are available.

The House by the Cemetery Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentaries

  Commentary by Troy Howarth

  
  

  Commentary by Catriona MacColl and Calum Waddell

  
  

  Commentary by Silvia Collatina and Mike Baronas

• Meet the Boyles (HD; 14:11) features interviews with stars Catriona MacColl and Paolo Malco. Partially subtitled in English.


• Children of the Night (HD; 12:13) features interviews with (at the time of the filming, child) stars Giovanni Frezza and Silvia Collatina.


• Tales of Laura Gittleson (HD; 8:51) features an interview with star Dagmar Lassander.


• My Time with Terror (HD; 9:17) features an interview with star Carlo De Mejo.


• A Haunted House Story (HD; 14:01) features interviews with co-writers Dardano Sacchetti and Elisa Briganti. Subtitled in English.


• To Build a Better Death Trap (HD; 21:32) features interviews with cinematographer Sergio Salvati, special make up effects artist Maurizio Trani, special effects artist Gino De Rossi and actor Giovanni De Nava. Subtitled in English.


• House Quake (HD; 14:44) features an interview with co-wrtier Giorgio Mariuzzo. Subtitled in English.


• Catriona MacColl Q & A (HD; 29:35) is from the 2014 Spaghetti Cinema Festival held in Luton, England. Partially subtitled in English.


• Calling Dr. Freudstein (HD; 19:34) is another interesting piece with Stephen Thrower, author of Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci.


• Deleted Scene (HD; 1:01) has no sound.


• Alternate US Opening Titles (HD; 2:12)


• Archival Special Features

  Introduction by Giovanni Frezza (HD; 00:18)

  
  

  Back to the Cellar (HD; 15:08) is an interview with Giovanni Frezza.

  
  

  Cemetery Woman (HD; 29:21) is an interview with Catriona MacColl.

  
  

  Wax Mask: Finishing the Final Fulci (HD; 8:25) is an interview with filmmaker and special makeup effects artist Sergio Stivaletti. Subtitled in English.

  
  

  Freudstein's Follies (HD; 10:17) is an interview with special effects artist Giannetto De Rossi. Subtitled in English.

  
  

  Ladies of Italian Horror (HD; 24:05) features interviews with Stefania Casini, Barbara Magnolfi and Silvia Collatina.

  
  

  The House by the Cemetery Q & A (HD; 44:07) is culled from a 2011 panel at HorrorHound in Indianapolis.

• Publicity

  International Theatrical Trailer (HD; 3:22)

  
  

  US Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:49)

  
  

  TV Spot (HD; 00:33)

  
  

  Poster and Stills Gallery 1 (HD)

  
  

  Poster and Stills Gallery 2 (HD)

Additionally, this is yet another impressively packaged release from Arrow, that also includes a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Colin Murdoch, a limited edition 60 page perfect bound booklet with some really excellent new writing by the likes of Roberto Curti, Stephen Thrower, Alexandra Heller_nicholas and Rachael Nisbet, a fold out double sided poster and six double sided collector's postcards. All of this is housed in a really nicely designed slipbox.

The House by the Cemetery Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Fans of Fulci probably know at least a little of what to expect with this often very bloody enterprise, but aside and apart from any on screen violence, the film has an undeniably evocative mood and some fun performances (detractors of then little Giovanni Frezza will get a kick out of some of the interviews with the adult actor, who reminds people he was dubbed). Arrow provides another release with secure technical merits and some really outstanding supplements. Recommended.