6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A jaded, wealthy couple watch a blue movie in their castle home along with her adult son. The son is testy, so they go into town and watch a circus-like thrill ride. The daredevil woman in the show looks exactly like one of the women in the movie, so the man invites her to join them for a nightcap. Tensions among the family seem to rise.
Starring: Frank Wolff, Silvana Venturelli, Erika Remberg, Paolo Turco, Karl-Otto AlbertyErotic | 100% |
Romance | 30% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.86:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Radley Metzger's "The Lickerish Quartet" (1970) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Cult Epics. The supplemental features on the disc include the film's original theatrical trailer; audio commentary by Radley Metzger and film historian Michael Bowen; making of featurette; behind the scenes featurette; and more. In English, without optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
What is your secret?
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.86:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Radley Metzger's The Lickerish Quartet arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Cult Epics.
I've owned three different SDVD releases of The Lickerish Quartet - the last and best one was a R4 SDVD - and all three were very disappointing. Color reproduction and stability, in particular, were very problematic (on the R1 First Run Features release, for example, the colors would consistently pulsate, and there was plenty of macroblocking during the darker scenes). Naturally, I was very much looking forward to see how The Lickerish Quartet would transition to Blu-ray.
The high-definition transfer is very strong, quite similar to the one Cult Epics used for Radley Metzger's Score. There are multiple scratches and small debris popping up here and there, even a few large damage marks, but detail is very good. Early into the film, for example, when the family is seen attending the carnival, even during the darker scenes detail is dramatically improved -- at the Wall of Death the bikes are very easy to see; on the R4 SDVD release the image is simply blurry. Contrast levels are also much stronger. The most impressive improvements, however, are with color reproduction. On the R4 SDVD release, the blues, greens, yellows, reds, and browns are extremely weak, giving the film a very disappointing pale look. Here they are lush, natural looking, and, most importantly, stable. Lastly, heavy edge-enhancement, macroblocking, and DNR do not plague the high-definition transfer. All in all, The Lickerish Quartet finally looks like a film, somewhat dated but boasting a terrific organic look. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English Dolby Digital 2.0. For the record, Cult Epic have not provided optional English subtitles for he main feature.
It would have been good if Cult Epic could offer some sort of a loseless audio track for The Lickerish Quartet, but the Dolby Digital 2.0 track is actually very good. The film's dynamic field is a bit uneven, particularly when Stelvio Cipriani's score is prominent, but there is certainly good depth to it. Also, the dialog is stable and easy to follow, though some of the light background hiss from the SDVD release has not been effectively addressed.
After owning three very disappointing SDVD releases of Radley Matsger's The Lickerish Quartet, I finally have a Blu-ray release that does the film justice. Now I am definitely looking forward to revisiting Camille 2000, in my opinion the American director's most stylish film, which will be released later this month. I hope that Carmen, Baby and Therese and Isabelle are not too far behind. If you are interested in classic erotic cinema, do not miss this release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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