6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Jane Arden's violent and powerful adaptation of her work with The Holocaust women's theatre troupe looks into the mind of a woman labelled schizophrenic and finds, not madness, but tortured sexual guilt created by the taboos of society.
Starring: Jane Arden (II), Jack Bond, Ann Lynn, Liz Danciger, Elaine DonovanDrama | 100% |
Surreal | 19% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of House of Psychotic Women Rarities Collection.
Kier-la Janisse has been on the busy side for Severin Films lately, what with any number of supplemental productions as well as both this latest
collection and the earlier, in some ways more grandiose,
All the Haunts Be Ours: A
Compendium of Folk Horror. In that regard, it's kind of ironic in a way that at least some "folk horror" outings tend to feature women
who
are perceived to be psychotic, or perhaps if not afflicted to that level, emotionally troubled, in plot devices that see "innocents"
confronted
with some otherworldly horror that no one else believes is real. The "psychoses" in this set are probably more overtly manifest, in that they
seem to be objective (mis?)behaviors rather than how others are interpreting those (mis?)behaviors, but one way or the other this
is
another rather remarkable collection of films curated by Janisse that should attract some niche attention. This set is kind of a companion piece to
the
eponymous tome Janisse published around a decade ago, which she termed "an autobiographical topography of female neurosis in horror and
exploitation films", and which is being republished in tandem with this set in an expanded version (Severin is offering a deluxe bundle featuring the
book).
The Other Side of Underneath is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.34:1. The back cover of this release states that this was "recently restored in 2K by the British Film Institute", and judging solely by screencaptures and some of Svet's comments about the UK BFI release, I'd say this one is virtually interchangeable in terms of video quality. The palette is rather nicely suffused throughout, and some of the outdoor material, while patently bizarre (as if the indoor material weren't), pops very well, with some vivid greens and reds in particular. The 16mm source means grain can be quite gritty looking at times, but I noticed no real compression issues. As Svet mentioned in his review of the BFI release, there is some recurrent age related wear and tear, but nothing I'd personally term overly distracting.
The Other Side of Underneath features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track which, much like the visual component, is a virtual kaleidoscope of sonic weirdness. String cues, some of which at least sound sul ponticello (i.e., that dry, abrasive sound resulting from drawing the bow across the bridge of an instrument), are blended with everything from animal noises to clanging metal to bizarre ritualistic gobbledygook (a technical term), making the listening component as overwhelming as the watching side of things. Dialogue is only offered in dribs and drabs here, but is presented cleanly for the most part. Optional English subtitles are available.
The Other Side of Underneath is virtually a paradigmatic example of "experimental film", and it needs to be accepted on its own decidedly peculiar terms. This is not an "easy" watch (and/or listen), but it's unusually provocative and it certainly makes the case that so-called "hysterical" women may in fact not be controlled by The Man, even if in this case The Man happens to be a female "therapist". Technical merits are generally solid, and the supplements well done. With caveats noted, Recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
The Driver's Seat
1974
Lubię nietoperze
1986
Deluxe Edition
1968
Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Picture, Vol. 1
1945
L'éden et après
1970
1991
1964
1993
1933
Indicator Series
1963
Indicator Series
1956
1981
Slipcover in Original Pressing
1984
1970
1991
1984
1983
1991
Warner Archive Collection
1969
2002