Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

The Song of Solomon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 30, 2018

There’s a pull quote on the back cover of The Song of Solomon which states, “In this critic’s opinion, better than The Exorcist”, so let me just begin this review by stating in this critic’s opinion, The Song of Solomon is not better than The Exorcist, though in a way comparisons between the two really aren’t warranted, despite their obvious similarities. Anyone coming to one of Stephen Biro’s films, especially those that are part of his American Guinea Pig series (which this film kinda sorta is and isn’t, as Biro himself gets into in some of the supplements on this release) will know that the focus of Biro’s work is often centered less on metaphysics and more on the “pure” physics of things like blood and guts. There are copious amounts of both of those elements in The Song of Solomon, but perhaps surprisingly Biro also does at least hint at some metaphysical aspects in this rather minimalist tale of Catholic priests attempting to exorcise a demon which has taken over control of a woman named Mary (Jessica Cameron).

The “story” of The Song of Solomon really is rather static, with Mary consigned to her bedroom (often tethered to her bed), while an array of various holy men attempt to perform an exorcism. It’s obvious that Biro wants to present a relatively “authentic” look at Catholic rite and ritual, but the film is probably going to be better remembered for some really stomach churning special effects, including “little” things like Mary’s father (Biro himself) committing suicide by slicing his neck open and then pulling his tongue out of the slit he’s created. The effects work in the film is often extremely well done and will probably satisfy gore hounds who couldn’t care one whit about scripture and/or demonic possession.

The Song of Solomon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Song of Solomon is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Unearthed Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.90:1. This is a generally extremely well detailed and sharp looking transfer, to the point that my hunch is the more squeamish viewer may need to avert their eyes at certain moments due to the almost palpable amounts of blood, guts, blistering and other carnage that accrues. There's a slightly diffused look to some of the scenes in Mary's bedroom, courtesy of things like supposed "candlelight" suffusing the room. Close-ups of Mary's disfigured face (and other sections of her body) are disturbing and offer a lot of detail, for better or worse. As with some other Unearthed offerings, things have been intentionally played with in post, leading to some dreamlike moments that almost resemble bleach bypass (see screenshot 4).

The Song of Solomon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Song of Solomon's LPCM 2.0 track offers good fidelity, but some may wonder what a surround track might have added to the film, especially in its literally cacophonous finale. That said, all elements here are presented cleanly and clearly, though some "demonic" lines are intentionally hard to make out. Fidelity is fine, and there are no problems with damage, distortion or other distractions.

The Song of Solomon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary with Stephen Biro and Jessica Cameron


• Commentary with Stephen Biro, Marcus Koch and Jerami Cruise


• Behind the Scenes (1080p; 1:10:12) has a lot of candid footage which should appeal to fans.


• Outtakes (1080p; 8:31)


• Photo Gallery (1080i) is authored without a timecode, but does advance automatically, so have your remote handy if you want to pause on any given image. Also, this took an unexpectedly long time to load for me, to the point that I thought the disc had been authored incorrectly and there actually wasn't a Gallery included.


• Interview with Actress Jessica Cameron (1080p; 20:52)


• Interview with Writer/Director Stephen Biro (1080p; 23:37)


• Interview with Special Effects Artist Marcus Koch (1080p; 28:07)


• Interview with Cinematographer Chris Hilleke (1080p; 35:15)


• Trailer includes The Song of Solomon (1080p; 2:25) along with several others (including others in the American Guinea Pig franchise).

The Song of Solomon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you're a fan of Biro and/or the American Guinea Pig franchise, you probably know more or less what to expect with regard to The Song of Solomon. Anyone expecting any weighty discussions of good versus evil a la the William Friedkin film of long ago had best keep looking. Technical merits are strong and the supplemental package quite interesting for those considering a purchase.