6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
A sexually-promiscuous priest is stabbed to death inside a church.
Starring: Renzo Montagnani, Bedy Moratti, Eva Czemerys, Salvatore Puntillo, Claudia GravyMystery | 100% |
Thriller | 42% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Italian: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Giallo
Essentials (Black Edition).
Some curmudgeons may want to quibble with the term "essentials", but Arrow is continuing its relatively recent tradition of offering three gialli
collected together in a specially "colored" slipbox, so that this Black Edition joins the previously released Giallo Essentials (Red Edition), which included The Possessed, The Fifth Cord and The
Pyjama
Girl Case, and Giallo Essentials (Yellow Edition), which included What Have They Done to Your Daughters?, Torso and Strip Nude for Your Killer. While probably none of the six previously released or the three currently
released
(so far) films
that Arrow has been offering with this kind of branding would probably jump to the top of anyone's list of "must see" gialli, they all have
considerable style and often intriguing elements that make them interesting in their own ways. As usual, Arrow combines some nice packaging
along
with a copious supply of supplements to help sweeten the pot.
The Weapon, the Hour, the Motive is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains the following information on the restoration:
The Weapon, the Hour, the Motive is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with Italian mono audio.While all three of the films in this set enjoyed 2K scans of their original camera negatives, simply comparing the general "look" of this film with both Smile Before Death and The Killer Reserved Nine Seats can prove that transfers can have the same technical data points supporting their transition to high definition, and still look manifestly different. I'd rate this the "middle child" in terms of overall video quality, not quite at the generally excellent detail and palette levels of Smile Before Death, but not nearly as gritty and even mottled looking that The Killer Reserved Nine Seats can be. While some of the "catacomb" material here does approach some of the less optimal appearance that also occasionally hobbles the darker interior scenes of The Killer Reserved Nine Seats, this film at least benefits from quite a bit of more brightly lit material, where the palette warms considerably and detail levels perk up noticeably.
The original 35mm camera negative was scanned and restored in 2K resolution at L'Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna. The film was graded at R3Store Studios, London.
The mono Italian language track was remastered from the optical sound negatives. The audio synch will appear slightly looses against the picture, due to the fact that the dialogue was recorded entirely in post production, as per the production standards of the period.
All original materials used for the restoration were made available from Movietime.
There evidently was an English language version of The Weapon, the Hour, the Motive at one point, though it is currently lost to the vagaries of time, and so this disc offers only the original Italian track delivered via LPCM Mono. This has the same somewhat flat dynamic range that is noticeable on the two other tracks in this set, but otherwise offers secure fidelity for both dialogue and another quirkly, kind of weirdly French sounding at times, score. There is some very minimal hiss in some of the quietest moments, but nothing overly problematic. Optional English subtitles are available.
This may be the biggest "cult calling card" in this particular set from Arrow, but as a long ago coach informed a bunch of us eager young boys about to embark on our first forays into the opposite sex, "the anticipation may be greater than the realization". This film has a kind of delirious quality that definitely reminded me of a 20th century update of some of the more, um, interesting depictions in Ken Russell's The Devils, suggesting that Evil (with a capital E) in your local religious establishment may not be a thing of the past. This doesn't have quite the sparkle on the video side of things that Smile Before Death does, but technical merits are generally solid, and the commentary and interview are enjoyable, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.
(Still not reliable for this title)
1972
L'assassino ha riservato nove poltrone
1974
Giornata nera per l'ariete
1971
L'iguana dalla lingua di fuoco
1971
Le foto proibite di una signora per bene
1970
La ragazza dal pigiama giallo / The Pajama Girl Case
1977
La polizia chiede aiuto
1974
La coda dello scorpione
1971
La donna del lago
1965
Il tuo vizio è una stanza chiusa e solo io ne ho la chiave
1972
Il coltello di ghiaccio
1972
Perché quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?
1972
Primal Impulse / Le orme
1975
El asesino está entre los trece
1973
La última señora Anderson
1971
4 mosche di velluto grigio
1971
Una sull'altra / One on Top of the Other
1969
Island of Terror / 5 bambole per la luna d'agosto
1970
Sotto il vestito niente
1985
Slipcover in Original Pressing
1997