Severin Films has announced its August batch of releases. They are: High Tension: Four Films by Lamberto Bava, The Odd Job (1978), The Ghost of Peter Sellers (2018), and Negatives (1968).
In the late '80s, Lamberto Bava agreed to direct a four-part anthology series for Italian TV under the title High Tension. But when executives saw the completed features' extreme themes and graphic violence, their broadcast was blocked for nearly a decade and they have only existed as grey market bootlegs since. Severin Films now presents their Official Worldwide Blu-ray Premiere: Tomas Arana stars as a horror director stalked by evil forces in THE PRINCE OF TERROR, written by Dardano Sacchetti and featuring grisly FX by Sergio Stivaletti. In THE MAN WHO WOULDN'T DIE, adapteed from a short story by poliziotteschi novelist Giorgio Scerbanenco, the survivor of a home invasion seeks vengeance. Daria Nicolodi stars in SCHOOL OF FEAR about a student academy with a dark secret. And in the giallo shocker EYE WITNESS, Barbara Cupisti stars as a blind woman who sees a murder. All four films are scanned in 2K from the original camera negatives with Italian and first-time ever English tracks, plus over 5 hours of Special Features and a Soundtrack CD curated by Simon Boswell featuring music from High Tension, THE MASK OF SATAN, DEMONS 2, DELIRIUM and more.
BOX SET CONTENT
DISC ONE - THE PRINCE OF TERROR
For the first film in the series, director Lamberto Bava and screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti (THE BEYOND, DEMONS) delivered "a wild ride" (Euro Fever) that's part home-invasion thriller, part supernatural shocker and one totally over-the-top gorehound blast: 'Prince of Terror' Vincent Omen (Tomas Arana of THE CHURCH and THE SECT) is cinema's top horror director. But when a disgruntled screenwriter a no-holds-barred performance by David Brandon of STAGEFRIGHT attacks Omen and his family in their secluded villa, it will unleash a grisly maelstrom of graphic brutality courtesy of special effects maestro Sergio Stivaletti (THE MASK OF SATAN, CEMETERY MAN). Carole Andr้ (YOR: THE HUNTER FROM THE FUTURE) co-stars in "one of the rarest of Bava's '80s horrors" (The Bloody Pit of Horror), now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative with a first time-ever English language track.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
Original English and Italian audio tracks
Audio Commentary With Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson And Troy Howarth, Author Of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years Of Italian Giallo Films
The Adventure Of Anfri Interview With Director Lamberto Bava On High Tension
We Call Him Maestro Lamberto Bava On THE PRINCE OF TERROR
REGION-FREE
DISC TWO - THE MAN WHO WOULDN'T DIE
In the early '70s, the legendary Mario Bava began adapting a savage short story by poliziotteschi novelist Giorgio Scerbanenco (CALIBER 9) for a film project. When Lamberto Bava eventually directed it in 1989 from a screenplay by Gianfranco Clerici (HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK, THE NEW YORK RIPPER) Italian TV refused to broadcast the violent thriller for nearly 20 years: After an art heist in a luxury villa goes horrifically wrong, a gang member (Gino Concari of Andrea Bianchi's MASSACRE) left for dead will hunt down his accomplices in a mission of brutal revenge. Keith Van Hoven (Fulci's THE HOUSE OF CLOCKS), Lino Salemme (DEMONS) and Martine Brochard (THE VIOLENT PROFESSIONALS) co-star in "the rarest film in the High Tension series" (FilmTV), now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative with a first time-ever English language track.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
Original English and Italian audio tracks
The Scerbanenco Touch Interview With Director Lamberto Bava
Stephen King Italian Style Interview With Screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti
REGION-FREE
DISC THREE - SCHOOL OF FEAR
In the most unsettlingly creepy film of the quartet, producer/director Lamberto Bava along with screenwriters Roberto Gandus (MACABRE, PAPAYA: LOVE GODDESS OF THE CANNIBALS), Dardano Sacchetti (THE PSYCHIC, ZOMBIE), Giorgio Stegani (CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, EYE WITNESS) and composer Simon Boswell (DEMONS 2, SANTA SANGRE) present a private academy where the curriculum is defined by unadulterated evil: When an idealistic young teacher (Alessandra Acciai of Luigi Cozzi's THE BLACK CAT) arrives mid-semester at an exclusive school, she'll anger the stern principal (Italian horror icon Daria Nicolodi), unlock a nightmare of trauma and discover that child's play can be the deadliest game of all. Stefano De Sando (Bava/Cozzi's Night Shift) co-stars in this "absolutely wild" (B&S About Movies) shocker, now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative with a first time-ever English language track.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
Original English and Italian audio tracks
The Tale Of Evil Children Interview With Director Lamberto Bava
Play The Game Interview With Screenwriter Roberto Gandus
When Bava Met Boswell Interview With Composer Simon Boswell
REGION-FREE
DISC FOUR - CD
BOSWELL/BAVA Compilation CD
DISC FIVE - EYE WITNESS
For his final film in the High Tension series, director Lamberto Bava crafted a unique twist on the giallo genre with a screenplay by Giorgio Stegani (SCHOOL OF FEAR, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST) and Massimo De Rita (BLASTFIGHTER, STREET LAW) from a story by Bava, a haunting score by Simon Boswell (PHENOMENA, STAGEFRIGHT) and an outstanding performance by Barbara Cupisti of CEMETERY MAN, THE CHURCH and OPERA fame: When a blind woman (Cupisti) is the only witness to a murder, the cops and the killer set their sights on ending her ordeal forever. Mary Sellers (THE MASK OF SATAN), Alessio Orano (LISA AND THE DEVIL) and Antonella Antinori (BURIAL GROUND) co-star in "one of the best Bava films ever" (ItaloCinema), now scanned in 2K from the original camera negative with a first time-ever English language track.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
Original English and Italian audio tracks
Audio Commentary With Mondo Digital's Nathaniel Thompson And Troy Howarth, Author Of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years Of Italian Giallo Films
The Last Giallo Interview With Director Lamberto Bava
Love Is Blind Interview With Actress Barbara Cupisti
In the 1978 black comedy from director Peter Medak, Graham Chapman just prior to LIFE OF BRIAN stars as happily married Arthur Harris, who becomes suicidal when his wife suddenly leaves him. Unable to complete the task himself, he asks a strange handyman (BAFTA Award winner Sir David Jason of Only Fools And Horses, in a role once intended for Keith Moon) to kill him instead. But when Arthur's wife comes back, he discovers that his homicidal hire has every intention of finishing the job. Diana Quick (Brideshead Revisited), Carolyn Seymour (THE RULING CLASS), Simon Williams (JABBERWOCKY), Bill Paterson (Fleabag) and Richard O'Brien (THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW) co-star in this "crazy comedy" (Travalanche) co-written by Chapman with Bernard McKenna (YELLOWBEARD) and produced by Mark Forstater (MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL), now scanned in 2K from Peter Medak's personal 35mm print.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
NEW 2K RESTORATION FROM A 35MM PRINT
Introduction By Director Peter Medak
Audio Interview With Peter Medak
The Odd Job Men Zoom Reunion Between Star Sir David Jason And Peter Medak
The Unusual Work Interview With Writer Bernard McKenna
Producer, An Odd Job Interview With Co-Producer Mark Forstater
The Odd Batch Interview With Actor Richard O'Brien
The Naughty Neighbor Interview With Actress Carolyn Seymour
Most Peculiar Craft Interview With Actor Simon Williams
With his feature film directorial debut, Hungarian ้migr้ Peter Medak (THE RULING CLASS, ROMEO IS BLEEDING) created a provocative UK classic and launched one of the most unique careers in cinema history: When a young couple Peter McEnery of ENTERTAINING MR. SLOANE and 2x Academy Awardฎ winner Glenda Jackson in her film debut grows bored with their kinky roleplay games, they invite an uninhibited photographer (Academy Awardฎ nominee Diane Cilento of TOM JONES and THE WICKER MAN) to come between them. Maurice Denham (SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY) co-stars in the groundbreaking 1968 drama that "leaves nothing to the imagination" (NY Daily News), now scanned in 4K from the original camera negative by The British Film Institute. Also included is a Bonus Disc of the "magnificent" (NY Post) 1963 comedy SPARROWS CAN'T SING starring James Booth (ZULU) and Barbara Windsor (the CARRY ON series) directed by Joan Littlewood (OH! WHAT A LOVELY WAR) and assistant directed by Medak scanned in 4K from the original camera negative by StudioCanal.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
DISC ONE - NEGATIVES
NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
Audio Interview With Director Peter Medak By Film Historian Lee Gambin
Audio Commentary With Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas
Role Playing Interview With Actor Peter McEnery
Glenda Jackson: Working Class Wonderland Video Essay By Lee Gambin
Positives From Negativeland Peter Medak Presents His Production Albums From NEGATIVES Through A DAY IN THE DEATH OF JOE EGG
The Doctor Will See You Now Interview With Dr. Clare Smith, Historic Collection Curator Of The Metropolitan Police Museum, On Dr. Crippen
DISC TWO - SPARROWS CAN'T SING
NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM
Audio Commentary With Filmmaker Daniel Kremer, With Contributions From Assistant Director Peter Medak
East End Manifesto Interview With Joan Littlewood Biographer Peter Rankin
BFI Q&A With Actors Barbara Windsor And Murray Melvin
Interview With Murray Melvin
Locations Featurette With Film Historian Richard Dacre
In 1973, Peter Sellers then at the peak of his box-office power and comedic genius invited Peter Medak whose recent smash THE RULING CLASS had been nominated for the Palme d'Or and an Oscarฎ to direct a 17th century pirate epic called GHOST IN THE NOONDAY SUN. But with soon-to-be-discovered nightmares that included an unfinished script (re-written by co-star and fellow comedy legend Spike Milligan), rough seas, sinking ships and Sellers' own wildly erratic behavior, the production became an unprecedented catastrophe. The barely completed film was dumped into very limited release, and the director's career and spirit were nearly destroyed by the experience. Over four decades later, Medak revisits this personal and professional fiasco to search for answers and possibly redemption in a journey that's been called "jaw-dropping" (The Hollywood Reporter), "nightmarishly funny" (Rolling Stone) and "one of the great 'making-of' documentaries of all-time." (San Francisco Chronicle)
Special Features and Technical Specs
Audio Interview With Director Peter Medak
The Ghosts Inside The Scrapbook Peter Medak Presents His Production Albums From THE RULING CLASS Through ZORRO, THE GAY BLADE
Love Left The Masquerade: Peter Medak's Cinema Of Pretenders Video Essay By Filmmaker Daniel Kremer