Arrow Video have been restoring amazing cult classic films in Ultra HD. We had the extreme pleasure to review some of them Pitch Black, Donnie Darko, and Cinema Parasido. But now it is time for more cult classics to get the 4k treatment. We are talking about Dario Argento's films.
Dario Argento is known as "The Master of Thrill" or "The Master of Horror". His giallo films have been released on Blu-ray. Now the good folks at Arrow Video have restored not one but two Argentio's first films in 4K. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage from 1970 and The Cat o' Nine Tails from 1971.
On these review we are going to look at both of these epic horror releases that will have films fans drooling. Let's take a looks at what is included in these Ultra HD releases.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
An American expatriate in Rome witnesses an attempted murder that is connected to an ongoing killing spree in the city, and conducts his own investigation despite himself and his girlfriend being targeted by the killer.
Features of this Ultra HD release include:
* New 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films
* 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
* Restored original lossless mono Italian and English soundtracks
* English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
* Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
* Audio commentary by Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films
* Black Gloves and Screaming Mimis, an interview with author and critic Kat Ellinger exploring the film’s themes and its relationship to both the giallo and Fredric Brown’s novel The Screaming Mimi
* The Power of Perception, a visual essay on the cinema of Dario Argento by Alexanda Heller-Nicholas, author of Devil’s Advocates: Suspiria, reflecting on the recurring theme of perception and the role of art in Argento’s filmography
* Crystal Nightmare, an interview with writer/director Dario Argento
* An Argento Icon, an interview with actor Gildo Di Marco
* Eva’s Talking, an archival interview with actor Eva Renzi
* Original Italian and international theatrical trailers
* 2017 Texas Frightmare trailer
* Image galleries
* Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring writing on the film by Howard Hughes and Jack Seabrook, and a new essay by Rachael Nisbet
* Fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Obviously Creative
* Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproduction artcards
* Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring originally and newly commissioned artwork by Obviously Creative
The Cat O' Nine Tails (1971)
A
newspaper reporter (James Franciscus) and a retired, blind journalist (Karl Malden) try to solve a
series of killings connected to a pharmaceutical company's experimental,
top-secret research projects and in so doing, both become targets of
the killer.
Features on this Ultra HD release include:
* New 4K restoration from the original negative by Arrow Films
* 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
* Restored original lossless mono Italian and English soundtracks
* English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
* Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
* Audio commentary by critics Alan Jones and Kim Newman
* Nine Lives, an interview with co-writer/director Dario Argento
* The Writer O Many Tales, an interview with co\-writer Dardano Sacchetti
* Child Star, an interview with actress Cinzia De Carolis
* Giallo in Turin, an interview with production manager Angelo Iacono
* Script pages for the lost original ending, translated into English for the first time
* Original Italian, international and US theatrical trailers
* Illustrated
collectors booklet featuring an original essay on the film by Dario
Argento, and writing by Barry Forshaw, Troy Howarth and Howard
Hughes
* Fold-out double/-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Obviously Creative
* Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproduction artcards
* Limited
edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring originally and newly
commissioned artwork by Obviously Creative
These Arrow Video 4K restorations are something that must be seen to be believed. The films have been restored from original camera negatives and the picture quality is as sharp as a tack and the colors are vibrant. The there is no signs of damage to these prints. The audio is clear with no signs of hiss or pops.
Arrow Video has done it again with there Ultra HD line. Two more must own releases for classic horror film fans. As with most giallo or horror films you know you are getting adult themes and violence. So as always these release are for the parents not for the kids.
If you are a fan of Dario Argento, giallo or horror films I highly recommend heading over to Amazon today and pick up your copy of both The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and The Cat o" Nine Tails. These make a great double feature and will look awesome on your Blu-ray shelf.
Out of 4 Film Reels (4 Being the Best) Arrow Video's Blu-rays of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage and The Cat O' Nine Tails both receives...
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