Blu-ray Forum - View Single Post - An International Guide to Mario Bava on Blu-ray Redux

cakefactory · 09-10-2014, 05:20 AM

An International Guide to Mario Bava on Blu-ray

"Movies are a magician's forge, they allow you to build a story with your hands.
What attracts me in movies is to be presented with a problem and be able to solve it.
Nothing else; just to create an illusion, and effect, with almost nothing.
That's the best thing about it."

- Mario Bava

_________________________________________________

By year of original release:

I, Vampiri (1957) -- Optical Effects

Le fatiche di Ercole AKA Hercules (1958) -- optical effects director

Ercole e la regina di Lidia AKA Hercules Unchained (1958) -- optical effects director

La battaglia di Maratona AKA The Giant of Marathon (1959) - co-directed with Jacque Tourneur. DVD only.

Caltiki - il mostro immortale aka Caltiki, the Immortal Monster (1959)

La Maschera del demonio AKA Black Sunday and Mask of Satan (1960) - Arrow version includes both the full-length Italian version and the AIP re-edit, Kino has the AIP version and the Italian cut as separate releases. Arrow has better encoding, and also includes the bonus film "i Vampiri." Only existing 4K release currently is an Italian release. The region free 4K disc has both the Italian version and the English dubbed version, but there are no subtitles for the Italian version. Second blu-ray disc is Region B. Shout has a 4K release coming in October which unfortunately does not include Italian audio or a Tim Lucas commentary or the AIP cut.

Esther and the King (1960) on DVD (uncredited co-director)

Gli Invasori aka Erik the Conqueror(1961)

Ercole al centro della terra aka Hercules in the Haunted World (1961) - Koch only includes the longest cut, Kino has two alternate versions (mainly just opening credit differences). Koch version is not English-friendly apart from the English audio being included, but it has many more extras. Kino version has very poor sound for the English version, while Koch's sounds fine. Koch release lacks English subtitles on the Italian version. Buy the Koch if you plan on watching it with English Audio, buy the Kino if you plan on watching with Italian audio and don't speak Italian or read German.

Le meraviglie di Aladino aka The Wonders of Aladdin (1961)

La Ragazza che sapeva troppo aka The Girl Who Knew Too Much and The Evil Eye (1963) - Both the Kino and Arrow releases include both the original Italian version and the American re-edit, The Evil Eye. Arrow has better encoding.

I Tre volti della paura aka Black Sabbath (1963) - Arrow version includes both the Italian version and the AIP re-edit, Kino has the AIP version and the Italian cut as separate releases. Arrow version(s) have better compression, Kino has better framing. 4K Version has been released in France, that version arguably has overly dark picture but is by far the best looking, unfortunately it is not English friendly (it only has the Italian cut in Italian and French, and only French subtitles).

La Frusta e il corpo AKA The Whip and the Body (1963) The 88 Films UK release and the Kino Re-release of this film are the only HD versions with acceptable transfers.

La Frusta e il corpo AKA The Whip and the Body (1963) -- defective transfer on these blu-rays makes much of the film look like day for night and crushes detail. Avoid.

La strada per Forte Alamo aka The Road to Fort Alamo (1964) on DVD only in the US, UK had a limited edition blu-ray

Sei donne per l'assassino aka Blood and Black Lace (1964) - Arrow version has less of the frame visible, but has radically better picture quality and colors than the VCI version, as well as more extras. UPDATE: September 2023 Arrow version will have new framing, new transfer. Both UHD and Blu-ray versions available.

Terrore nello spazio aka Planet of the Vampires (1965) - Kino's second release has a newer transfer than the first Scorpion release. Radiance's UK release is Region Free, has a newer transfer, and more extras. The Italian 4K is region free.

Le Spie vengono dal semifreddo aka Dr Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966)

Operazione paura aka Kill Baby Kill (1966) - Arrow has better compression

I Coltelli del vendicatore aka Knives of the Avenger (1966)

Diabolik aka Danger: Diabolik (1968) - Kino 4K release is not out yet, coming in July 2025

5 bambole per la luna d'agosto aka Five Dolls for an August Moon (1970) - Arrow has better compression and a Mario Bava documentary as an additional extra

Il Rosso segno della follia aka Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1970)

Roy Colt e Winchester Jack aka Roy Colt and Winchester Jack (1970)

Reazione a catena aka A Bay of Blood and Twitch of the Death Nerve (1971) - Kino's transfer has more vibrant picture and more contrast, Arrow's transfer has better encoding and occasionally the less contrasty picture looks better, French release attempts to fix the contrast problems on the Arrow release but still has some of the same baked-in issues like unnatural sky colors. Kino's audio has too much reverb, Arrow/French releases are shrill. Kino is probably the better choice PQ-wise, but the other releases have better audio. Pick your poison.

Quante volte... quella notte aka Four Times That Night (1971)

Gli Orrori del castello di Norimberga aka Baron Blood (1972) - Arrow has better encoding.

Lisa e il diavolo (1973) aka Lisa and the Devil - re-edited by Americans to attempt to cash in on The Exorcist, that version is titled House of Exorcism (1974) and is also included on both Kino and Arrow releases. As usual, Arrow has better encoding.

Cani Arrabbiati aka Rabid Dogs (1974) - Arrow release attempts to recreate Mario Bava's original film, "Kidnapped" is a re-edited version with new footage added that was filmed decades later by his son, Lamberto. Kino release only includes the Lamberto Bava edit. Get the Arrow if you can, despite it being out of print.

Shock AKA Beyond the Door 2 (1977)

I giochi del diavolo aka The Devil's Game (1981)
This is a TV Miniseries, which contains an episode directed by Bava called The Venus of Ille. Release date: March 28, 2023

Pre-existing threads:

Black Sunday Steelbook (Zavvi Exclusive) (Limited Edition) (UK)
First Mario Bava on Blu-ray
Kino/Lober's Black Sabbath (1963)
Mario Bava's Black Sunday
Mario Bava finds Redemption and embraces Satan
Mario Bava's WHIP AND THE BODY

Not (yet?) on Bluray:

I, Vampiri (1956) (co-directed with Riccardo Freda) (included in standard definition on Arrow's edition of Black Sunday)

Links/resources:

Trailers From Hell
Tim Lucas' Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark book (print version is SOLD OUT, digital download available here)
Facebook page for Tim Lucas' Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark book, with Bava-related photos and news
Facebook page for Troy Howarth's recently updated The Haunted World of Mario Bava book
Senses of Cinema
Arrow Films' Bava page

Box Sets:

Credit to Richard--W for compiling the list of movies and including links to the discs. Original post was by NoirFan and was deleted.

09-10-2014, 05:20 AM	#1
cakefactory Blu-ray Baron Top contributor Member since:Oct 2012 Location:WI, USA 4K collection:436 Blu-ray collection:3892 DVD collection:808 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:23	An International Guide to Mario Bava on Blu-ray Redux An International Guide to Mario Bava on Blu-ray "Movies are a magician's forge, they allow you to build a story with your hands. What attracts me in movies is to be presented with a problem and be able to solve it. Nothing else; just to create an illusion, and effect, with almost nothing. That's the best thing about it." - Mario Bava _________________________________________________ By year of original release: *I, Vampiri* (1957) -- Optical Effects *Le fatiche di Ercole* AKA *Hercules* (1958) -- optical effects director *Ercole e la regina di Lidia* AKA *Hercules Unchained* (1958) -- optical effects director *La battaglia di Maratona* AKA *The Giant of Marathon* (1959) - co-directed with Jacque Tourneur. DVD only. *Caltiki - il mostro immortale* aka *Caltiki, the Immortal Monster* (1959) *La Maschera del demonio* AKA *Black Sunday* and *Mask of Satan* (1960) - Arrow version includes both the full-length Italian version and the AIP re-edit, Kino has the AIP version and the Italian cut as separate releases. Arrow has better encoding, and also includes the bonus film "i Vampiri." Only existing 4K release currently is an Italian release. The region free 4K disc has both the Italian version and the English dubbed version, but there are no subtitles for the Italian version. Second blu-ray disc is Region B. Shout has a 4K release coming in October which unfortunately does not include Italian audio or a Tim Lucas commentary or the AIP cut. *Esther and the King* (1960) on DVD (uncredited co-director) *Gli Invasori* aka *Erik the Conqueror(1961) Ercole al centro della terra* aka *Hercules in the Haunted World* (1961) - Koch only includes the longest cut, Kino has two alternate versions (mainly just opening credit differences). Koch version is not English-friendly apart from the English audio being included, but it has many more extras. Kino version has very poor sound for the English version, while Koch's sounds fine. Koch release lacks English subtitles on the Italian version. Buy the Koch if you plan on watching it with English Audio, buy the Kino if you plan on watching with Italian audio and don't speak Italian or read German. *Le meraviglie di Aladino* aka *The Wonders of Aladdin* (1961) *La Ragazza che sapeva troppo* aka *The Girl Who Knew Too Much* and *The Evil Eye* (1963) - Both the Kino and Arrow releases include both the original Italian version and the American re-edit, The Evil Eye. Arrow has better encoding. *I Tre volti della paura* aka *Black Sabbath* (1963) - Arrow version includes both the Italian version and the AIP re-edit, Kino has the AIP version and the Italian cut as separate releases. Arrow version(s) have better compression, Kino has better framing. 4K Version has been released in France, that version arguably has overly dark picture but is by far the best looking, unfortunately it is not English friendly (it only has the Italian cut in Italian and French, and only French subtitles). *La Frusta e il corpo* AKA *The Whip and the Body* (1963) The 88 Films UK release and the Kino Re-release of this film are the only HD versions with acceptable transfers. *La Frusta e il corpo* AKA *The Whip and the Body* (1963) -- defective transfer on these blu-rays makes much of the film look like day for night and crushes detail. Avoid. *La strada per Forte Alamo* aka *The Road to Fort Alamo* (1964) on DVD only in the US, UK had a limited edition blu-ray *Sei donne per l'assassino* aka *Blood and Black Lace* (1964) - Arrow version has less of the frame visible, but has radically better picture quality and colors than the VCI version, as well as more extras. UPDATE: September 2023 Arrow version will have new framing, new transfer. Both UHD and Blu-ray versions available. Terrore nello spazio aka *Planet of the Vampires* (1965) - Kino's second release has a newer transfer than the first Scorpion release. Radiance's UK release is Region Free, has a newer transfer, and more extras. The Italian 4K is region free. *Le Spie vengono dal semifreddo* aka *Dr Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs* (1966) *Operazione paura* aka *Kill Baby Kill* (1966) - Arrow has better compression *I Coltelli del vendicatore* aka *Knives of the Avenger* (1966) *Diabolik* aka *Danger: Diabolik* (1968) - Kino 4K release is not out yet, coming in July 2025 *5 bambole per la luna d'agosto* aka *Five Dolls for an August Moon* (1970) - Arrow has better compression and a Mario Bava documentary as an additional extra *Il Rosso segno della follia* aka *Hatchet for the Honeymoon* (1970) *Roy Colt e Winchester Jack* aka *Roy Colt and Winchester Jack* (1970) *Reazione a catena* aka *A Bay of Blood* and *Twitch of the Death Nerve* (1971) - Kino's transfer has more vibrant picture and more contrast, Arrow's transfer has better encoding and occasionally the less contrasty picture looks better, French release attempts to fix the contrast problems on the Arrow release but still has some of the same baked-in issues like unnatural sky colors. Kino's audio has too much reverb, Arrow/French releases are shrill. Kino is probably the better choice PQ-wise, but the other releases have better audio. Pick your poison. *Quante volte... quella notte* aka *Four Times That Night* (1971) *Gli Orrori del castello di Norimberga* aka *Baron Blood* (1972) - Arrow has better encoding. *Lisa e il diavolo* (1973) aka *Lisa and the Devil* - re-edited by Americans to attempt to cash in on The Exorcist, that version is titled House of Exorcism (1974) and is also included on both Kino and Arrow releases. As usual, Arrow has better encoding. *Cani Arrabbiati* aka *Rabid Dogs* (1974) - Arrow release attempts to recreate Mario Bava's original film, "Kidnapped" is a re-edited version with new footage added that was filmed decades later by his son, Lamberto. Kino release only includes the Lamberto Bava edit. Get the Arrow if you can, despite it being out of print. *Shock* AKA *Beyond the Door 2* (1977) *I giochi del diavolo* aka *The Devil's Game* (1981) This is a TV Miniseries, which contains an episode directed by Bava called The Venus of Ille. Release date: March 28, 2023 Pre-existing threads: Black Sunday Steelbook (Zavvi Exclusive) (Limited Edition) (UK) First Mario Bava on Blu-ray Kino/Lober's Black Sabbath (1963) Mario Bava's Black Sunday Mario Bava finds Redemption and embraces Satan Mario Bava's WHIP AND THE BODY Not (yet?) on Bluray: I, Vampiri (1956) (co-directed with Riccardo Freda) (included in standard definition on Arrow's edition of Black Sunday) Links/resources: Trailers From Hell Tim Lucas' Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark book (print version is SOLD OUT, digital download available here) Facebook page for Tim Lucas' Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark book, with Bava-related photos and news Facebook page for Troy Howarth's recently updated The Haunted World of Mario Bava book Senses of Cinema Arrow Films' Bava page Box Sets: Credit to Richard--W for compiling the list of movies and including links to the discs. Original post was by NoirFan and was deleted. Last edited by cakefactory; 08-04-2025 at 06:38 PM.