An International Guide to Mario Bava on Blu-ray Redux

[cakefactory]

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.

[cakefactory]

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[cakefactory]

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[NoirFan]

Deleted

[The Great Owl]

Thank you.

I purchased and enjoyed my first two Mario Bava films this past month, Kino's Italian versions of Black Sunday and Black Sabbath. I love both movies, and the discs are spot-on.

[Brian81]

Thanks for posting this. I wasn't aware that Troy Howarth's Bava book was re-released. Will have to pick that up...now. The Lucas book? Ah...want it, but it's expensive.

[MifuneFan]

Great thread. I've only seen a handful of his movies, but they've all been good to great.

[gpn]

Originally Posted by Brian81

Thanks for posting this. I wasn't aware that Troy Howarth's Bava book was re-released. Will have to pick that up...now. The Lucas book? Ah...want it, but it's expensive.

If you go to the Video Watchdog site, you can get a digital version of Tim Lucas' book for $30. I went this route myself to save some money and I don't have much empty shelf space.

[bgart13]

Kino's bd of BLACK SABBATH is poor. Completely inaccurate colors, just like their WHIP & THE BODY.

[MifuneFan]

Originally Posted by bgart13

Kino's bd of BLACK SABBATH is poor. Completely inaccurate colors, just like their WHIP & THE BODY.

I believe Kino's Bay of Blood is the only one that is said to be better than Arrow's version. With all other cases, go with the Arrow release if you're region free (or can somehow pla them with some region trick)

[cakefactory]

Someone really needs to release kill baby kill, despite the stupid title it's almost on par with black Sunday and black Sabbath IMO. The dark sky DVD is almost impossible to find, too.

[bgart13]

It is impossible to find. It was only sent out for reviews before being pulled. I actually found a sealed copy at a record store in Chicago -- someone had traded it in. Cost? $20.

Companies are interested but there's some problems behind the scenes that are preventing it's release (last I heard, about a month or two ago).

[cakefactory]

Originally Posted by bgart13

It is impossible to find. It was only sent out for reviews before being pulled. I actually found a sealed copy at a record store in Chicago -- someone had traded it in. Cost? $20.

Companies are interested but there's some problems behind the scenes that are preventing it's release (last I heard, about a month or two ago).

Oh, I didn't realize that was the case with it, but it doesn't surprise me since it's never on amazon marketplace or anything. It was just weird cause I saw a bunch of reviews for it when it was "released." That stinks.

I didn't know a couple of these releases existed. Whip and the Body I'm not familiar with, and Hatchet for the Honeymoon I never knew had been released. I'll have to buy the latter for sure, and read up on the first.

[Beauvoir]

Really hope this thread gets more action!


(and still looking forward to Kidnapped from Arrow!)

[reason108]

I`m new to the cause, here. I have always heard his name and the films he made. Never got around to seeing any of his films until recently (over the last several years). Have caught Hercules In the Haunted World on local television late night. And, had rented Planet of the Vampires. Currently started watching Black Sabbath. Just read that the US cut is different. Netflix only had the US cut so I had to resort to watching it on youtube to see the original version. I think I have my work cut out for me to track down the original versions of the films and see what differences there are. But, I hope to watch all of the films listed here someday.

Is Planet of the Vampires recent blu ray release the original or has it been edited? I was thinking about getting it.

[Beauvoir]

Originally Posted by reason108

I`m new to the cause, here. I have always heard his name and the films he made. Never got around to seeing any of his films until recently (over the last several years). Have caught Hercules In the Haunted World on local television late night. And, had rented Planet of the Vampires. Currently started watching Black Sabbath. Just read that the US cut is different. Netflix only had the US cut so I had to resort to watching it on youtube to see the original version. I think I have my work cut out for me to track down the original versions of the films and see what differences there are. But, I hope to watch all of the films listed here someday.

Is Planet of the Vampires recent blu ray release the original or has it been edited? I was thinking about getting it.

The Bava legacy is a complicated one.
In terms on BDs, in general the UK Arrow releases are thought more highly of than the North American Kino versions. "Black Sabbath" being a prime example where Kino only offer one cut of the film while the Arrow has both.

Personally I have refrained from getting the Kino "Rabid Dogs" because the Arrow version promises to have both versions of the fim. This release keeps getting pushed back but I am willing to wait because I want the best possible version.
If for some reason Arrow changes the details regarding their release, I will gladly order the Kino edition.
But I sure do hope that doesn't happen....

[lilboyblu]

Originally Posted by Beauvoir

The Bava legacy is a complicated one.
In terms on BDs, in general the UK Arrow releases are thought more highly of than the North American Kino versions. "Black Sabbath" being a prime example where Kino only offer one cut of the film while the Arrow has both....

As of 10/7/14, Kino was going to have both versions for Sabbath & Sunday too, but they've since been pulled from the release schedule. At least for the time being.

[Show spoiler]

Though for price, quality, and extras, Arrow's releases are still the most complete.

[Brian81]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I believe Kino's Bay of Blood is the only one that is said to be better than Arrow's version. With all other cases, go with the Arrow release if you're region free (or can somehow pla them with some region trick)

For Region A folk, there's absolutely nothing wrong with the Kino discs outside those two. Kino seems to be finally getting around to releasing the AIP cuts, in the case of Sabbath and Sunday at least. They also got crap for not releasing Rabid Dogs, but as it turns out even Arrow wasn't able to pull that one off. Arrow is releasing an HD/SD hybrid as a result.

[NoirFan]

Originally Posted by reason108

Is Planet of the Vampires recent blu ray release the original or has it been edited? I was thinking about getting it.

The version on Kino's upcoming disc will assumedly be the AIP version, as opposed to/in addition to the Italian-language one (I'm not sure offhand what the differences are, other than the dubbing), but I don't think it's been officially finalized/announced. There will be a 'ton of' (to use Kino's words) extras, so perhaps multiple versions will be included after all.

[ravenus]

Sorry if this is already known but Tim Lucas is also selling a digital version of his mega-book on Bava on his website for 30$.