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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Holy Blood" )

 

directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky
Mexico/Italy 1989

 

In the 1970s, his legendary films EL TOPO and THE HOLY MOUNTAIN redefined movies as both art and entertainment while changing the face of cinema forever. And in 1989, visionary writer/director Alejandro Jodorowsky returned with his modern masterpiece: It is the story of a young circus performer, the crime of passion that shatters his soul, and the macabre journey back to the world of his armless mother, deaf-mute lover, and murder. It is an odyssey of ecstasy and anguish, belief and blasphemy, beauty and madness. It is unlike any movie you have ever seen before...or ever will. Axel Jodorowsky, Blanca Guerra and Guy Stockwell star in this epic of surreal genius, now fully restored and featuring more than five hours of exclusive Extras that reveal the mind behind one of the most provocative and unforgettable motion picture experiences of our time.

***

Like some Fellini-esque nightmare, this heady mix of circus freaks (a tattooed lady, an exotic midget, sad-faced clowns) and weird religious and hallucinatory imagery (an armless virgin saint, writhing snakes, zombie brides) is pregnant with disturbing psychological undercurrents. Traumatised at an early age by a violent argument between his knife-throwing father (Stockwell) and trapeze-artist mother (Guerra), former child magician Fenix (Axel Jodorowsky), now 20, escapes from an asylum into the outside world. Reunited with his jealous mother, Fenix becomes her 'arms' in a bizarre pantomime act, a role which spills dangerously over into real life...

Excerpt from Time Out review located HERE

Poster

Theatrical Release: November 24, 1989 (Italy)

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Comparison 

Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL vs. Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Daniel Mott for the Review!

DVD Box Cover

 

Distribution

Anchor Bay Entertainment

Region 2 - PAL

Severin Film

Region FREE - Blu-ray

Runtime 1:58:08 (4% PAL speedup) 2:03:00.000
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.56 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

Disc Size: 44,449,586,202 bytes

Feature Size: 21,781,856,256 bytes

Average Bitrate: 20.01 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate

Bitrate Blu-ray

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1594 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1594 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Italian 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio Spanish 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Subtitles English, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Louis Mouchet's La Constellation Jodorowsky (87 minutes)
• Biographies
• Stills and Poster Gallery
• Audio Commentary with Director Alejandro Jodorowsky & Film Journalist Alan Jones
• Deleted Scene
• Filmed On-Stage Interview with Director Alejandro Jodorowsky
• Short Film Echek Directed by Alejandro's son, Adan Jodorowsky
• Original UK Press Coverage

DVD Release Date: January 26, 2004
Double Keep-Case

Chapters 21

Release Information:
Studio: Severin

 

Disc Size: 44,449,586,202 bytes

Feature Size: 21,781,856,256 bytes

Average Bitrate: 20.01 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

 

Edition Details:
• Audio Commentary: Jodorowsky and journalist Alan Jones

• Forget Everything You Have Seen; The World of Santa Sangre (1:36:36)
• For One Week Only: Alejandro Jodorowsky (32:33)
• Goyo Cardinis: Spree Killer (17:40)
• Onstage Q + A with Jodorowsky (24:37)
• Jodorowsky 2003 Interview (31:19)
• Composer Simon Boswell interviews Jodorowsky (7:58)
• Blink Jodorowsky Short by Boswell (2:02)
• Close Your Eyes Music Video by Boswell (5:47)

• Short Film Echek Directed by Alejandro's son, Adan Jodorowsky (3:56)

• Deleted Scene with Jodorowsky Commentary (7:35)

• Theatrical Trailer

• Japanese Trailer

• Severin trailers

Blu-ray Release Date: January 25th, 2011
Standard Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 20

 

Comments NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray February 2011: As Daniel noted the Anchor Bay DVD had some bleeding colors, edge-enhancement and macro-blocking. It looks definitely boosted beside the new, region free, Severin Blu-ray. The 1080P is more muted, but, presumably, closer to the theatrical appearance - it is sharper, has less artifacts, seems slightly cropped on the bottom but show more information on the right edge. It can tend to look quite pale at times. Overall the 1.85:1 hi-def visuals are a significant improvement over the SD transfer - as the compared screen captures should indicate.

NOTE: From a member of the DVDBeaver ListServ: "I've read several reviews describe the previous releases (VHS, laserdisc and Anchor Bay DVD) as being artificially boosted and not accurate to the theatrical release, but all screen captures from the new BD show that the black level is significantly elevated from where it should be, such that the image is dulled to a murky haze. The resulting flattened contrast range does not accord with my memories of the theatrical prints."

Audio is given in the form of a reasonable, but not overpowering, DTS-HD Master in 2.0 channel stereo at 1594 kbps. It sounds competent without dynamic range - but there are some instances showcasing depth. There are optional English subtitles on the region FREE Blu-ray.

Extras are 'super-stacked' repeating the audio commentary with Jodorowsky & Film Journalist Alan Jones, the Deleted Scene (with commentary), the Q+A plus the short Film Echek directed by Alejandro's son, Adan Jodorowsky from the 2-disc DVD, but also even more is included. Perhaps the most desirable addition is the exclusive feature length Making-of documentary entitled Forget Everything You've Seen: The World of Santa Sangre with some all-new interviews with cast and crew. This is in 1080P. There are additional one-on-one interviews with the director, a music video, another short film and trailers. We are talking somewhere around 3 1/2 hours of supplement material when all added up. Fans could peruse these extras for many days.

Severin have really gone to town here with this Blu-ray leaving few stones let unturned - and this bodes well for future releases. Fans of Jodorowsky should be all over this one. Recommended!   

- Gary W. Tooze

***

ON THE ANCHOR BAY DVD: I'm not as overly impressed with this transfer as some other reviews. It's good to see this important film on DVD, but I've got some gripes. There's some edge enhancement, bleeding colors (mainly red) and macro blocking. The 5.1 mix is a bit muffled and the 2.0 is clearly better but still not top notch.

The commentary is interesting but at times it can be hard to understand Jodorowsky even though he speaks in English. Subtitles would be nice. Speaking of them, they're well done in the film. Extras are of varying interestingness and quality - it was fun to see Adan's short film and interesting to hear some more of Jodorowsky's thoughts about his somewhat mysterious masterpiece.

Now I don't want to complain too much - this is an acceptable transfer that looks good most of the time and I'm happy to have the DVD - but there's definitely some room for improvement.

 - Daniel Mott

 


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Screen Captures

 

1) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL  TOP

2) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

Subtitle Sample

 

 


1) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL  TOP

2) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


1) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL  TOP

2) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


1) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL  TOP

2) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


1) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL  TOP

2) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


1) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL  TOP

2) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Anchor Bay Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL  TOP

2) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

MORE Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray Captures

 

DVD Box Cover

 

Distribution

Anchor Bay Entertainment

Region 2 - PAL

Severin Film

Region FREE - Blu-ray




 

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