NOTE: 50 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: The Rape of the Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Gorgo (software uniformly simulated HDR), Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Man From Hong Kong (software uniformly simulated HDR), One False Move, The Tall T (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cold Eyes of Fear (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rules of the Game (no HDR), The Manchurian Candidate (software uniformly simulated HDR), After Hours, Rain Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Changeling (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Night of the Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR), 12 Angry Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Branded to Kill (no HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (software uniformly simulated HDR), Two Orphan Vampires, The Shiver of the Vampires, Drowning By Number (software uniformly simulated HDR), Serpico (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cool Hand Luke (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Seventh Seal (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Maltese Falcon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mildred Pierce (software uniformly simulated HDR), Tár (software uniformly simulated HDR), Marathon Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dazed and Confused (software uniformly simulated HDR), Three Colors: Blue (software uniformly simulated HDR), Invaders From Mars (software uniformly simulated HDR), Death Wish (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (no HDR), High Plains Drifter (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mystery Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Silent Running (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dressed to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Power of the Dog  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Escape From Alcatraz (software uniformly simulated HDR), I, the Jury (no HDR), Casablanca (software uniformly simulated HDR), In the Mood For Love (NO HDR applied to disc), The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Blow Out (software uniformly simulated HDR), Night of the Living Dead (NO HDR applied to disc), Lost Highway (software uniformly simulated HDR), Videodrome (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Last Picture Show (software uniformly simulated HDR), It Happened One Night (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Mummy (1932)(software uniformly simulated HDR), Creature From the Black Lagoon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Bride of Frankenstein (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Amityville Horror  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The War of the Worlds (1953) (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Incredible Melting Man  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Event Horizon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Branded to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Killing (software uniformly simulated HDR), Killer's Kiss (software uniformly simulated HDR.)

On their 4K UHD, Indicator use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original French language. "The Night of the Hunted" doesn't have extensive audio effects although there is some gruesome violence that can punctuate scenes but remain authentically flat. The score was by Philippe Bréjean (as Gary Sandeur.) He was also a French singer, television host, songwriter and music producer. He has composed for many genre, and adult, films and he founded the rock group "Les Blackers". The music interludes - including some a capella singing - add an air of respectability to the film. The disc offers optional, and vastly improved, English subtitles from previous digital editions - and is, like all 4K UHD, region FREE, playable worldwide.

There are plentiful extras on the 4K UHD disc starting with a commentary by film expert and author Tim Lucas (author of The Book of Renfield: A Gospel of Dracula.) Tim also did the commentary on Indicator's The Rape of the Vampire Blu-ray and 4K UHD. He discusses "The Night of the Hunted" as being "Cronenberg-ian', a lot on the actress Brigitte Lahaie, Dominique Journet, and Catherine Greiner. In some cases their pornographic film backgrounds is addressed, how they met Rollin and more. He talks about the film being made in 10 days and its subsequent X-rated variant ("Filles Traquees"), how the actor Alain Duclos looks like David Naughton (An American Werewolf in London.) Tim makes comments about the film's harmonious colors and praises the 4K UHD transfer. He discusses the film's look and cinematography by Jean-Claude Couty as well as the score by Bréjean and the horror films that blossomed in 1980 with radiation-based plot lines. The commentary is an excellent reason to indulge in the package. And there is so much more; a selected scenes commentary with writer-director Jean Rollin from 2006 in English - a second with actor Brigitte Lahaie and Jean Rollin from the same year in French (with optional English subtitles - see sample below.). a selected scenes commentary with writer-director Jean Rollin from 2006 in English - a second with actor Brigitte Lahaie and Jean Rollin from the same year in Frenchj (with optional English subtitles - see sample below.) We get a brief 1998 introduction of ‘The Night of the Hunted’ by the director, as well as his thoughts in a separate video piece from 2007 with festival programmer and journalist Joshua T. Gravel at the Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal. Perdues: La Nuit des traquées is an updated documentary on the making of The Night of the Hunted, directed by Rollin’s personal assistant, Daniel Gouyette, and including interviews with Lahaie, critic Daniel Bird, and key collaborators Jean-Pierre Bouyxou and Natalie Perrey. It runs shy of 20-minutes in total. Le Pont is a new short film revisiting the aqueduct seen in The Night of the Hunted. There are newly edited archival interview with Lahaie, producer Lionel Wallmann and an archival interview with Alain Plumey (aka 'Cyril Val'), who was also a regular in most of Rollin's adult films. He appeared in more than one hundred porn flicks as well as The Night of the Hunted and Fascination. We get a tour of the 'Eroticism Museum' in Paris where he is the director. Included is an excellent new critical appreciation by author and musician Stephen Thrower for over 20-minutes. His observations are always astute. When The Night of the Hunted was released into cinemas in 1980, the film performed poorly at the box office. Looking to recoup his investment, executive producer Andre Samarcq oversaw the shooting of some additional, hardcore scenes, and the film was released on the adult-film circuit as Filles traquees. Ten minutes of this additional material survives and has been archived with the film's original negatives. Although it is unclear whether Jean Rollin filmed this footage, it does feature The Night of the Hunted co-star Catherine Greiner, who often appeared in adult films as 'Cathy Stewart'. Whilst not a part of Rollin's original vision, we feel that these sequences' importance as a unique archival record of the film's production history makes their inclusion on this definitive edition essential. There are 2 Soft Scenes running about 8-minutes and one 10-minute 'Hardcore' scene as part of the disc's extras. There is an original theatrical trailer and image gallery with promotional and publicity material, and behind the scenes. The extensive package includes a limited edition exclusive 80-page book with a new essay by Ruairí McCann, archival writing by Jean Rollin on the making of the film, archival interviews with actor Brigitte Lahaie and collaborator Jean-Pierre Bouyxou, and full film credits.

Indicator's 4K UHD release of Jean Rollin's "The Night of the Hunted" is another strong reason for fans of the director's abstruse cinema to celebrate. I like how Wikipedia describes him; "His films are noted for their exquisite, if mostly static, cinematography, off-kilter plot progression, poetic dialogue, playful surrealism and recurrent use of well-constructed female lead characters. Outlandish dénouements and abstruse visual symbols were trademarks." In "The Night of the Hunted" I loved the 'total lost memory' theme with, example; the majority of the female cast, including Brigitte Lahaie, Dominique Journet and Catherine Greiner, apparently had totally forgotten that Caresse Crosby invented the modern brassiere over 100-years ago. Okay, all joking aside - I think this is one of my favorite from Rollin - although he wasn't especially happy with the film himself. He's never boring and his unique flourishes always draw my attention. Indicator have, easily, created the most complete package of "The Night of the Hunted" with their 4K UHD release; Lucas commentary, booklet etc. Purchasers will be highly appreciative of their efforts. Absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze