ADDITION: Severin 4K UHD (June 2024): Severin have released Antonio Margheriti's "Danza Macabra" and its US version "Castle of Blood" to 4K UHD. Included are Blu-rays of both films and supplements. Presently this is only available as part of Severin's Danza Macabra: Volume Two - The Italian Gothic Collection with Castle of Blood,  Giorgio Albertazzi's 1969 Jekyll, Corrado Farina's 1971 They Have Changed Their Face, and Paolo Lombardo's 1972 The Devil’s Lover (with Rosalba Neri.) The rest of the package's films are on Blu-ray with a final 8th disc CD of The Devil’s Lover soundtrack. It is quite a big set so we are only reviewing the first film here that has the two versions; Danza Macabra" and its US version "Castle of Blood" to on triple-layered 4K UHD disc and also on two separate Blu-rays - all three in one black case. It is described as "scanned in 4k from the original negative and restored by Cinématographique Lyre in collaboration with Severin Films" and has HDR. Severin released the 8.5-minute shorter US version, "Castle of Blood", on a 2015 Region FREE Blu-ray triple-feature with two more Barbara Steele genre films; Nightmare Castle (The Night of the Doomed) aka "Amanti d'oltretomba" and Terror-Creatures From the Grave (US-cut.) We reviewed it HERE and have compared some captures below. We have also already reviewed Severin's 4 Blu-ray disc collections; Danza Macabra - Volume 1: The Italian Gothic Collection and Danza Macabra - Volume Three: The Spanish Gothic Collection. The "Volume Two" boxset of Severin's Danza Macabra is notable for a few reasons. It has 8 discs, one of which is 4K UHD, 6 are Blu-rays and one is a CD. Robert tells us in email: "The new Danza macbra is the first time the full Italian version has seen the light of day on Blu-ray. There was an Italian DVD with Eng subtitles a while back, long gone, and of course the old Synapse DVD from a French source, which was as complete as the better new Italian 4k; the new set also contains the butchered US edit--note that the credits there are missing the frames with the names of the two principals: Barbara Steele and George Riviere--the same US version as the scratched up mess that was included in the Nightmare Castle box from Severin." (Thanks Robert!) Robert is, of course, correct about the Blu-ray (and 4K UHD) of the US edit Castle of Blood having scratches in the credits which still miss the leads names; Barbara Steele and Georges Rivière.

The star of this box is surely "Danza Macabra" in 4K UHD (and Blu-ray) with an opening staring screen that states "...was restored and preserved in 2022 by Cinématographique Lyre in collaboration with Cinémathèque française, with the support of CNC, the 8th arrondissement Council (Paris), companies Artus Films, Lobster Films and Severin Films, and all contributors of the crowdfunding campaign held on the proarti platform, among whom Maria Barsanti, Vincent Garnier, Catherine Guilleret, Esperanza Lozano-Guillen, Anne and Romain Soubeyran. The restoration work was performed in 4K at laboratories Eclair Classics / L'Immagine Ritrovata (Bologne - Paris) and L.E. Diapason (Paris), from the original 35mm image and sound negatives and original dupe negatives. Various 35mm prints served as reference. The restored version includes some sequences initially cut out when the film was first released."

The "Castle of Blood" Blu-ray is an advancement over the 2015 1080P with less damage / scratches (see sample below) and it has over double the bitrate of the transfer in the "Nightmare Castle" boxset. It has balanced contrast and visible texture. The 4K UHD of the US version improves even more over that with fine consistent grain and a slightly darker appearance - which, obviously, suits the film. The 4K UHD, restored, "Danza Macabra" looks more superior. The image tightens and can appear sharper. The contrast is beautifully layered. Riccardo Pallotini's evocative camerawork is superbly displayed in the 2160P resolution. The HDR is perceptively applied without overindulgence. Barbara Steele is her usual hypnotic self and Margrete Robsahm is statuesque in 4K UHD. Marvelous to finally see this 8.5-minute longer Italian version and its miraculous bump over the scratchy, density-compromised, 2015 Blu-ray.      

It is likely that the monitor you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display (High Dynamic Range) or Dolby Vision, where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and notably granular range of color and light. Our capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more 4K UHD titles in the future and give you a decent idea of its attributes on your system. So our captures may not support the exact same colors (coolness of skin tones, brighter or darker hues etc.) as the 4K system at your home. But the framing, detail, grain texture support etc. are, generally, not effected by this simulation representation.

NOTE: 66 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 recently: Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (HDR), Fist of Legend (HDR), American Gigolo (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Long Wait (no HDR,) Bound (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Valiant Ones (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mute Witness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Narc (software uniformly simulated HDR), Peeping Tom (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (software uniformly simulated HDR), High Noon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Criterion) (software uniformly simulated HDR), I Am Cuba (no HDR), The Demoniacs (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Nude Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nostalghia (no HDR), Werckmeister Harmonies (no HDR), Goin' South (software uniformly simulated HDR), La Haine (software uniformly simulated HDR,) All Ladies Do It (software uniformly simulated HDR), Old Henry  (software uniformly simulated HDR), To Die For (software uniformly simulated HDR), Snapshot (software uniformly simulated HDR), Phase IV (software uniformly simulated HDR), Burial Ground (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dark Water (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fear and Desire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (no HDR), Paths of Glory (software uniformly simulated HDR), Southern Comfort (software uniformly simulated HDR).

On their 4K UHD, Severin offer DTS-HD Master dual-mono (24-bit) in the original Italian (or the option of partial English for "Danza Macabra") or an English language DUB for "Castle of Blood". The film has a small episode of more egregious violence, murder, an assault, and a girl-on-girl skirmish, plus a beheaded snake etc. but they don't require extensive audio effects. Most of the tension comes from the memorable score by mondo, giallo, horror, and 'pasta' film composer Riz Ortolani (How To Kill a Judge, Lightning Bolt, Killer Crocodile, The Pyjama Girl Case, The Valachi Papers, Seven Deaths in the Cat's Eyes, The McKenzie Break, Day of Anger, Il Sorpasso, Woman Times Seven, Cannibal Holocaust, The Voyeur, Mondo Cane) and it adds some eerie Gothic flavor. DUB'ing has always been evident with this film. Severin's discs offer optional English and English (SDH) subtitles for "Danza Macabra" and only English (SDH) for Castle of Blood. The 4K UHD, is, like all of the format, region FREE, where the two Blu-rays are Region 'A'-locked. Of the Blu-rays included in the Danza Macabra: Volume Two - The Italian Gothic Collection only Jekyll is region FREE.