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

If you are looking for the similarly titled 1974 Peter Cushing horror - it is reviewed on Blu-ray HERE.

ADDITION: Flicker Alley Blu-ray (February 2024): Flicker Alley transferred Román Viñoly Barreto's The Beast Must Die (La Bestia Debe Morir) to Blu-ray. Like their The Black Vampire (El Vampiro Negro,) Flicker Alley also brought another early 50's Argentine Noir to Blu-ray. We are just getting to cover it now. It is described as "A long-lost treasure of Argentine noir rediscovered! Thanks to the efforts of the Film Noir Foundation and UCLA Film & Television Archive, director Román Viñoly Barreto's compelling 1952 thriller has been rescued and restored to its original brilliance. Flicker Alley is honored to present this world-premiere Blu-ray Disc / DVD combo edition of the superb The Beast Must Die (La Bestia Debe Morir), a heretofore virtually unknown addition to the canon of classic international noir. This landmark release, gorgeously restored, was achieved through the dedicated efforts of the Film Noir Foundation and UCLA Film and Television Archive, with special thanks to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Charitable Trust." I'd say it looks reasonably consistent in 1080P with dull-ish contrast, a few surface scratches and some inherent softness. But there is depth and pleasing detail in close-ups. Grain textures are impressively rendered. It is on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate. I had no strong issues with the HD presentation and appreciated it looking as good as it does.

NOTE: We have added 54 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Flicker Alley use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Spanish language. Aside from some raised voices in the beginning The Beast Must Die (La Bestia Debe Morir) has very few aggressive moments - plus a bit of the ocean, sailing etc.. Dialogue is clean and clear. The score was by Silvio Vernazza (The Strange Case of the Man and the Beast), and augments the mystery moods. Flicker Alley offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Flicker Alley Blu-ray offers a new commentary by screenwriter, film critic and film historian Guido Segal. He describes how Daniel Day-Lewis' father, Cecil Day-Lewis, actually wrote the 1938 book (from which it was adapted) The Beast Must Die under the pen name; 'Nicholas Blake'. There was a later film version entitled "This Man Must Die" directed by Claude Chabrol in 1969. Guido talks about the Argentine film industry in the 40's-50's and how it was quite cosmopolitan - mentioning the variety of countries that the cast was from. He observes the noir elements in The Beast Must Die, the reverse femme-fatale (victim) played by Milagros de la Vega (he describes as an 'Ava Gardner' type - true!), themes of betrayal, adultery and much more. It's an excellent commentary. There is also a 7-minute introduction to The Beast Must Die (La Bestia Debe Morir) – by author, film historian, and “noirchaeologist” Eddie Muller. Flicker Alley add a new 1/2 hour conversation between Argentine film archivist and historian Fernando Martín Peña and Daniel Viñoly, son of visionary director Román Viñoly Barreto (El Vampiro Negro). There is a short profile of actor Narciso Ibáñez Menta (who plays 'Felix Lane' in the film) by film historian Fernando Martín Peña. The package has a second disc DVD (feature and extras) and a souvenir booklet featuring rare original photographs, posters, lobby cards, and advertisements, along with an essay by Guido Segal.

Román Viñoly Barreto's The Beast Must Die (La Bestia Debe Morir) is appropriate for the adage "You may be through with the past - but the past ain't through with you". Daniel Day-Lewis's dad, Cecil Day-Lewis wrote (under the pen name of 'Nicholas Blake') a fictional book series involving detective Nigel Strangeways - that includes The Beast Must Die. The film adaptation effectively weaves together a revenge plot, melodrama, a posh mansion mystery whodunnit, noir (with flashbacks, unsavory characters, switched identity) and... murder. This is an excellent 'international noir' although I enjoyed the mystery components just as much as the atmospheric 'dark cinema' tropes. This was made right before the director's El Vampiro Negro and it's an perfect companion piece. The Flicker Alley Blu-ray does it right again - superb under-seen film, commentary, interviews - booklet. More please! Strongly recommended.

Gary Tooze