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

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (May 2024): Criterion have transferred Emilio Fernández's Victims of Sin to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 4K digital restoration" and "Restored in 2022 from the Original 35mm Nitrate Camera Negative and Optical Track". The 1080P image quality is superb and, not surprisingly,  the 'Picture and Track Restoration' is by, long time DVDBeaver pal, Peter Conheim. He is "The Man". It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate; contrast is excellent with impressive black levels and highly pleasing detail. There is plenty of depth. The image is very clean and the stills often reminded me of 8X10 glossies. A superb HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 72 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Spanish language. Victims of Sin has violence including gunshots that carry modest bass. The score is credited to prolific Antonio Díaz Conde (The Bat Woman, Plunder in the Sun and 275 other film credits.)  We also get quite a few numbers by our protagonist, Cuban-Mexican dancer, Ninón Sevilla who is a sight to behold! - wiggling and swaying seductively to the pulsating mambo rhythms. Plus Cuban bandleader, pianist, composer and arranger, Pérez Prado, who popularized 1950's mambo - and a number by Mexican tenor Pedro Vargas, popular in the golden age of Mexican cinema. The musical numbers are vibrant, steamy and beautifully costumed. You will enjoy toe-tappingly clean and clear audio on the Blu-ray. Criterion offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray includes a new 17-minute interview with filmmaker and archivist Viviana Garcia Besné. She is the founder of the Permanencia Voluntaria archive and the Baticine microcinema in Tepoztlán, Mexico. She comments on how she is a descendent of a family involved in the Mexican film industry for almost 100-years. She is an enthusiastic advocate for Mexican popular Golden Age cinema that has long been dismissed by critics. There is also a new 16-minute interview with cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (who has collaborated with Martin Scorsese and Alejandro González Iñárritu, among other noteworthy directors) as he discusses the work of Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa who is regarded as one of the greatest of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. There is also an archival 1/2 hour documentary on cine de rumberas, featuring interviews with Ninón Sevilla. The package also has a trailer and a liner notes booklet with an essay by scholar Jacqueline Avila (author of Cinesonidos: Film Music and National Identity During Mexico's Época de Oro.)

Emilio Fernández's Victims of Sin is described as a "rumbera" musical melodrama and has some delightful film noir tropes. We have moody locales, incarcerated characters, underworld pachucos, and fatalistic ladies of the evening... not to mention multiple murders. However, the stylish musical numbers and torso-driven dancing are a total joy. Ninón Sevilla is a writhe goddess. Victims of Sin is cited as one of the most famous of Mexico's post-war films. I, absolutely, loved it. The Criterion Blu-ray has this extraordinary piece of 50's Mexican cinema looking and sounding absolutely top-shelf with new extras and a booklet. Our highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze