(aka "I coltelli del vendicatore" )
directed by Mario Bava
Italy 1966
Italian director Mario Bava is best known for his stylish low-budget horror pictures, but he excelled at many genres--mystery, comedy, western, sci-fi, action--and this excellent 1966 feature, which he took over from another director and scripted under the name John Hold, reimagines Shane as a Viking adventure. A fearsome knife-throwing warrior (Cameron Mitchell in a fine performance) rides into a village and rescues a beautiful woman (Elisa Pichelli) and her preteen son (Luciano Pollentin) from attackers; later he realizes that he raped her many years earlier, while avenging himself against the village for the murder of his wife and child, and begins to form an attachment to the woman's son, who bears a striking resemblance to him. Bava started out as a cameraman, and his dramatic Techniscope framing of the majestic beach at Tor Caldara near Anzio and the village of Monciana near Rome might well have influenced the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone.
Excerpt from the Chicago Reader located HERE
Posters
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Theatrical Release: 30 May 1966 (Italy)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
Image - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC
Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for all the Screen Caps!
(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)
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| Distribution |
Image Region 0 - NTSC |
Anchor Bay Region 1 - NTSC |
| Runtime | 1:24:27 | 1:24:33 |
| Video |
2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Image
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Bitrate:
Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection)
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| Audio | English Dolby Digital 1.0, Italian Dolby Digital 1.0 |
English Dolby Digital 2.0, Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 |
| Subtitles | None | English, None |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: Image Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 12 |
Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD Release Date: April
3, 2007 Chapters 12 |
| Comments | Anchor Bay used the same transfer as the Image Entertainment disc, but they digitally cleaned it up a bit. The largest improvement is that now the transfer is progressive - the previous disc from Image was interlaced. Also, by adding English subtitles, English-speaking audience can now watch the film with Italian audio. Unfortunately, there are no added extras and liner notes by Tim Lucas about making of the film are now missing. Still, overall, Anchor Bay disc gets my recommendation. |
DVD Menus
(Image - Region 0 - NTSC -
LEFT vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC -
RIGHT)
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Screen Captures
(Image
- Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava
Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
Subtitle sample for
Anchor Bay disc
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(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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(Image - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP vs. Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)
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Report Card:
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Image: |
Anchor Bay |
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Sound: |
Anchor Bay |
| Extras: | Image (for liner notes) |
| Menu: | Anchor Bay |
