Blue Underground

Region FREE - Blu-ray

Region FREE - Blu-ray

Average Bitrate: 24.98 Mbps

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

Average Bitrate: 34.82 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

Chapters 21

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video 1080P

Edition Details:
• Brand new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger
• Brand new interviews with producer Brian Smedley-Aston, actors Marianne Morris, Anulka Dziubinska, Brian Deacon, Sally Faulkner, makeup artist Colin Arthur and composer James Kenelm Clarke
Interviews:
*• "A High Stakes Enterprise" (18:29) - an interview with producer Brian Smedley-Aston
• By This Sign, I'll Recognize You..." (14:12) - an interview with actress Marianne Morris
• Daughter of Dracula" (13:18) - an interview with actress Anulka Dziubinska
• A Cut-Throat Business" (18:30) - an interview with actor Brian Deacon
• "Unhappy Camper" (12:04) - an interview with actress Sally Faulkner
• "Bloodletting on a Budget" (17:57) - an interview with makeup artist Colin Arthur
• "Requiem for a Vampyre" (03:49) - an interview with composer James Kenelm Clarke

• Reimagining Vampyres - a brand new interview with Larraz’s friend and collaborator Victor Matellano, director of the 2015 Vampyres remake (21:57)
• Extract from an archival interview with José Larraz (14:20)
Jose Larraz and Marianne Morris Q&A at • 1997 Eurofest (09:26)
• Image Gallery
• Trailers - US Theatrical (02:57) • International Theatrical - (02:33)

ADDITION: Arrow - Region FREE Blu-ray - April 2019 - "Vampyres" appears as part of Arrow Video's gorgeous "Blood Hunger: The Films Of Jose Larraz" 3-disc Blu-ray set. Vampyres is located on a dual-layered Blu-ray with a nicely maxed-out bitrate. The included booklet states: "Vampyres is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with mono audio. The original 35mm camera negative element was scanned in 2K resolution on a 4K Scanity at R3Store Studios, London. Sections of a 35mm CRI element were also scanned OCN Digital Labs, CT. The film was graded on Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master and restored at R3Store Studios in London. The original mono mix was remastered from the optical negative reels at OCN Labs, CT. The original negative was made available for this project by Producer Brian Smedley-Aston. The CRI and audio elements were made available from Films Around the World."

As for the 1.85:1 HD image quality, this easily extensively bests the previous Blu-ray releases. Not only is there slightly more information on all sides of the frame, the grain structure is much healthier and filmlike. The colors benefit even greater, just look at the top of the cape worn by Miriam (Anulka Dziubinska) in that first capture and note how it has shifted from a strange orange-red to a more realistic shade of crimson. Also note how the deeper blacks just enhance every other aspect of the image, showing a much wider range of colors. This improved contrast is evident throughout most of the film though certain pitch-black nighttime shots show a certain uniform black, with little variation. This only adds to the creepiness factor, in my opinion. This is some great work from Arrow.

Though this film lacks the surround sound that appeared on the Blue Underground disc, we get a much better track in my opinion. Arrow present the film in its original 1.0 mono, uncompressed in 24-bit linear PCM. To my ears, this is how you want to hear the film. Dialogue is intelligible and the score from James Kenelm Clarke sounds appropriately eerie. There are optional English subtitles on this Region Free Blu-ray.

Arrow have loaded this three-disc Blu-ray set with a bunch of extras. First up is another wonderful commentary from Kat Ellinger. Ellinger is a noted expert on all things Larraz and this is well worth a listen. The "Vampyres" Blu-ray also includes 7 interviews (totaling over 95 minutes) with producer Brian Smedley-Aston, actors Marianne Morris, Anulka Dziubinska, Brian Deacon, Sally Faulkner, makeup artist Colin Arthur and composer James Kenelm Clarke. Following these interviews is "Reimagining Vampyres", a brand new 22-minute interview with Victor Matelaano. Victor was a friend and collaborator with Jose Larraz, and even went on to direct a remake of this very film in 2015. There is also a 14-minute extract from an archival interview with Larraz, as well as a Larraz and Marianne Morris Q & A from the 1997 Eurofest. As if all this wasn't enough, we also get the US and theatrical trailers, an image gallery, and of course the box set features an 80-page perfect bound book featuring new writing by Jo Botting, Tim Greaves and Vanity Celis.

Vampyres is another unique experience from Jose Larraz, full of dreamlike imagery and of course nudity, blood, etc. To the uninitiated, imagine a cross between the films of Jean Rollin and Joe D'Amato, only better. And the Blu-ray extras are extensive. Highly recommended.
 

Colin Zavitz
 

***

Strangely, this seems a higher price point than usually offered by Blue Underground but the film has its niche following. The Blu-ray is certainly the way to go to see and hear it in it's best home theater representation...