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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Viy" or "Вий" or "Viy, King of the Ghosts" or "Viy or Spirit of Evil")

 

Directed by Konstantin Ershov, Georgiy Kropachyov
Soviet Union 1967

 

Based on the classic novella by Nikolai Gogol - and previously adapted by Mario Bava as BLACK SUNDAY - the first horror film ever produced in the Soviet Union remains "genuinely frightening" (1001 Films You Must See Before You Die), "a visual grab bag of terror" (FilmInquiry.com) and "one of the best horror films of all time." (IndieWire).

In 19th century Russia, a seminary student is forced to spend three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. But when she rises from the dead to seduce him, it will summon a nightmare of fear, desire and the ultimate demonic mayhem. Bursting with startling imagery and stunning practical effects by directors Konstantin Yershov and Georgi Kropachyov, this "overlooked classic" (Paste Magazine) has influenced generations of directors for more than half a century and is still unlike any horror movie you've ever seen.

***

And so, we come to Viy, a beautiful aberration in the landscape of Soviet/Russian cinema. Viy derives its plot from one of the few Russian horror texts—the eponymous short story by Nikolai Gogol. The story is very simple. A couple of seminaries on a few days vacation are lost and find a house where an old woman resides. They beg her to give them a place to stay overnight and when she at first seems reluctant Khoma, our anti-hero, mutters some unkind words about her, which she overhears. As it happens this old woman is a witch who turns into a beautiful young woman when Khoma cruelly beats her to death as a result of her jumping on his back and riding him through the night skies like a broom. Her last words, overheard by her father, are for Khoma to come and pray over her body for 3 nights.

Excerpt from Veronika Ferdman at NotComing.com located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 27th, 1967

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

 

    

Bonus Captures for VIY:

Bonus Captures for Sveto Mesto:

Distribution Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:16:34.590          1:16:30.590
Video

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,884,761,354 bytes

Feature: 23,367,567,360 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,444,600,739 bytes

Feature: 24,819,391,872 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.83 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Severin Blu-ray:

Bitrate Masters of Cinema Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio Russian 1856 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1856 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DUB:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1559 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1559 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)

LPCM Audio Russian 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
DUB:

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit

Subtitles English, English (DUB titles), None English, English (DUB titles), None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Severin

 

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,884,761,354 bytes

Feature: 23,367,567,360 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• VIY the Vampire - An interview with Richard Stanley (22:57)
• From The Woods to the Cosmos - John Leman Riley on the history of Soviet Fantasy and Sci-Fi Film (34:46)
• Trailer (1:53)
Silent Soviet Horror
• The Portrait (7:52)
• The Queen of Spades (16:30 - SD)
• Satan Exultant (19:30 - SD)


Blu-ray Release Date:
December 10th, 2019
Black Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

Release Information:
Studio:
Masters of Cinema

 

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,444,600,739 bytes

Feature: 24,819,391,872 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.83 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Brand new audio commentary with film historian and eastern European cinema expert Michael Brooke
• Remembering Nikolai Gogol Archival Documentary (19:06)
• Brand new audio essay on Russian novelist and VIY author Nikolai Gogol (15:05)
•  Three Russian silent film fragments, The Portrait[1915, 7:53], The Queen of Spades [1916, 16:30], and Satan Exultant [1917, 19:30]
•  1967 Trailer (2:36)
 

Disc 2 Sveto Mesto (A Holy Place) 1990, dir. Djordje Kadijevic)
•  New Interview with A HOLY PLACE director Djordje Kadijevic (Limited Edition Exclusive Only)
(27:50)

 
• Newly commissioned sleeve artwork by Peter Savieri
• PLUS: A Collector's Booklet featuring a new essay on Aleksandr Ptushko by Tim Lucas, and a new essay by Serbian writer and film critic Dejan Ognjanovic


Blu-ray Release Date:
March 15th, 2021
Transparent Blu-ray Case inside O-card slipcase (see image below)

Chapters 8

 

 

Comments:

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

"I summon the vampires! I summon the werewolves!... I summon Viy!"

ADDITION: Masters of Cinema Blu-ray package (2-disc) March 2021: The Masters of Cinema have also transferred 1967's VIY to Blu-ray. It is also on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate and has come from the same restoration looking very similar with only the pixels moving around slightly. I may have perceived the Masters of Cinema to be negligibly more stable, but I am willing to be incorrect in that observation. For the majority of viewing systems, this is a duplicate HD presentation.

In the audio, Masters of Cinema use a linear PCM tracks, also offering the original Russian and an English DUB, but their DUB is transferred at 24-bit as opposed to 16-bit for the Severin. We have compared to subtitle translations - both English (translated) and English (DUB titles) appear to be the same as the Severin just in a larger font. The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray discs are coded region 'B'.

What is really exciting are the supplements added by The Masters of Cinema. Michael Brooke must have been practicing 'circle breathing' as I can't find him taking a breath in his brilliantly detailed commentary. He leaves no stone unturned and is as prepared as any commentarist I can recall. The only issue being you will have to listen to it a third time to get most of the information he imparts. It is exactly the type of extra needed for this Blu-ray release. On this feature disc Masters of Cinema also include the three silent Soviet Horror fragments as found on the Severin; The Portrait runs 8 minutes - made in 1915, directed by Wladyslaw Starewicz and based on another short story by Nikolai Gogol. The Queen of Spades is a 1916 film adaptation of the Aleksandr Pushkin short story. It has surprisingly high production values and style, often considered one of the best pre-revolutionary Russian films. It runs 16.5 minutes in SD. Lastly is Satan Exultant is a 1917 silent film directed by Yakov Protazanov. The plot involves Pastor Talnoх furiously urging his flock to fight temptations, but he himself becomes a victim. Later, in his home Satan arrives and he succumbs... It runs almost 20-minutes. On The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray these are transferred in 1080P with LPCM audio. Moc include a brand new 1/4 hour audio essay on Russian novelist and VIY author Nikolai Gogol by Dr. Samuel Goff - his research examines the intersection of visual and physical culture in the early Soviet Union, with an emphasis on cinema. Plus there is a 20-minute archival documentary 'Remembering Nikolai Gogol'.

MoC include a second Blu-ray with the 1 1/2 feature Sveto Mesto aka "A Holy Place" (1990, dir. Djordje Kadijevic) - it is an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s short story and a stunning example of Serbian Gothic cinema from director Kadijevic. Described by critic Dejan Ognjanovic as “an unparalleled excess of perversity and terror”. I enjoyed it although there is plenty of damage - usually in the form of green scratches that are more prevalent in the beginning and in a few later scenes but not throughout the 1080P presentation. They look intentional as in Robert Rodriguez' Planet Terror trying to emulate 70's Grindhouse. It is described as 'based on a literary classic, Nikolai Gogol's 1835 short story, 'VIY'. However, Kadijevic uses it only as a starting point for his own explorations into the dark side of eroticism'. I was so glad to have seen this and would have loved a Michael Brooke commentary on this feature as well.

NOTE: We have added 30 more large resolution Blu-ray captures of Sveto Mesto for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

Also on the second Blu-ray is a new 1/2 hour interview with director Djordje Kadijevic. As a survivor of WW2 many of his early films dealt with war. He discusses this and his career. Part of The Masters of Cinema's package are newly commissioned sleeve artwork by Peter Savieri and a collector’s booklet featuring a new essay on Aleksandr Ptushko by Tim Lucas, and a new essay by Serbian writer and film critic Dejan Ognjanovic.

Well, I never thought the Severin package would be exceeded - big thanks to them for bringing 'VIY' to Blu-ray in the first place. But this UK edition adds much more with the wonderful and revealing Brooke commentary, audio essay, limited edition book, slipcase and Sveto Mesto aka "A Holy Place" second Blu-ray inclusion. It gets our highest recommendation!   

***

Severin Blu-ray (January 2020): Severin have transferred the Russian horror VIY to Blu-ray. It reached seventh place in our Blu-ray of the Year poll for 2019. Severin have transferred the delightfully garish and aesthetically over-the-top one and 1/4 hour Gothic-esque horror on a dual-layered Blu-ray with a max'ed out bitrate. It looks very strong, occasionally thin having some delicious green lighting prominence and an overall bleached appearance but surprisingly consistent with deep pastel colors and clean visuals in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Detail is showcased well in the film's many close-ups (notably Natalya Varley as Pannochka 'The Witch'). No digitization although the meager flying effects had me zooming in. Overall an impressive 1080P presentation that has instances of depth. 

NOTE: We have added 46 more large resolution Blu-ray captures for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Severin offer DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel tracks; in the original Russian (24-bit) or in an English DUB. We encourage watching with the Russian dialogue track for a pinch more depth but the DUB is adeptly rendered. The effective, orchestra-based, score is by Karen Khachaturyan (nephew of Soviet Armenian composer and conductor Aram Khachaturian) and is excellent and really adds a unique atmospheric flavor in the lossless. Severin offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

Severin add some good supplements. VIY the Vampire is a 22-minute interview with Richard Stanley (Hardware, Dust Devil, The Island of Doctor Moreau) who is always an interesting listen talking about the film. From The Woods to the Cosmos spends 35-minutes with John Leman Riley on the history of Soviet Fantasy and Sci-Fi Film. He is an expert in many things 'Soviet' and provides some highly interesting details on the culture pervading the production, era and genre. Severin include three short silent Soviet Horror films; The Portrait runs 8 minutes - made in 1915, directed by Wladyslaw Starewicz and based on another short story by Nikolai Gogol. The Queen of Spades is a 1916 film adaptation of the Aleksandr Pushkin short story. It has surprisingly high production values and style, often considered one of the best pre-revolutionary Russian films. It runs 16.5 minutes in SD. Lastly is Satan Exultant is a 1917 silent film directed by Yakov Protazanov. The plot involves Pastor Talnoх furiously urging his flock to fight temptations, but he himself becomes a victim. Later, in his home Satan arrives and he succumbs... It runs almost 20-minutes (in SD).

Camp culture runs rabid in VIY. It is irresistible and effective! No wonder that it placed seventh place in our Blu-ray of the Year poll for 2019.  Hey Severin, how about Planet Bur next? or a superior BD of Eolomea? VIY has so much value and the Severin Blu-ray is a great addition to any digital library. Strongly recommended!

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 

Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Package - Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample - English (translated) and English (DUB titles)

 

 

1) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

Another Sample of English (translated) and English (DUB titles)


 

1) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


 

1) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


 

1) Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


 

 


 

 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures of Sveto Mesto for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

Damage Samples

 


 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 
Box Cover

 

    

Bonus Captures for VIY:

Bonus Captures for Sveto Mesto:

Distribution Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray Masters of Cinema - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 


 


 

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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

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