Review by Gary Tooze

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Description: Federico Fellini, Louis Malle and Roger Vadim adapt works by macabre author Edgar Allan Poe in the anthology film Spirits of the Dead [Histoires extraordinaires]. Dealing with tormented characters experiencing a personal hell, filled with angst and delirium, Spirits of the Dead was a ground-breaking departure for the adaptation of Poe in cinema.

Vadim directs Jane Fonda as Countess Metzengerstein, a debauched heiress leading a life Caligula would commend. The Countess becomes tormented by the denial of her incestuous desire for her cousin Baron Berlifitzing (fittingly played by her brother Peter Fonda). Malle directs Alain Delon as William Wilson, an Austrian Solider who is haunted by his doppelgänger, tormenting him at times in his life where he is at his most cruel and sadistic. Fellini’s famed segment sees Terence Stamp as a Toby Dammit, an actor arriving in Rome to meet the producers of his new film, the first Catholic Western. Drugged and drunk, Dammit is disturbed by the haunting image of the devil, which like Mario Bava’s Kill, Baby... Kill! and Bunuel’s Simon of the Desert, is actually a young girl, ominously bouncing a ball.

Spirits of the Dead is presented in a brand new transfer from a new High Definition restoration of the original film negative. Reinstating Terence Stamp’s superb performance with his original English audio as well as alternate English audio options for Metzengerstein and William Wilson.

 

 

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

 

 

Menu + Audio:

The disc menu allows you to choose from "Auditorium" (to simply 'play'), "Reel Change" to chose a chapter (3 for each film and one for 'end credits). "Kiosk" lets you choose 'French Language version', 'French Language version with English subtitles', a 'Vincent price Voiceover' and the original theatrical trailer for 3:40 in HD. Lastly "Projection Booth" gives many options for the language (Multi-lingual or English DUB) and subtitles (English for French and Italian or English throughout. It covers all bases.

Extras :

Extras digitally only consist of another audio option - the US theatrical version Vincent Price voice over narration and a theatrical trailer, but there is also a 60 page booklet featuring Edgar Allan Poe’s original short stories Metzengerstein, William Wilson and Never Bet the Devil Your Head (Toby Dammit) with a ‘Spirits of the Dead Revisited’ essay by critic and author Tim Lucas and a ‘Literature and Cinema’ essay by scholar and author Peter Bondanella on Toby Dammit plus some original lobby cards and posters re-prints.

BOTTOM LINE:
I really like what Arrow Films are doing here. This Blu-ray gave me a very enjoyable presentation. I was desperately keen to see Spirits of the Dead - Vadim, Malle and Fellini each adapt a Poe short story to the screen! Very cool. You may recall Arrow also brought us Two Evil Eyes on Blu-ray - where George Romero and Dario Argento did their own shockers inspired by the tales of Edgar Allan Poe. I liked Spirits of the Dead a lot - especially Fellini's - filled with his burlesque aura of colorful Euro-trashy characters. It had Terrence Stamp replacing Peter O'Toole and he does a great job. Vadim's effort was also interesting with a vixen-ish Fonda seeking unrequited intimacy with a... horse. Many might enjoy Malle's the best with Bardot and Delon playing a subversive cat and mouse existence. I had a lot of fun watching this late 60's triptych of masterful filmmakers. Yes, we recommend - absolutely!