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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

directed by Ted Post
USA 1973

 

Still traumatised by the loss of her husband, well-meaning social worker Ann Gentry (Anjanette Comer, The Loved One) throws herself into her latest assignment: the case of Baby , a 21-year-old man with the mind of an infant who crawls, cries and has yet to make it out of nappies. But Baby's family the tyrannical Mama Wadsworth (Ruth Roman, Strangers on a Train) and her two demented daughters aren't the only ones with a warped conception of familial relations, and the full horror only begins when Ann sets her sights on liberating the drooling man-child... and in so doing unleashes the wrath of the Wadsworth women.

45 years after its original release, this film remains one of the most bizarre horror movies ever committed to celluloid. Directed by Ted Post (Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Magnum Force) and co-starring Marianna Hill (Blood Beach, Messiah of Evil), The Baby is a twisted, psychedelic nightmare of suburban depravity.

***

Social worker Ann Gentry (Anjanette Comer, RABBIT RUN) has taken on the strange welfare case of "Baby" (David Manzy, HERBIE RIDES AGAIN), the youngest son of Mrs. Wadsworth (Ruth Roman, THE WINDOW). Although in his twenties, "Baby" wears diapers, sleeps in a crib, and does not walk or speak (other than infant sounds). His two older sisters Germaine (Marianna Hill, MESSIAH OF EVIL) and Alba (Suzanne Zenor, THE WAY WE WERE) are a little short of normal as well. After spending some time with Baby (too much according to her supervisor as well as Mrs. Wadsworth), Ann believes that Baby should be a normal young man but has been kept an infant by a sort of "sick love," but Ann's motives for wanting to gain custody of Baby may be equally disturbing. Inexplicably rated PG, THE BABY is quite a unique seventies film. The melodramatic plot seems destined for a TV movie of the week, but director Ted Post and writer Abe Polsky take it into disturbing territory. Ann's connection to Baby is ambiguous but the viewer is suitably intrigued throughout, while Germaine and Alba use Baby to work out their respectively sexual and sadistic frustrations. Serious performances keep the film from edging over into camp despite a "birthday party of the damned" lit in gels like Visconti's THE DAMNED, but the film edges into slasher territory late in the film and then finishes off with a truly loopy ending. Former starlet Roman is not so much dignified as ballsy in her performance (compared to the exploitation work of Hollywood actors of an earlier era). Hill, so effectively numb as the protagonist of MESSIAH OF EVIL, is wonderfully demented here (in the birthday party scene, she looks like a refugee from a Fellini film). Zenor's character is not so subtly rendered as Hill's, but the actress is effective once we fully understand what her character's hangup is. Manzy's performance as "Baby" is hard to assess (he was dubbed by a real baby's voice). For the most part, he remains pitiful and affecting without crossing over into tasteless comedy. Beatrice Manley (BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY), as Ann's mother-in-law, is given little to do (possibly necessitated by plot ambiguities early on). Exploitation favorite Michael Pataki (GRAVE OF THE VAMPIRE) has a sleazy supporting performance with a couple funny lines. The cinematography of Michael Margulies (DIRTY MARY, CRAZY LARRY) is colorful and attractive, but is better served by widescreen framing (the open matte transfers have a TV-movie feel to them). The film's most bewildering element is not "Baby" but Gerald Fried's ravishingly beautiful orchestral score (sadly never released on LP or CD).

Eric Cotenas

Poster

Theatrical Release: March 1973 (USA)

Reviews                                                                   More Reviews                                                            DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray vs. Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the DVD Screen Caps!

1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

 

Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Distribution

Severin Films

Region 0 - NTSC

Geneon
Region 0 - NTSC
Severin Films
Region FREE - Blu-ray
Arrow - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:24:51 1:24:54 1:24:59.969 1:25:00.553
Video

1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.4 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1.33:1 Open Matte format
Average Bitrate: 5.65 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,391,198,822 bytes

Feature: 17,196,877,824 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps

1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 45,837,349,382 bytes

Feature: 20,499,186,432 bytes

1.33:1 - 17,805,037,248 bytes

Video Bitrate: 27.98 Mbps / 23.98 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 Films

 

Bitrate:

 

Geneon

 

Bitrate Severin:

Blu-ray

 

Bitrate Arrow:

Blu-ray

 

Audio English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono

English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono

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

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps

Subtitles None None None English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Severin Films

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1

Edition Details:
• Tales from the Crib: Audio Interview with director Ted Post (16:9; 19:59)
• Audio Interview with star David Mooney (11:46)
• Theatrical Trailer (16:9; 2:45)
• Trailers for PSYCHOMANIA, IN THE FOLDS OF THE FLESH and HORROR EXPRESS

DVD Release Date: June 28th, 2011
Amaray

Chapters 16

Release Information:
Studio: Geneon

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• none

 

DVD Release Date: October 4th, 2005
Amaray

Chapters 18

Release Information:
Studio: Severin Films

 

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 21,391,198,822 bytes

Feature: 17,196,877,824 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps

 

Edition Details:
• Tales from the Crib: Audio Interview with director Ted Post (20:00)
• Audio Interview with star David Mooney
(14:46)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:46)

 

Blu-ray Release Date: July 8th, 2014
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters: 16

Release Information:
Studio:
Arrow

 

1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc One: 45,837,349,382 bytes

Feature: 20,499,186,432 bytes

1.33:1 - 17,805,037,248 bytes

Video Bitrate: 27.98 Mbps / 23.98 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• 1.85:1 and 1.33:1 versions of the feature
Brand new audio commentary by Travis Crawford

Family Affair - interview with Marianna Hill (5:43)

Nursery Crimes - interview with nursery painting creator Stanley Dyrector (July 2018) (6:27)
Down Will Come Baby a new retrospective with film professor Rebekah McKendry (12:01)
Tales from the Crib archival audio Interview with director Ted Post (20:00)
Baby Talk archival audio Interview with Star David Mooney (14:41)
Theatrical Trailer (2:45)
Reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector s booklet featuring new writing by Kat Ellinger


Blu-ray Release Date:
September 24th-25th, 2018
Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

 

Comments

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

ADDITION - Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray September 2018: Arrow's package has both 1.78:1 and 1.33:1 ratio version of Ted Posts 1973 The Baby. It looks much brighter and richer on their 1080P transfer. It seems to be from the same source as the Severin with duplicate speckles and small marks. The Arrow Blu-ray also exports much more, consistent, grain texture. It looks superior in just about every visual area.

Audio comes in an authentic liner PCM mono track (24-bit) for both versions. It's very clear and clean with the orchestral score by Gerald Fried (I Bury the Living, The Vampire, A Killer in the Family, The Baby, and Kubrick's films Fear and Desire, Killer's Kiss, The Killing and Paths of Glory as well as venturing later into work in TV - Star Trek - and also the notable Joseph H. Lewis' western Terror in a Texas Town) sounding exceptionally strong. This 24-bit is more robust than the Severin's 16-bit. Arrow offer optional English (SDH) subtitles and their Blu-ray release is also Region FREE.

Both 1.85:1 and 1.33:1 versions of the feature offer a new audio commentary by Travis Crawford that is very interesting filled with details of the production stars and director. Family Affair is a new 6-minute interview with Marianna Hill who discusses working with Ted Post and her career. Nursery Crimes is 1 6.5-minute interview with nursery painting creator Stanley Dyrector from July 2018 as he discuses his part in the production including proposed acting in the film. Down Will Come Baby is a new 12-minute retrospective with film professor Rebekah McKendry on The Baby. Tales from the Crib is repeated from the Severin - an archival audio Interview with director Ted Post running 20-minutes and Baby Talk - archival audio Interview with star David Mooney for 1/4 hour who describes that he is now a teacher in Texas - this was also on the Severin. Also is a theatrical trailer on both Blu-rays. The Arrow package has a reversible sleeve featuring newly commissioned artwork by The Twins of Evil and a collector's booklet featuring new writing by Kat Ellinger.

Arrow handily wins and the film improves with the supplements that garner appreciation. I remain a big Ruth Roman fan and delight in her performance. The Baby is a well-crafted 70's horror and fans will appreciate the superior Arrow Blu-ray

***

ADDITION - Severin - Region FREE - Blu-ray June 2014: Severin's three simultaneous Blu-ray releases of July 8th, 2014, The Baby, Bloody Birthday and Bloody Moon, share many transfer characteristics - so I will duplicate some of my comments.  All three are single-layered with the same bitrate and in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Each seem to use the same source as their previous SD, supporting the same drab color scheme etc. They also seem to have all the same extras as the older DVDs (as well as no optional subtitles) but all offer lossless audio.

The full-screen Geneon still seems to be far brighter with richer colors. But, depending on the system, the Severin 1080P should provide far fewer artifacts and, probably, look better in-motion. One anomaly about this Severin Blu-ray are the extras are opposite (you click on the Tales from the Crib supplement and, instead, you get the audio Interview with star David Mooney - and vide-versa.)

The linear PCM of the BD does its job exporting some depth in the effects. This is my least favorite of the three film-to-Blu-ray being released and I don't own the, bare-bones, Geneon to compare, but most would, I assume, want it in widescreen.

***

ON THE DVD: First released on DVD by Image Entertainment in 2000, that transfer was open-matte, but also featured the film's isolated music and effects track (as well as a Spanish dub). The same transfer was reissued by Geneon in 2005 stripped of its music/effects track, Spanish dub, as well as any kind of menu. Severin's new negative-sourced anamorphic, progressive, dual-layer transfer is framed at 1.78:1 (although the cover claims 1.66:1, but the open-matte transfer has a lot of dead space on the top and bottom). Some scenes seem a little too bright with slightly grayish blacks and less color saturation (most evident during the "birthday party of the damned" sequence), although the Geneon transfer may also be boosted. The Severin sound is cleaner, the better to appreciate Gerald Fried's score.

Severin has included new audio interviews (over the telephone) with director Ted Post and "Baby" actor David Manzy (aka David Mooney). Manzy talks about his strange audition, tension between Anjanette Comer and Ruth Roman, and fondly remembers his two on-screen sisters. Post discusses his trepidation with taking on the project (screenwriter Abe Polsky pursued him for a year to do the film), the film's iffy status as a horror film, and the importance of the script's sexual tension. The film's theatrical trailer and trailers for other Severin titles round out the extras.

 - Eric Cotenas

 


Menus
Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC
 

 

Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 

Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray

 

 


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

 

1) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Arrow (1.33:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (1.33:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (1.33:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (1.33:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (1.33:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Severin Films - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Geneon - Region 0 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Severin Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Arrow (1.78:1) - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

More Arrow - Region FREE - Blu-ray Captures

 


 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Severins

 
Box Covers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Distribution

Severin Films

Region 0 - NTSC

Geneon
Region 0 - NTSC
Severin Films
Region FREE - Blu-ray
Arrow - Region 'A' / 'B' - Blu-ray

 

 




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