Bloodsucking Freaks Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "The Incredible Torture Show" or "Bloodsucking Freaks" or "The House of the Screaming Virgins" or "The Heritage of Caligula: An Orgy of Sick Minds" )

directed by Joel M. Reed
USA 1976

When critic Creasy Silo (Alan Dellay, TRADING PLACES) offends showman Sardu (Seamus O'Brien, THE HAPPY HOOKER) by refusing to acknowledge that his Grand Guignol-esque "Theatre of the Macabre" - in which the audience is deceived into thinking the acts of mutilation are stage trickery - show is art, he devises the ultimate stage show to prove his artistic merit. Sardu has his assistant Ralphus (Luis De Jesus, LET MY PUPPETS COME) abduct the critic as well as prima ballerina Natasha de Natalie (Viju Krem) to star in his S&M ballet "The Artist's Seduction and Death of a Critic". When Natasha refuses to dance, Sardu - whose show is a front for a white slave ring - subjects a number of women to violent torture and death to convince her to cooperate. Meanwhile, Natasha's boyfriend Tom Maverick (Niles McMaster, ALICE, SWEET ALICE) and on-the-take detective Tucci (Dan Fauci) investigate the disappearance only to be shocked when an ad appears in Variety "Ballerina Flips for Freak Show" announcing Natasha's debut at the "Theatre of the Macabre"; but will it also be her final performance?

Eric Cotenas

Posters

Theatrical Release: 3 November 1976 (USA)

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Comparison:

Troma Team - Region 0 - NTSC vs. 88 Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Troma Team Screen Caps!

(Troma Team - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT)

Box Covers
Distribution	Troma Team Region 0 - NTSC	88 Films Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:28:15	1:28:27.218
Video	1.33:1 Open Matte format Average Bitrate: 5.1 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,682,426,387 bytes Feature: 20,256,620,544 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 27.04 Mbps
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Troma Team
Bitrate: 88 Films Blu-ray
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono	LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps
Subtitles	None	None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Troma Team Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary with 'blood and guts expert' Eli Roth • Introduction by Lloyd Kaufman (0:47) • Eli Roth: Interviews with stars Arlana Blue and Ernie Pysher, and co-editor Victor Kanefsky (4:3; 3:51) • Stills Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 1:57) • Gory Interactive (Tour of Troma; T.I.T. Troma Intelligence Test) • Aroma du Troma • Lloyd Kaufman's Autobiography • Radiation March • 2 Public Service Announcements • Coming Distractions (trailers) DVD Release Date: 23 June 1998 Amaray Chapters 9	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,682,426,387 bytes Feature: 20,256,620,544 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 27.04 Mbps Edition Details: • Audio Commentary By Hostel Director Eli Roth • Introduction By Troma President Lloyd Kaufman (:48) • Original Trailer (2:01) • Tour Of Troma (9:00) • Interviews With The Cast And Crew (3:50) • Aroma Du Troma (2:02) • Lloyd Kaufman s Autobiography Promotional Video (1:18) • Radiation March (:55) • 2 Troma Public Service Announcements (3:39 + 2:30) • Troma Trailers • Booklet Notes Blu-ray Release Date: April 21st, 2014 Custom slipcase Blu-ray Box Chapters 12

Comments

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

ADDITION: 88 Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - April 14': The 1.78:1 single-layered Blu-ray improves in all the expected areas over the 16-year old 1.33:1 SD. Colors, notably in blood and flesh tones, improve dramatically but the film's production limitations still export a very thick, flat image. Audio is lossless although still has original issues of sounding scattered, and less crisp, at times. Extras duplicate the 1998 DVD - nothing new that I can see. The Blu-ray has no subtitles and is region FREE. The film is pure trash - exploitive, weak, over-acted, perverse sexual leanings... and thoroughly tasteless. It's not a film I would recommend to anyone I know, but if you have the desire to see it - the Blu-ray is your best bet.

***

ON THE DVD: Troma's ancient "digitally remastered" DVD is sourced from an aged video master and further compounded by primitive compression that results in plenty of ghosting during rapid movement in addition to the interlacing artefacts. The film is accompanied by a disposable commentary by then-unknown "blood and guts expert" Eli Roth, but he makes up for it with some very brief interviews with actress Arlana Blue (who plays one of the cannibal women), actor Ernie Pysher - who plays the demented dentist/amateur surgeon - who cites the real-life personalities he believed were being satirized in the film, and editor Victor Kanefsky (GANJA & HESS). Aside from the stills gallery and theatrical trailer, the rest of the extras are your standard Troma junk.

-Eric Cotenas

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(Troma Team - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. 88 Films - Region FREE - Blu-ray - RIGHT)