The Girl Who Knew Too Much Blu-ray

(aka "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" or "The Evil Eye" or "La fille qui en savait trop")

directed by Mario Bava
Italy 1963

There's a beautiful shot in this movie of the light shining through two bullet holes in a door; it is a great example of where some of the appeal lies in Mario Bava movies in its exemplary use of light and dark. THE EVIL EYE is not a good title in itself; the alternate title, THE GIRL WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, is both a better description and makes manifest a certain Hitchcockian feel to this movie. Though the tale itself is quite suspenseful, particularly in a sequence where the heroine follows a voice in an old building, there is a surprising amount of humor in this movie; there's even schtick involving John Saxon's broken thumb at several points. I haven't really seen enough Giallo at this point to say whether this is where the whole genre began, but I've heard it referred to as such, so I'll leave it to others to decide. At any rate, this movie is a great deal of fun and well worth catching.

Excerpt of Dave Sindelar's review at Scifilm.org located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: 10 February 1963 - Italy

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Comparison:

Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL vs. Image - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Ole Kofoed and Gregory Meshman for the DVD Screen Caps!

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	Anchor Bay Region 1 - NTSC	Films sans Frontières Region 2 - PAL	Image Region 1 - NTSC	Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray	Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:25:36	1:25:42	1:25:39	1:25:38.174 (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) 1:32:15.988 (Evil Eye)	1:25:48.143 (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) 1:32:36.759 (Evil Eye)
Video	1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.14 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.73 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.19 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,272,396,098 bytes Girl WKTM Feature: 21,973,252,224 bytes Evil Eye Feature: 23,380,153,728 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.92 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,627,240,029 bytes Girl WKTM Feature: 21,307,805,760 bytes Evil Eye Feature: 21,592,111,104 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.06 / 27.94 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Anchor Bay
Bitrate: Films sans Frontières
Bitrate: Image
Bitrate: Arrow's The Girl Who Knew Too Much: Blu-ray
Bitrate: Arrow's Evil Eye: Blu-ray
Bitrate: Kino Lorber's : The Girl Who Knew Too Much Blu-ray
Bitrate: Kino Lorber's Evil Eye: Blu-ray
Audio	Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono	Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono / French Dub 2.0 Mono.	Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono	The Girl Who Knew Too Much: LPCM Audio Italian 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps Evil Eye: LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit	The Girl Who Knew Too Much: LPCM Audio Italian 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit Commentary: LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit Evil Eye: LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles	English, None	English, French or None	English, None	The Girl Who Knew Too Much: English, None Evil Eye: English (SDH), none	The Girl Who Knew Too Much: English Evil Eye: none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by film historian Tim Lucas • Remembering the Girl with John Saxon (9:38) • International and U.S. Trailer • Poster & Still Gallery • Mario Bava Bio • Trailers for other Mario Bava films DVD Release Date: April 3, 2007 Slimcase in a boxset Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Films sans Frontières Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • History of the movie (Text in French). • Bava biography (In French). DVD Release Date: October 12, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 5	Release Information: Studio: Image Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Mario Bava Biography • Mario Bava Filmography • John Saxon Filmography • Italian Theatrical Trailer (2:42) • Photo & Poster Gallery (23 images) • Linear notes by Tim Lucas DVD Release Date: September 26, 2000 Snapper Case Chapters 10	Release Information: Studio: Arrow Aspect Ratio: The Girl Who Knew Too Much Aspect Ratio 1.66:1 The Evil Eye Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,272,396,098 bytes Girl WKTM Feature: 21,973,252,224 bytes Evil Eye Feature: 23,380,153,728 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.92 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of two versions of the film: The Girl Who Knew Too Much the original Italian version; and Evil Eye the re-edited and re-scored US version prepared by American International Pictures • Original uncompressed 2.0 mono PCM audio for both versions • Optional English subtitles for The Girl Who Knew Too Much • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for Evil Eye • Audio commentary by Mario Bava's biographer Tim Lucas • Introduction by writer and critic Alan Jones (3:38) • All About the Girl Filmmakers Luigi Cozzi (The Killer Must Kill Again) and Richard Stanley (Dust Devil), alongside authors Alan Jones (Profondo Argento) and Mikel Koven (La Dolce Morte) reflect on Mario Bava's classic Giallo (21:46) • John Saxon Interview (9:38) • International trailer (2:37) • US trailer (2:09) • Reversible Sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys • Illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kier-La Janisse • 2 DVDs containing each version of the film Blu-ray Release Date: November 17th, 2014 Digibook Blu-ray Case Chapters: 13	Release Information: Studio: Kino Lorber Aspect Ratio: The Girl Who Knew Too Much Aspect Ratio 1.66:1 The Evil Eye Aspect Ratio 1.78:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 44,627,240,029 bytes Girl WKTM Feature: 21,307,805,760 bytes Evil Eye Feature: 21,592,111,104 bytes Video Bitrate: 28.06 / 27.94 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Evil Eye Trailer (2:10) • The Girl Who Knew Too Much - Commentary by film historian Tim Lucas • The Girl Who Knew Too Much Trailer (2:38) Blu-ray Release Date: May 19th, 2015 Standard Blu-ray case Chapters 11 + 11

Comments

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

ADDITION: Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray May 15': This Kino Lorber has a similar a/v transfer to the Arrow and also offers both films - similar bitrates, same aspect ratio and they look exactly the same (see image comments below). Audio does the similar linear PCM, slightly less robust but sounds the same to my ears, but there are no subtitles offered on the English Evil Eye. The Blu-ray disc is region 'A'-locked.

Kino add the Tim Lucas commentary on The Girl Who Knew Too Much, and a trailer for each film but that is all. It is here where Arrow vault ahead with their extensive supplements. The Kino is still as strong a presentation - for both films and a decent release with the Lucas commentary - it's just the Arrow go the whole 9 yards - again.

***

ADDITION: Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (November 2014): Firstly, we shouldn't confuse Bava's film with the Adam West/Nancy Kwan 'The Girl Who Knew Too Much' from 1969 (reviewed HERE on Blu-ray). This new Arrow 1080P version includes both the 'Italian' version, in 1.66:1, and the, slightly longer re-edited and re-scored US version, in 1.78:1, prepared by American International Pictures (AIP) known as 'Evil Eye'. I've included matching captures from both below and there are some sequences with not-exactly the same shots. The captures below should give you a strong indication of the superiority of the Blu-ray editions. The Italian version is darker, and has more grain, and the AIP is quite smooth looking substantially 'lighter'. Both are very strong in their own way - significantly ahead of the SDs. They have, roughly, the same technical transfers (both 1080P and with a very similar bitrate) - and are, obviously, not seamlessly-branched. Preferred appearance may come down to personal taste - but they are different film, regardless.

Both offer, respective, linear PCM 2.0 mono channel tracks at 2304 kbps. Roberto Nicolosi scores the Italian while Les Baxter compositions are used in the Evil Eye - as AIP did with Bava's Black Sabbath and Baron Blood. Effects have notable depth - a shade screetchy in the high-end on TGWKTM, and both offer optional English subtitles (for the 'deaf and hard-of-hearing' on Evil Eye.) The Arrow Blu-ray disc is region 'B'-locked.

Included is the excellent commentary from Tim Lucas (author of Mario Bava : All the Colors of the Dark) on the Italian version and the, 9-minute, Saxon interview - also on the Anchor Bay DVD from 2007. Arrow add a short introduction, to The Girl Who Knew Too Much, by writer and critic Alan Jones and a wonderful 22-minute piece entitled All About the Girl with filmmakers Luigi Cozzi (The Killer Must Kill Again) and Richard Stanley (Dust Devil), alongside authors Alan Jones (Profondo Argento) and Mikel Koven (La Dolce Morte) who reflect on Mario Bava's classic Giallo with plenty of detail and information about the production. There are also International and US trailers and the package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys and an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kier-La Janisse. This is dual-format and has 2 DVDs containing each version of the film and the same extras.

Magnificent release and Bava fans should be extremely pleased to be able to own this on Blu-ray.

Gary W. Tooze

***

ON THE DVDs: ADDITION: Anchor Bay - April 07': The video is slightly better than Image disc, but the Anchor Bay DVD really shines in the extras. Unfortunately, U.S. version known as The Evil Eye is still missing, but there's a really nice commentary by Tim Lucas and a small featurette with John Saxon.

- Gregory Meshman

Both discs used the same print since they have the same damage marks. The Image Entertainment disc is anamorphic, so while the picture is better and clearer, it also makes damage spots more noticeable. But, unlike French disc, there's no combing evident in the transfer. The combing is probably caused by a bad NTSC-> transfer (same runtime) . The first capture is the only one in which we used the standard 800 resize, the rest are decreased to suit the non 16X9 PAL.

- Gregory Meshmann

Menus

Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC

(Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Image - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Evil Eye has this rating

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

Screen Captures

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FIFTH

6) Kino Lorber (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray SIXTH

7) Kino Lorber (Evil Eye) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

Subtitle sample (Not exact frame)

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Anchor Bay (Mario Bava Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC TOP

2) Films sans Frontières - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Image - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD

4) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray FOURTH

5) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

Combing on the French DVD - No frame match available on Evil Eye!

1) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Arrow (The Girl Who Knew Too Much) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Arrow (Evil Eye) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

Box Covers

Distribution

Anchor Bay

Region 1 - NTSC

Films sans Frontières

Region 2 - PAL

Image
Region 1 - NTSC

Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

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