Hatchet for the Honeymoon Blu-ray

(aka "Il rosso segno della follia" or "Blood Brides" or "Hacha para la luna de miel" or "Une hache pour la lune de miel" )

directed by Mario Bava
Italy / Spain 1970

Rosso Segno Della Folia, an Italian horror film written, directed and photographed by Mario Bava, is the bloody story of an impotent man who turns to murder to vent his frustrations. The designer and owner of a fashion design business (Stephen Forsyth), frustrated with his own sexual failure, murders the new brides who have modelled his fashions. When he decides to murder his wife, she becomes the ghost who will not leave him alone. Director Bava, who began his career as a cinematographer, while directing mostly low-budget horror films, has become a cult figure among some fans and critics who admire his unique and beautiful visual style and his often very amusing exaggeration of the clichés of the genre. Rosso Segno Della Folia, released in the United States as Hatchet for a Honeymoon is not the best of Mario Bava's work, but this above-average horror film is a must see for those who love the genre and admire stylish horror films.

Posters

Theatrical Release: 2 June 1970 - Italy

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL vs. Redemption - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Wicked Vision - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

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

Box Covers
				Also available in a *Red Wedding Night* Collector's Edition Blu-ray Mediabook Coming to Blu-ray from 88 Films in July 2023:
Distribution	Koch Media Region 2 - PAL	Anchor Bay Region 0 - PAL	Redemption- Region 'A' - Blu-ray	Wicked Vision- Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:24:36 (4% PAL speedup)	1:24:40 (4% PAL speedup)	1:28:32.295	1:28:05.280
Video	1.85:1 Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 8.10 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.85:1 Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.28 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,672,591,355 bytes Feature: 21,155,997,696 bytes Video Bitrate: 26.93 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,990,109,568 bytes Feature: 17,204,899,200 bytes Video Bitrate: 18.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Koch Media
Bitrate: Anchor Bay
Bitrate: Redemption Blu-ray
Bitrate: Wicked Vision Blu-ray
Audio	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, German DD 2.0 Mono	English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1	LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit Commentary: LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit	DTS-HD Master Audio German 1565 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1565 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1196 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1196 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 896 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio Italian 1559 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1559 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Commentary: DTS-HD Master Audio German 1570 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1570 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles	None.	None.	None	German, English, None (optional English for commentary, introduction and 2 featurettes)
Features	Release Information: Studio: Koch Media Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Trailer (2:30). DVD Release Date: February 18th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters 15	Release Information: Studio: Anchor Bay Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Trailer (2:31). • Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre (1:00:06). • Mario Bava Biography. • Film Notes. • Photo Gallery. DVD Release Date: July 26th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters 18	Release Information: Studio: Redemption Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 23,672,591,355 bytes Feature: 21,155,997,696 bytes Video Bitrate: 26.93 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of *Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark* • Bava Trailers (Hatchet, Baron Blood, Lisa and the Devil, The House of Exorcism) Blu-ray Release Date: September 18th, 2012 Standard Blu-ray cover Chapters 10	Release Information: Studio: Wicked Vision Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,990,109,568 bytes Feature: 17,204,899,200 bytes Video Bitrate: 18.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Commentary with Bava expert Pelle Felsch (in German with optional English subtitles) • Introduction by Dagmar Lassander (In German with optional English subtitles - 0:16) • "A Hatchet for Dagmar": New Interview with Dagmar Lassander (24:59., In German with optional English subtitles) • "My Dying Bride": brandneues und exklusives Video-Feature mit Prof. Dr. Marcus Stiglegger (9:36 in German with optional English subtitles) • Deutsche Titel- und Endsequenz (2:45 + 0:44) • Original trailer (2:36) • Italienische Titel- und Endsequenz (2:26 + 0:40) • Spanischer Werberatschläge • Fotobuste (Italienischer Aushang) • Artwork Galerie • Trailers Blu-ray Release Date: March 30th, 2012 Standard Blu-ray cover Chapters 10

Comments

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

ADDITION: Wicked Vision - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (September 2016): Wow - Wicked Vision has put together quite an interesting package. It's not as technically robust transfer as the Redemption but it has many English-friendly extras. I can't see a lot of difference between the two 1080P transfers. In fact the bitrate graphs looks remarkably similar. Now, I haven't looked at the visuals with a magnifying glass - but, like the Redemption, it looks quite acceptable with the same damage marks (same source), in HD resolution.

Audio goes DTS-HD Master - with options for German, English and Italian. The sync is always an issue with the Bava films but composer Sante Maria Romitelli's, occasionally awkward, score has some added depth and impact. There are optional English or German subtitles offered on the Region 'B' Blu-ray disc.

Wicked Vision include a commentary with Bava expert Pelle Felsch (in German with optional English subtitles) and aside from the occasional awkward translation provides some value. You have the opportunity to see a very brief introduction by Dagmar Lassander (in German or an option with English subtitles) and there are a couple of English-friendly featurettes with "A Hatchet for Dagmar": which is a new, 25-minute, interview with Dagmar Lassander (also in German with optional English subtitles) and she also known for Fulci's The House by the Cemetery (1981) and Black Cats, Piero Schivazappa's The Frightened Woman and Rino Di Silvestro's Werewolf Woman. "My Dying Bride": brand new and exclusive, 10-minute, video feature with Prof. Dr. Marcus Stiglegger (also in German with optional English subtitles.) After that are German and Italian opening and end titles sequences, an original trailer, Spanish and Italian adverts for the film, artwork and trailers.

This is another good option for Bava fans who may appreciate the different extras and commentary. I warm further to this film each time I see it. Recommended!

***

ADDITION: Redemption - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (September 2012): Wonderful to have these Bava films reach 1080P status. The upgrade with Hatchet for the Honeymoon seems more modest but is evident when you look closely. The 'Redemption' arm of Kino has the marquee for this one and colors are more layered, generally more passive but detail improvement is apparent. Damage marks are the same - hence, so is the source, but it has been put to the higher Blu-ray resolution and looks more film-like, or more accurately, less video-like than the SD versions. Also we get the film in theatrical running time without PAL speed-up. There are hints of depth in a few scenes. It is single-layered with a decent bitrate. Pretty good presentation, overall.

Audio gets the lossless treatment - modest but improved.

Aside from Bava Trailers (Hatchet.., Baron Blood, Lisa and the Devil, The House of Exorcism) as found on all three released Blu-rays, we are treated to an audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark. An impressive addition.

Bava fans should dive-in head first. Fabulous to see these films again with the improved a/v and commentary. Recommended!

Gary Tooze

***

ON THE DVDs: Seems to be the same print transfer (same damage) with the Koch media release being slightly sharper. The Anchor Bay edition has superior extras and more audio options. Colors seem comparable on both with the Koch Media skin tones looking a shade redder.

- Ole Kofoed

Menus
(Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

Redemption - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Wicked Vision - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920 X 1080 RESOLUTION

Subtitle Sample Wicked Vision - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Commentary Subtitle Sample Wicked Vision - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) Koch Media - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Anchor Bay - Region 0 - PAL - SECOND