Genre acolytes George Hilton, Ivan Rassimov and Susan Scott join the unholy alliance in Martino’s tense and paranoid fever dream. Presented in ravishing high-definition and with a haunting score from Bruno Nicolai, satanic panic has never been so stylish!

***

Mature audiences only. Trapped in a feminist parable wrapped tightly within multiple layers of an Italian low-budget Giallo, Jane, an English housewife, may or may not be 1) the victim of a conspiracy to kill her; 2) a central figure in an elaborate occult ritual; 3) prone to wild paranoid fantasies; or 4) all of the above. Sergio Martino presents every one of these possibilities in sensuously photographed colors and with a cast so beautiful one might be willing to forgive some nefarious tendencies. Edwige Fenech, who graced many gialli with her wide eyes, plays the disturbed figure at the center of this exciting yet seductive milieu. Martino and cinematographer Giancarlo Ferrando delight in exposing all the allure and terror they can squeeze into a macabre occult fantasy thriller (and composer Bruno Nicolai provides a haunting, exotic score to accompany the bizarre ride). - Stela Jelinci (from MRQE HERE)

***

All the illicit thrills which genre fans cherish (sex, violence, weirdness galore) are present woven in a Hitchcockian woman-in-peril/murder mystery plot with trippy, supernatural frills. Bruno Nicolai s sitar-tinged music score swirls into psychedelic overdrive. Starring the undisputed Queen of Italian exploitation: the impossibly beautiful, sensuous, Edwige Fenech, whose uninhibited nudity in films is never ever vulgar. Here she stars as a woman who joins a satanic sect in order to escape from a man who is trying to kill her. black-robed orgy ensues, replete with blood sacrifice, oddball chanting, and a delectable helping of nudity and sex...

Marketing Films

Region 2 - PAL

2.18:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.7 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

2.28:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 5.43 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Marketing Films

Shriek Show

Blu-ray

Blu-ray

English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono; Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 mono

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

DTS-HD Master Audio English 0 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio Italian 0 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterboxed - 2.18:1

Edition Details:
• Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 1:32)
• Trailer Show
• Slide Show (4:3; 3:40)
• Cast & Crew Filmographies and Biographies

DVD Release Date: 25 April 2002
Amaray

Chapters 8
 

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.28:1

Edition Details:
•  Interview with director Sergio Martino (4:3; 20:14)
•  Interview with actor George Hilton (4:3; 6:19)
• Photo slide show (16:9; 23:33)
• Alternate US title sequence and closing credits (16:9; 3:20)
• Export, Italian, and US Theatrical Trailers (16:9; 8:57)
• Radio Spots (1:30)
• Trailers

 

Chapters 8

ADDITION: Severin - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - January 19': Severin's 1080P transfer is significantly different from the Shameless HD. The image is darker with cooler, and more natural, skin tones - losing their orange hue. I think it looks better - and it has a higher bitrate. Severin's print uses the English credit sequences. In direct comparison it is somewhat cropped beside the Shameless that now, actually, looks far too yellow.

Both the English-language and Italian-language versions are available - in 2.0 channel DTS-HD Master transfers (16-bit.). Effects and screams seem well supported by the lossless with notable depth. The score is by Bruno Nicolai (The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave, Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key, Face to Face, The Perverse Countess, Torso, Ten Little Indians, Pasolini's Hawks and the Sparrows) which, adds to this Giallo with some nice flavor augmenting the dreams, rituals and overall atmosphere. There are optional English subtitles for both the English track (with SDH) or English-only for the Italian with different translations (see samples below). The Blu-ray package is region 'A'-locked.

Severin include an SD (480i - MPEG-2) transfer of They're Coming To Get You - the alternate US cut that runs 1:27:18 taking up 5Mg. I, again enjoyed the new audio commentary with Kat Ellinger, author of All the Colors of Sergio Martino - this is different than the one for Shameless (it does not have Samm Deighan) and she continues to accrue appreciation with her knowledge exporting her own enjoyment and analysis of All the Colors of the Dark. There are 3 video featurettes, Color My Nightmare is a 40-minute interview with Director Sergio Martino discussing his career. Last of The Mohicans is an 18-minute interview with screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi while Giallo is the Color is a 32-minute interview with actor George Hilton and, separately, with Italian horror expert Antonio Tentori. There is also a trailer for the film and the package has a second disc DVD and a postcard-sized double-sided cardboard inside.

I consider this the best Blu-ray package for All the Colors of the Dark A. It has the US version 9albelit in SD quality) a ton of extras and the Ellinger commentary. This is an odd film and some do not embrace it - but the commentary gives a solid case for its inclusion in your Giallo library. Absolutely recommended!

***

ADDITION: Shameless - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - May 17': Shameless come out with their, much anticipated, 1080P release of Sergio Martino's All the Colours of the Dark. It supports the color scheme of the Shriek Show DVD, but tightens up and the BD exports some pleasing textures. There is more information in the frame - on the side edges. There may be an artifact here and there but overall the image quality is a welcome relief from the past DVDs although looking a shade yellow. Contrast has some nice layering and it looks decent in-motion.

NOTE: The credits and title are in Spanish on this Blu-ray.

Both the English-language and Italian-language versions are available - in 2.0 channel linear PCM transfers (16-bit.) There may be a slight sync issue in dialogue that I would say is only noticeable - not distracting. There are optional English subtitles (smallish yellow font - see sample) - but they are not DUB-titles as in one scene the psychiatrist says 'miscarriage' but the subtitle translation is 'abortion'. The package is region 'B'.

We get a new audio commentary by Kat Ellinger and Samm Deighan, who both work at Diabolique Magazine, and are co-hosts of their Daughters of Darkness podcasts. It's good to follow, with Ellinger's British accent, focusing on details of the production, the oft-neglected Martino, and members of the cast. I enjoyed listening. There is also a 1/2 hour interview with Sergio Martino entitled Dark is the Color and it is in Italian with yellow English subtitles (they didn't kick in right away for moi.) We also get Door - an award winning short by Michele De Angelis, a director, writer and producer. Lastly, is a Shameless trailer reel.

Wow! All the Colours of the Dark is a mind-bending film. It's an under-discussed Giallo and I know that so many are pleased to see it released on Blu-ray (Thank you Shameless!) I was anxious to see the quality, and listen to the commentary - I was pleased and it sits proudly in my Giallo section - ready for a re-spin. Recommended!

 -Gary and Eric