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The Fox with a Velvet Tail aka "El ojo del huracán" or "In the Eye of the Hurricane" [Blu-ray]
(José María Forqué, 1971)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Producciones Cinematográficas Orfeo Video: Mondo Macabro / 88 Films
Disc: Region: 'A' / Region 'B' (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player) Runtime: 1:40:06.875 / 1:40:08.836 Disc Size: 24,245,538,756 bytes / 24,536,124,188 bytes Feature Size: 21,780,864,384 bytes / 22,443,319,296 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.95 Mbps / 24.99 Mbps Chapters: 12 / 12 Case: Standard Blu-ray case / Transparent Blu-ray Case inside cardboard slipcase (see below) Release date: September 12th, 2017 / November 6th, 2017
Video (both): Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: LPCM Audio English 768 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit LPCM Audio Italian 768 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48
kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles (both): English, none
Extras: • Audio commentary by Troy Howarth• So Sweet, So Perverse documentary (25:18) • Original Trailer (3:50) • Alternate Title sequence (3:12)
•
Extra Scene
(1:54)
•
Theatrical trailer remastered
in UHD 4K
(3:50) • Extra Scene (1:43) Limited Edition Booklet notes by Francesco Massaccesi
Bitrate:
Description: This 1971 Italian/Spanish
Giallo is a hugely
enjoyable and very stylish murder mystery set on the
luxurious Côte d'Azur. Spanish director José María Forqué -
who later made the controversial Beyond Erotica - brings
together a talented and good looking cast, one of the best
cinematographers of the day (Alejandro Ulloa) and a
fantastic, lounge style score from Maestro Piccioni to
create a twisty, and twisted, tale of deception and revenge.
The director's long career at the more prestigious end of
Spanish cinema and the presence of award winning scripter
Rafael Azcona - who worked with many top European film
makers - give the film an edge of sophistication alongside
its enjoyably devious narrative.
The Film: The film also benefits from a strong cast. Analía Gadé makes for a compelling lead. She’s attractive enough that you can see why both Michel and Paul would lust after her, but not impossibly so. She handles the role quite well and has decent chemistry with her co-stars. Tony Kendall, no stranger to Eurocult fans what with his fairly extensive genre-heavy filmography, is rock solid as Michel and handsome French leading man Jean Sorel, probably best known for appearing in Belle de Jour and The Day Of The Jackal, is as dashing as can be, making him a great choice to play the man who lures Ruth away from her husband. Throw in a supporting role from beautiful Jess Franco and Paul Naschy regular Rosanna Yanni and an extra quirky turn from The Perfume Of The Lady In Black’s Maurizio Bonuglia and things shape up quite nicely with the talent assembled in front of the camera. Excerpt from RockShockPop located HERE
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Mondo Macabro's Blu-ray transfer of The Fox With a Velvet Tail is described as a "New 4k transfer from negative". It's on a single-layered disc and looks pleasing. Detail is decent - there is some inherent softness - consistent throughout but colors rise and the overall image is solid in-motion. I enjoyed the presentation and appreciated the film-like thickness. This Blu-ray is in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I saw no damage or speckles but little grain texture. There are instances of depth. We will compare this Blu-ray to the 88 Films release coming in November, 2017 entitled "In the Eye of the Hurricane".
The 88 Films is advertised as "New UHD 4K Transfer from the original negative" and is very similar, technically, to the Mondo Macabro Blu-ray transfer. Colors may be marginally cooler but most wouldn't notice any difference in-motion.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :Linear PCM mono tracks are included for both English and Italian versions - the latter with English subtitles . My Oppo has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked.
88 Films offer both Italian and English tracks in linear PCM as well. It's a slightly more robust audio transfer but the Italian still sounds a shade weak - which is probably authentic. There isn't much in the way of audio effects (a dramatic, out-of-control, car scene) but there is a punctuating score by Italian composer and jazz musician Piero Piccioni (Three Brothers, The 10th Victim, Adua and Her Friends, Hands Over the City, L'assassino, The Moment of Truth) and can vary from gentle and calm during lovemaking to deep suspense carrying depth - impacted via the uncompressed. It offers optional English subtitles - in a slightly different translation (see above) and is Region 'B'-locked.
Extras : This Mondo Macabro package includes an audio commentary by Troy Howarth where he covers a lot from plenty of references of cast and crew to other Giallo films and the shift of the lighter mood to something far more sordid as the film progresses. He addresses Spanish Giallos what is idea of ' Giallo' is. He's good to listen to. Also included is the 25-minute So Sweet, So Perverse, Andrew Starke and Pete Tombs' Eurotika!, late 90s, documentary profiling of some of the leading actresses of European sexploitation since the 1960s including Erika Blanc, Orchidea de Santis, Daniela Giordano and others. There is a, long, original trailer, the alternate title sequence with In the Eye of the Hurricane and a short, 2-minute ' Extra Scene' as well as Mondo Macabro previews.
No commentary but we still get a theatrical trailer - remastered in UHD 4K - an alternative English Title and Credits Sequence and the extra scene also with no audio. The 88 Films has a slipcase cover and a limited edition booklet with essay notes by Francesco Massaccesi.
Mondo Macabro - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM LINE:
Enjoyable Giallo! - Mondo Macabro win with the extras but this is a strong package - very worthy for Region 'B' genre fans! Gary Tooze August 30th, 2017 November 7th, 2017
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