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

ADDITION: Celluloid Dreams Blu-ray (November 2025): Celluloid Dreams have transferred Cesare Canevari's A Hyena in the Safe to Blu-ray. It delivers an impressive high-definition restoration from a studio-provided master that truly revitalizes this 1968 cult oddity, making it look better than it ever has. The transfer boasts a vibrant, saturated color palette that exhibits depth with the film's mod-inspired psychedelia - electric blues, fiery oranges, and candy-hued interiors burst off the screen with excellent detail and natural film grain intact. Presented in open-matte 1.33:1 aspect ratio (which composes beautifully and reveals more vertical information than the theatrical 1.85:1 suggested by the trailer), the image is sharp, clean, and free of artifacts, with black levels solid. This restoration captures every glittery eyeshadow fleck, furry texture, and swirling kaleidoscopic climax in hypnotic clarity, turning the mansion's gadget-filled sets into a visual feast that giallo fans will adore. Kills are inventive but bloodless, emphasizing style over gore- fitting the comedic tone. Canevari's direction is breezy and energetic, with hyperactive camerawork (zooms, odd angles, pop-art colors, furry furniture, glitter makeup, and striped suits evoke mod Italy. The HD presentation was a delight filled with eye-candy.

NOTE: We have added 62 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Celluloid Dreams use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Italian language with some German / Spanish. Gian Piero Reverberi's (Django, Prepare a Coffin) score is swinging and cheerful, suiting a Diabolik-style spy caper more than thriller - intentionally jarring for humor. The audio transfer delivers a punchy, dynamic mix that faithfully reproduces Reverberi's groovy, upbeat jazz score with clarity and vigor - the brassy horns and rhythmic bounce of the main theme hit with infectious energy, contrasting delightfully with the on-screen mayhem. Dialogue is crisp and well-balanced, even amid the multinational cast's varied accents, and sound effects like remote traps, helicopter whirs, and carnival chaos come through cleanly without distortion. Celluloid Dreams offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

This Celluloid Dreams Blu-ray release is packed with insightful supplements that elevate it for the Gialli curious and Canevari enthusiasts. Film critic Guido Henkel provides a stellar new commentary track, rich with context on the film's hybrid giallo-caper style, influences, and production quirks - on par with his acclaimed moderations for Celluloid Dreams' other titles. The archival “7 Guests for a Massacre” interview featurette running over 50 minutes gathers director Cesare Canevari and cast members Sandro Pizzochero, Ninì Della Misericordia, Adriana Morlacchi, and Diego Pisati in lively, subtitled, individual, discussions ported from prior editions but upgraded to HD. Andy Marshall-Roberts' new video essay “Schrödinger's Diamonds: The Duplicitous Mystery of Hyena in the Safe” runs over 1/2 hour and delves deeply into Canevari's career, the plot's McGuffin twists, visual techniques, and the film's obscure release history. “The Mysteries of Villa Toeplitz” offers a fascinating on-location tour of the shooting site with guide Francesco Pollanetti, highlighting historic spots and key scenes for shy of 8 minutes. Rounding out are a theatrical trailer and an image gallery of title cards, plus limited slipcovers and lobby card reproductions for direct orders - a generous, thoughtful package that adds substantial value.

Cesare Canevari's A Hyena in the Safe is a lesser-known Italian crime thriller that blends elements of the giallo genre with heist caper films, black comedy, and psychedelic flair. Often described as a "giallo comedy" or "pre-Argento giallo," it predates the genre's peak in the 1970s while drawing from Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (or Ten Little Indians) structure - trapping a group of unsavory characters in an isolated location where they are eliminated one by one. It's a low-budget but inventive production that revels in 1960s mod aesthetics, making it a cult oddity. The title's "hyena" metaphorically evokes scavenging predators circling the "safe" of greed. Every character is a caricature of vice - sadistic, addicted, or opportunistic - highlighting how crime erodes trust. No one is redeemable, making deaths cathartic rather than tragic. It's a satire on criminal "honor among thieves," with dialogue mocking their foolishness ("You seem like a band of fools to me"). Psychedelic touches (swirling endings, pulsating text) and influences from Mario Bava's visuals or Umberto Lenzi's chaos make it feel proto-Argento. It's "Italian dementia": convoluted, silly, but hypnotic. Celluloid Dreams' Blu-ray (4K UHD releases of The Case of the Bloody Iris, Short Night of Glass Dolls) of A Hyena in the Safe is an outstanding boutique release that rescues this psychedelic giallo-caper hybrid from obscurity, offering a pristine restoration and robust extras that make it essential for Euro-cult collectors. The video and audio shine with period authenticity and modern fidelity, while the supplements provide hours of enlightening context on a film that's equal parts convoluted, vibrantly colorful, and cruelly funny. Delightfully recommended.

Gary Tooze