Severin Films, with sales and distribution support provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has a new 4K Ultra HD collection ready for genre fans to enjoy on May 30. This would be none other than the Danza Macabra, Volume One: The Italian Gothic Collection … which is exciting on two fronts, the films included in the set and the fact that this is “Volume One” (how many more to follow we shall see).
Before we reveal the contents of this chill-filled 4K collection, it should be noted that four films were sourced from the original camera negatives.
First up is director Renato Polselli’s ultra-rare 1964 film release of The Monster of the Opera, featuring a rehearsing opera company, who find that they share the theatre with a vampire … and his reincarnated lover — who betrayed him — is a member of their troupe.
The film is presented in Italian with English subtitles and bonuses include commentary from Kat Ellinger, video sessions with Ernesto Gastaldi, Mark Thompson-Ashworth and a vintage audio with filmmaker Renato Polselli.
Next comes director Garibaldi Serra Caracciolo’s 1965 giallo/horror tale, The Seventh Grave, which was thought to be lost (save for some truly unwatchable VHS bootleg versions), but Severin Films has unearthed the film’s negative and now, well, now it is brand spanking new!!
This mixed-genre feast is also present in Italian with English subtitles. Commentary is from film critic and the co-host of “Fragments of Fear,” Rachael Nisbet, plus there are two companion featurettes — “Seven Graves and a Mystery” and “English Aesthetic With Giallo Blood.”
The more familiar Scream of the Demon Lover, from writer/director José Luis Merino, which was released theatrically in the domestic market by New World Pictures in 1971 (sliced down quite a bit), is presented with two view options — the original Italian language track (with English subtitles) or with the English theatrical release track.
Bonus nuggets included with Scream of the Demon Lover are commentary with film historian Rod Barnett and author Robert Monell and two featurettes — “Scream Erna Scream!” and “In the Castle of Blood.”
Rounding out this suburb collection of classic “Italian Gothic” horror tales is the 1971 (1972 domestic) classic, Lady Frankenstein, with Joseph Cotton as Baron Frankenstein and Rosalba Neri as Tania Frankenstein.
This too is presented with two viewing options, the original Italian language track (with English subtitles) or the 1972 English language theatrical release track.
Bonus features include two commentary options. The first with Kat Ellinger, who is joined by film scholar Annie Rose Malamet, and the second with film scholars Alan Jones and Kim Newman.
There are two documentaries, The Lady and the Orgy and The Truth about Lady Frankenstein and a pair of featurettes — “Meet The Baroness” and “Piecing Together Lady Frankenstein.”
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