Caltiki:
The Immortal Monster (1959/MVD Visual/Arrow Films Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B+/B- Sound: B+/B- Extras: B Film: B
Two
of Italy's most infamous cult movie directors, Mario Bava (Black
Sunday, Evil Eye) and Riccardo Freda (The Vampires)
team up for the unforgettable Caltiki: The Immortal Monster
(1959) in this great newly restored (and packed) release from Arrow
Films, making it look and sound much better than previous releases on
disc.
Caltiki
stars John Merivale, Didi Perego, and Daniela Rocca to name a few.
The
film's Lovecraftian influence is unquestionable and in many ways it
reminds me of The Thing From Another World and The Blob.
Though only Freda is credited as the Director in the film, Arrow
sheds some light on the fact that it was Bava himself who shot the
film in its entirety and did most of the special effects sequences,
which still hold up to this day.
A
group of archaeologists are on a intense search through some Mayan
ruins to figure out how and why the civilization came to an end.
When they come across the find of the century and take a sample from
its charred remains, they soon awaken a sleeping God known as Caltiki
- who dwells underneath the hidden temple.
Presented
in 1080p black and white high definition Blu-ray disc with a
widescreen aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and a lossless PCM Mono 1.0 track,
this 2K restoration from the original film elements is clean and very
detailed throughout. This bests the included standard definition
version of the film, but presents it in lesser quality and a
compressed audio track that isn't quite as clean. The film is
Italian with English and Italian subs and thankfully, no dubs.
Special
Features...
-
New audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the
Colors of the Dark
-
New audio commentary by Troy Howarth, author of The Haunted World
of Mario Bava and So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian
Giallo Films
-
From Quatermass to Caltiki, a new discussion with author and
critic Kim Newman on the influence of classic monster movies on
Caltiki
-
Riccardo Freda, Forgotten Master, an archival interview with
critic Stefano Della Casa
-
The Genesis of Caltiki, an archival interview with filmmaker
Luigi Cozzi
-
Archival introduction to the film by Stefano Della Casa
-
Original Italian and English theatrical trailers
-
Alternate opening titles for the US version
-
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
by Graham Humphreys
-
Insert Booklet/BD-ROM/DVD-ROM vintage 54 page French Caltiki
photo comic that was originally released with the film in 1959
If
you're a fan of black and white B-Movies, then you won't want to miss
this release.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
