More Rosalba Goodliness In HD !!
Over on their
Facebook page, Shameless Screen Entertainment has revealed a future release of TOP SENSATION (aka THE SEDUCERS) on blu-ray at some point in the near future. A classic slice of Italian exploitation from 1969 starring BOTH Rosalba Neri and Edwige Fenech, this was previously released on
DVD by Camera Obscura in 2013.
Originally released theatrically in 1969 the film played in several different versions depending on the country, with the U.S. version as distributed by Jerry Gross under the title THE SEDUCERS being the most explicit (this version was released years ago on VHS by Something Weird). Camera Obscura released the less explicit Italian cut only on DVD (which is now out of print) with the more explicit scenes as VHS sourced extras (along with an alternate German cut) as after an extensive search the materials what they found was less than pristine - although their DVD release was fine-looking and eons better than the murky bootlegs that proceeded it.
With the Camera Obscura release now OOP, it'll be interesting to see what Shameless releases as far as version, running time and source. We can only hope that if not this release, then sometime in the future a pristine print of the Jerry Gross version will be unearthed.
Speaking of Camera Obscura, their
Facebook page reveled an upcoming release on blu ray & DVD of AMUCK (aka ALLA RICERCA PIACERE) with the positively giddy news that it will be sourced from the
ORIGINAL (!) camera negative. This trippy and perverse 1972 Italian giallo contains one of Rosalba's finest performance and plus stars the always welcome Barbara Bouchet and a nice evilly smarmy performance by Farley Granger from Alfred Hitchcock's STRANGERS ON A TRAIN. Under its U.S. title of AMUCK this had a quasi-bootleg release on
DVD years ago on the Eurovista label which featured a dead center transfer from a tape source that destroyed the film's widescreen compositions along with a sickly green/yellow tint. Last year Code Red issued a
DVD under the alternate title MANSION OF MADNESS that featured a nice looking anamorphic widescreen transfer, that while being edited for running time (most likely for double & triple bills back in the day) did leave intact all the "best" sequences.
Camera Obscura have also
posted a lovely shot of Rosalba doing an interview for this upcoming release and plus they have confirmed this will contain the English dub as an option. If their past release of TOP SENSATION is any indication this is going to be an outstanding release both in terms of AV quality and packaging.
We're lucky if Code Red decides to release AMUCK onto U.S. Blu Ray in the near future,which I'm sure they someday eventually will(as they are with their upcoming Blu Ray releases of THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK,CUTTHROATS NINE,and THE VAMPIRES' NIGHT ORGY).
ReplyDeleteThat would be great if Code Red did release it. I'm looking forward to OPERA, THE SECT & THE CHURCH from Bill. This new batch looks pretty good too. PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK is a really good Naschy and as far VAMPIRES NIGHT ORGY, well you can't go wrong with Helga Line. Thanks !
DeleteI have my fingers crossed for a The Seducers bluray! Amuck and Vampires Night Orgy sound interesting as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Rob,
DeleteI too am hoping for THE SEDUCERS, but have a feeling its going to be a variation of the Camera Obscura effort. VAMPIRES NIGHT ORGY is a good one.