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Following the success of Watch Me When I Kill (1977), Antonio Bido was asked to direct his second giallo. … The film embraces the “regional” aspect found in such gialli as Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972) and Pupi Avati’s The House with Laughing Windows (1976); not surprisingly, Bido is an admitted fan of Avanti’s works in particular. The notion of a closed-off society lorded over by a corrupt aristocracy gives the film something of a socio-political edge, but the commentary is muted compared to the fiery intensity in Fulci’s work for example. Even so, Bido does a nice job of evoking the atmosphere of the community. … Where the film stumbles rather badly is in the pacing, which is all over the map. At nearly two hours, it is one of the longest gialli of the period, but the material does not justify such a running time; with tighter editing, it may have emerged as a stronger, more suspenseful film. As it stands, the result is sporadically effective, with some memorable set pieces spread throughout, but much of it is slack and the movie suffers accordingly. … Sadly, The Bloodstained Shadow would remain Bido’s last encounter with the giallo.
Troy Howarth, So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films, Volume 2, 1974-2013 (Midnight Marquee Press, 2015)
Selected disc options for The Bloodstained Shadow
Extras | Vinegar Syndrome BD-ALL/US 2024 | 88 Films BD-B/UK 2015 | Blue Underground DVD-1/US 2008 | Anchor Bay DVD-1/US/OOP 2002 |
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Audio Commentary by Eugenio Ercolani, Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson | has extra | |||
Beauty in the Darkness - Interview with Actress Stefania Casini | has extra | |||
The Bloodstained Set - Interview with Production Assistant Luciano Lucchi | has extra | |||
A Bloodstained Sound - Interview with Musician Claudio Simonetti | has extra | |||
Deep Black - Interview with Director/Co-Writer Antonio Bido | has extra | |||
Inkstained Shadow - Interview with Co-Writer Marisa Andalò | has extra | |||
Rural Horror Hero - Interview with Actor Lino Capolicchio | has extra | |||
Solamente Bido - Interview with Director/Co-Writer Antonio Bido | has extra | has extra | ||
Alternate English Opening Title Sequence and End Credits | has extra | |||
Alternate Italian Opening Title Sequence and End Credits | has extra | |||
Stills Gallery | has extra | |||
Filmography: Director/Co-Writer Antonio Bido | has extra | has extra | ||
English Theatrical Trailer | has extra | has extra | has extra | |
Italian Theatrical Trailer | has extra | has extra |
Notes
- Vinegar Syndrome’s Blu-ray is included in the “Forgotten Gialli, Volume 6” box set with Naked You Die (1968) and Death Carries a Cane (1973).
- 88 Films’ Blu-ray includes a 12-page booklet and a poster art card.
- Blue Underground’s DVD is also available in the “Midnight Movies Thriller Triple Feature” box set with Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971) and Who Saw Her Die? (1972).
- Anchor Bay’s DVD is also available in “The Giallo Collection” box set with Short Night of Glass Dolls (1971), The Case of the Bloody Iris (1972) and Who Saw Her Die? (1972).
Ultimate Edition
Combine the best digital presentation with a selection of choice extras for the ultimate edition.
Presentation |
Vinegar Syndrome BD 2024
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88 Films BD 2015
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Extras | Audio Commentary by Eugenio Ercolani, Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson Vinegar Syndrome BD |
Beauty in the Darkness - Interview with Actress Stefania Casini | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
The Bloodstained Set - Interview with Production Assistant Luciano Lucchi | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
A Bloodstained Sound - Interview with Musician Claudio Simonetti | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
Deep Black - Interview with Director/Co-Writer Antonio Bido Vinegar Syndrome BD | |
Inkstained Shadow - Interview with Co-Writer Marisa Andalò | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
Rural Horror Hero - Interview with Actor Lino Capolicchio | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
Solamente Bido - Interview with Director/Co-Writer Antonio Bido Blue Underground DVD | |
Alternate English Opening Title Sequence and End Credits | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
Alternate Italian Opening Title Sequence and End Credits | 88 Films BD|
Stills Gallery | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
English Theatrical Trailer | Vinegar Syndrome BD|
Italian Theatrical Trailer | Vinegar Syndrome BD