Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972) (Blu-ray Review)
Director: Amando de Ossorio
Starring: Lone Fleming, César Burner, María Elena Arpón
RATED: UR/REGION 0/1:85/1080p/NUMBER OF DISCS 2
AVAILABLE FROM Synapse Films
In the 13th century there existed a legion of evil knights known as the Templars, who quested for eternal life by drinking human blood and committing sacrifices. Executed for their unholy deeds, the Templars bodies were left out for the crows to peck out their eyes. Now, in modern day Portugal, a group of people stumble on the Templars abandoned monastery, reviving their rotting corpses to terrorize the land…
In 1971, director Amando de Ossorio created what horror fans worldwide consider to be Spain’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. In Ossorio’s nightmare vision, a legion of Knights Templar – executed horsemen whose eyes have been pecked out by crows – rise rotting from their graves, hunting only by sound in a quest for human flesh. The BLIND DEAD saga begins here, as a modern-day tourist trip to the ruins of the Templar monastery unleashes a frenzy of lesbian desire, sexual violence and the unholy onslaught of the eyeless undead! This Definitive Edition of TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD – the first of the four BLIND DEAD movies – contains both the original American and uncensored Spanish Versions (complete with newly translated English subtitles), all fully restored from pristine negative materials and transferred in eye-popping High Definition. Tombs of the Blind Dead is a popular horror film in the world of the more hardcore horror fan. And, I can also see why in a lot of ways. There is a very eerie vibe that comes from this film and the slow moving blind dead that also ride horses (That I suppose are dead as well) come across very creepy on the screen. I don’t think the film gives us the strongest characters for the dead to play off of, but this is a 1973 Italian film so what are you going to do? At least we get gore. The gore here really does add to things overall.
The major flaw of this film is the pacing. These blind dead zombies aren’t the only thing moving slow, as the plot takes it’s sweet time. This doesn’t kill the film, but it doesn’t help it at all either. The movie still maintains its quality and keeps you invested in the outcome due to the fact that our villains are really cool here. This is a film that has a cool plot, cool zombies, and a creepy environment that you can’t deny. The pacing might suck, but outside of that we have a darn good horror film. I can only hope that eventually Synapse releases the other films in this set. Perhaps then we can toss them all together again in a coffin box like the old Blue Underground DVD set. Until then, we at least got a solid release of the first movie of the weird film series. Which in all honestly, might be the best of the bunch anyway.
Extras
BLU-RAY DISC ONE
- NEW RESTORATION OF THE FILM
- Audio commentary by star Lone Fleming
- Audio commentary by Rod Barnett and Troy Guinn of the NaschyCast podcast
-p Audio commentary by horror film historian and author Troy Howarth - MARAUDERS FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN, a feature-length documentary exploring the history of the Spanish zombie film, featuring interviews with NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD writer/producer John Russo, Sitges Film Festival deputy director Mike Hostench, film critic John Martin, academic Calum Waddell, THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE director Jorge Grau, TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD star Lone Fleming, actors Helga Liné, Manuel de Blas, Antonio Mayans and Jack Taylor, Paul Naschy’s son Sergio Molina, author/film critic Kim Newman and academic/writer Steve Jones
- REVENGE OF PLANET APE: alternate U.S. opening sequence
- Awakening of Spanish Horror Cinema featurette
- Salem’s Pop “Templar’s Tears” music video
- Original theatrical trailer
- Still gallery
- Audio options:
Original Spanish-language and English/Spanish hybrid soundtrack versions
Lossless Spanish PCM 2.0 mono soundtrack
Lossless “hybrid” English/Spanish PCM 2.0 mono soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the Spanish track and the Spanish sections of the hybrid soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the hybrid soundtrack
BLU-RAY DISC TWO - Re-edited U.S. theatrical cut of the film
- Lossless English PCM 2.0 mono soundtrack
- Optional English subtitles
