A Bay Of Blood — A Bay Of Blood( UHD, Blu-Ray,CD)

The words classic or important are often bandied about, but I think it is fair to say both are very fitting for A Bay of Blood. The early 1970’s film was very much influenced/ help define the slash genre- it’s also a twisting ‘n’ turning mystery and darkest of dark comedies with brutal/ creative effects, and a gleeful sense of the macabre. Here from Severin is a five-disc release of the film- it features three different versions of the picture, four plus hours of extras, and a full soundtrack CD.

A Bay of Blood (Ecologia del delitto, Carnage Erotica, Last House Part II) is from the year 1971. It was directed and co-written by the key Italian genre director Sanremo-born Mario Bava. Who I’d hope will be known to readers of M[m]. In total, he had thirty-two features to his name, with more than a few of these being key/genre-defining titles such as Gallio Blood And Black Lace (1964), Planet Of The Vampires (1965), which inspired Alien, and supernatural horror Kill, Kill, Baby (1966).

After the moody shots of the lapping water of the bay, we move into the house of wheelchair-bound Countess Federica Donati (Isa Miranda). She moves around the house in a rather forlorn manner, checking lights are off, etc., as emotional music plays- before we get the first shocking and skilful capture of murder, as a rope is put around the old woman's neck- her wheelchair flies off behind her- with the shots shifting back and forth between the dying woman, and the spinning of the wheelchair's wheel. Truly a masterfully paced, composed, and realised scene.

As the film unfolds, we find out that the countess owned the whole of the bay, and several people living around the bay/ appearing at the bay want ownership, so we have quite a few suspects. There’s Architect Franco Ventura Chris Avram) who's coming to the bay to get it signed over to her husband Filippo (Giovanni Nuvoletti). Filippo's daughter, Renata (Claudine Auger), and her husband, Alberto (Luigi Pistilli). There’s creepy fishman Simone (Claudio Camas). Twitchy & bearded entomologist Paolo (Leopoldo Trieste) and his tarot card-reading wife Anna (Laura Betti).

The autumn-time bay is a great location- there is a wooden dock/walkway, woodlands, several houses, a few of which are abandoned. And of course, they are all filmed with great atmospheric flair.

The big pull here is, of course, the kills- and there really are some true classics here, which still look largely undated- some of which have gone on to be wholesaled and copied by others. There are a few hatchet and axe-to-the-face kills, a double impalement, a few brutal stabbings, cord strangulation, and a decapitation.

Running through the film, we have a rewarding plot, which nicely twists and turns—leading to a rather surprising resolution. The cast is largely good too, and the one hour and twenty-four-minute runtime of the English cut zooms by… so A Bay of Blood is a true/ stone cold classic.

The 4k print featured here is truly wonderful. The previous version I had seen/owned was the 2000 Image DVD version- I recall it had a real level of dialogue issues, as well as a rather general not- a great scan. This new version is crystal clear throughout, with great depth of colour clarity; the dialogue is clear & balanced perfectly.

The first disc in the set is a UHD disc- this contains the English version of the film (84 mins), as well as a commentary track from Tim Lucas, Author Of Mario Bava: All The Colors Of The Dark, and a US trailer. I’ll discuss the commentary track when I get to the first Blu-ray

The second disc is another UHD, which contains the two Italian versions of the film- Ecologia Del Delitto: Original Italian Version / Reazione A Catena: Italian Re-Release Version- both run at 86 mins.

Disc number three is a Blu-ray, and it features the US version with a good selection of all-new extras…. Though do note that both Blu-rays are region A discs!. First off is the already mentioned commentary track from Mario Bava expert Tim Lucas, and as you'd expect, it’s both a wonderfully researched and observed affair. He starts by confirming that the film was shot betweenNovember/ December 1970- been first released in Italian cinemas in September of the year after, under the title of Ecology of Crime. He talks about the bay's location, and how Bava enhanced its blueness by using blue gel lights. We get a bio of the first victim Isa Miranda- who apparently, back in the 30s, had been seen as Italy's Greta Garbo. He points out the killers behind each murder, as well as giving informative/ interesting bios of actors as they appear. He comments on the killing of the octopus with teeth, and how actor Claudio Camaso didn’t enjoy it. He talks about who dubbed both Italian and English dialogue for most of the actors. Later on, he discusses the origin of Twitch of the Death Nerve title; he talks about its US release/ promotion. We find out it got a UK release in 1981- though this was cut by a whopping seven minutes, and the film also got wrapped in the UK video nasty issues. An excellent track- which I’ll be returning to.

Otherwise, on the first disc we have the following: All About My Father ( 14.30) Interview with assistant director Lamberto Bava. It Was Just A Children's Game ( 13.22) Interview with actress Nicoletta Elmi. Lens Of Blood (27.57) Interview with assistant Camera Operator Gianlorenzo Battaglia.

There’s That Will Teach Them To Be Bad (46.20), which finds genre expert/ author Stephen Thower discussing the film, and as always, he gives a fascinating deep dive. He moves from discussing its many titles and how it was a flop when it was first released in its native Italy. He discusses its stateside release, before moving on to criticise the film itself & much more. Before discussing the career of actor Claudio Camaso, who he says has somewhat of a young Oliver Reed quality. We find out he got accused of trying to bomb the Vatican and killed a man on a night with his girlfriend. So a must-watch interview.

Disc four is another Blu-ray taking in the two Italian versions: Ecologia Del Delitto & Reazione A Catena. As well as a good selection of archive extras- I believe there is one truly new thing on this disc, and that’s Hallmark Of Horror: Carnage, Death Nerves & Last House Part II (22.19). It’s a visual essay from Film Writer Stephen R. Bissette. He moves from talking about first seeing the film in the grindhouses of the 70’s- on a triple bill with Last House On The Left and Mark Of Devil. He talks about his love of all things Mario Bava. The ad campaign, and changing titles of the film. Showing us the few favourable reviews from the time of release in the 70’s from US press, and more modern/ positive reviews. This is well worth a play.

Otherwise, we have the following archive extras: The Art Of Crime (19.57) with Lamberto Bava (Assistant Director), Dardano Sacchetti (Screenwriter), Steve Della Casa (CSC Director), Franco Vitale (Still Photographer), Roy Bava (Mario Bava's Grandson), Alberto Pezzotta (Mario Bava's Biographer) and Joe Dante (Filmmaker). (Sittin' On) The Blood Of The Bay ( 22.19) Interview With Lamberto Bava. 13 Ways To Die( 21.06) Interview With Dardano Sacchetti. Bava And The Grindhouse ( 12.26) Joe Dante On Mario Bava. Severin Super-Shock 2025 Intro By Lamberto Bava(00.40). Storyboard Comparisons. Radio Spots, and Italian Trailer

On the fifth disc, we have Stelvio Cipriani soundtrack for the film. The version we have here runs at forty-four minutes and thirty-two seconds, and takes in thirty-two tracks. The score is largely made up of three or four main cues, and the rest of the disc is made up of variations of these cues- some of them quite effective, some less so- so it’s not a hyper-varied CD, but it makes engaging listening on its own. So the first track/ main cue comes in the form of “Ecologia Del Delitto ( Tittoli)” it’s a sleek tribal hiss ‘n’ snapping percussion, growing moody string lines, and a harpsichord/ organ playing the lead melody line. “Evelyn Theme” is built around slowly tolling to darting sentimental piano keys and swooning bitter/ sweet orchestration. There’s the bright and breezy “ Teen-Agers Cha-Cha-Cha” with its dartingly buoyant keys, joyful piping horn work, and wordless male/ female vocals.

The set is finished off with a double-sided inlay card- on one side we have the score CD’s track listing, and on the other a reproduction of one of the gory aftermaths in the film.

This ltd five disc edition comes in thick and glossy card slip- with raised text, and a great tinged collage of the film's art/ stills.

In finishing, Severin has done it again- reissue a class/ genre defying film in a wonderful new edition- with a lovely & lush new 4k scan, hours and hours of most interesting extras, and with this edition the CD soundtrack. If you’re a fan of classic Euro horror, the slasher form, or generally well made/ skilful excise in both gory murder & twisted mystery- this is a must-buy!.