DVD

The Mario Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Black Sunday / Black Sabbath / The Girl Who Knew Too Much / Kill Baby Kill / Knives of the Avenger)

Average customer rating:

Finally...
great collection
Bittersweet Box Set
Bate and Swich
Very Pleased Overall

The Mario Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Black Sunday / Black Sabbath / The Girl Who Knew Too Much / Kill Baby Kill / Knives of the Avenger)
Starring: Cameron Mitchell , Fausto Tozzi , Giacomo Rossi-Stuart , Luciano Pollentin , and Amedeo Trilli
Director: Mario Bava , and Salvatore Billitteri
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MV8ABI
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Amazon.com

Five of Mario Bava's best films are included in this box set, minus his forays into eroticism, like Blood and Black Lace. Still, the lines between sexual pathos and violence blur in these selections that influenced not only other famed directors of Giallo, such as Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, but also spawned the American golden age in horror, led by directors such as John Carpenter. Three black and white films here exemplify Bava's trademark use of chiaroscuro mixed with suspense-building cinematography first developed in early horror classics like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. In the Hitchcock-inspired Evil Eye (1963), tourist Nora Davis (Leticia Roman) witnesses a murder but can't convince police of the crime. Kill Baby Kill! (1966) is the prototype for all little girl-ghost films. Dr. Paul Eswai (Giacomo Rossi-Stuart) is recruited to solve the mystery of Villa Graps, where Baroness Graps (Giana Vivaldi) reanimates her dead daughter, Melissa, by killing innocent villagers. In Black Sunday (1960), the witch Princess Asa Vajda comes back from the dead to inhabit her look-alike, Katia, both played by Barbara Steele, the original femme fatale to which all brunette vamps, like Soledad Miranda (Vampyros Lesbos) and Elvira, are indebted.

In Technicolor, Bava's fantastically rainbow-lit films underpin the director's fascination with connections between our world and those imagined. Black Sabbath (1963) is a trilogy hosted by Boris Karloff, who also stars as a Russian vampire in its segment, "The Wurdalak." "The Telephone," and "The Drop of Water," in which a nurse, Helen Correy (Jacqueline Pierreux), steals a ring then fears that her dead medium patient seeks revenge, are acute studies of guilt and paranoia. The Viking saga, Knives of the Avenger (1966), like Bava's Hercules in the Haunted World, spawned several sword and sorcery films, while protagonist Rurik's (Cameron Mitchell's) knife-throwing is indeed entertaining. Screened back to back, these films provide evidence of Bava's influence in the horror genre. Moreover, they reveal Bava's deep understanding of horror's many facets, whether sexually, psychologically, or physically based. —Trinie Dalton

Description

More than a quarter of a century after his death, director Mario Bava remains one of international cinema's most controversial icons. Today his influence — marked by stunning visuals, daring sexuality and shocking violence — can still be seen in the works of Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, Tim Burton, Dario Argento and countless others in a legacy that extends far beyond the horror genre. This collection brings together 5 landmark movies from the first half of Bava's career — encompassing the original giallo, a bold Viking epic, and his three gothic horror masterpieces — featuring new transfers, original European versions, and exclusive featurettes to create the definitive celebration of one of the most important filmmakers of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Finally..........2007-06-23

Kill Baby Kill is a flic choc full of foreboding atmosphere that can only be appreciated in the original wide-screen aspect. Contrary to Amazon's misleading information, this version IS widescreen with the option to view in Italian w/subtitles. The dubbed version is there for those who dislike subtitles. I paid 19.99 for an earlier crappy edition so needless to say I find this collection offered at 19.99 to be a gift from Amazon. Clear colors and sound make this DVD a joy to watch; great nostalgic fun. I can't wait to view the other titles, also in original theatric aspect, a bonus for me. Am I in Horror Heaven? (I bought an extra set as a present for a relative; no borrowing, please.)

great collection.......2007-04-10

Sorry, but giving this set a bad rating just because the AIP-versions aren't included is stupid in my opinion.
This box includes 5 fantastic movies by Bava (yes, even "Knives Of The Avenger" is a great one) in overall amazing quality with very good bonus features. I believe there is a good reason that AB didn't include the different cuts of "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" and "3 Faces Of Fear": legal issues. If these are solved, hopefully we see these versions someday on DVD (though the only one that really interests me is "The Evil Eye". "Black Sabbath" would just be nice because of Karloff's own dubbing,
but everything else is clearly inferior to the italian version.)
Until then - enjoy what's IN this box, it is an amazing value for the cheap price. Of course many people who want to buy this, already may have different DVDs of some of the movies in there - so everyone must decide for themselves if it is worth getting.

Bittersweet Box Set.......2007-04-09

It's great to have all of these Mario Bava titles in one set. The transfers are really beautiful, and a revelation to those of us with memories of grainy 16mm TV prints. "Black Sunday's" monochrome atmosphere looks particularly lush in this set. "Kill Baby Kill" is a major upgrade to the crummy, desaturated DVD I have from Image.
But they really SHOULD have included BOTH US and Italian versions of the star attraction, "Black Sabbbath". Or at least cut in Karloff's actual voice to the Italian version! Why not re-edit the way it should be? I still rushed out to buy this set, but cannot give it five stars due to the pre-release publicity which stated BOTH Black Sabbath versions would be in the box set. Anchor Bay owes all of us an apology or a free DVD of the English version.

Bate and Swich.......2007-04-06

(NO STARS)
This is not what I was promised in the add.
I will never buy anything "Anchor Bay" again!!!

Very Pleased Overall.......2007-04-06

I'll echo what a previous reviewer wrote concerning the absence of the American International versions of "Mask of Satan" ("Black Sunday"), and "Three Faces of Fear" ("Black Sabbath"). I had fully anticipated their inclusion in this set. After watching the trailer, I know I'm going to need the AIP release "Black Sunday." What really sold me on this set was the opportunity to finally see and own the international edit of "Black Sabbath," and I was frankly unprepared for the vivid clarity of this transfer, and that of "Kill, Baby...Kill." It's great to finally have these films the way they were meant to be seen (however I'm not a fan of English or any other subtitles; English dubs would have been nice).

I haven't gotten around to watching "Knives of the Avenger" or "The Evil Eye," so I can't really weigh in on them. I've been generally pleased with the extras on these discs, the one caveat being the inclusion of the same trailers on each disc. Couldn't they have expanded this selection? As with so many other movie box sets in my collection, the package art's bizarre! Additionally, a decipherable illustration or two of Mario Bava would have been a fitting homage.

On VHS I have the AIP version of "Black Sabbath," and really enjoy it, but seeing this uncut Italian dub I can understand now why this was Bava's favorite film. It's very evident that AIP really went wild in the editing room--it's much more interesting in its original form. Having an educational commentary was also a selling point in my decision to shell out for this; honestly, I don't regret buying this set and I haven't even seen the whole thing yet. If you've been curious about the works of Mario Bava, and you don't mind the subtitles, you won't see finer transfers for his three best films (BLACK SABBATH, BLACK SUNDAY, AND KILL BABY KILL) included here.

However, having said all that, I have to put in a plug for the production of an edition of "Kill Baby Kill" with its killer new WS transfer, but in English and with Tim Lucas' commentary accompanying it. Another highly worthy title of Bava's deserving a more respectable issue is "Planet of the Vampires." When these two finally get the treatment they deserve, a large void will have been filled.

Hasta, and May the Force be With you!

Average customer rating:

BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN TOO MUCH
A brilliant giallo
Stylish, athmospheric and suspenseful
SO-SO GIALLO THRILLER.....
Smart, Funny Thriller with a Smart, Brave Heroine--Nice

The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Starring: Letícia Román , John Saxon , Valentina Cortese , Titti Tomaino , and Luigi Bonos
Director: Mario Bava
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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KILL BABY KILL

ASIN: 6305907706
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Description

Nora Davis (Leticia Roman) jets away to Rome to vacation with Edith, an old friend of her family. Unfortunately, her trip is anything but relaxing On the first night, Edith dies--and as Nora runs into the night for help, she becomes an eyewitness to murder as she sees a woman stabbed to death on the Piazza di Spagna! Being a young woman with an insatiable appetite for murder mysteries, Nora can't get anyone to believe her story, but with the help of the attentive Dr. Marcello Bassi (John Saxon), she learns that a murder did occur on that very spot--10 years earlier--when Emily Craven fell victim to the "Alphabet Murderer"! What did Nora Davis really see, and who is stalking her through Rome? Could it be the Alphabet Killer, looking for Victim D? Mario Bava's "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" is a stylish homage to the "Americans Abroad" thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock. Originally released in America (in greatly revised form) as "Evil Eye," Bava's innovative thriller is presented here--for the first time--in its original director's cut.

Customer Reviews:

BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN TOO MUCH .......2005-09-15

This movie may seem funny and naive nowdays but just because we've seen too much since 1964.
This is a perfect example of giallo genre, more to it - this film was made on the dawn of giallo genre. There are many things that would be imitated later on in many other popular movies, not only in Italy but all over the world. The story is rather simple as in all giallo films and I would say even plain. Acting is a little hyperbolic as it was usually 40 years ago - theater-like. But the first impression you get after watching is that it reminds of early Hitchcock works. I think we can easily call Mario Bava an "Italian Hitchcock".
If you're looking for a thrill or a scare - you won't find it here 'cos I repeat the movie is rather naive. I think it looked good in 1964 but for our times it's too unsophisticated. But if you like old giallo pieces, if you like Mario Bava - don't hesitate and grab it. You'll get a lot of pleasure watching it. I did. 3 stars only because it's a little out of date.

A brilliant giallo.......2004-10-04

Italian director Mario Bava (1914-1980) made many types of films, "Four Times That Night" and "Hercules in the Haunted World" come to mind, but he made his most lasting imprint on the horror film genre. His pictures, no matter what the plot, always promised great style, lush cinematography, and beautiful scenery. Bava's big break came with his 1960 black and white nightmare classic "Black Sunday," a movie influenced by classic horror films and one that introduced horror fans to Barbara Steele. This was only the beginning, as Bava churned out a series of gruesome shockers over the next seventeen years. Perhaps his biggest contribution to the horror field was the influential 1972 picture "Twitch of the Death Nerve," sometimes called "Bay of Blood." Why? Because Sean Cunningham cribbed shamelessly from this film when he put "Friday the 13th" on celluloid. The director's inventiveness went far beyond hacking up a few unfortunate souls, however, as "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" shows. This is a relatively bloodless movie that falls squarely into the wonderful category of the Italian giallo. Mario Bava is no longer with us, regretfully, but the Bava legacy continues through his son Lamberto, one of the guiding lights behind the gory cult classics "Demons" and "Macabro."

"The Girl Who Knew Too Much" tells the story of American Nora Davis (Leticia Roman), a woman heading to Rome in order to take care of an ailing family friend. Problems emerge before the plane lands, as a nice young man offers Nora a package of cigarettes. Unfortunately, the police pick up this chap at the airport for smuggling marijuana. Davis, troubled by the fact that she smoked one of these tainted cigarettes, heads over to the house of Ethel Widnall to assume her nursing duties. Despite the assurances of Doctor Marcello Brassi (John Saxon) that Ethel is in acceptable shape as long as she takes her heart medication, Davis witnesses the elderly woman perish that very night. She also sees something else outside, a woman with a knife protruding from her back and a mysterious looking man dragging the body away, before passing out on the wet cobblestones. The next day Nora insists on investigating the weird incident in spite of Brassi's insistence that nothing strange happened. In the process of reenacting what she saw to Brassi, Nora runs into a woman named Laura Torrani (Valentina Cortese). This woman, quite sympathetic to Davis's situation concerning Ethel, promises to let the young American live in her home while she leaves town to meet her businessman husband. That the home sits near the scene of the crime, along with a glimpse of a photograph sitting on the piano of Laura's husband, convinces us Davis is stepping right into the center of the mystery.

Davis stays at the house but continues to ask questions about the murder she saw. She is soon convinced that someone is following her, and may in fact have entered the house while she was out. She also finds a box full of newspaper clippings about a string of murders that took place in the area ten years before. According to these reports, the press dubbed the slayings the alphabet murders since the three victims' last names began with an 'a', a 'b', and a 'c' respectively. As Nora soon discovers from the reporter involved in the case, Andrea Landini (Dante DiPaolo), the crimes stopped after Laura's husband led the journalist to a likely suspect. After the conviction of this poor bloke, the crimes stopped and life returned to normal. But Landini couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong about the whole thing, and when he pressed to reopen the case Laura's husband turned on him. The reporter has since spent the passing years trying to establish the identity of the real culprit. A few frightening incidents involving the killer and Nora convince Brassi and Landini that the nightmare of a decade ago has reemerged. And guess what? Our heroine's last name begins with a 'd'. Oh dear.

I am not able to find a single flaw with "The Girl Who Knew Too Much." The movie as a whole is so good that even the lack of gore didn't bother me in the least. The performances, especially a young John Saxon as the accident prone doctor, are quite good (Was Saxon ever this young? Apparently so.). Bava injects the proceedings with a significant element of humor, which acts as a perfect counterbalance to the scares. But it's the masterful use of the black and white medium that really makes this giallo something special. No one can argue that Mario Bava doesn't have an amazing knowledge of how cinematography works; his use of shadow and light are breathtaking to behold. Check out those wet cobblestones, or the interior shots that shoot beams of light across the characters' faces. This is brilliant, brilliant camera and lighting work, arguably as good as if not better than "The Third Man." It looks like Bava carefully crafted each and every frame of this film for maximum emotional impact, and it works magnificently. I amazed myself by figuring out the mystery well in advance of the denouement, probably because I've seen so many gialli at this point, but that didn't diminish the film in any way.

Extras on the DVD include a Bava biography and filmography, a John Saxon filmography, poster and film stills, and a trailer for the film. I've seen a few films in the Mario Bava Collection DVD series that absolutely reek in terms of picture quality ("Hatchet for the Honeymoon") and audio ("Twitch of the Death Nerve"), but "The Girl Who Knew Too Much" looks nice despite noticeable scratches in a few places. If you're interested in exploring the wonderful world of Mario Bava, I suggest you start here. This film will get you excited about watching more of his pictures.

Stylish, athmospheric and suspenseful.......2004-06-24

This early giallo is high on style and athmosphere and one can easily see how Bava influenced Dario Argento. I myself am much more of an Argento fan then Bava but this little thriller is actually one of Bava's better outings.
The story is good and keeps you guessing until the very end and the finale is quite suspenseful.

SO-SO GIALLO THRILLER............2002-10-30

This is not a horror film even though it was once shown in America as "The Evil Eye". Instead, it's a very tame little mystery with Bava's giallo atmosphere and little else. An "American" girl (Italian actress Leticia Roman) comes to Rome to visit an old family friend who up and dies on her. She then witnesses a murder but there's no body to back her up to the police. So she starts her own investigation ala Nancy Drew style. A bland John Saxon plays a doctor who believes her and provides clues to the mystery. Lots of creepy set-ups but no action keep this one from being as good as it could have been. Not bad as long as you don't expect too much but it was way too dull for me.

Smart, Funny Thriller with a Smart, Brave Heroine--Nice.......2002-06-14

Many fans of director Mario Bava seem to underrate this film because it isn't as violent or cynical as his later film BLOOD AND BLACK LACE. Personally, I find that to be one of the things that reccomends the film to me; that the film isn't a bloodbath full of loathsome people where the only interest is in seeing how spectacularly unpleasant their demises will be. Although there are holes and improbablilites in the plot, this is generally a suspenseful, humorous film, solidly anchored by the appealing performance of Leticia Roman as the heroine, Nora Davis, an American tourist visiting an old family friend and falling into the middle of a terrifying mystery involving a serial killer who has been attacking women on or near Rome's famous Spanish Steps for almost a decade. Nora witnesses what may have been the latest murder shortly after being attacked by a mugger, so people suspect that she may have imagined the whole thing, but she knows otherwise, and with the help of a friendly doctor (played very nicely by John Saxon), she sets out to prove it.

The result is a stylish, entertaining thriller, full of moody atmosphere and eerie set-pieces, such as Nora's rondevous with someone who can help her solve the mystery in an empty but brightly-lit apartment and the harrowing sequence that begins with the death of the family friend, continues with the attack by the mugger on Nora, and ends with her coming to to witness the murder in the Plaza d'Espana, full of rain-slicked streets and moody shadows. Here, Bava proves himself as stylish as anything in Hitchcock, and maybe more so. There is another shot that Hitch would have loved, with a group of nuns in elaborate habits hovering over Nora in a hospital bed, moving away to reveal her face; from overhead, it resembles the blooming of a big, goofy flower. This one of several subtle touches of humor that lighten the proceedings without ever disturbing the forward movement of the plot or lessening the tension. Indeed the film is top-notch in pretty much every area; stylish art direction, excellent costumes by Tania Grani, and a great score by Roberto Nicolosi. One should also say an extra word for the leading ladia, Leticia Roman; she bears a faint resemblance to Natalie Wood, and like that actress, she brings a quiet intelligence and intensity to her performance. Hitchcock would probably have liked her blonde beauty and appreciated her talent as well. But Bava got there first and got a first-rate performance out of her.
It's nice to see a smart, sympathetic woman at the center of a thriller, a heroine as opposed to simply a victim . . .

The Girl Who Knew Too Much DVD Authentic Region 1 Starring John Saxon Leticia Roman & Valentina Cortese
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The Girl Who Knew Too Much DVD Authentic Region 1 Starring John Saxon Leticia Roman & Valentina Cortese

Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

Starring: Leticia Roman, Valentina Cortese ...

Director: Mario Bava

Format: Widescreen ...

Italian with English Subtitles

ASIN: B000Q6V0JI

Product Description

American friends Nora (Leticia Roman) and Edith (Chana Coubert) are on vacation in Rome. But on their first night in Italy, Edith mysteriously dies -- and Nora witnesses a murder on the Piazza di Spagna. The only person who will take Nora seriously is a doctor (John Saxon), who tells her the killing she witnessed was committed 10 years ago by the Alphabet Murderer. Mario Bava directs this stylish homage to Alfred Hitchcock.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (La Ragazza che sapeva troppo) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]

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The Girl Who Knew Too Much (La Ragazza che sapeva troppo) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - France ]
Director: Mario Bava
Manufacturer: Cine-Club
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

France released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: o English (subtitles) o French (subtitles) o Italian (Mono) Synopsis: Nora is a young tourist traveling through Rome which takes a sudden turn when she witnesses a murder by a serial killer that the police have sought for years for the so-called Alphabet Killings, and Nora soon finds herself in way-over-her-head trouble when the police want her cooperation to catch the killer while the mystery killer soon targets her for his next victim. Special Features: o Interactive Menu o Scene Access o Making Of o Filmographies

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