A BAY OF BLOOD/TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE: The image is something of an improvement over the old disc (which looked good), and the problematic sound has been made tolerable. It's obviously sourced from the same distorted elements, but with some work done to minimize the damage. Where things really 'tore' before, now there's an odd, synthetic sound, almost like that of an optical reader riding too close to the sprocket holes on a projected print. It's an improvement, and far less distracting, but it's there.

5 DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON: I'll need to take a look at the new transfer against the Image disc before coming to any hard conclusions, but I don't think 5 DOLLS looks so hot. Part of the problem is that the source used is at least a step too far removed from the negative, which may be unavoidable. Lotta edge enhancement, though - which *is* avoidable...

BARON BLOOD: Much, much improved over the Image transfer - It'll never be BLACK SABBATH, but the lineage is now vastly more apparent...

LISA AND THE DEVIL: Looks great too - better, in fact than I'd allowed myself to hope it could at this point. It's a bit more coarse than BARON BLOOD or A BAY OF BLOOD, but the color's there (don't let the early, fog-filtered location stuff put you off - it comes into its own when they get to the villa).

My only qualm - and it's a minor one in practice - is that AB put both LISA and HOUSE OF EXORCISM on the same side of a single disc, flirting with potential compression issues. They seem to have gotten away with it, but why they made this decision (and repeated the configuration on RABID DOGS/KIDNAPPED) - while putting 5 DOLLS and 4 TIMES on a flipper - I just don't get.

A somewhat different assessment of the set's qualities (or lack thereof) compared to Tim's blog preview a while back, then. Link

I'd like to know if 5 DOLLS is still missing the bit which caused a bad jump cut in the scene where Professor Farrell wakes up in bed and the shot right before Jack finds Trudy on the revolving bed. So far, no reviewer has commented on that.

Well, we only really part ways at 5 DOLLS, but as I said, I'll wanna compare them directly before taking a concrete position on how much (or little) better the new transfer is.

I'll check on the cut when I do.

A little off-topic.

Is the RABID DOGS cut in the new AB Box-Set (which just arrived today) the same cut as the Lucertola version (which I already own)?

Thanks in advance!

It's the same workprint version as the Lucertola edition, but without the pre-credits sequence of the weeping mother (specially shot for that DVD release following Bava's original notes) and with a new brightly-coloured Lardani-inspired credits sequence very much in keeping with 60s/70s Italian genre product (and unique to the AB RABID DOGS edition - KIDNAPPED has its own dull-as-ditchwater white-on-black credits sequence with that dreadful new Cipriani score). The Lucertola disc, IIRC, had simple white titles overlaid onto shots of Riccardo Cucciolla's car negotiating Roman traffic congestion.

The only issue I had with the new AB titles on RABID DOGS was their use of the English title as opposed to the CANI ARRABIATI "original" (although I suppose since it was never originally released, it has no true original title) when the remainder of the titles are in Italian. I believe the unofficial German WILD DOGS DVD release also contained a different closing shot, with the car driving away, which isn't present here (the end titles are the same red-faded credits which graced the Lucertola disc, although they look somewhat better here).

The AB disc is unquestionably the superior of the two - the quality of the new transfer simply eclipses the Lucertola in every way.

Thanks for all the info, Steve! ^_^

Also, the AB disc doesn't use the Tim Lucas-translated English subtitles that the Lucertola version employed. They did their own translation.

One minor nitpick: In the BARON BLOOD commentary when speaking of Massimo Girotti, Tim Lucas mentions that he starred in OSSESSIONE by Roberto Rosselini which of course was directed by Luchino Visconti.

I can't believe he missed that! ;)

That's it, I'm through with anything associated with the Lucas', Donna or Tim! :lol:

Is the Australian DVD of BARON BLOOD the AIP version? The specs (probably unreliable) list it as a fullscreen transfer (though if it uses the earlier Image master of the export version then the specs are probably saying 1.33:1 because of the 4:3 ratio).

http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/231901

I enjoyed the BAY OF BLOOD commentary and I really liked 5 DOLLS FOR AN AUGUST MOON (I didn't see the previous Image disc but I have an old Australian tape which doesn't do the film justice) and its "symphony of blue" (and Ely Galleani, of course).

Many people and sites are reviewing the Bava Box volume two. However, the simultaneous AB release of ERIK THE CONQUEROR isn't drawing nearly as much publicity, which is a shame. The image is a gorgeous anamorphic widescreen transfer, and the disc boasts a half-hour interview with Cameron Mitchell and a full-length Tim Lucas audio commentary track, as well as a nifty poster and still gallery. For a retail price of $9.98, it's a steal!

In case anyone is interested, the piece on new DVD releases in the Tuesday, October 30 New York Times has a lengthy section devoted to the Bava volume 2 set, with a special focus on LISA AND THE DEVIL. A certain recent biography is also mentioned.

The New York Times on Bava Volume 2

Man, that's gotta feel good.

Its also nice to hear mainstream appreciation of LISA.

Viewing the AB print of BARON BLOOD I found it strange that some scenes look very good indeed, such as the finale, with vibrant and clear colours, while the beginning look like it is taken from another source with weak colours, I still think that the print REDEMPTION/SALVATION utilized for their VHS version looked much, much better. The dark scenes were clear and all colours were strong and vivid.
This version looks like a patchwork to me - though, I understand it is a big step up from the previous AB version, not to say the German dvd version which looked awful.