MARIO BAVA COLLECTION VOLUME TWO
Sadly there are no plans to continue this series of Mario Bava box sets. But perhaps one can hope that Anchor Bay and others might continue to selectively release some of his films in special editions. Included on Volume 2 are 8 films and while some might argue with the choices the bottom line is no two box sets could adequately represent Bavas multifaceted body of work. For those who think Bava starts and stops with Black Sunday and Black Sabbath, that he was only notable as a director of atmospheric horror films, these box sets are an indispensable revelation.
Kidnapped is a tense crime thriller that has been called Bavas lost masterpiece, Roy Colt & Winchester Jack is a comedy spaghetti western and Four Times That Night is a murder mystery spoof. Add in the sword and the sandal picture Knives of the Avenger from the first box and you start to get an idea of the scope of the mans career. As Lucas notes Bava was present during every major phase of Italian cinema from the forties through the sixties. Though he distinguished himself most noticeably in the horror field he also had a profound if not as highly touted influence on the look and feel of the various types of Italian cinema adored by millions across the globe. Watching his diverse body of work is to encounter an imagination at play that however childlike still grasps storytelling as a grand and dangerous venture.
Other films included in Volume 2 include 2 giallos; 5 dolls for an August Moon and Bay of Blood (a.k.a. ScreenAnarchy of the Death Nerve) and the gothic supernatural thriller Baron Blood. Volume 2 also contains both Lisa and the Devil and its alternate version House of Exorcism. I’ve only seen House and that viewing involved a truly crummy VHS pan and scan version. Still I remember this being a wonderfully surreal and thought provoking film, not to mention beautifully photographed. The difference in length between the two is barely a minute but they could still be substantially different depending on footage used, editing, etc. Lisa/House also star a pre-Kojak Telly Savalas and Elke Sommer. Other cast members utilized by Bava through these box sets include Joseph Cotton who was given one of his final opportunities to shine in later years in Baron Blood, and Cameron Mitchell who did three films with the director.
The special features here include original trailers, photo galleries, bios etc along with the featurette; End of the Road: Making Rabid Dogs and Kidnapped, which, along with Remembering The Girl with John Saxon and A Life In Film: An Interview With Mark Damon from the first Bava box, form the only extra videographic material but the lack of a feature length documentary overview of Bavas career is more than made up for by the excellent commentary work by Bava biographer Tim Lucas. The bottom line is that if you purchase these two box sets and the single disc release of Erik the Viking you get an amazing variety from Bava’s ourve and a whopping eight Tim Lucas commentaries (as well as one on House of Exorcism by star Elke Sommer and producer Alfredo Leone). But for those who just can’t get enough of Lucas’ commentary you can also purchase the VCI Home Video versions of Whip and the Body and Blood and Black Lace.
It’s really quite a pity that MGM didn’t re-release Planet of the Vampires and Danger Diabolik in special editions to coincide but at least they can still be had. Hatchet for a Honeymoon and Shock are also available but could use SE release as well. I’m finding I can’t get enough of Bava. Here’s hoping the people in a position to test that make the effort.
