ALRAUNE (1928) On Blu-ray From Deaf Crocodile

 

The 1928 German silent ALRAUNE is the beneficiary of a fine restoration and a proper Region A Blu-ray release due to the folks at Deaf Crocodile, as part of their Henrik Galeen set. 

Henrik Galeen was a writer, director, and actor during the Golden Age of German Expressionist cinema in the 1920s, and ALRAUNE is one of his more notable works. Galeen directed the movie and adapted the screenplay from a novel by Hanns Heinz Ewers. 

The story of ALRAUNE deals with Professor ten Brinken (Paul Wegener), who, through artificial insemination between a prostitute and a convicted murderer, creates a female he names "Alraune"--the German word for mandrake. The Professor adopts the girl, and sends her off to be raised in a convent. Alraune (Brigitte Helm) grows into a rebellious troublemaker, and she runs away from the convent to literally join a circus. She also inflames the passions of many men along the way. The Professor tracks her down, and takes her away to Italy, where the two of them live in luxury and comfort. It appears that Alraune will become an upper-class lady, but the jealous Professor refuses to let her marry a handsome nobleman. Alraune finds out about her bizarre background, and she proceeds to seduce the Professor and bring misfortune upon him. 

The novel on which ALRAUNE was based (and which I have not read) was considered one of the most scandalous ever written at the time, and while experts say the film doesn't live up to it, the adaptation is lurid enough as it is. The very idea of the Professor creating his own "being" through the use of such notorious means is rather cringe-inducing. It appears that the Professor is trying to discover if a person's makeup is influenced by heredity or environment, but there's also a strong hint that the middle-aged ten Brinken (who is played by an actor who has the demeanor of a mad scientist) wants Alraune all to himself. 

Brigitte Helm and Paul Wegener in the 1928 version of ALRAUNE

One can easily see why the men in this movie would be enraptured by Alraune--Brigitte Helm gives another of her eerily sexy vamp performances. Helm goes from mischievous girl to deadly seductress in a flash, and one never quite knows what her Alraune is going to do next. Helm once again shows off her captivating screen presence--the actress herself wasn't too keen on playing femme fatale roles, but she was brilliant when she did them. 

Due to my fascination with Brigitte Helm, I had watched the 1928 version of ALRAUNE on YouTube a couple times, but the versions available for viewing were in bad condition, and they had a number of scenes missing. Deaf Crocodile's restored version on this Blu-ray is a very sharp looking transfer with proper tinting and intertitles. Even though there is still a sequence missing (which is represented by a still photo and a text description) the Deaf Crocodile version runs about 130 minutes....and yes, there are times when the story drags a bit. When it came to directing, Henrik Galeen was no Fritz Lang. Galeen was more interested in mood and ambiance than in pace or rhythm, and ALRAUNE is at its most striking when Brigitte Helm is in full vamp mode. 

ALRAUNE receives its own disc in Deaf Crocodile's Henrik Galeen set, and the extras on it include a snippet of a German film called DANGEROUS PATHS, which has footage of Henrik Galeen as an actor (from this footage Galeen appears to have been a burly Edward Arnold-type). There is also an interview with Stefan Drossler of the Filmmuseum Munchen, who was instrumental in the restoration of ALRAUNE. The interview is with Deaf Crocodile's Dennis Bartok, and it is in two parts, with an overall running time of over 90 minutes. The first part Drossler spends most of the time talking about his film archival work, and it isn't until the second part that he discusses ALRAUNE and THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE, but not as much as one would think. Drossler does make a rather interesting statement that sometimes silent film restorations are overly good-looking. 

A new audio commentary is included, by silent film expert Jan-Christopher Horak. He gives out plenty of info about the film and the people involved in it, but Horak has a very dry delivery and at times it sounds as if he is reciting from a book report. 

This is a great release from Deaf Crocodile, mainly due to the fact that it gives Brigitte Helm a major showcase of her talents for English-speaking audiences. ALRAUNE will probably be a bit too weird for most, even for silent movie buffs, but Helm is definitely worth watching, and you get the bonus of the Golem himself, Paul Wegener. I'll be writing a blog post on the Deaf Crocodile version of the 1926 THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE in the future. 

GERMAN SILENT RARITIES FROM DIRECTOR HENRIK GALEEN On Blu-ray From Deaf Crocodile

 

A company known as Deaf Crocodile has released a two-disc Blu-ray set containing a pair of rare (and restored) cult German silent films directed by Henrik Galeen, the man who wrote the script for the original NOSFERATU. The two films are THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE (1926) and ALRAUNE (1928). 

Both films have been restored by the Filmmuseum Munchen in Germany, and they both feature brand new music scores. The films also have proper intertitles inserted, along with tinting and English subtitles. There are plenty of substandard versions of THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE and ALRAUNE online, but the presentations on this Blu-ray set run about 130 minutes each, and they are far better-looking. 

ALRAUNE is based on a notorious novel by Hanns Heinz Ewers. A haughty scientist (played by the Golem himself, Paul Wegener) uses artificial insemination between a prostitute and a executed murderer to create a dangerously seductive woman (Brigitte Helm). Needless to say, this woman, called Alraune, causes plenty of problems. THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE is actually a remake of a 1913 film which was also written by Hanns Heinz Ewers, and also starred Paul Wegener. The 1926 version stars Conrad Veidt as Balduin, a student who despairs over not being wealthy. A mysterious moneylender named Scapinelli (Werner Krauss) provides Balduin with a fortune--but in return, the student must give up his reflection. Balduin starts to live the good life, but his lost reflection comes back to haunt him. 

This limited-edition special version of the release comes in a slipcase that has original artwork for both films on each side (see pictures above). The disc case has a two-sided sleeve which features vintage artwork for each movie, and each title gets its own disc. 

Included in the limited edition is an 80-page illustrated booklet, which contains reprints of articles written in the 1920s by Henrik Galeen, Hanns Heinz Ewers, and various critics. It also has sketches on the very unusual personal lives of Galeen and Ewers, and discussions on both of the films in the set. 

The two discs are Region A, and they each have audio commentaries by Jan-Christopher Horak. Each disc also has a two-part interview with film archivist Stefan Drossler of the Filmmuseum Munchen, the man behind the restorations of ALRAUNE and THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE, and an excerpt from a 1924 German film called DANGEROUS PATHS, in which Henrik Galeen appeared as an actor. In the future I will be writing blog posts on each movie in this set, and I will go into greater detail about the extras. (A regular edition of this set is available from Deaf Crocodile.) 

This is the first time I've purchased anything from Deaf Crocodile, and I was suitably impressed with this set. I've been fascinated by German silent cinema since I first saw METROPOLIS decades ago, and this set is made for folks like me. It contains a lineup of German Expressionist All-Stars, and it features two films that desperately needed to be restored and given a major release on North American home video. I hope Deaf Crocodile has more German silent movie releases planned in the future--particularly anything that stars Brigitte Helm. This release gets my highest recommendation for silent movie buffs. 

Book Review: MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR

 

A few years ago I wrote a glowing review of a book titled WATERLOO--MAKING AN EPIC, a massive tome that dealt with the production of WATERLOO, a large-scale historical epic film released in 1970. The author, Simon Lewis, has now written another "making of" volume dealing with another big-budget high-end war movie--MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR, released in 1977. 

A BRIDGE TOO FAR was one of the very last expensive all-star blockbusters set during World War II. Producer Joseph E. Levine was determined to make a film based on historian Cornelius Ryan's expansive book detailing Operation Market Garden, the flawed 1944 plan to make a quick thrust into Germany by seizing a number of bridges behind enemy lines in Holland. Levine secured the services of esteemed actor-filmmaker Richard Attenborough to direct the project, and he also signed up 14 different international stars. The movie was filmed in the Netherlands during a very hot summer in 1976. 

Simon Lewis gives a complete look at the entire production of the film, detailing all of the integral aspects of it in a concise and effective manner. The author has plenty to cover, but he does it very well--even someone who is not a major film buff will understand and appreciate all the various steps taken to make a story that had numerous complicated and challenging elements to it. A BRIDGE TOO FAR was not an easy shoot by any means, and this book is at its best when it delves into the "grunt work" that happens behind the scenes. For all the famous actors and department heads, there are hundreds of regular folks doing their best to make a recreation of a controversial military event seem real, dramatic, and engaging. Lewis shines a spotlight on many of these folks. 

Lewis also provides plenty of detail about a group of young British actors who became known as the "A.P.A."--Attenborough's Private Army. This group was given some basic military training, and they filled out the roles of various background soldiers and even German troops during most of the scenes. 

The author does give insight into the major stars of the film, such as Sean Connery, Laurence Olivier, and Michael Caine, and there are a few gossipy anecdotes, but MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR isn't a celebrity-centered tell-all. The book's main themes are the collaborative (and often frustrating) aspects of big-budget film making, and the fine line between showing historical accuracy and making an entertaining and dramatic story. What made A BRIDGE TOO FAR different than most WWII films is that many of the top officers that were involved in Operation Market Garden were advisers on the set, and at times they disagreed with how events were staged. 

Another thing that makes A BRIDGE TOO FAR stick out from other WWII movies is that it details an operation that did not succeed. This may have affected how the movie was viewed by audiences and critics when it was released in 1977. The film made a decent amount of money, but it wasn't a box-office sensation, and for a while it wasn't looked upon as one of the better WWII epics. 

Lewis also examines the movie's reception during its original release, and he maintains that the film has managed to stand the test of time as a riveting and monumental production. I must admit that my appreciation for A BRIDGE TOO FAR has grown over the years. Some of the individual sequences are quite stunning, especially the recreation of the massive Allied paratroop drop. In an age of over-reliance on cartoonish CGI and over the top editing effects, Richard Attenboough's understated direction and the movie's top-notch practical effects and battle sequences go a long way. Simon Lewis makes the case with MAKING A BRIDGE TOO FAR that Joseph Lewis and Attenborough created a great WWII spectacular, and, in probably the best compliment I can give to the book, made me want to see the movie all over again. 

THE BLACK WATCH

 

THE BLACK WATCH (1929) is director John Ford's first sound feature. I was enticed to seek it out after reading about it in the book JOHN FORD AT WORK, which I wrote a blog post on a week ago. 

THE BLACK WATCH is an Imperial Britain adventure story, taking place in 1914. The Great War has just broken out, and Captain Donald King (Victor McLaglen) is looking forward to going to France with the rest of his Scottish regiment, the Black Watch. However, King is sent out on a secret mission to India (the captain grew up in that country, and is familiar with its ways and culture). King isn't happy about not being able to fight with his regiment, and it doesn't help that in order to cover up his assignment, he is to pose as a drunken wastrel. King's mission is to infiltrate a band of renegade tribesmen who have fallen under the spell of a mysterious and beautiful young woman named Yasmani (Myrna Loy). The tribesmen look upon Yasmani as a goddess. King and Yasmani fall for one another, but the soldier is sworn to do his duty, no matter what. 

The JOHN FORD AT WORK book points out how innovative Ford was at using sound in THE BLACK WATCH. In the first part of the film, we hear bagpipes playing, regimental songs being sung, soldiers marching past cheering crowds, background noise, and a Muslim call to prayer. All these various sounds come off very distinct and clear--it appears Ford (and Fox Studios) wanted the audience to experience and appreciate the audio right from the start. 

It is during the dialogue scenes that THE BLACK WATCH reveals its early talkie status. When characters start to talk to one another, the story comes to a screeching halt. Most of the dialogue is recited verrrryyyy slowly, and there are plenty of clunky line readings. According to multiple John Ford biographies, Fox Studios had Lumsden Hare, a British actor who plays an officer in the film, supervise a number of dialogue scenes, particularly those involving Victor McLaglen and Myrna Loy. John Ford had nothing to do with these scenes, and it shows--they are very stilted and awkward. 

Ford and his cinematographer, Joseph August, did provide many atmospheric and expressionistic shot compositions, and they gave Myrna Loy some very exquisite close-ups. If all the music and background & incidental noise had been left in, and the dialogue muted out, THE BLACK WATCH would have been much better. 

Putting aside the sound issues, the plot of THE BLACK WATCH has plenty of problems as well. Once Captain King gets to India and begins his mission, the story goes off into fantasyland, as King unconvincingly woos Yasmani, and joins up with her band. King is led to the band's stronghold, an underground temple that resembles something one would see in an Indiana Jones movie. The temple is filled with sword & gun wielding militants, yet King, and a few companions, are able to take them down. 

If that's hard to believe, it's even harder to accept that a large group of fanatical Muslim tribesmen would be under the sway of a young woman. And it's even harder to accept that King and Yasmani would be attracted to each other. Victor McLaglen isn't exactly a dashing romantic hero--he's more the guy who would be best friends with the dashing romantic hero. John Ford would later learn how to use McLaglen properly--here the actor doesn't get any comedic moments, and he's too stiff and formal. Myrna Loy plays one of the many foreign temptress roles she got stuck in before she achieved mainstream success, and while she's gorgeous, she speaks so slowly it's as if she's in some sort of trance. (She even whips out a crystal ball at one point, to show King what his regiment is going through in France.) During the climax Yasmani reveals that she is white....and that she's a direct descendant of Alexander the Great!! (Apparently this was done to make it "okay" that King and Yasmani could have a relationship.) This wild revelation doesn't help Yasmani's fate. 

Info on THE BLACK WATCH states that John Wayne and Randolph Scott were extras in this film, but I didn't notice them, despite the fact that the version of the movie I viewed on YouTube was clear and sharp looking. 

John Ford fans will be more interested in seeing THE BLACK WATCH, especially with it being his first sound film. Viewing the movie one can see that it took Ford a bit before he achieved the proper rhythm for sound dialogue--but then again, that could be said for most film directors of the period. The story is reminiscent of better features such as THE FOUR FEATHERS and GUNGA DIN, but overall THE BLACK WATCH is basically a curio. 

THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH On Blu-ray From Vinegar Syndrome

 

I was seriously considering titling this post "What would you pay to see Hazel Court naked??", but I thought that would be in bad taste. It does have to be stated, however, that the main selling point of this new 4K/Blu-ray release of a Hammer movie that already has been the subject of multiple HD versions is the fact that it contains shots of Hazel Court topless, shots that were considered lost for years. These shots have had a legendary reputation among Hammer geeks, so much so they have overshadowed the actual film itself. 

There's more than just the topless shots in this new restoration--the fiery climax is extended a bit, giving more exposure to the extreme old-age makeup sported by lead character Georges Bonnet, an effect that I must say is underwhelming. 

Vinegar Syndrome presents two versions of THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH on this special release: an uncensored version and a "Continental" version with the topless shots (which are very brief). This release has two discs, a 4K and a Blu-ray, and each disc contains both versions, with the Blu-ray having all the extras. 

The disc case states that THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH has been scanned and restored from 35mm camera negatives, and even though I just own a Blu-ray player, I have to say that this is one of the best Hammer transfers I've seen. It's much more colorful and sharper than the Kino Blu-ray of the movie that came out a few years ago, and it proves that the real stars of the film are cinematographer Jack Asher and production designer Bernard Robinson. 

Unfortunately despite the magnificent visuals, and more of the lovely Hazel, the story is still too talky and static, and Anton Diffring as Georges Bonnet, a man who has scientifically discovered how to live forever, is cold and not very interesting. THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH was based on a play (something the extras for this release remind one over and over again), and it feels like a stage production instead of an all-out Hammer Gothic. 

Vinegar Syndrome has given this release some exclusive packaging, such as a special case and a disc case slipcover with movie-inspired artwork. 

The extras include a program in which English Gothic expert Jonathan Rigby talks about THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH for about a half hour (ironically Rigby also was on an extra for the Kino Blu-ray of this title). Rigby mentions how the movie was developed, and why it isn't as well-remembered as the other Hammer horrors. Another program has Vic Pratt discussing Terence Fisher, and he basically mentions the typical Fisher attributes: he was a modest man, he was an efficient filmmaker, he was more interested in substance rather than style, etc. Melanie Williams provides a mini-bio of actress Hazel Court, specifically pointing out that Court had been acting onscreen for almost a decade before she started working for Hammer, and that the British film industry didn't seem to know what to do with her. (By the way, with the latest releases of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH, Court has been the beneficiary of two excellent restorations--she looks stunning in both of them.) 

There's also a very short interview with Hugh Harlow, who worked on the film as an assistant director, and he mainly states that he enjoyed the experience. An alternate censored ending is also included. 

This release also features a 40 page booklet, with three articles. Adrian Smith goes into the production history of the film, while Jon Dear's essay calls the film a "conceptual horror", while musing that Hammer might not have been the right company to make a version of this story. Finally Kieran Foster provides an appreciation of James Carreras, the high-living head of Hammer. One issue that I have with the booklet is that it has red lettering against all-black pages, and the text is not easy to read. 

A brand new audio commentary by Kim Newman and Stephen Jones is provided, and the two have a lively chat, discussing several facets about the movie, such as why Peter Cushing turned down the lead role, Jimmy Sangster's adaptation of the original story, and the acting careers of Anton Diffring and Hazel Court. 

Vinegar Syndrome's release of THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH is Region A. According to internet rumors the present-day Hammer is preparing their own release of this title. I assume that there is a rights issue that prevents Hammer from doing a home video release available for North America, much like the reason why there are American and English disc versions of the latest restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN. 

I have to say that THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH is not one of my favorite Hammers, but having a great-looking HD presentation of the truly uncut version of the film is worth buying it again. Vinegar Syndrome deserves many kudos for this special edition. 

Pass The Marmalade......AGAIN

 

It was five years ago that the Warner Archive released a restored version of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN on Blu-ray, with a number of new extras. I wrote a blog post on it and at the time I thought it was the best-looking version of the film I had ever seen. 

Now, there's been another major restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and the present-day Hammer company has gone all out to promote it, with a special showing of the movie at the very theater in London at which it premiered in 1957 (more about that later). This restored CURSE is also the basis of a super-special 4K/Blu-ray set released by Hammer. 

Unfortunately due to rights issues those in North America are not allowed from even attempting to buy this limited edition set from Hammer (it is a Region B release). The Warner Archive has stepped up to produce a Region A version of the set, a three-disc release. 

The Warner Archive COF release doesn't have all the bells & whistles that the Hammer version does, but it does feature three different aspect ratios of the film, four audio commentaries, and various extras on each of the three discs. 

I'm sure the first thing those reading this are wondering is, "How does this restoration look??" I purchased the Blu-ray version (I don't have a 4K player), and I have to say that the movie looks much brighter....and the colors are very vivid, almost to the point where at certain times they look enhanced. 

It's a fine restoration, to be sure, but the main reason I bought this was due to the many new extras. Included in them are programs on Hammer legends such as screenwriter Jimmy Sangster, makeup artist Phil Leaky, and cinematographer Jack Asher, with rare audio of Leaky and Asher discussing their work (this audio was provided by Richard Klemensen). There's also a look at the costume design for THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, with an appearance by actor Melvyn Hayes (who played the young Baron Frankenstein). 

This release also has a fourteen minute-long image gallery, with plenty of photos even I have never seen. I do have an issue with the gallery--the stills go by so fast one only gets a second or so to view them. (I guess if the gallery had been slowed down a bit, it would last twenty+ minutes long.) 

My favorite of the new extras is a wonderful feature where Hammer historian Wayne Kinsey and actress Madeline Smith (THE VAMPIRE LOVERS) visit the seaside town of Whitstable, in Kent, England. Whitstable is where Peter Cushing lived for many years, and Kinsey and Smith discuss Cushing's life while stopping by a number of places that the legendary actor had a personal connection with. 

If you're a major Hammer fan like me, you've more than likely bought THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN several times over the years on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray......so should you buy it again?? I'm not the type of person to say "You have to own this if you are a REAL fan", because, in the real world, most people have bills to pay and families to take care of. I will say this is a worthy purchase--but the Warner Archive Blu-ray from 5 years ago is more than acceptable. 

I love the fact that the present-day Hammer is releasing all these jam-packed box sets, but let's face it, they're not cheap, and because they are produced in England, you're going to have to pay plenty when it comes to shipping & handling due to current events. And there's something else to consider--how many times can you buy the same movies over and over again?? There's already a few Hammer titles I've bought multiple times on Blu-ray, including a special version of a title that arrived at my house today, and which I'll be writing a blog post on soon. How many times have you heard or read, "This is the ultimate version of this film", only to find out a couple years later there's another release that supposedly is even better looking and has unearthed footage and/or brand new extras? 

I think the most important thing about this new COF Blu-ray is the fact that Warners and Hammer worked closely together to make it happen....and that may mean other Hammers that were released in the U.S. by Warners could be on the docket for super-special restorations and home video releases. I'm referring to Hammer titles such as THE MUMMY, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, and, of course, HORROR OF DRACULA. 

In a way, the films made by Hammer are like the supernatural creatures contained in them--you keep encountering them over and over again, and just when you believe you are done with them, they come back, stronger than ever. 

As for that recent London showing of the new restoration of THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, my great buddy Joshua Kennedy was in attendance--and he was Martine Beswicke's escort!! No Blu-ray extra can match that!!

DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE On Blu-ray From Kino

 

A few months ago Kino released on Blu-ray THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE, an early Seventies picture directed by Jess Franco that was the last gasp of German producer Artur Brauner's Dr. Mabuse film series. Now Kino has gifted us with DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE, a 1971 movie that is also directed by Franco, and is also a poor cousin of another group of films produced by Artur Brauner, this time a series of Bryan Edgar Wallace adaptations. 

Kino uses DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE as the title on this Blu-ray's disc case, but the title on the actual film is DER TODESRACHER VON SOHO (THE AVENGER OF SOHO). This movie is also known as THE CORPSE PACKS HIS BAGS. Whatever its moniker, the film is a remake of the very first entry in Artur Brauner's Krimi outings based on the works of Bryan Edgar Wallace (son of Edgar). The original DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE is not on Eureka's Bryan Edgar Wallace set, so I have not seen it....but I'm sure it's much better than the remake. 

The 1971 DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE has been called by some the last classic Krimi story, but for me it feels more like a typical weird Jess Franco flick than a German crime thriller. This DEATH is in color (in my opinion the best Krimis are in black & white), and while the main credits are set against footage of London, you don't believe for a second that this story takes place in England. (The movie was filmed in Spain.) The confusing plot involves a spate of murders where the victims are knifed in the back, and a suitcase packed with their belongings is found at the scene. A mod Scotland Yard detective (Franco regular Fred Williams) is on the case, but things get stranger and stranger, with elements such as a drug ring and a number of suspects who have secret identities. 

I wrote a blog post on THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE this summer, and much of what I said about that movie applies here. Franco and his cinematographer Manuel Merino provide plenty of unusual camera angles and shot compositions, but perhaps they should have spent more time on story construction and more effective editing--the plot gets more confusing as the movie goes along, and it feels as if a few scenes were cut out, or not even filmed to begin with. (It doesn't help that every time a victim is stabbed in the back by a thrown knife, a loud cartoon-like BBBWWWWOOONNNGGG!!! sound can be heard.) The story has a few of Jess Franco's traits, such as a nightclub scene with a exotic performer, multiple women being tied up and threatened with violence, and a remote hideout that happens to have a laboratory, but overall DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE is very low-key when compared to the rest of Franco's career. (Jess Franco himself has a very small role.) The poster image on the Blu-ray case is way more atmospheric than anything in the story. 

The cast includes a few Krimi veterans such as Horst Tappert, Barbara Rutting, and Seigfried Schurenberg, along with plenty of attractive women, but none of the characters really makes a mark on the viewer. Rolf Kuhn's peppy music score does remind one of the soundtracks for the classic Krimis of the 1960s. 

The disc case for DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE states that the movie is presented in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, but it's actually in 1.37:1. The visual quality is sharp and clear (this film looks way better than THE VENGEANCE OF DR. MABUSE). The credits are in German, along with the dialogue track, and English subtitles are provided. 

The only extra is a fine audio commentary by Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson. Both men are Franco admirers, but even Troy admits that the plot doesn't make much sense. The duo do have great appreciation for Franco's visual style in this picture, and they give out plenty of info on the production and the many links most of the cast and crew have with Jess Franco's directorial career. 

I must admit if it wasn't for my recent interest in the Krimi genre overall I probably wouldn't have bought this Blu-ray. DEATH PACKS A SUITCASE doesn't have enough Jess Franco elements in it to make it a true Jess Franco outing, and it doesn't have enough of a Krimi sensibility to make it a proper Krimi. It's an odd picture overall.