Guest Blu-ray Review: CALTIKI: THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (1959)

CALTIKI:  THE IMMORTAL MONSTER
Directed by:  Riccardo Freda and Mario Bava
Distributed by Arrow Films / MVD Entertainment Group

  I haven't had a guest review posted on my website in a long time.  I figured it's about time to change that.  You're all probably tired of my ramblings anyway!   This time though, you don't get just one guest reviewer, you get two!  It's not a fellow blogger, or a known writer, either.  Nope, this time the guest review is being done by my twin 10 year old boys!   I don't review too many horror films that the boys can watch with me, so they were super excited to be able to watch this one.  It's a pretty tame black and white horror film from 1959 called CALTIKI:  THE IMMORTAL MONSTER.  Here's the synopsis of the film courtesy of the MVD website:

 Arrow Video presents a collaboration between two giants of Italian cult cinema - Riccardo Freda (The Vampires, The Horrible Dr Hichcock) and Mario Bava (5 Dolls for an August Moon, Blood and Black Lace)! A team of archaeologists led by Dr John Fielding (John Merivale, Circus of Horrors) descends on the ruins of an ancient Mayan city to investigate the mysterious disappearance of its inhabitants. However, the luckless explorers get more than they bargained for when their investigation of a sacrificial pool awakens the monster that dwells beneath its waters - the fearsome and malevolent god Caltiki. Though Riccardo Freda received sole directing credit, a significant portion of the film was in fact the work of Mario Bava, who also served as its cinematographer and was responsible its striking special effects. Drawing on a diverse array of influences, from The Quatermass Experiment to the works of HP Lovecraft, Caltiki the Immortal Monster is a unique and unforgettable sci-fi chiller which showcases these two legendary filmmakers at their most inventive. Presented here for the first time in a newly restored high definition transfer, Caltiki shines - and terrifies! - like never before.

  I've shown my kids THE BLOB (1958) and THE BIRDS (1963), and they loved those, so I figured they would enjoy this one.  I also knew being from 1959 (and doing a little internet research) that it was going to be tame enough to let them watch it.   So here you go, each review is just a short paragraph, but I think they did a pretty good job!   **SPOILER ALERT **  Bewarned, there are some spoilers in these reviews! 

 
  I have not seen too many horror movies in my life but I enjoyed this one. Caltiki came out in 1959 so it was tame enough for me to watch.  This movie had good parts and bad parts. One of my favorite scenes was when Max was running from the police. It was very intense and kept me on the tip of my chair.  Another one of my favorite scenes were when the mother and the baby were crawling outside the windows trying to escape from the monster that was taking over their house.  Something that I really enjoyed about this movie was the music. I think it really fit the movie considering the intensity of it. Also considering the effects were not as great as they are today back in the late 50’s,  these effects were pretty good. A few things bad were that some of the story was sort of hard to follow. Also, they quickly came to the conclusion that you could just burn him, making him not that immortal. Over all the movie was great.  Good for someone who doesn’t want something too scary, but just a little creepy.
   - Levi

  I am not the biggest horror movie fan but I enjoyed “Caltiki the immortal monster” because it was not as scary as some as the new movies coming out today. I liked the scenery on the jungle ruins, they showed a lot of hard work and effort put into them. The music was not often played as in some other movies, but when it was played it sounded really good! The effects were good for the time of 1959. A bad thing that I found was that the natives wore American looking clothing instead of tribal and/or old clothes. Another not so great thing was that they said “You can only kill it with fire but they only tried 2 things, guns and fire.  It’s more like “Caltiki the bullet proof monster”. Also they killed the “immortal” monster and there wasn’t even a twist ending that he was still alive, so much for immortal! Finally the fire effects and fire tanks where really cool! If you love horror movies or even if you're not a big fan like me,  you can still enjoy this movie whoever you are.
  - Luke
 

Well, there you have it.  I couldn't have said it better myself!  I think they did a great job and I found it interesting that they both mentioned the music in the film, pretty good observation I thought.

CALTIKI:  THE IMMORTAL MONSTER is available now from Arrow Video and MVD Entertainment and contains the following special features:

Brand new 2K restoration of the film from the original camera negative

High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations

Original mono Italian and English soundtracks (lossless on the Blu-ray Disc)

Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack

Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack

New audio commentary by Tim Lucas, author of Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark

New audio commentary by Troy Howarth, author of The Haunted World of Mario Bava and So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films

From Quatermass to Caltiki, a new discussion with author and critic Kim Newman on the influence of classic monster movies on Caltiki

Riccardo Freda, Forgotten Master, an archival interview with critic Stefano Della Casa

The Genesis of Caltiki, an archival interview with filmmaker Luigi Cozzi

Archival introduction to the film by Stefano Della Casa

Alternate opening titles for the US version

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing by Kat Ellinger and Roberto Curti

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

DVD Review: MEMORY OF THE DEAD

 
MEMORY OF THE DEAD
Directed by Valentín Javier Diment
Distributed by Artsploitation Films

  I have said it before and I will say it again...I LOVE foreign horror films!  There are so many great horror movies being made all over the world, you owe it to yourself to check out some of these great foreign films!  I just watched a film from Argentina called MEMORY OF THE DEAD.  This was a visually stunning film that was heavily influenced by some of the top names in horror.   Here is the basic plot synopsis from the Artsploitation website:

  A stylish supernatural shocker that has been a hit at film festivals around the world. Argentina’s Memory of the Dead boasts some terrifying FX setpieces bathed in a candy-colored visual palette that makes Mario Bava’s gothic classics look monochromatic by comparison. Following the sudden death of her husband, Alicia assembles all his friends at a vast country manor for a reading of his final letter. But Alicia also has other plans in mind – helping her husband return from the grave with a spell that will put all of the gathered guests in mortal danger. Scary, hysterical and packed with mind-boggling visuals, Memory of the Dead is the cinematic equivalent of a funhouse ride.

  I love the reference comparing this film to a funhouse ride.  That is spot on as there is something different going on with each person in the house...a different surprise around every corner!  There are some crazy death sequences in this film, and just some crazy visuals all throughout the film.   One thing I noticed from the beginning was the excellent camera work.  There are some very cool shots throughout the film, great camera angles and such.

  It's interesting that this film was compared to a Mario Bava film in the plot synopsis.  I can totally see that, but I can also see influences from Dario Argento  (use of color),  and most of all, Sam Raimi and the EVIL DEAD films.  There are a few scenes taken directly from the EVIL DEAD films, a nice homage for sure!

  Fans of gore will be thrilled by this film...there are some crazy gore effects in this film, some that truly made me cringe, and I don't get bothered by too much!

  I highly suggest you check out MEMORY OF THE DEAD.  The DVD is available now from Artsploitation Films.


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

Check out VCI Entertainment's Huge 50% OFF Memorial Day Sale!!

  Check out this great message I just got in my email!  The great folks over at VCI Entertainment are having a huge 50% sale on their website!!   For those that don't know, VCI Entertainment is a distributor of some great classic films on DVD and Blu-ray (click HERE to see the list of their horror films). They have some great movies, including films from Dario Argento, William Castle, and Mario Bava, just to name a few! 
Here is the message I just received about this great sale:


  In honor of our troops, VCI Entertainment is offering all DVDs and
Blu-rays at 50% OFF our suggested retail price. Click here to visit our homepage.

  Enter the code VCIMEMDAY to receive the additional savings from our already discounted price. This code expires at 11:59 pm CST, Monday, May 27, 2013.
 

Thank You,

Christopher Rowe
Public Relations DirectorVCI Entertainment

 

All sales over $50.00 qualify for free ground shipping for any U.S. address.
This is a "website only" special, only available at vcient.com.
Offer valid once per customer and may not be combined with any other offer.

No, thank YOU Mr. Rowe and to all the great people at VCI Entertainment for honoring our troops and giving us movie buffs a great deal on some great DVD's and Blu-rays!