BLU-RAY REVIEW

Day Of The Beast, The 4K Ultra HD

Featured In Issue 255, May/June 2021

Picture4
Sound4
WSR Score3.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Severin Films
(Catalog Number):
SEV4734UH
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$49.95
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
103
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
3/30/2021
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Alex de la Iglesia
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Subtitles):

"The Day Of The Beast" is a horror comedy about a rogue priest (Angulo) who discovers the exact date The Antichrist will be born. He enlists a Death Metal record store clerk (Segura) and a cheesy TV psychic (De Razza) for an urban spree of "gore, sacrilege and twisted humor" to prevent the Apocalypse by summoning Satan himself. (Gary Reber)

Special features include the feature-length documentary "Heirs Of The Beast" (HD 01:20:53), an "Antichrist Superstar" interview with Director Alex de la Iglesia (HD 28:11), "The Man Who Saved The World" interview with Actor Armando De Razza (HD 19:58), a "Beauty And The Beast" interview with Actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta (HD 17:09), the "Shooting The Beast" interview with Director of Photography Flavio Martinez Labiano (HD 02:36), the 1990 short film "Mirindas Asesinas (HD 12:28) and trailers.

The 1.85:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed on 35 mm film stock in spherical format and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format restored from the original negative. Still, grain can be noticeable at times. The color palette is generally satisfying, though, not particularly saturated, although at times hues are vivid. Fleshtones are acceptably natural. HDR contrast is compressed with generally wanting shadow delineation, though, blacks are deep but often crushed. Resolution is typically good throughout. Overall, the picture presents a nicely detail rendering of a cult classic. (Gary Reber)

The Spanish language DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is repurposed from the original Spanish track in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There also is an English dub in DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The surround track is far more spatially dimensional. Both the 5.1 and the 2.0 versions render atmospherics and sound effects with clarity. Dialogue is in Spanish with English subtitles, which can be optionally turned off or on. Overall, fans will be pleased with the sonically improved edition. (Gary Reber)