Symptoms coming to Blu-Ray

[Ignatius Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ignatius]

Last but not least is a title which has been rescued from the BFI's 'Most Wanted' list (the record of important British feature films that are considered lost) after the recent discovery of the original negative: José Ramí³n Larraz's dark and disturbing Symptoms (1974). Britain's official Palme d'Or entry at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival, the film was given the briefest of theatrical releases, but aside from a screening on British television in the early 80s it disappeared into obscurity. The BFI's Flipside release presents the film in a stunning new restoration along with a wealth of essential extra features, including new interviews with its stars Angela Pleasence and Lorna Heilbron, and is being produced in collaboration with the great US label Mondo Macabro.

The latest BFI press release has a wonderful little nugget tucked away at the end of it: the negative for Symptoms has been found and the BFI are releasing it on Blu-Ray in collaboration with Mondo Macabro!

[Clive Smith noodle doodle Find all posts View Profile Close Clive Smith]

At long, long last! This really is one of my most wanted. Peter Vaughan too.

[Tom Clark Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tom Clark]

Greatest home video news since the announcement of Borowczyk's Dr. Jekyll. One of the best 70's horror films and when all is said and done probably Larraz's magnum opus.

[Andrew Monroe Pallid Hands Find all posts View Profile Close Andrew Monroe]

At long, long last! This really is one of my most wanted.

Same here. Great news! I really wondered if this would ever happen. Can't think of a better company to work with than MM too.

Now, since we're rolling boxcars here, how about getting WHIRLPOOL, DEVIATION, and SCREAM AND DIE on BD as well. Then I can shuffle off this tilt-a-whirl a relatively happy man.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Word on the street is that MM will be handling a domestic release.

[Gary Banks Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Gary Banks]

I'm in!!

[slizwiz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close slizwiz]

Yes! I friggin' love Symptoms.

[John Bernhard Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close John Bernhard]

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Official Press Release:

For years only viewable as a blurry bootleg derived from an early 80s British TV broadcast, this haunting thriller can now be seen as it was intended with a brand new HD transfer of the recently discovered negatives. It's taken us more than 15 years of searching and negotiating to get here, but with the indispensable assistance of the BFI we can finally bring this film to the world on Blu-ray and DVD.

Symptoms is an intense and claustrophobic study of a woman's descent into madness and murder. Made in the same years as Larraz's better known Vampyres with much of the same crew and a similar vibe, Symptoms is more atmospheric and ambiguous, and less exploitative. But it casts a powerful spell and is perhaps the most potent example of director Jose Larraz's unique style.

Starring Angela Pleasance (From Beyond the Grave) in what is probably her best ever role, Symptoms is a film whose time has finally come. After premiering at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival as the official UK entry and a brief theatrical run, the film sank into almost complete obscurity until being rescued from oblivion by books like Tohill and Tombs' Immoral Tales and the ever-diligent video underground. With this stunning new blu ray release Symptoms can now be seen as the masterpiece of 70s horror that it truly is.

Mondo Macabro's Blu-ray and DVD releases will be out in early spring, and will include the following extras:

The 2011 documentary on Jose Larraz, ON VAMPYRES AND OTHER SYMPTOMS
FROM BARCELONA to TUNBRIDGE WELLS, a 1999 TV documentary on Larraz, part of the EUROTIKA! series
New interviews with stars Angela Pleasence and Lorna Heilbron and editor Brian Smedley-Aston

The retail version of this release will be preceded by a limited, numbered version (500 copies only) with exclusive extras, only available through our webstore MondoMacabro.BigCartel.com

[Clive Smith noodle doodle Find all posts View Profile Close Clive Smith]

Now, since we're rolling boxcars here, how about getting WHIRLPOOL, DEVIATION, and SCREAM AND DIE on BD as well.

Ha, absolutely. I'm sure Paul will notice soon and add his tuppence-worth.

[slizwiz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close slizwiz]

Now, since we're rolling boxcars here, how about getting WHIRLPOOL, DEVIATION, and SCREAM AND DIE on BD as well. Then I can shuffle off this tilt-a-whirl a relatively happy man.

And Estigma!

[s.chivers Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close s.chivers]

So are we saying the Bfi are releasing this in the UK and Mondo Macarbro are releasing it in the US?

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Correct.

[Tom Clark Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tom Clark]

And Estigma!

I believe Code Red has been teasing Stigma, Black Candles and Deadly Manor for a while now. More Larraz on disc is a good thing no matter the film although it goes without saying that this announcement of Symptoms is massive. Hopefully it'll get Larraz's name out there to more people. His day is long overdue. Great that Celia Novis' doc on Larraz is included as an extra. Been itching to see that since I first heard of it.

Now, since we're rolling boxcars here, how about getting WHIRLPOOL, DEVIATION, and SCREAM AND DIE on BD as well.

Boy howdy. You know, some time back a short clip from Whirlpool dubbed in Italian was uploaded to YouTube. The quality was almost VHS, miles better than the time coded print everyone has seen. The clips been gone for a while now but seeing even such a short bit of the film in better condition than what was thought to be the only print was an eye opener to say the least.

[Clive Smith noodle doodle Find all posts View Profile Close Clive Smith]

Symptoms coming to Blu-Ray

Great that Celia Novis' doc on Larraz is included as an extra. Been itching to see that since I first heard of it.

I emailed her a couple of years ago to see if this was going to be distributed somehow but got no response. Very excited that it's part of the package. I just wonder if the MM and BFI will be the same beast...