Death Laid An Egg

[Weirdlingwolf]

Jean-Louis Trintignant's somewhat inscrutable character confoundingly finds himself at the center of a truly bizarre, increasingly deadly conundrum in 'Death Laid an Egg', an idiosyncratic Italian thriller generously over-egged with obscure Freudian motifs, art house posturing, and bravura camera stylings; but it's the stylish thriller's gleeful lack of conformity that makes Questi's far from poultry film such a deliciously divisive proposition!

While this quixotic oddity contains the requisite murder, stridently squabbling in-laws, majestically micro-skirted dolly birds, it can only be considered a Giallo in the broadest sense, as maestro Guigli's sublimely skewed aesthetic is far more oblique and cerebral than the ubiquitously bloody black-gloves-of-death approach. Naturally, thriller convention plays a part here, but it cowers impotently betwixt a luxurious layer-upon-layer of deliriously psychedelicized absurdity! 'Death Laid an Egg' aka 'Morte Ha fatto L'uovo' might be a Bunuel-esque satire of middle-class malaise and crass, big business avarice, but in point of fact this fascinating 60s celluloid curiosity is simply far too enigmatic for banal reductionism, and forever remains that most precious of cinematic artefacts, a genuinely brain-scrambling midnight movie deserving of the highest praises indeed!

'Plucked from undeserved celluloid obscurity, maverick filmmaker Giulio Questi's 'Death Laid an Egg' is a clucking Giallo masterpiece which finally makes its sublimely skewed debut on this gorgeous looking, finely feathered HD restoration by the renowned wrong-headed Euro-cultists at Nucleus Films!' - Weirdlingwolf.

[Randy G]

Really enjoyed this as the kind of mix of genre and arthouse that I dig. Have the blu but have yet to give it a rewatch.

[Weirdlingwolf]

Jean-Louis Trintignant's character confoundingly finds himself at the center of a truly bizarre conundrum in 'Death Laid an Egg', an idiosyncratic 60s thriller generously over-egged with obscure Freudian motifs, art house posturing, and bravura camera stylings; but it's the stylish thriller's gleeful lack of conformity that makes Questi's far from poultry film such a divisive proposition. While this quixotic oddity contains the requisite murder, stridently squabbling in-laws, majestically micro-skirted dolly birds, it can only be considered a Giallo in the broadest sense, as maestro Guigli's sublimely skewed aesthetic is far more oblique and cerebral than the ubiquitously bloody black-gloves-of-death approach. Naturally, thriller convention plays a part here, but it cowers impotently betwixt a luxurious layer-upon-layer of delirious psychedelicized absurdity! 'Death Laid an Egg' aka 'Morte Ha fatto L'uovo' might be a Bunuel-esque satire of middle-class malaise and crass, big business avarice, but in point of fact this fascinating celluloid curiosity is simply far too enigmatic for banal reductionism, and forever remains that most precious of cinematic artefacts, a genuinely brain-scrambling midnight movie deserving of the highest praises indeed!

[Ian Jane]

Full press release for the Cult Epics release.

GIULIO QUESTI'S “DEATH LAID AN EGG” Special Edition premiering OCTOBER 13TH with new 2K transfers and bonus features in North America

Los Angeles, CA (August, 2020.)

3 years since the original DLAE release, Cult Epics is happy to announce it has reached a deal with Nucleus Films, UK to utilize their 2K Masters and have now produced a dual-layered Blu-ray with two new versions of the film and new bonus features as a Special edition of Death Laid an Egg, including a new audio commentary by Troy Howarth & Nathaniel Thompson, among others. Synopsis: Cult Epics is proud to present DEATH LAID AN EGG (1968), directed by auteur filmmaker Giulio Questi (DJANGO KILL!, ARCANA) and starring legendary leading man Jean-Louis Trintignant (THE CONFORMIST) as a married man and suspected serial killer, Gina Lollobrigida (BEAT THE DEVIL) as his delectable yet overly domineering careerist wife, and Swedish blonde bombshell Ewa Aulin (CANDY) as his murderous double-crossing mistress in this mystery thriller.

DEATH LAID AN EGG is an avant-garde giallo that is more pertinent today than when it was first released in terms of its quite modern depiction of the battle of the sexes and the perils of technology. This Special Edition includes the Director's cut, alongside the alternate International giallo “Plucked” version, both in fully restored 2K HD transfers, with completely new bonus features and limited edition slipcase printed with fluorescent inks to emulate the original theatrical poster.

DEATH LAID AN EGG (Special Edition) Blu-ray
Price: $34.95
Street Date: October 13, 2020
Production Year: 1968
Country: Italy
Video run time: Approx. 105/91 Mins
Language: English and Italian language w/optional English subtitles
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: LPCM 2.0 Mono
Label: Cult Epics
Distributor: CAV
Blu-ray Cat.no. CE-173
BD UPC: 88119001739
Rating: Not Rated
Region: Region Free

NEW SPECIAL FEATURES
. 2K HD Transfer (from original 35mm negative) of Director's cut version in English and Italian language (105 mins)
. Director's Cut Audio Commentary by Troy Howarth (Author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films vol. 1, 2, 3) and Nathaniel Thompson (Author of DVD Delirium and founder of Mondo Digital)
. 2K HD Transfer (from original 35mm negative) of alternate International giallo “Plucked” version in English and Italian language (91 mins)
. Review by Italian critic Antonio Bruschini HD
. Giulio Questi: The Outsider - the last interview HD 2010 (13 mins)
. Doctor Schizo and Mister Phrenic (2002) Short film by Giulio Questi (15 mins)
. English & Italian language Trailers HD
. Lossless LPCM 2.0 Mono audio
. Optional English subtitles for Italian language versions and trailer
. Dual-layered disc
. Slipcase with fluorescent inks & Reversible sleeve with original Italian poster limited to first 2000 copies printed

[fatboyslim142]

Received the package last week and I'm very happy with both releases. These are two beauties!

I realised that these are # 3 and 4 of Nucleus' "European Cult Cinema Collection" and placed them beside # 1 and 2, the equally great Jess Franco releases. Now I'm very interested what # 5 will be...

This one which is out next month over here in the UK.

[Derrick King]

Cult Epics is rereleasing this using the Nucleus restorations

2K RESTORATION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE COMPLETE DIRECTOR'S CUT prepared by Nucleus Films (104 mins)
NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE 'GIALLO' CUT prepared by Nucleus Films (91 mins)
NEW Audio Commentary by giallo expert Troy Howard and Nathaniel Thompson of Mondo Digital
Short film directed by Giulio Questi
Slipcase limited with fluorescent inks (first 2000 units only)
AND MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON

[fatboyslim142]

Man, I did not like this at all. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood for it, but I found it to be really dumb.

Depends wether you watch the BUTCHERED US release or not. The Nucleus release includes the complete UNCUT film.

[killer must kill again]

DJANGO KILL, another Questi film I didn't care for

really? this is easily in my top 10 of spaghetti westerns, but then again I'm a big fan of sw's with surreal or psychedelic images. stuff like yankee (tinto brass), johnny hamlet (castellari), requiescant, matalo! or dove si spara di pií¹.

[Jason C]

I did not enjoy DEATH LAID AN EGG. It's too swinging sixties for me. This is one of those films where the heavy handed anti-capitalist message was mildly obnoxious as well. That said, I loved the commentary track. I had a blast listening to Kim Newman and Alan Jones as pointed out amusing things like the fancy chicken artwork. The context they provided with many of their observations gives me hope that I could enjoy the Giallo version if I were to give any try sometime. They spoke of DJANGO KILL, another Questi film I didn't care for, which has me ready to give that film another go. So while the film wasn't my cup-of-tea, I'm thrilled to own it and can guarantee I'll give it another spin.

[John Bernhard]

Always been considered a polarizing title, nothing new there.

Still working through LADY F before I dig into EGG.
LADY F has stunningly awesome supplements. So great.

[Dom D]

Man, I did not like this at all. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood for it, but I found it to be really dumb.

I haven't seen this since the first Japanese DVD was released but that was my take on it when I saw it. Not sure if it's just not gelling with me or if it's the films rarity up till now that is responsible for the rep it's got.

[Matt H.]

Man, I did not like this at all. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood for it, but I found it to be really dumb.

[Stephen]

Received the package last week and I'm very happy with both releases. These are two beauties!

I realised that these are # 3 and 4 of Nucleus' "European Cult Cinema Collection" and placed them beside # 1 and 2, the equally great Jess Franco releases. Now I'm very interested what # 5 will be...

[Jason C]

Thanks mjeon. I'm anxiously waiting for these.

[mjeon]

I'm in Baltimore and mine arrived today.