Lamberto Bava’s possessive creatures will be invading your home video systems, and bringing a bunch of special features with them.
Synapse Films will issue Bava’s DEMONS, in which a movie-theater audience is terrorized by supernatural creatures spawned by the film they’re watching, and DEMONS 2, in which the fiends emerge from a televised film to attack the residents of an apartment building, as a 4K Ultra HD double feature. Releasing October 19, this limited-edition (6,000 units) all-region set features new 4K restorations of both movies from the original 35mm camera negatives, presented in 2160p 1.66:1 widescreen and Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), with limited-edition O-card/slipcover packaging featuring new artwork by Juan José Saldarriaga and Chris MacGibbon, and reversible cover art. The package includes a reproduction of the original movie ticket from DEMONS, a special DEMONS 2 birthday party invitation and a fold-out poster of the DEMONS artwork BY Wes Benscoter. The complete contents of the discs are:
Disc 1: DEMONS
- Two versions of the film: the full-length original cut in English and Italian, and the shorter U.S. version featuring alternate dubbing and sound effects
- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English and Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes on the original cut derived from the archival audio masters
- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 U.S. theatrical mono audio newly remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films
- New audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain, co-hosts of the HELL’S BELLES podcast
- Audio commentary by director Lamberto Bava, effects artist Sergio Stivaletti, composer Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta
- “Produced by Dario Argento”: A new visual essay by author and critic Michael Mackenzie exploring the legendary filmmaker’s career as a producer
- “Dario’s Demon Days”: Interview with writer/producer Dario Argento
- “Defining an Era in Music”: Interview with Claudio Simonetti
- “Splatter Spaghetti Style”: Interview with longtime Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi
- “Carnage at the Cinema: Lamberto Bava and His Splatter Masterpiece”
- “Dario and Demons: Producing Monster Mayhem”
- “Monstrous Memories: Luigi Cozzi on DEMONS”
- “Profondo Jones: The Critical Perspective”
- “Splatter Stunt Rock”: Interview with Ottaviano Dell’Acqua
- Stivaletti Q&A at the 2019 UK Festival of Fantastic Films
- Original Italian and English international theatrical trailers
- U.S. theatrical trailer
- Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version
- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version
Disc 2: DEMONS 2
- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 5.1 and Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes derived from the original archival audio masters
- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 true stereo theatrical mix remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films
- New audio commentary by film critic Travis Crawford
- “Bava to Bava”: Interview with Luigi Cozzi on the history of Italian horror
- “Creating Creature Carnage”: Interview with Sergio Stivaletti
- “Demonic Influences: Federico Zampaglione Speaks”
- “The DEMONS Generation”: Roy Bava discusses a legacy in lacerations
- “The New Blood of Italian Horror” featuring Sergio Stivaletti
- “Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2” with Lamberto Bava
- “A Soundtrack for Splatter”: Interview with composer Simon Boswell
- “Together and Apart”: A new visual essay on the space and technology in DEMONS and DEMONS 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- Original Italian and English theatrical trailers
- Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version
- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version
Retail price is $79.95. Synapse will also release DEMONS and DEMONS 2 on a standard Blu-ray (Region A) two-disc set, featuring transfers remastered from the new 4K restoration. Due to space limitations on the 1080p Blu-ray format, a smaller set of supplemental features will be included: DEMONS will include all of the above except “Splatter Spaghetti Style,” “Carnage at the Cinema,” “Monstrous Memories: Luigi Cozzi on DEMONS,” “Profondo Jones: The Critical Perspective” and the Stivaletti Q&A; DEMONS 2 will include all of the above except “Bava to Bava,” “Demonic Influences” and “The New Blood of Italian Horror.” The set will also have 6,000 units released, and the retail price is $59.95. Both packages can be pre-ordered now at Synapse-Films.com and DiabolikDVD.com, and they’re also being distributed by MVD Entertainment.
