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A Lizard in a Woman's Skin
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - Australia - Umbrella Entertainment Review written by and copyright: James-Masaki Ryan (28th August 2024). |
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The Film
 "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" ("Una lucertola con la pelle di donna") (1971) Carol Hammond (played by Florinda Bolkan) is a young woman who is having a series of odd and disturbing nightmares that are filled with sex and drugs which she cannot explain. There are also vivid dreams of her having sexual encounters with Julia Durer (played by Anita Strindberg), her next door neighbor who sometimes hosts wild parties that disturb the Hammond residence with the noise. But Carol has a horrific dream in which she stabs and kills Julia which unsettles her even further when the Julia is found murdered by stab wounds. Scotland Yard Inspector Corvin (played by Stanley Baker) discovers fingerprints of Carol's at the murder scene and Carol's psychiatrist Dr. Kerr (played by Jorge Rigaud) confirms that Carol had told him about the situation vividly. Did Carol actually murder her neighbor without being conscious or is there something more disturbing at play? Filmmaker Lucio Fulci had a varied career as a director of westerns, science fiction, dramas, and especially a fair number of slapstick comedies in the 1950s and 1960s. But 1969 was a turning point in both his career and personal life. His film "One on Top of the Other" was his first Giallo thriller and the historical murder thriller "Beatrice Cenci" was released soon after. The films were of a darker tone than what Fulci had been previously known for, though these would shape his future direction in filmmaking, away from the slapstick and into the unsettling worlds of suspense and horror. It was also a tragic period for him, as his wife committed suicide after she learned that she had inoperable cancer, which was found to be a misdiagnosis afterwards. He returned to work with the 1971 release of "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin", a Giallo that showcased psychedelic visuals, repressed emotions, sensual sex, and gory violence that was subversive, complex, and extravagant - unlike anything he had ever directed while also bridging the gap between his past and present. There are nods to Alfred Hitchcock sprinkled throughout the feature, especially with "Vertigo" in the psychological mystery and "The Birds" directly in a moment with bats rather than birds, though the complexities go further beyond. The plot itself of a woman whose dreams become deadly premonitions might be fairly simple, and if the story stayed only on the Carol character it might be fairly straightforward as a psychological thriller. But the script throws in a number of other characters into the plot, such as Carol's lawyer husband Frank (played by Jean Sorel), her best friend Deborah (played by Silvia Monti), Carol's stepdaughter Joan (played by Ely Galleani), and her politician father Edmond Brighton (played by Leo Genn) each being woven into the narrative that may or may not provide clues to Carol's recent behavior and the murder that was committed. In addition, here are Jenny (played by Penny Brown) and Hubert (played by Mike Kennedy), two hippies that appear in her dreams that are seemingly close to the details of the murder. Visually, the film's dream sequences are vivid with colors, use slow motion, and explicit with the murder sequence. The art direction by Nedo Azzini is wonderful and the cinematography by Luigi Kuveiller is absolutely creative. In addition, there are some horrifically disturbing sequences such as Carol seeing her family members with deformed faces and also a scene in with a group of vivisected yet still living dogs in a laboratory. The lesbian love scenes have some nudity and are suggestive, which at the time was quite controversial, as was the dog scene in which Fulci and the production were almost charged with animal cruelty, though effects man Carlo Rambaldi proved to the courts that animatronics were used rather than torturing real dogs. The film confronts an unexpected death and the guilt of one being a subconscious antagonist, which was clearly on Fulci's mind and is a profound and emotionally devastating reaction, though "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" is a mystery that goes deep into a complex hole of sex, drugs, and madness with fascinating, if sometimes baffling results. The film is a whirlwind with red herrings, unusual plot details, and characters that may or may not give answers to the complexities. What is fascinating is how the audience must try to find the correct pieces to fit the narrative and that not everything is as it seems with what is presented. The narrative may cause frustration for some as it may have some illogical and questionable moments, but the flaws in this case makes for intrigue. In addition, without major spoilers, the ending and the solved mystery does feel a little lackluster in comparison to how the events unfold along the way, and with repeated viewings there are some inconsistencies to be pointed out. But Fulci created an experience that is visceral and complex that will stay in the minds of viewers not only for its story, but for the deeply disturbing as well as beautiful visuals. There are paintings by Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon and others that are present and brought into the world of Carol's nightmares and include the use of makeup effects as well as animation for the horrific sequences. Wonderful praise should be given to the score by Ennio Morricone in one of his best soundtracks, though it may work better as an album on its own. The film's repeated theme "The Lizard" is one of the most gorgeous and best compositions of his long and illustrious career with its whimsical rhythms, sensual vocals, and beautiful melody. First hearing it through the 1996 compilation album "Mondo Morricone" years before seeing the actual film, it doesn't seem to fit the mysterious tone of the film as it has a lighthearted feel throughout. The rest of the soundtrack is excellent as well, with some moody pieces as well as the psychedelic ones. Interestingly the soundtrack never had a commercial physical release until it was issued on CD in 1996, which was later reissued on vinyl in the 2000s. "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" was an Italian-Spanish-French co-production, though it was mostly shot in England with actors from various countries, with Bolkan being Brazilian, Sorel being French, Mike Kennedy being German, Rigaud being Argentinian, Brown being American, Monti and Galleani being Italian, and Baker and Genn being English. The production was mostly shot in English though some actors were speaking their mother tongue on set which would be redubbed later as all Italian productions were at the time. The film premiered in Rome on February 18th, 1971 by Fida Cinematografica and expanded throughout the country in the later weeks. It received a US release by American International Pictures from October 13th, 1971 under the title "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin", though they would reissue it two years later on March 20th, 1973 under the new title "Schizoid". The AIP versions were shortened versions of the film, missing some plot sequences and some violence. While it received some controversy due to the sexual content and violence, it was not a major hit. Fulci did consider it one of his best works, though he lamented that it did not receive much notice, it became a cult favorite with higher reappraisals in later years especially with the visual and narrative creativity. With differing versions of the film in existence in differing countries, it was difficult to see a complete version of the film for many years whether on VHS or DVD, being transferred from differing sources. Studio Canal restored the film in 2015 from original elements with the original English credits and presented the longest version available at a runtime of 104 minutes, which was much longer than the 95 minute American version that AIP prepared many years ago and longer than some European versions which had some scenes removed. It's an early example of the Giallo genre that were cranked out in the 1970s in Italy, and has influenced other features of that decade as well as in more modern works such as "Last Night in Soho", though that film took a supernatural turn rather than a drug-infused one. It continues to spark interest and debate, as will continue to do so for years to come. Note this is a region ALL Blu-ray
Video
Umbrella Entertainment presents the film in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio in 1080p AVC MPEG-4. The transfer comes from rightsholder Studio Canal whose latest logo opens the film. Since its release the film has had a number of different versions out there, from different title cards for differing languages and shortened versions. This restoration from Studio Canal has the English language "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" logo with the English language opening and closing credits, and has the most complete version of the film. The restoration looks exceptional. The bold psychedelic colors of the dream sequences, the brightness of the outdoor sequences all look wonderful. Damage marks such as dust and scratches are very minimal, while film grain is still visible for a naturally filmic look. Detail is excellent and it is framed correctly in the theatrical aspect ratio. A great job on the restoration from Studio Canal and a great transfer by Umbrella Entertainment. Note that the film takes up 28GB of the dual layered disc which gives it much more breathing room in comparison to the single layered disc of the US Blu-ray release from Mondo Macabro. This is the fully uncut version of the film and the runtime is 104:14.
Audio
Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono Both the original Italian and English audio tracks are included in lossless mono. Like many Italian productions of the period, all audio including dialogue was post-synchronized. Most of the actors in the production spoke English on the set, so mouth movements for the most part synchronize better with the English audio track. The mono tracks sound very good, with Morricone's psychedelic cues and other pieces sounding excellent, with dialogue being clear throughout without any issues of dropout, hiss, pops, or other damage to be heard. The music and dialogue are well balanced and there are no particular issues to be had with either audio track. There are optional English subtitles available for the main feature, translating the Italian dialogue. There are some minor differences with the English script as well as some timing differences. They are in a white font, well timed and are easy to read. Note there were some portions of the film that were not part of the English language version, and therefore have no English dialogue recorded. When watching the film with the English audio, these portions will revert to the Italian audio track, with a second English subtitle track that translates only these portions.
Extras
Audio Commentary with Howard S. Berger and Troy Howarth (2024) This new exclusive commentary has writer and filmmaker Howard S. Berger and Troy Howarth, writer of the book "Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci and His Films" discuss about the film, Fulci, and more. Talked about are the difficult lead role that Bolkan had to play, the influences from Hitchcock and Polanksi, the visual techniques with split screen, the use of colors, the editing, information and biographies of a number of the cast and crew, their memories of Fulci and watching the film for the first time, the infamous dog sequence, and much more. in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Lucio in a Woman's Skin" 2024 Visual Essay by The Flying Maciste Brothers (20:06) Howard S. Berger and Kevin Marr, also known as The Flying Maciste Brothers produced this new and exclusive visual essay which looks at the painters and their work which are referenced in the film, the character of Carol and her nightmares, personal tragedies that faced Fulci, and more. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "One, No One and One Hundred Fulcis" 2024 Visual Essay by Howard S Berger and Francesco Massaccesi (35:40) This new and exclusive visual essay is filled with extensive clips of Fulci's filmography, covering everything from his early comedies to his westerns as well as the better known suspense and horrors, with identifying Fulci marks for each work. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English/Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 with burned-in English subtitles for the Italian portions "Down Dangerous Roads - Kim Newman on Stanley Baker" 2024 interview (11:54) Film historian and critic Kim Newman looks at the career of Baker, from his early roles to his breakout features, being a high contender for the James Bond role which he never got, as well as some of his failed works and his early death. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "Shedding the Skin" 2005 documentary (with optional commentary by Kris Gavin) (33:48) This vintage documentary directed by Kris Gavin looks at the making of the film, told through various interviews with the cast and crew which includes Bolkan, Sorel, Rimbaldi, Kennedy, and Penny Brown who also introduces and narrates. It has the cast and crew discussing the characters, the themes, working with Fulci, the effects work, and much more. The documentary also includes an optional commentary by Gavin who discusses his early career and getting into the work of making featurettes and documentaries, and how he was able to get the participants for this particular one. He has some great stories to tell such as how ecstatic Bolkan was to tell her stories and how surprisingly easy it was to get the participants to talk on camera at the time. The documentary is in English, French, Italian depending on the speaker and there are burned-in English subtitles included. Note the documentary has a 2003 copyright, but was first released in 2005 on the US Media Blasters DVD. The commentary was originally recorded for the 2015 US Mondo Macabro Blu-ray release. in 1080p 30fps AVC MPEG-4, in 1.33:1, in English/French/Italian Dolby Digital 2.0 with burned-in English subtitles for non-English portions "When World's Collide - Stephen Thrower on A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" 2015 interview (29:03) This interview with Stephen Thrower, author of the book "Beyond Terror: The Films of Lucio Fulci" discusses about the film, in where it stands in the Giallo genre, its complex narrative, the use of split screen, the various London locations, the uses of flashbacks, the violence and gore, the legacy, and more. Note this was originally released on the US Mondo Macabro Blu-ray release. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles "From Burton to Baker" 2015 interview with actor Tony Adams (12:29) This interview with actor Tony Adams has him recalling about his early career and being cast in the film as the thick glasses wearing police officer without a character name. He recalls about the intimidating Stanley Baker, remembering that he had many more scenes shot that were eventually deleted, having to wear the blindingly thick glasses for the role which was troublesome, working with the Italian crew, and more. Note this was originally released on the US Mondo Macabro Blu-ray release. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.78:1, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 without subtitles Alternate Italian Opening Credits (1:25) The Italian language credits are here, which is identical in style and content to the English except for the language difference. There is a lot of print damage with scratches and speckles throughout, without any restoration tools applied. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in 1.85:1, Dolby Digital 2.0 mono without subtitles Trailers (5:00) Three theatrical trailers of the film are presented here. The first is the French trailer, which showcases the abstract scenes and the horror, without any context or dialogue. The second trailer is an American one with the “A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin” title and is has dialogue sequences and shows the psychedelic nature and the suspense aspects. The third is the American trailer with the “Schizoid” title and is heavy on the suspense. The French trailer is quite blurry and flat sounding and in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio. The “A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin” trailer also is not quite sharp and has some damage marks visible, and is in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The “Schizoid” trailer is the sharpest and has the deepest colors, though it has noticeable speckles and damage and is presented in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in various ratios, in English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono without subtitles "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" trailer "Schizoid" trailer Lucio Fulci Trailer Reel for "One on Top of the Other", "Schizoid", "Don't Torture a Duckling", "Four of the Apocalypse", "The Psychic", "Zombie", "Zombies 2", "Contraband", "City of the Living Dead", "The Black Cat", "The Beyond", "The House by the Cemetery", "The New York Ripper", "Manhattan Baby", "Conquest", "Rome, 2072AD: The New Gladiators", "Thunder Rock", "The Devil's Honey", "Aenigma", "Zombi 3", "The House of Clocks", "The Sweet House of Horrors", "Nightmare Concert", "Cat in the Brain", "Voices from Beyond", "Fulci for Fake" (75:35) Presented here is a very lengthy reel of trailers for films directed by Fulci as well as the 2019 documentary on his life. As they all come from differing sources, they have differing quality depending on the title. It should be noted that the "Schizoid" trailer for some reason has much better colors than the individual trailer listed above. Some of the trailers have the Italian title cards and audio, such as "Don't Torture a Duckling" and "Nightmare Concerts", though “Four of the Apocalypse” has Italian titles but the audio is in English. “Thunder Rock” is the German title for "Murder Rock" and is presented in German. The only non-English language trailer that has subtitles which are burned-in is the "F for Fulci" trailer. in 1080p AVC MPEG-4, in various ratios, in Dolby Digital 2.0 As stated the film was released in multiple editions on DVD and Blu-ray in the past, with differing versions of the film and differing extras. Note that all Blu-ray releases worldwide feature the fully uncut 104 minute version of the film. It was first released on the format in France by Le chat qui fume, which was a 3-disc set that had the uncut version, the French VHS version, a series of newly conducted interviews, the full soundtrack album on CD, and more. The US release by Mondo Macabro in 2016 had a differing selection of extras, with newly conducted interviews, a new commentary, the "Shedding the Skin" documentary with optional commentary, and more. Umbrella Entertainment's Blu-ray shares a few of the US Mondo Macabro extras but also has a few exclusives of its own. "La Lucertola" by Ennio Morricone, the continuous theme for Carol and a highlight of the film's soundtrack
Packaging
The disc is packaged in a clear keep case. The inlay has alternate Italian artwork on the inside. The packaging mistakenly states region B only, as it is a region ALL disc. It is also available with a limited edition slipcover exclusively from the Umbrella Web Shop. It is also available in a Collector's Edition, limited to 1000 copies exclusively from the Umbrella Web Shop which also includes a 48 page book featuring essays from Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Kris Gavin, behind-the-scenes, experiences and art, an original poster art rigid slipcase, an original poster art slipcase, 8 artcards, and an A3 reversible poster. The booklet starts with the essay "Unraveling the Lizard's Skin" by Kris Gavin, which looks at the unusual case of an Italian-Spanish-French co-production being mostly shot in England and the painstaking research on the many uncredited Britsh actors in the film. Next there is information on Eibon Toys, which was a company that was ready to produce horror themed toys in the 1990s with a creative range of "The Fulci Collection" figures, but unfortunately was never to be as a fire destroyed the manufacturing plant and warehouse before they were able to mass produce their goods. There is also "Swans, Guts, and Screaming Popes: Salvador Dali, Francis Bacon and A Woman in a Lizard's Skin" by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas on painters and filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and their works being directly referenced by Fulci in various works. Then there is also a text interview with poet Atticus Frost as well as some of his poems inspired by Fulci's works. Also included are 8 artcards, with six of them being black and white stills from the film's production. There is also one reproduction of "The Devout Followers of the Fulci Covenant Pledge" and one reproduction of its membership card mail in order with other Fulci themed goods. The double sided poster has a "Schizoid" US poster which uses the same artwork base as the slipcase cover, while the opposite side has the Spanish poster with the title "Una lagartija con piel de mujer". The poster is folded and found in the keep case, which along with the slipcover, the booklet and the artcards fit inside the hard slipcase. 
Overall
"A Lizard in a Woman's Skin" has its flaws, but is a deeply fascinating and disturbing work from Lucio Fulci that was a major turning point in his filmography. Umbrella Entertainment has given the film a fantastic Blu-ray release, with a number of new and exclusive extras plus some vintage extras with a stellar transfer of the uncut version. Highly recommended.
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