Daughters of Darkness (Blue Underground 4K Blu-ray Review)

Is Daughters of Darkness Trash or Treasure?

Blu-ray Distributed By: Blue Underground / October 27, 2020

International screen icon Delphine Seyrig (LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD) stars as Elizabeth Bathory, an ageless Countess with a beautiful young companion (Goth goddess Andrea Rau) and a legendary legacy of perversion. But when the two women seduce a troubled newlywed couple (Canadian beauty Danielle Ouimet and John Karlen of DARK SHADOWS and CAGNEY & LACEY), they unleash a frenzy of sudden violence and depraved desire that shocked both art house audiences and grindhouse crowds worldwide.

Co-written and directed by Harry Kümel, DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS remains one of the most exquisitely mesmerizing adult horror films ever made. Blue Underground is now proud to present the uncensored Director s Cut of this classic psychosexual shocker in a gorgeous restoration, scanned in 4K 16-bit from its long-lost original 35mm camera negative, with Dolby Vision HDR and a new Dolby Atmos audio mix, packed with revealing Extras!

Jimbo’s Take (5 / 5)

You’re probably thinking, “C’mon Jimbo! 5 cans? Really?!” I know! I know! I rarely give 5 cans to anything. The Exorcist, my all-time favorite movie, gets 5 cans. John Carpenter’s The Thing, 5 cans. Does Daughters of Darkness really rise to the level that earns it 5 cans?

In short, I have nothing bad to say about this movie.

Nothing.

Zero criticisms.

From start to finish it’s a great movie. And it all starts with the casting and performance of Delphine Seyrig as Elizabeth Bathory. Ms. Seyrig is, to put it simply, captivating and seductive. Any time she is on screen she exudes an old world sophistication that conceals a subtle menace behind her soft, smoky voice. She plays the part so perfectly that it’s okay to feel both unsettled and aroused simultaneously.

And the rest of the cast hold their own. Danielle Ouimet is vulnerable and sympathetic as the new bride whilst John Karlen contrasts as the troubled husband with a secret. Last but not least is the alluring and provocative Andrea Rau as Madam Bathory’s mysterious companion.

The story of Daughter’s of Darkness is simple enough, but chilling and effective. An empty hotel, newlyweds, a mysterious couple… Eroticism. Lesbianism. Bloodletting. Creatures of the night… Murder! It’s all just so damn sexy and unnerving.

And there isn’t a wasted moment, scene, or beat throughout. Every scene leads to something else, that leads to an outcome, a revelation, or conclusion. The story structure is near perfect.

I had only seen Daughter’s of Darkness once prior to owning Blue Underground’s 4K UHD blu-ray. And since owning it, I have watched the film three more times. Once to watch the movie and experience the new transfer, the second to listen to the moderator/producer commentary, and the third to watch the movie again. I find the movie experience so re-watchable that I plan to watch it two more times to hear the other commentaries…

There is no doubt that Director Harry Kümel was helped tremendously by his cast, but his decisions throughout prove to be effective. The film creates a haunting, almost dreamlike, atmosphere that’s further perpetuated by the score. The ambience and mood surrounding the film takes on it’s own sensation of impending doom. And when a film can create a more visceral sensation that extends outside of the TVs glow, credit must be given to the filmmakers.

And if that wasn’t reason enough for 5 cans, my wife liked it…

You read that right! The wife enjoyed one of her husband’s ‘weirdo movies’ as she calls it. But she not only liked it… She really liked it…to the point where we were talking about it the next day. And that is why I find Daughter’s of Darkness so compelling and ‘5 can worthy’. Even days later, I feel the film’s imprint, darkness, and melancholy linger in my psyche.

The Tech Stuff (5 / 5)

If you already own Daughter’s of Darkness the new transfer is well worth the extra dip. It’s really that good. Blue Underground has been doing really fine work with their 4K blu-ray’s but this one simply blew me away. The first time I ever saw this movie there were image anomalies that I always assumed were inherent to the film itself. But when I watched this transfer, none of that was present. The film grain is natural, detail is crisp and fine, and the colors really pop. (I keep imagining Delphine Seyrig in that sequent dress!)

And anyone who knows me understands that I’m an audio purist. If a film was exhibited with a mono track, that’s all I need (and prefer). But those of you that like to open up your fancy surround sound system can do so with either the Dolby Atmos track (made exclusively for this release) or the previously released 5.1 DTS surround track. And those who are truly adventurous can watch it in French, though I personally see no need to do this since it is an English spoken film.

WORLD PREMIERE! New 4K Restoration from the long-lost original 35mm camera negative, supervised and approved by Director Harry Kümel
Ultra HD Blu-ray (2160p) and HD Blu-ray (1080p) Widescreen 1.66:1 Feature Presentation
Audio: English: Dolby Atmos; English: 5.1 DTS-HD; English: 1.0 DTS-HD; French: 1.0 DTS-HD
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, English for French Audio

Extras (5 / 5)

Most of the extras are recycled from older releases. But still, the amount of interviews and audio commentaries is nearly overwhelming. And none of them are boring! Often times discs have “filler featurettes” that offer little more than a synopsis of a character or plot point. But these interviews and commentaries really dig up some interesting backstory.

One of my favorite extras is the ‘Locations of Darkness’ interview with Co-Writer/Director Harry Kümel and Co-Writer/Co-Producer Pierre Drouot. The pair are refreshingly down to Earth and honest about their experience (or lack thereof). One of my favorite stories is about Kümel having a copy of the Kama Sutra to illustrate how he wanted his actors to pose during the erotic scenes. This is especially funny when star Danielle Ouimet gives her side of the story…

And as someone who found the soundtrack hauntingly beautiful, I was more than pleased that this release included a CD with the score.

Audio Commentary #1 with Co-Writer/Director Harry Kümel
Audio Commentary #2 with Star John Karlen and Journalist David Del Valle
NEW! Audio Commentary #3 with Kat Ellinger, Author of Devil s Advocates: Daughters of Darkness
Locations of Darkness – Interviews with Co-Writer/Director Harry Kümel and Co-Writer/Co-Producer Pierre Drouot
Playing the Victim – Interview with Star Danielle Ouimet
Daughter of Darkness – Interview with Star Andrea Rau
NEW! Theatrical Trailers
Radio Spots
NEW! Alternate U.S. Main Titles
NEW! Poster & Still Gallery
BONUS! DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by François de Roubaix
BONUS! Collectible Booklet with new essay by Michael Gingold
BONUS! 3D Lenticular Slipcover (First Pressing Only)
REGION FREE

Trash or Treasure? Overall Recommendation

Daughter’s of Darkness is easily one of my favorite releases of the year. Blue Underground’s new transfer is the reason to dip, double dip, or triple dip, depending on how many copies you previously own. It’s hard to imagine the video quality getting any better than this release. But who knows? Maybe one day 8K blu-ray will prove me wrong. Treasure!