Is All the Colors of the Dark  Treasure or Trash?

Blu-ray Distributed By Severin Films / January 29, 2019

Even by extreme ‘70s standards, it remains among the more notorious – and disturbing – thrillers in genre history. Now experience “one of the most entertaining gialli you’ll ever see” (10k Bullets) like you’ve never seen it before: The luscious Edwige Fenech (STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER) gives the performance of her career as a woman tormented by visions of Satanic violence, hallucinatory horror and psychosexual insanity. George Hilton (THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH), Ivan Rassimov (EATEN ALIVE) and Susan Scott (EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS) co-star in this EuroShock masterpiece from director Sergio Martino (TORSO) and screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi (DEATH WALKS ON HIGH HEELS) – with “possibly one of the best horror scores of all time” (Scream Magazine) by Bruno Nicolai – now featuring a new 4k scan from the original negative and throbbing with exclusive Special Features!

Jamie’s Take  (2.5 / 5)

I must admit I had my expectations set too high going into this one. I loved Sergio Martino’s Torso and with a cast like Edwige Fenech, Ivan Rassimov and Susan Scott I was all ready to watch a giallo film I had never seen before. All the Colors of the Dark is not a giallo film even though the blu ray cover art makes one believe it is. The movie has more in common with Rosemary’s Baby than anything. That is not to say I didn’t like All the Colors of the Dark, despite feeling the Italians once again some what paid “homage” to another American film. The film however is more than just an Italian rip-off and deserves more respect than what I am initially giving it.

The absolutely stunning Edwige French stars as Jane Harrison, a woman suffering from strange hallucinogenic nightmares and visions which started after she experienced a car accident in which she lost her unborn baby. With feelings of remorse and guilt, Jane takes refuge by discussing her nightmares to her sister Barbara (Nieves Navarro from Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals) rather than discuss at great length with her boyfriend Richard (George Hilton from The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh) who seems to come across as stiff and cold.

While Jane continues to have these dreams and starts to see a strange man stalking her, Barbara wants Jane to see her psychoanalyst who may be able to help her. Richard on the other hand, feels that prescription drugs should do the trick. But it isn’t until Jane meets a neighbor who, along with Barbara, convinces Jane to take part in a Black Mass where Jane is promised that all her problems will go away.

Willing to try anything, Jane does so but soon quickly realizes her nightmares soon start to turn into reality. Is Jane losing her mind or is a Satanic cult out to get her?

The issue I had with All the Colors of the Dark is that the film plays so much with what is real and what is not, the plot quickly started to become convoluted to the point where I stopped caring and just wanted the movie to end. While I loved the gorgeous cinematography and the haunting dream-like visuals, it wasn’t enough to pull me into the story. The idea of a woman losing a child and being haunted by guilt is a beautifully tragic idea and yet Jane comes off as a nutball from the very beginning, constantly in a state of despair. I wanted to care for Jane and the movie doesn’t center so much on what she is coping with but rather these odd little Lynchian nightmares.

But I need to remember the Italians are not one to center so much on story as they are on substance and visuals. But even so, the film is at no point very scary and was less than thrilling. It was fine and very well made, no question but there were too many times where I said to myself, “I wish the movie did this…” or “What would be a better idea is if…”

Severin’s blu ray looks decent for the most part but I noticed the picture quality as being soft. It appears that some of the framing is reportedly off at times, with several fans complaining that Severin could have fixed these noticeable problems, This is rather surprising given Severin’s reputable quality of blu ray releases. Thankfully their special features are plentiful and some of the limited edition blu rays even come with a soundtrack CD of the music by Bruno Nicolai.

While writing this review I was bouncing back and forth between 2.5 to 3 cans as the film wasn’t bad by any means and I would recommend the film to fans of early Italian horror / suspense. But I asked myself if I would re-watch the film (which I did view this and the shorter American version They’re Coming to Get You) and no, I don’t think I’d ever go back and pop this in my player for old times sake. Because of that very reason I am sticking to my 2.5 can rating.

Hidden Treasure/Dumpster Fire?

Jamie says: One’s Trash is Another’s Treasure.

Jamie's Take:	(2.5 / 5)
Blu-ray Extras:	(4.0 / 5)
Average:	(3.3 / 5)

Special Features:

• They’re Coming To Get You: Alternate US Cut (88 mins.)
• Color My Nightmare: Interview with Director Sergio Martino
• Last Of The Mohicans: Interview with Screenwriter Ernesto Gastaldi
• Giallo is the Color: Interviews with Actor George Hilton & Italian Horror Expert Antonio Tentori
• Audio Commentary with Kat Ellinger, Author of All The Colors of Sergio Martino
• Trailers
• BONUS Disc: CD Soundtrack