Is Tombs of the Blind Dead Trash or Treasure?
Blu-ray Distributed By: Synapse Films / April 18, 2022
DON’T MOVE! DON’T BREATHE! DON’T MAKE A SOUND! THEY’RE COMING!
Amando de Ossorio’s unique 1971 Spanish shocker Tombs of the Blind Dead was an international horror hit that spawned three sequels and countless imitations.
The first of four official films in the series, it begins with a trio of friends getting together for a camping trip that quickly turns into bloodcurdling horror as a legion of long-dead Knights Templar rise from their graves in search of human flesh! When the Templars were originally executed for their cannibalistic rituals, they were hanged outside to die as crows pecked out their eyes. Now, armed with ancient swords and riding their skeletal undead horses into the night looking for prey, these mummified creatures cannot see… they hunt purely by sound alone.
Presented in a beautiful new restoration from the uncut original camera negative, Tombs of the Blind Dead is one of the most extraordinary and influential Spanish horror films ever made.
Jimbo’s Take 
(4 / 5)
Jimbo’s Take Our little website was down for a while. Dead. Kaput!
But now we’re back with a slight redesign. It’s still a work in progress, but at least our humble blog is back from the dead. Speaking of the dead…
I recently purchased the limited, steelbook edition of Tombs of the Blind Dead from SynapseFilms.com. At $49.95 it’s a heavy lift to ask any casual collector to buy a single title that, at least at first glance, seems grossly overpriced. But in a few short paragraphs, I’ll give the pros and cons of this particular release.
The film itself is considered a classic among genre fans. It was the first time I had personally seen the movie, and I was delighted with the film. The plot is super simplistic: There’s a cursed village that the locals avoid. A handful of young, unsuspecting protagonists go exploring where they shouldn’t and are attacked by blind “mummies on horseback”, as described by Director Amando de Ossorio.
Simplicity and creepy atmospheric set pieces are what elevate the picture into something a little more than cheap splatter and trash. Tombs proves to be generally spooky without being too hokey, and introduces just enough mind candy that would help spawn three more films (Return of the Evil Dead, The Ghost Galleon, Night of the Seagulls).
But there’s plenty of splatter and trash if that’s what you’re seeking. A lesbian sub-plot in the Spanish version serves to push boundaries, but little more. A rape scene (mostly suggestive, not explicit) is only there to shock. A templar torture scene, depicting a bare-chested beauty being slashed with swords intends to frame the depravity of our monstrous villains. And, of course, that ending…
The Tech Stuff 
(5 / 5)
Synapse always release products with superior sound and video quality. However, I don’t know if there’s anything technically about the visual image or multiple soundtracks that supports a $50 price tag. Concurrently, there’s also nothing that necessarily detracts. Per Synapse’s website:
“Beautiful 2K restoration from the original camera negative provided by Atlas International, with extensive color correction and additional restoration by Synapse Films.”
I will say, the movie does look and sound great. For comparison, I streamed the US Version, which was sourced from an older DVD. The stream’s image was murky and dull, whereas the blu-ray is bright, colors vibrant, with natural film grain throughout. The audio too was noticeably improved over previous versions and there are more options than you probably need.
- High-definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation of the original uncut version
- Lossless Spanish PCM 2.0 mono soundtrack
- Lossless “hybrid” English/Spanish PCM 2.0 mono soundtrack
- Optional English subtitles for the Spanish track
- Optional English subtitles for the Spanish sections of the hybrid soundtrack
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the hybrid soundtrack
Extras 
(4.5 / 5)
Two version of the film, multiple audio commentaries, a feature length documentary, collectible case, slipcover, liner notes booklet, and so on…
Disc 1 alone is packed with features. So if the price tag of this release is too steep, waiting for the eventual “standard issue” blu-ray will most likely still earn you a ton of extras.
Marauders from the Mediterranean is a great deep dive into, not only Spanish cinema, but how Night of the Living Dead shaped the undead landscape for the future. Many of the details within the documentary are repeated in the audio commentary tracks, proving it’s a concise and thoughtful history of it’s subject matter.
Awakening of Spanish Horror Cinema was originally filmed for a German blu-ray and would’ve played prior to the film as a pre-film introduction. Here it’s just included as an extra, offering a few extra tidbits of trivia information. The Templar’s Tears Music Video is a throw away extra; something I watched and never will again.
Disc 2 & Disc 3 will most likely be “exclusives” to this release. So if you have to have those, best to pull the trigger now.
DISC 1 – ORIGINAL SPANISH LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH/SPANISH HYBRID SOUNDTRACK VERSIONS (1080p Blu-ray Presentation + Special Features)
- Audio commentary with horror film historian and author, Troy Howarth
- Audio commentary with star Lone Fleming
- Audio commentary with Rod Barnett & Troy Guinn of the NaschyCast podcast
- Marauders from the Mediterranean – a feature length documentary exploring the history of the Spanish zombie film, featuring interviews with: Night of the Living Dead writer/producer John Russo, Stiges Film Festival deputy director Mike Hostench, film critic John Martin, academic Calum Waddell, The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue director Jorge Grau, Tombs of the Blind Dead star Lone Fleming, actors Helga Liné, Manuel de Blas, Antonio Mayans and Jack Taylor, Paul Naschy’s son Sergio Molina, author/film critic Kim Newman and academic/writer Steve Jones
- Revenge of Planet Ape – Alternate U.S. Opening Sequence
- Awakening of Spanish Horror Cinema – Featurette
- Salem’s Pop “Templar’s Tears” music video
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Still Gallery
DISC 2 – THE BLIND DEAD (U.S. Theatrical Version)
- High-definition (1080p) Blu-ray™ presentation of the re-edited U.S. theatrical cut of the film
- Lossless English PCM 2.0 mono soundtrack
- Optional English subtitles
DISC 3 – EXCLUSIVE SYNAPSE FILMS “TRIBUTE TO THE TEMPLARS” Audio CD
- Audio CD created exclusively for this limited edition, containing music inspired by TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD. Featuring tunes from Zoltan, Cathedral, Hooded Menace, Machetazo and The Transylvania Hellhounds!
Trash or Treasure? Overall Recommendation
The question remains: Is Synapse Films’ limited, Steelbook edition of Tomb of the Blind Dead worth the $50 price tag? Yes, but only if you desire the complete and total package. Or you’re a sucker for “limited editions”. A modest value breakdown might look like this:
- Tomb of the Blind Dead Uncut, with optional audio tracks: $15-$20
- Marauders from the Mediterranean, Feature length documentary: $10
- The Blind Dead, US Cut of the film: $10
- CD Soundtrack: $10-$15
- Collectible extras, Steelbook packaging, and essay book with film notes… $?
There’s no guarantee that the US Version or the CD soundtrack will be available in the (eventually released) standard issue, which will probably SRP for $25-$30. So if you don’t need all the fluff, maybe roll the dice and see if you get lucky. But for the serious collector who can’t live without everything listed? Admittedly it’s a pricey set, but a price that’s justified by the sheer amount of extras.
Treasure!
Movie: 
(4.0 / 5)Video: 
(5.0 / 5)Audio: (5.0 / 5)Extras: 
(4.5 / 5)Average: 
(4.6 / 5)
6.1
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Countries: Spain, PortugalLanguages: Spanish, English
