The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

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colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
Location: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, UK

The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

#1 Post by colinr0380 » Sat May 12, 2018 9:07 am

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Arrow Video wrote:One of the major consequences of Western Europe’s post-war Economic Miracle was the proliferation of international travel. Eager to tap into audiences’ desire to experience the glamour of the jet set lifestyle, the popular filmmakers of the day rushed to make the most of the exotic locales at their disposal.

Arguably no other giallo captured this trend as vividly as The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail. The film begins in London, where Lisa Baumer (Evelyn Stewart, The Psychic) learns that her husband has died in a freak plane accident. Summoned to Athens to collect his generous life insurance policy, she soon discovers that others besides herself are keen to get their hands on the money – and are willing to kill for it. Meanwhile, private detective Peter Lynch (George Hilton, The Strange Vice of Mrs Wardh) arrives to investigate irregularities in the insurance claim. Teaming up with a beautiful reporter, Cléo Dupont (Anita Strindberg, Your Vice is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key), Lynch resolves to unearth the truth… before he too ends up on the wrong end of the murderer’s straight razor.

The second giallo by genre master Sergio Martino (Torso, The Suspicious Death of a Minor), The Case of the Scorpion’s Tail combines stunning views of Athens and the Greek coastline with brutal bursts of violence, a typically tangled script by Ernesto Gastaldi (Death Walks on High Heels), and a cast overflowing with Euro cult talent, including Alberto de Mendoza (A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin), Janine Reynaud (Jess Franco’s Succubus) and Luigi Pistilli (A Bay of Blood).

Released: 16/07/2018

Production Year: 1971 | Region Code: Free | Number of Discs: 1 | Language: Italian / English | Subtitles: English / English SDH | Audio: Mono | Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 | Colour: Colour
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

Brand new 2K restoration of the film from the original camera negative
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
Original lossless mono Italian and English soundtracks
Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian soundtrack
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing for the English soundtrack
Audio commentary with writer Ernesto Gastaldi, moderated by filmmaker Federico Caddeo (in Italian with English subtitles)
New interview with star George Hilton
New interview with director Sergio Martino
New analysis Sergio Martino’s films by Mikel J. Koven, author of La Dolce Morte: Vernacular Cinema and the Italian Giallo Film
New video essay by Troy Howarth, author of So Deadly, So Perverse: 50 Years of Italian Giallo Films
Theatrical trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Rachael Nisbet and Howard Hughes, and a biography of star Anita Strindberg by Peter Jilmstad
Trailer

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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Re: The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

#2 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Thu Jul 12, 2018 2:44 pm

DVD Beaver. I've never seen the film - I love giallo tho - so this looks like an excellent presentation.

M Sanderson
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:43 am

Re: The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

#3 Post by M Sanderson » Sat Jul 14, 2018 2:34 am

First Martino Blu ray not to be marred by oddball colour timing or fading, by the looks of it. Yes, been hearing this is a good one. I love Martino by had kind of given up on him due to compromised home video releases. Very much hope Arrow can and will indeed do the same for Wardh and Torso.

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tenia
Ask Me About My Bassoon
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Re: The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

#4 Post by tenia » Sat Jul 14, 2018 4:55 am

M Sanderson wrote:
Sat Jul 14, 2018 2:34 am
First Martino Blu ray not to be marred by oddball colour timing or fading, by the looks of it.
Seems like Ritrovata hasn't been involved on this one at all, so it would explain that.

M Sanderson
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2016 3:43 am

Re: The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

#5 Post by M Sanderson » Thu Aug 02, 2018 3:26 am

A fine transfer. Just wish Your Vice... looked as good on Blu ray.

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Lost Highway
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:41 am
Location: Berlin, Germany

Re: The Case of the Scorpion's Tail

#6 Post by Lost Highway » Mon Sep 03, 2018 3:15 am

Watched this last night and it looks absolutely wonderful. What a treat, this has always been a favourite giallo of mine. Unlike some films in the genre this is incredibly well paced and the plot makes sense. Love the sequence with the camera on its side. It also has Anita Strindberg in a lead role. She’s one of my favourite actors of Italian genre films of the period (her face has the bone structure of a sexy Malificent or Cruella de Vil) even if her generic damsel in distress character is the film’s only weak point.

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