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BUON GIALLO! ITALIAN HORROR WITH EXTRA FORMAGGIO

Italian Horror DVD Database and Buyer's Guide

Click to buy AENIGMA 1987
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: �nigma
The formula: Carrie + Phenomena + possession = Death by snails.
[2] Shriek Films DVD: Repackaging of previous Hardgore release. English language. Uncut by BBFC but missing a brief shot of a headless corpse following the window-shutter decapitation.
[1] Screen Entertainment/Hardgore DVD: Out of print. English language. Uncut by BBFC but missing a brief shot of a headless corpse following the window-shutter decapitation.
Review available!

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A BAY OF BLOOD 1971
Director: Mario Bava
Italian/alternative title: Reazione a catena; Twitch of the Death Nerve
The formula: 13 x stylish murder set pieces = The original bodycount movie.
Film Shock 2000 DVD: English language. 43 secs cut by BBFC, removing gore from the first murder, machete kill, double-impalement, and spear to the stomach.
Tip! Assuming you want to watch the uncut version, look for a second-hand copy of the increasingly rare US release from Image Entertainment. The German releases also have English audio - or go for the Italian DVD (with English subs) if you prefer an Italian language soundtrack.

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THE BEYOND 1981
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: E tu vivrai nel terrore - L'aldil�; Seven Doors of Death
The formula: Metaphysics + zombie gore = The ultimate Fulci film.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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BEYOND THE DOOR II 1977
Director: Mario Bava
Italian/alternative title: Schock; Shock
The formula: Daria Nicolodi + effective moments - annoying child = A mixed bag.
Hollywood DVD: English language. Uncut.
Tip! More widely known as Shock, Mario Bava's final film is unrelated to Beyond the Door.

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THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE 1969
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo
The formula: Argento + black gloves + razor blade = Seminal giallo.
Platinum Media DVD: Italian language with burnt-in English subtitles. Cut by BBFC by 18 secs to remove face-slashing with blade, and shots of the killer removing a victim's underwear.
Tip! Buy the US Blue Underground release, which is packed with featurettes, has a commentary by film experts, and includes a few extra seconds of violent footage missing from other prints.

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A BLADE IN THE DARK 1983
Director: Lamberto Bava
Italian/alternative title: La casa con la scala nel buio
The formula: Italian TV - good taste = The goriest TV movie of all time.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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BODY COUNT 1987
Director: Ruggero Deodato
Italian/alternative title: Camping del terrore
The formula: Masked killer + David Hess - imagination = Messy campsite slasher.
Hollywood DVD: English language. Cut for violence before submitted to BBFC (cuts unknown).
Tip! The version shown on the UK satellite channel Zone Horror is uncut.

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CANNIBAL APOCALYPSE 1980
Director: Antonio Margheriti
Italian/alternative title: Apocalypse domani
The formula: John Saxon + viral outbreak = Killer zombies.
Cinema Club DVD: English language. BBFC imposed a 2-second cut to remove sight of a real rat being set on fire.

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CANNIBAL FEROX 1981
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Italian/alternative title: Make Them Die Slowly
The formula: (Anthropologists + drug smugglers) + savages = Heavy cuts.
Vipco DVD: English language. BBFC demanded about 7 mins of cuts, removing much of the gore and all of the animal cruelty except for the death of a pig.
Tip! All non-UK DVD releases are uncut and - with the exception of the German release - have English audio.

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CANNIBAL FEROX 2 1981
Director: Michael E. Lemick (Michele Massimo Tarantini)
Italian/alternative title: Nudo e selvaggio; Massacre in Dinosaur Valley
The formula: Cannibals, slave traders, tigers and piranhas = Trouble for plane crash survivors.
Vipco DVD: English language. 1 min 54 secs were cut by the BBFC, removing sexualized nudity in a violent context, as well as shots of a cockfight.
Tip! All non-UK releases are uncut and English language.

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CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST 1980
Director: Ruggero Deodato
The formula: Documentary filmmakers + cannibals = Pre-Blair Witch reality horror.
Vipco DVD: English language. English subtitles. BBFC cut 5 mins 44 secs of "real cruelty to animals" and "eroticised sexual violence".
Tip! Scandinavia's Another World Entertainment provides the fullest DVD of this notorious film, but the American and Australian DVDs are also mostly untouched by the censors.

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THE CARD PLAYER 2004
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Il Cartaio
The formula: Sadistic killer + online poker = Offline murder.
Arrow Films DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE CASE OF THE BLOODY IRIS 1972
Director: Giuliano Carnimeo
Italian/alternative title: Perch� quelle strane gocce di sangue sul corpo di Jennifer?
The formula: Edwige Fenech + Eurotrash vibe + elevator murder = Bubbly, influential giallo.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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CAT IN THE BRAIN 1990
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: Un gatto nel cervello; Nightmare Concert
The formula: Lucio acts! + recycled gore footage - script = Fulci scrapbook.
[2] Shriek Films DVD: Repackaging of previous Hardgore release. English language. Uncut.
[1] Screen Entertainment/Hardgore DVD: Out of print. English language. Uncut.

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CAT O'NINE TAILS 1971
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Il gatto a nove code
The formula: Blind Karl Malden + crosswords + murder mystery = Interesting early Argento.
Platinum Media DVD: Italian Language. Burnt-in English subtitles. Uncut.
Tip! If you'd prefer to watch the film in English, the US Anchor Bay release is the one to go for.

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CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD 1980
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: Paura nella citt� dei morti viventi
The formula: Ghoulish ghosts + creepy town + decent cast = Success!
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.
Tip! One of Vipco's best releases, this even has an audio commentary from journalist Jason Slater and star Catriona MacColl.

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CONTAMINATION 1980
Director: Luigi Cozzi
Italian/alternative title: Contamination - Alien arriva sulla terra
The formula: Alien's exploding guts scene x 100 = A place on the Video Nasties list.
Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut.

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DAWN OF THE MUMMY 1981
Director: Frank Agrama
The formula: Supermodels + fashion shoot + Egyptian curse = Eventual gut-munching.
Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut.

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DEATH WALKS AT MIDNIGHT 1972
Director: Luciano Ercoli
Italian/alternative title: La morte accarezza a mezzanotte
The formula: Half-glimpsed killer ÷ psychedelic haze + rooftop chase = Giallo excitement.
Mondo Macabro DVD: English language. Uncut.
Tip! Don't shell out �12.99 for this when you can buy it from the US as part of the similarly priced, triple-disc "Luciano Ercoli Death Box Set", which also includes Death Walks on High Heels.

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DEEP RIVER SAVAGES 1972
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Italian/alternative title: Il paese del sesso selvaggio
The formula: Photojournalist = Lunch.
[2] Shriek Films DVD: Repackaging of previous Hardgore release. English language. 3 min 45 secs of cuts made by the BBFC, removing all animal cruelty.
[1] Screen Entertainment/Hardgore DVD: Out of print. English language. 3 min 45 secs of cuts made by the BBFC, removing all animal cruelty.
Tip! All non-UK releases are uncut and (except for the German) English language.

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DEMONS 1985
Director: Lamberto Bava
Italian/alternative title: Demoni
The formula: Deserted cinema + mutating guests = Demonic mayhem + Billy Idol.
[2] Platinum Media DVD: English language. Uncut.
[1] Divid 2000 DVD: Out of print. English language. BBFC cut 42 secs showing a razor blade scraping cocaine off a woman's breast. (Cuts waived for later Platinum Media release.)
Tip! Also available as part of The Demons Collection 3DVD box set, including Demons, Demons 2 and an extra disc containing an interview with Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava.

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DEMONS 2 1986
Director: Lamberto Bava
Italian/alternative title: Demoni 2
The formula: Demons + Gremlins 2 = Satisfyingly silly sequel.
[2] Platinum Media DVD: English language. Uncut.
[1] Divid 2000 DVD: Out of print. English language. Uncut.
Tip! Also available as part of The Demons Collection 3DVD box set, including Demons, Demons 2 and an extra disc containing an interview with Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava.

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DEMONS 3: THE OGRE 1988
Director: Lamberto Bava
Italian/alternative title: La casa dell'orco
The formula: Haunted castle + scary dreams = Gore-free fantasy.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.
Tip! Distributors added the "3" to the title to make this look like a sequel to Demons. In reality, it was made by Bava as part of a series of 4 TV movies in 1988, which also included Graveyard Disturbance.

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EATEN ALIVE 1980
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Italian/alternative title: Mangiati vivi
The formula: Ferox + Holocaust + religious cult = Cliche after cliche.
Vipco DVD: English language. This is the cut UK cinema release version, shorn of over five minutes of violence and animal cruelty by the BBFC.
Tip! All non-UK releases are uncut and (except for the German Astro release) English language.

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EMANUELLE AND THE LAST CANNIBALS 1977
Director: Joe D'Amato
Italian/alternative title: Emanuelle e gli ultimi cannibali
The formula: Exotic + erotic = Neither.
Dark Vision DVD: English language. English subtitles. Cut by 1 min 58 secs by BBFC for sexualized violence.
Tip! The US Shriek Show DVD is the way to go here.

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EVIL SENSES 1986
Director: Gabriele Lavia
Italian/alternative title: Sensi
The formula: Hitman + prostitute = Mysterious giallo.
Pegasus DVD: English language. Uncut by BBFC.

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EYES OF CRYSTAL 2004
Director: Eros Puglielli
Italian/alternative title: Occhi di cristallo
The formula: Cops + killer + occasional visual flourishes = Oddly "ITV Drama"-like giallo.
Revolver/Fright Fest DVD: Italian language with burnt-in English subtitles. Uncut.

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GHOSTHOUSE 1988
Director: Humphrey Humbert (Umberto Lenzi)
Italian/alternative title: La casa 3
The formula: Creepy doll + haunted house = Fun/nonsense.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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GRAVEYARD DISTURBANCE 1987
Director: Lamberto Bava
Italian/alternative title: Una notte al cimitero
The formula: Teens + spooky catacombs = Supposed horror/comedy.
Platinum Media DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE GRIM REAPER 1980
Director: Joe D'Amato
Italian/alternative title: Antropophagus; Anthropophagous: The Beast
The formula: Eerie island + mutant cannibal + shocking set pieces = A gorehound's Grail.
Hollywood DVD: English language. Uncut by the BBFC but this is the US R-rated version, which omits 2 classic splatter scenes: the monster feasting on a foetus torn from its mother; and, at the climax of the film, munching on his own entrails as they slip from his body.
Tip! The 2-disc US Shriek Show/Media Blasters DVD is uncut and packed with special features.

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HATCHET FOR A HONEYMOON 1970
Director: Mario Bava
Italian/alternative title: Il rosso segno della follia
The formula: Psychotic designer + repressed memories + dead wife's ghost = Confused supernatural giallo.
Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY 1981
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: Quella villa accanto al cimitero
The formula: Truly gruesome deaths + bizarre villain = Golden-era Fulci.
Vipco DVD: English language. BBFC cuts of 33 secs to the poker murder and a throat-cutting. (Cuts made as a result of previous successful obscenity trials regarding this title.)
Tip! Go for the US Blue Underground or Anchor Bay disc, both of which are uncut.

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THE HOUSE OF CLOCKS 1989
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: La casa nel tempo
The formula: Killers + rewinding clocks = Timewarp - coherence.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE HOUSE OF LOST SOULS 1989
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Italian/alternative title: La casa delle anime erranti
The formula: Teen geologists + haunted house = Decaptiation by washing machine.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE HOUSE OF WITCHCRAFT 1989
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Italian/alternative title: La casa del sortilegio
The formula: Nightmares + too-good-to-be-true girlfriend = Sheer predictability.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS 1976
Director: Pupi Avati
Italian/alternative title: La casa dalle finestre che ridono
The formula: Rural Italy + creepy paintings + visiting artist = Unnerving horror/thriller.
Nouveaux Pictures DVD: Italian language. English subtitles. Uncut.

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JENIFER ("MASTERS OF HORROR" EPISODE) 2005
Director: Dario Argento
Included in: "Masters of Horror" Series One, Volume Two (DVD box set)
The formula: Lonely guy + deformed cannibal gal = Penis-chewing.
Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut by BBFC but 2 scenes were edited before original TV transmission, removing shots of oral sex. (These scenes are included in special features.)

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KILL BABY KILL 1966
Director: Mario Bava
Italian/alternative title: Operazione paura
The formula: Small village + suspicious deaths = Gothic horror.
Dead Of Night DVD: English language. Uncut.

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MOUNTAIN OF THE CANNIBAL GOD 1978
Director: Sergio Martino
Italian/alternative title: La montagna del dio cannibale
The formula: Ursula Andress + Stacy Keach = Career skids.
Vipco DVD: English language. BBFC cuts of 2 mins 6 secs remove most of the gratuitous animal cruelty.
Tip! For 10 more minutes of violence and animal killing, go for the American Anchor Bay DVD.

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NIGHTMARE CITY 1980
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Italian/alternative title: Incubo sulla citt� contaminata
The formula: Infection + fast zombies = The inspiration for 28 Days Later?
Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA 1998
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Il fantasma dell'opera
The formula: Rats + larger-than-life characters + gore = Grotesque burlesque.
Tartan DVD: English language. Uncut.

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PHENOMENA 1985
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Creepers
The formula: Jennifer Connelly + psychic insects + girls' school = Amazing climax.
Platinum Media DVD: English language. Uncut (especially in comparison to the much shorter "Creepers" version previously released on video in Britain), although some other European releases feature a slightly longer "Integral" version of the film, which contains several extra dialogue scenes.

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PROFONDO ROSSO 1975
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Deep Red
The formula: Logic + pure horror + epic plotting = Argento's Psycho.
[2] Platinum Media DVD: Contains 2 versions of the film: (a) The longer Italian cut, in Italian with burnt-in English subtitles (animal cruelty cuts remove the death of the lizard but not the dog-fighting, while the ear-clap is also gone); and (b) the shorter, English language "Theatrical Version" (with superior picture quality and free of the BBFC cuts).
[1] Platinum Media DVD: Italian language with burnt-in English subtitles. Cut by BBFC to remove shots of animal cruelty (the impaled lizard, but not the fighting dogs), as well as a shot of a man giving his daughter a clip round the ear.
Tip! Ignore all these complicated, inferior versions and buy the film in uncut form from America (released by Blue Underground).

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RATS: NIGHT OF TERROR 1984
Director: Vincent Dawn (Bruno Mattei), Claudio Fragasso
Italian/alternative title: Rats - Notte di terrore
The formula: Nuclear devastation + survivors = Rats!
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE RED MONKS 1990
Director: Gianni Martucci
Italian/alternative title: I frati rossi
The formula: Old mansion + decapitations = Witchcraft weirdness.
Screen Entertainment/Hardgore DVD: English language. Uncut.

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SLEEPLESS 2001
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Non ho sonno
The formula: Giallo homage + Goblin music + pure brutality = An Argento "greatest hits".
MIA DVD: English language. Uncut. 2-disc set.

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STAGEFRIGHT 1987
Director: Michele Soavi
Italian/alternative title: Deliria
The formula: Drama students + owl-masked killer + dancing = Stylishly cheesy slasher.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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THE STENDHAL SYNDROME 1996
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: La sindrome di Stendhal
The formula: Paintings + killings + identity play = Giallo as art form.
[2] Arrow Films DVD: English language. Uncut by BBFC, although the Italian DVD includes an extra couple of minutes of conversation. Argento deemed these not necessary when compiling the US release that eventually made it to Britain, however.
[1] Marquee DVD: Out of print. English language. Almost 3 mins of BBFC-imposed cuts to sexual violence, removing the famous shot of a bullet passing through a victim's cheeks, and all razor blade/mouth moments. (Strangely, however, most Marquee DVD pressings seemed not to include these cuts.)
Tip! Arrow's more recent release is in the correct aspect ratio, whereas the Marquee print was cropped to 4:3. It's also definitely uncensored.

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SUSPIRIA 1977
Director: Dario Argento
The formula: Blinding colours + Goblin score + nightmarish deaths = Argento classic.
[2] Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut. Available in single or double-disc editions, the latter containing "Dario Argento's World of Horror" documentary and many special features.
[1] Nouveaux Pictures DVD: Out of print. English language. Cut by several seconds, losing shots from the first murder.

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THE SWEET HOUSE OF HORRORS 1989
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: La dolce casa degli orrori
The formula: Creepy kids + demonic dubbing = Unintended laughs.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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TENEBRAE 1982
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Tenebre
The formula: Style + twists + frenzied climax = The greatest of all gialli.
[2] Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut by BBFC, but distributors made various slight trims to remove moments of print damage. Available in "special edition" and "vanilla" versions, both single-disc.
[1] Nouveaux Pictures DVD: Out of print. English language. 4 seconds cut by BBFC to remove sight of arm being chopped off.
Tip! Purists wanting the fullest available versions should go for the Dutch or Scandinavian release, but it's arguable that the bits chopped out by Anchor Bay don't hurt the film.

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TERROR AT THE OPERA 1987
Director: Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Opera
The formula: Murder + music = Some of Dario's highest notes.
Arrow Films DVD: English & Italian language tracks. English & Italian subtitles. Uncut.
Tip! This is a perfect DVD release, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

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TRAUMA 1993
Director: Dario Argento
The formula: (Dario + Asia) ÷ Hollywood = Offbeat Minnesota-set thriller.
[2] Optimum DVD: English language. Uncut 102 min version (4 mins shorter than Italian version, which contains extra dialogue/minor scenes).
[1] Tartan DVD: Out of print. English language. Uncut 102 min version (4 mins shorter than Italian version, which contains extra dialogue/minor scenes).
Tip! The Optimum release improves on the colour balance of the Tartan version but loses the special features (although these were just short text essays and trailers).

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TROLL 2 1990
Director: Claudio Fragasso
Italian/alternative title: Trolli
The formula: "Nilbog... It's goblin backwards!" = The ultimate so-bad-it's-good experience.
[2] MGM DVD: English language audio. Dutch, English HoH, German HoH, Greek and Swedish subtitles. Uncut.
[1] Dead Of Night DVD: English language. Uncut.
Tip! The MGM DVD is a double-feature with the highly entertaining Troll, and is also in the correct 1.85:1 aspect ratio (as opposed to Dead Of Night's 4:3 pan-and-scan version).

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TWO EVIL EYES 1990
Directors: George A. Romero, Dario Argento
Italian/alternative title: Due occhi diabolici
The formula: Romero's "The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar" < Argento's "The Black Cat".
Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut. Available with or without special features, which include "Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror" documentary.

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THE WAX MASK 1997
Director: Sergio Stivaletti
Italian/alternative title: M.D.C. - Maschera di cera
The formula: Argento - Fulci + Stivaletti = Outrageous period horror.
Film 2000 DVD: English language. Uncut.

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ZOMBIE CREEPING FLESH 1980
Director: Bruno Mattei
Italian/alternative title: Virus
The formula: Papua New Guinea + journalists + undead army = Saving Private Zombie.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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ZOMBIE FLESH-EATERS 1979
Director: Lucio Fulci
Italian/alternative title: Zombi 2; Zombie
The formula: Romero influence + Caribbean island + unique atmosphere = Fulci classic.
[3] Anchor Bay DVD: English language. Uncut. Only available as part of the "Box of the Banned" box set.
[2] Dead Of Night DVD: Repackaging of Stonevision release. English language. This "Extreme Version" was less edited that previous video versions but still had around 3 mins missing thanks to the BBFC.
[1] Stonevision Entertainment DVD: Out of print. English language. This "Extreme Version" was less edited that previous video versions but still had around 3 mins missing thanks to the BBFC.

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ZOMBIE FLESH-EATERS 2 1988
Director: Lucio Fulci (with Bruno Mattei and Claudio Fragasso)
Italian/alternative title: Zombi 3
The formula: Escaped gas = Zombies on the loose in hotel resort.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut by BBFC but the original opening scene is missing from this print.

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ZOMBIE FLESH-EATERS 3 1988
Director: Claudio Fragasso
Italian/alternative title: Oltre la morte; Zombie 4: After Death
The formula: Voodoo + porn star Jeff Stryker = Zombie mayhem.
Vipco DVD: English language. Uncut.

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ZOMBIE HOLOCAUST 1980
Director: Marino Girolami
Italian/alternative title: Zombi Holocaust; Doctor Butcher M.D.
The formula: Zombie - Lucio Fulci = Zombie Holocaust.
[2] Dead Of Night DVD: Repackaging of Stonevision Entertainment DVD. English language. Uncut.
[1] Stonevision Entertainment DVD: Out of print. English language. Uncut.