There are some things in life that cannot be explained. While it is a foreign concept in an arrogant era of humanity where we think we have everything figured out, thus eliminating any need for spirituality or a belief in mysticism, in truth, there are still many things we will simply never know. Technology makes us feel like we are in control and we are our own gods in an empty world of material, but what does it all really mean?… and are we only fooling ourselves to think we really have as much control as we think we do? These are just some of the thoughts one might ponder after viewing such a film like Audrey Rose.
Originally released back in 1977, Audrey Rose had all the ingredients for a compelling and successful motion picture event with award-winning Director Robert Wise (West Side Story 1961, The Sound of Music 1965) at the helm, as well as a star-driven cast led by Marsha Mason (The Goodbye Girl 1977, Only When I Laugh 1981) and Anthony Hopkins (The Elephant Man 1980, The Silence of the Lambs 1991). Based on a novel written by Frank De Felitta published two years earlier in 1975, Audrey Rose’s film adaptation was unfortunately met with mixed reviews and short-sighted opinions. Why? Well, at the time of its release it was discredited by some critics as a rip-off of 1973’s The Exorcist or 1976’s The Omen. As stated, short-sighted, in reality the only similarity Audrey Rose has to either of the aforementioned classics is that there is a child at the focal point of the story. In these other films the stories revolve around possession of demonic forces, whereas in Audrey Rose it is a story about reincarnation.
These thoughts in mind, it is a bit sad that such shallow analogy from viewers of Audrey Rose left the film as an afterthought. Sure, it was released on VHS during the home video rental era, made its way to DVD in 2001, as well as a limited release on Blu-ray back in 2014, but now Audrey Rose finds life again with a new Blu-ray release on November 8, 2022 thanks to Arrow Video.
Now, there is a good chance if you are going to shell out the money to purchase the new Blu-ray edition of Audrey Rose that you have already seen the film. Although, there is also a chance you have not, perhaps you have heard of it, but never got around to sitting down to give it a watch. Regardless of either instance, this new Blu-ray edition has arguably the best transfer for viewing consumption to date; it is a brand-new 2K restoration from a new 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative. What does this mean? It means you get to enjoy the film and all its artistic beauty with crisper imagery and deeper colors. In fact, the transfer is so solid that it further enhances your chances of truly appreciating the film more.
Beyond this, the new Blu-ray edition of Audrey Rose also features new and archival interviews about both the film and the concept of reincarnation. So, if you are looking to broaden your perspective on otherworldly possibilities, then these features will certainly engage you. All in all, this new Blu-ray is the best package released to date and hopefully it will give Audrey Rose some more exposure. Just because the film is 45 years old, and was panned a failure by many viewers back in the day, does not mean it does not hold up. It is actually the complete opposite; the emotion, story, acting, and overall imagery stand as strongly as they ever should have. Hoping more people give this film a chance, Cryptic Rock gives Arrow Video’s Blu-ray release of Audrey Rose 4.5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment