History is a fascinating thing that informs us of who we are, where we came from, and where we are headed. Hence the famous Winston Churchill statement – “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it” – which seemingly rings ever so loudly in the modern era. A time when it seems history is being brushed aside or altered for the sake of contemporary politics or emotions, amidst all this, there is also underlying corruption, agendas that benefit one cause or another, and totalitarianism.
Providing you with a brief lesson, there are many correlations between the events that happened centuries ago and those of present times, including in the 17th century when Judge Jeffreys struck fear into anyone who entered his court. In case you were unaware, he was known as “the Hanging Judge” for his cruelty in punishing anyone who played a part in allegedly trying to overthrow King James II. As a point of reference for his reign of terror, it is documented that in 1685 trials which were held in the Oak Room of the Antelope Hotel, the judge handed down death sentences for 251 rebels! Hard to imagine, while the level of brutality may not seem as fierce in modern society… you can undoubtedly see history repeated in many ways.
Known famously as the Bloody Assizes, these stories have been portrayed numerous times in cinema in various ways; some more historically accurate than others, but none arguably more interesting than Jess Franco’s 1970 The Bloody Judge. Directed by Franco, The Bloody Judge was produced by Harry Alan Towers and featured a cast led by Christopher Lee as Judge Jeffries, Maria Schell as Mother Rosa, Oscar-nominated Leo Genn as Lord Wessex, along with Maria Rohm as Mary Gray.
In short, the film is loosely based on the real Judge Jeffreys, but with an even more sinister twist. In The Bloody Judge, Judge Jefferies is most certainly portrayed as a tyrant; however, here you are shown a highly dark underworld of depravity where marked witches or rebels are subjected to brutal, perverse torture. Transforming Judge Jeffreys into a clear Horror film protagonist, as stated, ‘The Bloody Judge’ is one of the more compelling films ever created about the subject.
Thematically lying somewhere between a period piece and Horror, and pushing the boundaries into eroticism, The Bloody Judge may be a footnote in cinematic history, but should not be overlooked. For some unbeknownst reason, it was renamed Night of the Blood Monster for distribution in North America. It initially reached the market in 1972, found its way to VHS in the decades that followed, and then landed on DVD in the UK in 1999. This in mind, various editions have floated about, none entirely complete, and many have seldom ever been seen in 50 years. However, Blue Underground went to work in 2023 to put together the most complete and uncensored version of the film ever for a brand-new release in 2024.
Released as a 2-disc 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray set on March 26, 2024, this Blue Underground offering goes the extra mile to present the film with the best possible quality. For those who have seen home media editions of it in the past, they are pretty aware of the less-than-stellar imagery and audio. That being said, this new edition features a Dolby Vision HDR 4K master. Offering you superb color and clarity, what is truly inspiring is that ample efforts were put into locating various film elements throughout the European region to make this release possible.
Beyond this, you also get a ton of audio commentaries from film historians, achieved interviews with Jess Franco and Christopher Lee, plus stunning reversible artwork completed by a solid slipcover. In all, there is little you can find wrong with the presentation or physical packaging. Furthermore, it restores what is arguably one of Jess Franco’s best films; sitting it right alongside similar films of its type, such as 1968’s Witchfinder General or 1970’s Mark of the Devil. A true testament to the preservation of film history, Cryptic Rock gives Blue Underground’s 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray release of Night of the Blood Monster (The Bloody Judge) 5 out of 5 stars.
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