OVERALL: Draw

The 2021 French disc for the full uncut version plus extras. It's also English friendly with removable subtitles.

The 2006 US Dark Sky for the commentary on the UK version.

NOTE:
The 2013 R2 France is *almost* the full uncut version, bar one shot, which restores an additional shot of the housekeeper being experimented on and Carl the hunchback dribbling blood as he dies. The screams of Callistratus as he dies during a dog attack are far clearer on the French (but not English) audio track included.

All the other DVDs suffer from different cuts, although please note that the R0 releases from Dark Sky & NoShame have a commentary. Some of the 'French' footage from an inferior source has been restored to the Italian release, making it the next longest existing version.

The film exists in two versions: the English version and a uncensored version prepared for "LE MIDI-MINUIT" (Parisian horror and sex movie theatre).

The 'Viewing Notes' in the DD Home Entertainment release describe a scene from the uncensored version that is abbreviated in the English edit of the film. It is the dungeon scene, in which the housekeeper (Barbara Burke) is being prepared for one of Callistratus' experiments. Carl (Victor Maddern) straps the unconscious housekeeper down onto a table. Callistratus (Sir Donald Wolfit) then steps up, ready to 'experiment'.

In the DD Home Entertainment release, the scene ends at this point. The Viewing Notes describe that in the uncensored version the scene continues with Barbara Burke being threatened with a knife (in the British/American edit, she is unconscious) while two other female victims look on (they do not appear in the English edit). This dungeon scene is missing entirely from Dark Sky's print.

The R0 DVDs contain a longer version of a scene (about half an hour into the film) in which Donald Wolfitt sticks a syringe into a man's neck and the Italian release has one unique shot. On the R1 DVD, the shot is about 0:05 longer and there is an image of the blood draining into a flask; by contrast, the R2 DVD fades to black before this happens.

In addition, Karl's death scene is abridged on both the R0 and R2 UK and German DVDs but is intact in the R2 French releases, and the pan across the laboratory - that occurs at about the 30 minute mark - is in both versions edited differently, due to differing censor cuts.

The screams of Callistratus on The Dark Sky, No Shame and English track of the 2013 Artus release are reduced at the climax and almost drowned out by the barking dogs.

This has also been released in:
Germany- by E.M.S
If you own this release or have a link to any reviews, please let us know

CUTS:

• R0 Drive-in Double Feature America- Dark Sky Films - Cut - see versions above (85:17 NTSC)
• R0 Special Edition Italy- NoShame films - Yes - Uncensored version but see above (83:41 PAL)
• R2 France- Artus Films - No cuts - Uncensored version (84:03 PAL)
• R2 France- Artus Films - No cuts - Uncensored version (84:54)
• R2 Italy- Sinister Film - Unknown - Based on packaging (~87:00 - Possible NTSC > PAL)
• R2 United Kingdom- DD Home Entertainment - Yes - see versions above (82:03 PAL)

Do you own a release not listed? Then please visit our forums and let us know!

Comparison added by Paul_Lewis on 21/02/08
Comparison last updated by Rick_Curzon on 23/03/22

UPDATE LOG:

21/02/08: Initial entry.
28/01/13: Notes about the different versions updated
19/11/12: Overall notes updated and Italian release added
25/02/13: Latest Italian release added
06/06/13: R2 France added & confirmed virtually uncut.
08/06/13: Notes updated.
15/01/16: ASINs added.
03/04/21: Added 2021 Artus double mediabook play edition.
13/08/21: Dates.
23/03/22: Various typos.