VIY (Masters of Cinema) STANDARD EDITION BLU-RAY

Bursting with startling imagery and stunning practical effects courtesy of directors Konstantin Yershov, Georgi Kropachyov, and perhaps most notably, artistic director Aleksandr Ptushko (the legendary special effects artist whose spectacular stop-motion effects and innovative colour cinematography has seen him referred to as the Soviet equivalent of Willis O’Brien, Ray Harryhausen, and even Mario Bava), VIY has influenced generations of directors for more than half a century.

In 19th century Russia, a seminary student is forced to spend three nights with the corpse of a beautiful young witch. But when she rises from the dead to seduce him, it will summon a nightmare of fear, desire, and the ultimate demonic mayhem.

The Masters of Cinema series is proud to present VIY on Blu-ray from a HD restoration of the original film elements.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• 1080p presentation on Blu-ray
• Original Russian mono audio
• Optional English mono audio
• Optional English subtitles and English SDH
• Brand new audio commentary with film historian and eastern European cinema expert Michael Brooke
• Brand new video essay on Russian novelist and VIY author Nikolai Gogol
• Archival documentary on VIY
• Three Russian silent film fragments, The Portrait[1915, 8 mins],The Queen of Spades[1916, 16 mins], and Satan Exultant[1917, 20 mins]

PRESS

“a fascinating glimpse at the type of filmmaking once hidden behind the Iron Curtain” – Indiewire [The Greatest Horror Movies of All-Time]

“★★★★★an unmissable movie that deserves to be in any horror fan’s collection” – Starburst

“★★★★Giant hands, walking skeletons, vampires and werewolves strut their stuff” – The Arts Desk

“This is truly a special release for fans of horror and the supernatural and should be featuring in many best blu-ray of the Year lists at the end of 2021” – Louder Than War

“has influenced generations of directors for more than half a century and is still unlike any horror movie you've ever seen.” – DVD Beaver