Spirits Of The Dead (1968) Blu-ray

Fellini's film is an adaptation set in contemporary Rome of Poe's Never Bet the Devil Your Head published in 1841. Poe's work is a brief comic satire of the transcendentalist movements that were then popular in Europe and America. Fellini's work takes two elements from Poe's story: First the plot of a drunk who confronts a mysterious stranger on a bridge and bets him his head; the man fails to see that the stranger is the devil who subsequently wins the bet. Second Fellini takes the name Toby Dammit, Toby being an English slang term for ass in Poe's time. (1) In short Toby Dammit is a dammed ass.

Included is the 2008, Toby Dammit cinema version restored under the personal supervision of its renowned cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno. Screened at the Tribeca Film Festival, where it was widely acclaimed by the press as a lost Fellini masterpiece.

Special Features:

• Brand new transfer of Spirits of the Dead from a new HD restoration of the original negative
• Alternative English audio for Metzengerstein and William Wilson, English and Italian audio for Toby Dammit as well the French dubbed version
• Brand new English subtitle translation on all versions
• Rare Vincent Price voice over narration used for the US theatrical version
• Collector s booklet featuring 'Spirits of the Dead Revisited' essay by critic and author Tim Lucas, 'Literature and Cinema' essay by scholar and author Peter Bondanella on Toby Dammit illustrated with re-prints of original lobby cards and posters