The House by the Cemetery (1981)

"Arrow Give a Fulci Classic the UHD Treatment"

One of the all-time classics of Italian horror cinema gets a UHD release from Arrow, utilising Blue Underground's 4K scan and including all the new extras from their US release for UK viewers to now enjoy, as well as including a plentiful pile of archival extras as well.

So which is the best of the seminal horror films Lucio Fulci directed in the late 1970s and early 1980s? HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY is certainly in the running and it's a fine example of the director's approach to horror cinema. It has a horrible premise, plenty of graphic gore, a fantastically monstrous creation responsible for it all, and an ending that culminates in arguably the most nightmarish sequence the director ever created. The fact that ultimately the film doesn't make a lot of sense will by the icing on the cake to enthusiasts, while being a possible stumbling block for those who aren't. 

I'm not going to reveal much about the plot because if you're a horror fan and you've never seen HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY you're in for a treat, suffice to say that, over 40 years since it was made, it remains the ultimate in mad zombie doctor horror films.

Arrow's 4K UHD presentation looks excellent, with a crisp, clear, chilly feel to the picture that has never been quite so successfully presented in previous transfers.  Extras kick off with the new commentary recorded for Blue Underground by Troy Howarth, as well as two archival commentaries, one with star Catriona MacColl and the other with star Sylvia Collatina.

The other new extras from Blue Underground's 4K are also included, consisting of a new interview with co-writer Giorgio Mariuzzo, a Catriona MacColl Q&A, and an interview with Stephen Thrower. There's also a ton of other interviews with cast and crew (including the one with Giovanni Frezza where he apologises for the dubbing of Bob even though he had nothing to do with it), a deleted scene, alternate credits with different music, a cast Q&A from 12 years ago, trailers, TV spot and image galleries.

Exclusive to Arrow's set is limited edition packaging with a reversible sleeves featuring new and original art, plus a 60 page perfect bound book featuring new writing on the film, a fold-out double-sided poster and six double-sided collector's postcards.

Lucio Fulci's HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY is out on limited edition 4K UHD from Arrow Films on Monday 9th October 2023