GOOD CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT EVIL Two sisters, Celeste and Isa, fall under the terrifying spell of a mysterious vinyl record from the 1970s. Used to help with stress and bring the listener to a state of calming self-hypnosis, the recording has the unfortunate side-effect of manifesting a doppelganger of the listener into our world. This “double” then grows stronger by the day to copy and take over the life of the person who played the vinyl. Seeking the help of the woman who originally created the recording, hypnotist Lena Carlsson (Christina Lindberg, Thriller: A Cruel Picture), Celeste and Isa try to banish the doppelgangers back to their own world before their lives are lost forever. Directed by internationally acclaimed horror master Adrian Garcia Bogliano (Here Comes the Devil, Late Phases), Black Circle is “top-notch psychological horror with a sci-fi bent that, as a doppelganger tale, rivals the best of the remakes of, and films inspired by, the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (scariesthings.com).

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[youtube https://youtu.be/tgmHjkh1298?si=vA8WMznqiabGiQWJ&t=540]

Video Quality

Black Circle debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Synapse Films with a really fetching 1080p presentation in 2.39:1 from a high definition master that serves the film immensely well. With a pleasant and consistent presentation from beginning to end, there is not much of anything to complain about here. The film provides ample color saturation which permeates the screen consistently, especially with some of the bold lighting choices. Even in more unyielding environments, the transfer shows off an impressive amount of detail and clarity. The highlights of the presentation do not show off any instances of blooming. Black levels are slightly more inconsistent with a touch of murkiness during the shadowy scenes, but there is still some nice depth on display. The special effects are executed well considering the limited budget they had to pull it off. Synapse Films has done some nice work with this one.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original Swedish with optional English subtitles that handles everything that is thrown at it with notable precision. One of the prominent elements of the narrative is the focal record and the place of music, and all of these sonic elements are represented with great fidelity. The film is very dialogue driven, but there are some atmospheric effects and a fantastic score that will give your speakers something substantial to work with.

Dialogue primarily stays in front center channels and is reproduced clearly. The track does a good job of making sure neither sound effects nor the music ever overpowers any important information. There is some nice ambient activity in the rear channels, especially during scenes of a more paranormal nature. There is not too much attention paid to the low end, but it provides some texture to the overall experience. This track has a substantial dynamic range that should satisfy even the most discerning audiophiles.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Adrian Garcia Bogliano provides a nifty commentary track in which he discusses the motivations to make this film, how his upbringing influenced the narrative, concepts that were difficult to translate outside of Sweden, the production design, working with the performers, the larger ideas behind the film and more that is worth a listen if you enjoy the film.

Don’t Open Your Eyes – Short Film: The 11-minute short film from Adrian Garcia Bogliano that inspired the feature film is provided here.

Interview with Adrian Garcia Bogliano and Christina Lindberg: A nearly 58-minute intensive conversation between the director and the Swedish icon who discusses her life from childhood through her storied career. This is a true highlight of the disc as you get to know more of the woman who so many put on a pedestal.

Behind-The-Scenes Featurette: A nine-minute piece that features interviews with director Adrian Garcia Bogliano, and actors Hanna Asp, Christina Lindberg, Jonah Palm, Hans Sandqvist, Felice Jankell, and Madeline Barwen Trollvik. There are some decent insights given about the film, but the glimpses of the production are the standout elements.

Still Gallery: A 14-minute collection of images from the film is provided here.

Original Teaser Trailer: A minute-long trailer is provided here.

CD Soundtrack

Final Thoughts

Black Circle does not let its low-budget roots impact the quality of the feature as director Adrian Garcia Bogliano uses minimalism as an advantage. Some of the most effective moments are simply the camera lingering a little too long on an otherwise mundane experience while the soundscape goes to work building the paranoia. The film develops in some pretty effective ways, even though things begin to feel somewhat repetitive near the end. The film is not perfect, but it largely lands its blows to set itself apart as a solid paranormal tale. Synapse Films has released a Blu-Ray that has a great A/V presentation and some cool special features. If you like horror that leans more towards the arthouse side of the spectrum, give this a watch. Recommended

Black Circle is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Synapse Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.