Rita la Punta (Marília Pêra, Central Station), a Brazilian single mother living in New York’s Alphabet City, resides with her drug-dealing son Thiago (Richard Ulacia) and his gang of teenage delinquents. In an attempt to control the drug trade below 14th Street, Rita goes against the leader of a rival neighborhood gang, Juan the Bullet (Angel David, The Crow), spurring a turf war. When Carol (Linda Kerridge, Fade to Black), a friend of a drug lord known as The German (Ulrich Berr, Beethoven’s Nephew), expresses an interest in Thiago, things become even more complicated.

Written and directed by NYC art scene, and exploitation cinema luminary Paul Morrissey, MIXED BLOOD is a characteristically grimy descent into urban malaise that is often punctuated by moments of gallows humor. Featuring an eclectic ensemble cast that includes the screen debut of John Leguizamo (Summer of Sam) and Warhol superstar Geraldine Smith (Flesh, Bad), MIXED BLOOD is an essential, but often overlooked, entry into the canon of independent films made on the streets of New York in the 1980s. Cinématographe is proud to present the world blu-ray and UHD debut of Paul Morrissey’s renegade crime comedy from a new 4K restoration of its original camera negative.

For thoughts on Mixed Blood, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Cinématographe presents Mixed Blood with a first-rate 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original 35mm Camera Negative that impresses on the format. The lovely thing about this release is that not only is the film making its 4K UHD debut, but also its Blu-Ray debut. The label sidestepped a lot of grief from fans by believing this one was worthy of the superior format while also providing a Blu-Ray disc from the same 4K master. This new 4K UHD Blu-Ray is saddled with a heavy layer of organic film grain with no signs of unwanted DNR. The encoding appears to be free from any digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or other such shortcomings. Even the bright skies avoid excessive spiking, swarming, or other fleeting encoding issues.

The implementation of Dolby Vision for enhanced color output dials in the grungy nature of the picture to its most satisfying state. The brilliant hues in some of the clothing choices and production design are represented with exceptional precision. The colors within some of the lighting and other design elements are similarly executed with care. Black levels are firm with nothing in the way of crush, and highlights are controlled with no blooming in the picture. The transfer never falters when it comes to textures in the backgrounds and various urban landscapes. We did not spot any major damage, such as stray specks or scratches, thanks to the loving restoration process. Cinématographe will make a lot of people happy with this one.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of the film comes with the original DTS-HD 1.0 Master Audio mono track which delivers a sonic experience worthy of the film. This presentation keeps any hiss or other age-related wear and tear to a minimum thanks to a thoughtful preservation effort. All of the various sounds seem accurately executed so that nothing ever feels artificial. A few violent confrontations liven up the speakers, but this is far from a kinetic outing. Dialogue emerges without obvious signs of sibilance or other shortcomings. It also lingers without being overwhelmed by the music. The score from Stephen Lawrence establishes the appropriate mood that flows out of the speakers with consistent fidelity. Cinématographe has done a respectable job of making it sound as strong as possible. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Limited Edition version of Mixed Blood comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new essays by culture writer Madelyn Sutton, film historian Erica Schultz, and American experimental film expert Paul Attard, alongside archival images from the Paul Morrissey Film Trust. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and provide a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Disc One (4K UHD)

Audio Commentary: Film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell provide a new commentary track that gives insights into the creation of the film, where this fits into the career of Paul Morrissey, his tendencies as a filmmaker, details about the shooting locations, the background of the performers, and much more that puts things into context.

Disc Two (Blu-Ray)

Audio Commentary: Film historians Howard S. Berger and Steve Mitchell
Tremendous Drama – An Interview with Casting Director Leonard Finger: A new 16-minute interview with the casting director who talks about his journey in the casting business, the different subcultures of the time, working with Paul Morrissey on Mixed Blood, searching for an “authentic” ensemble, and more.
Nothing As Wild – An Interview with Editor Scott Vickrey: A new 19-minute interview with the editor who talks about his early days on Saturday Night Live, his journey to Mixed Blood, setting a tone for the narrative, his affection for Morrissey, the music in the film, and more.
The Real Places – An Interview with Producer Steven Fierberg: A new 19-minute interview with an “additional photographer” who talks about his early years, connecting with Morrissey, controversy around Andy Warhol, the strange nature of the production, and more.
Video Essay by Film Historian Chris O’Neill: A great 18-minute visual essay is provided in which the insightful film historian discusses the career of Paul Morrissey, his association with Andy Warhol, the satiric approach to serious subject matter, and more.
Archival Interview with Director Paul Morrissey from The Joan Quinn Profiles (1994): A 17-minute archival piece in which Morrissey discusses his career, thematic trilogies, working as an independent filmmaker, and more.
Still Gallery of Archival Materials from the Paul Morrissey Film Trust

Final Thoughts

Mixed Blood is our first foray into the world of Paul Morrissey, and the experience feels nearly at odds with the world as we know it. We recognize the rhythms of certain character actions, yet the tone can lean a bit absurd even in the midst of serious conflict. This is compounded by the fact that so many of these performers are non-professional actors, which can shift how an action lands altogether. It is not the most accessible viewing experience, but it will have you returning to learn more of its secrets. Cinématographe has delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring an excellent A/V presentation and a solid assortment of special features. If you are a fan of the filmmaker, this is an unbeatable release. Recommended

Mixed Blood is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

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