‘The Bloody Lady’ Blu-Ray Review – A Captivating, Rewarding Dark Fairy Tale

Lady Elisabeth Báthory lives a charmed life in a resplendent Romanesque castle, surrounded by Disney-esque wildlife and a colorful cast of obliging servants. Taking ill one day while traveling through the forest, she’s nursed back to health by a handsome woodsman, and in gratitude gifts him with her own heart. But upon returning home, Lady Báthory’s sunny disposition quickly turns murderous and vampiric once she discovers the secret to heart-less eternal youth lies in draining the blood of all the young women and men in her castle.

Widely considered one of Slovak animation’s crown jewels, The Bloody Lady is an improbable and bewitching fusion of gothic horror and classic children’s animation, retelling of the infamous Čachtická castle and Báthory folk tale which is often cited as the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Recently treated to haunting live score by celebrated indie musician claire rousay, this underseen gem is a new cult classic in the making.

The Bloody Lady is the centerpiece of this deluxe special edition release, a retrospective of landmark Eastern Bloc animator Viktor Kubal’s pioneering work in much-loved children’s shorts as well as subversive – though no less groundbreaking – feature films.

For thoughts on The Bloody Lady, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

The Bloody Lady comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Arbelos with a stellar 1080p transfer sourced from a digital restoration of the 35mm Original Camera Negative which was scanned at 4K by the National Film Archive of the Slovak Film Institute. The textures of the various environments appear naturally filmic and give the feature a robust sense of depth. We are enamored with the aesthetic of Viktor Kubal’s animation that stands apart from much of what modern animation accomplishes. One of the areas where the feature really soars is the fluid nature of the character designs as they relate to the environment. The colors present in this transfer are stunning with bold hues swirling amongst each other while maintaining crisp delineation. Black levels are concrete with no serious issues of banding or compression. This Blu-Ray provides a dynamite presentation for some of the most interesting animation we have seen in some time. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an LPCM 1.0 track in the original Slovak (with optional English subtitles). This particular feature relies largely on the art of animation sustaining the storytelling, yet there are plenty of moments when the dialogue and other sonic elements come together wonderfully. Exchanges spring forth clearly without sound effects or the music impeding important information. The score adds a transfixing note to the proceedings which is conveyed flawlessly here. The track handles atmospheric effects delicately all around. This is not a particularly aggressive presentation, but it presents everything accurately without much in the way of damage or other unwanted issues. 

Special Features

The Blu-Ray of The Bloody Lady includes a booklet featuring the essay “A Dot and A Line (Everything Is Possible)” by animation historian Rastislav Steranka which gives some background information on Viktor Kubal, the state of animation at the time, the narrative and the symbolism within some of his animation, and more. This should be considered essential reading to further appreciate what is on screen. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

• Jurko The Highwayman (1976): An additional 79-minute feature is provided from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. This is a visual treat that holds up just as well as the main feature. 

• Short Films: A substantial collection of films from Viktor Kubal is provided. 

• • The Mysterious Old Man (1944) (3:58)

• • Earth (1966) (7:12)

• • Dita at the Post Office (1967) (7:10)

• • Promotion (1968) (5:42)

• • Dita in the Air (1970) (7:00)

• • Two Good Friends (1972) (7:08)

• • Tom Thumb (1972) (7:24)

• • Tom Thumb at the Magician’s (1973) (7:24)

• • Chess (1974) (4:45)

• • Tom Thumb and the Germs (1974) (6:49)

• • The Present (1976) (5:33)

• • Cinema (1977) (6:49)

• • The Ladder (1978) (5:14)

• • Only Child (1979) (6:46)

• • The Microscope (1981) (5:50)

• • What Happened to Johnny on the Road (1981) (5:33)

• • The Selection (1982) (5:04)

• • The Weatherman (1983) (9:06)

• • The Marzipan Comedy (1987) (41:57)

• • High Noon (1988) (3:44)

• • The Idol (1989) (5:23)

• U.S. Theatrical Trailer (1:45)

Final Thoughts

The Bloody Lady is another example of the wondrous nature of animation and how different masters can shape it in thrilling ways. Viktor Kubal had a bit of a darker edge to his approach, and we appreciate that he was given the space to explore content for a mature audience. The sumptuous animation brings out the layers of the story in the main feature in the spotlight, as well as his copious catalog of gems. If you are a fan of animation, you owe it to yourself to know him. Arbelos has released a Blu-Ray with a sterling A/V presentation and an essential collection of supplements. This is a godsend for fans of animation. Highly Recommended 

The Bloody Lady is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray in a Standard and Limited Edition form. 

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

Disclaimer: Arbelos 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.