‘The Savage Hunt Of King Stakh’ Deluxe Edition Blu-Ray Review – An Eerie & Surreal Folk Horror Gem

 “We have more ghosts than live people,” murmurs the pale, haunted mistress of the mansion of Marsh Firs (Elena Dimitrova) to a scholar of ancient folklore (Boris Plotnikov) who has arrived at her castle to research the bloody legend of King Stakh, a murdered 15th century nobleman whose spirit supposedly thunders through the local woodlands. (The Wild Hunt is a fixture of northern European folklore in which a sinister figure leads a chase followed by ghostly companions.) Part folk horror, part supernatural mystery, KING STAKH is a melancholy, chilling mixture of Terry Gilliam, Italian Gothic Horror, 1960s Hammer Films and THE WICKER MAN – and a major rediscovery for genre fans. The longer the young scholar stays in this mysterious house of “shadow, gloom, madness and death,” the more strange and surreal the imagery becomes: a mad widow in a white wig; a man bleeding spontaneously from his skull; a dwarf hiding in a decayed doll’s house; screeching ravens and maniacal puppet shows. Based on the novel by Belarusian writer Uladzimir Karatkievich, the long-unavailable KING STAKH has recently been restored from the original film elements in its extended 126 min. Director’s Cut by Deaf Crocodile and Seagull Films for its first-ever U.S. release.

For thoughts on The Savage Hunt of King Stakh, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: 

Video Quality

The Savage Hunt of King Stakh debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio with a 1080p master of the Director’s Cut derived from a new restoration of the best surviving elements by Deaf Crocodile. There is a brief text screen before the film that sets your expectations for any slight deficiencies that stem from the lack of a surviving original camera negative. There are small moments when you notice a fluctuation in color temperature and other subtle anomalies, but this is still up to the level of care you expect from the label. Colors are perfectly in line with the intended aesthetic of the feature. Black levels are strong with no semblance of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is in good shape, and there is practically no print damage to be found thanks to the loving restoration efforts. 

The beautiful restoration is put over the top by a perfect Fidelity In Motion encoding effort. The gothic photography which captures the distinct environments thrives in high definition with natural grain intact and nicely resolved. There is a serious amount of detail present with prominent textures on the costumes and the intricate production design. The new transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail even when the visuals are intended to be dreamlike. Certain elements of the makeup and set design look rewarding in their clarity. Deaf Crocodile has done a top-tier job of rescuing this one from obscurity.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray arrives with a great LPCM 1.0 mono track in the original Russian (with optional English subtitles). Dialogue comes through clearly without the eerie sound effects or the music pulling focus from important information. The film employs some rich sound effects that are given the appropriate presence within the mix. The dreamy journey undertaken by our protagonist is filled with enchanting sonic characteristics that stand firm in the speakers. The score comes through well in relation to the competing sounds. This track accomplishes everything it needs to with ideal fidelity and free of damage or other unwanted issues. Deaf Crocodile always puts the best foot forward. 

Special Features

The Deluxe Edition Blu-Ray of The Savage Hunt of King Stakh arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes a 60-page, bound book featuring writing by film critic Walter Chaw and film historian and professor Peter Rollberg. This provides great insight into the film, the themes, the creatives, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

• Audio Commentaries: Two different film historians provide engaging and informative commentary tracks in which they provide great context for Russian cinema of the time, the adaptation of the source material, the various cuts of the film, the background of the performers, the work of director Valeri Rubinchik, the production of the film, and much more. 

• • Audio Commentary #1: Mike White of The Projection Booth

• • Audio Commentary #2: Comics artist (Swamp Thing), film historian, and author Stephen R. Bissette.

• Introduction by Kier-La Janisse: Author and film historian Kier-La Janisse provides a very enlightening 13-minute examination of the film with insights into Belarusian history, how it twists the “old dark house” subgenre, aesthetic motifs, and much more. 

• The Wild, Wild Hunt of King Stakh: A 16-minute video essay from film historian Evan Chester is provided that delves into the history of folk horror, the thematic nuances of the film, the importance of the time period, differences from the source, the influence of the Soviet Union on the production, and more. 

• 2024 Restoration Trailer: The nearly two-minute trailer is provided. 

Final Thoughts

The Savage Hunt of King Stakh is a transfixing journey that will make fans of Gothic horror perk up and take notice with its unsettling visuals and overall mysterious tone. The patient pacing may not appeal to all tastes, but there is always something on screen to grab your attention if you give yourself over to this world. Folk horror has had a bit of a resurgence in recent years, and this is an outing ripe for discovery by modern audiences. Deaf Crocodile has released a Blu-Ray which sports a terrific A/V presentation and an excellent assortment of special features in lovely packaging. This label continues to be one of our favorite sources to expose us to overlooked gems. Recommended 

The Savage Hunt of King Stakh is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Deluxe Edition Slipcase exclusively through Deaf Crocodile and DiabolikDVD. 

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

Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile 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.