The Emilio Miraglia Killer Queen Box Set [1971] (NTSC) [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import]

I bought this back in April and only just got around to watching it. Based on the previous posting, I was worried I wouldn't be able to watch the films, but I had no problem with either one. In fact, both films were quite beautifully transferred and played marvelously. They might not have been the most outrageous of giallos (see the works of Dario Argento or Sergio Martino), but were quite entertaining. And the accompanying interviews, trailers, etc., were put together well, too. All this, plus the incredible "Red Queen" statuette included in the box! Someday, this will probably be a sought-after collectible.

As another reviewer suggests, the DVD encoding on these discs is woeful (although it was chapter 8 before the picture started to pixelate and then the disc stopped altogether on mine), but the other problem I have is with the audio/subtitles.

Now I have 3 DVD players (including PC) and with my main one I couldn't change either the audio or subtitles during the movie and neither of them would change from the main menu either! So basically the audio was stuck on Italian with no English subtitles. On my PC, again neither was changeable during the movie but at least they did change from the main menu. Then I tried my backup DVD player and lo and behold, both the audio and subtitles worked from the main menu and the audio was changeable during the movie (but the subtitles couldn't be turned off!).

Which then leads me to my second complaint: the subtitles (I think), although it could be the dub. Either way, when you watch with English audio and English subs the difference is incredible, I'd say at least 70% of what they say is different!! I don't speak/understand Italian, so I have no idea whether it's the dub or subs that are nearer the mark, but either way it makes me think that I'm missing something!

Of course, this is all slightly insignificant as I couldn't even finish the first film properly!

Basically, this company should spend more time and money investing in the quality of the DVD authoring instead of wasting money on pathetic, cheap and tacky little figures! I do hope one other reviewer is right in saying that in time this will become a sought after collectable, at least then I can make a profit from it!

The Emilio Miraglia Killer Queen Box Set is a must have for any Italian giallo fan. NOSHAME did an excellent job of restoring these high-budget cult classics, "The Night Evelyn Came out of the Grave" and "The Red Queen Kills 7 Times." The picture and audio are of such great quality that one would think these movies were filmed yesterday. It is obvious that the director, Emilio Miraglia, was inspired by both Mario Bava and Dario Argento. In both movies, especially the "Red Queen," he uses lavish sets and the widespread use of blue, red, and green gels. Both are very gothic in that they employ huge castles, dungeons, rats, and bats. Like Argento, Miraglia pays close attention to gory details. Of the two movies, "Red Queen" is my favorite. The plot is very intricate; it is filled with numerous red herrings and twists and turns. Barbara Bouchet as "Kitty" is wonderful. In fact, beautiful actresses and handsome actors are used profusely throughout these movies. Another reason why they remind me of the movies that Bava made. "The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave" reminded me very much of Bava's "Hatchet for the Honeymooon," which also had a man who was luring young girls, especially models, to his castle and murdering them. The main characters in both "Hatchet" and "Evelyn" were dealing with mental psychosis triggered by events from the past. "The Red Queen" reminded me of Bava's "Blood and Black Lace," which involved another modelling agency where models were dropping like flies. In the "Red Queen," there is a scene where the Red Queen drags a man to his death while driving a car. I wonder if Argento was influenced by it when he directed "Deep Red" in which a young man is dragged along the street before having his head crushed by a car. This box set is definitely worth the price.