The Creature Blu-ray Review

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

In post-Franco Spain or the waning days of the Franco regime, the fascist’s grip on censorship over the film industry loosened and filmmakers like Eloy de la Iglesia (Cannibal Man) could explore without limits. In La criatura (The Creature), Iglesia really pushes boundaries of exploitation and taste, but somehow manages to keep it tasteful.

A highly respectful married couple, Cristina (Ana Belén) and Marcos (Juan Diego) face devasting tragedy when she suffers a miscarriage after being attacked by a dog on their vacation. Hoping to help Cristina get over the loss, Marcos takes her on a getaway to the beach, the same place the couple spent their honeymoon. There they are greeted by a black German Sheppard; the same breed as attacked her. The dog grows attached to them and Cristina grows attached to it. They take it home and she names it “Bruno,” the name of their unborn son. But Cristina grows an unhealthy attachment to Bruno, even becoming jealous when Marcos finds a purebred female companion for him. The situation reaches a boiling point when Marcos returns home from his job on a TV talk show, drunk, and finds Cristina asleep naked in bed with Bruno, her wedding dress out on a chair with his paw prints all over it. The implication being she has had sex with the dog.

Iglesia has been dropping hints that Cristina has grown a sexual attraction and relationship with Bruno, but there is never and confirmation that this is the case. This very much could be a case of her trying to fill the void of her lost baby and Marcos – and the viewers – reading too much into things, but some situations seem a little too obvious, a little too sexual.

The Creature is certainly not the kind of film that will find a wide audience.  While it is hardly the most graphic exploitation genre film out there, its flirtation with a very taboo subject may be enough to keep most away. Iglesias still manages to work this material by leaning into the marital woes and making the most horrific scenes those between Marcos and Cristina.

Purchase The Creature on Blu-ray at Amazon.com

The Video

The Creature is taken from a new 2K scan of the negative and presented in a 1.85:1 AVC 1080p encodement. At first glance the film looks good with natural flesh tones and lots of clarity, but a closer look shows that there is some heavy-handed DNR in place here with waxiness on the skin. There is also a significant issue that pops up throughout the transfer that is unseeable once you notice it and it is very noticeable. There is mosquito noise that pops up around objects periodically. One place where you can see this is at around the 40 minute and 23 second mark as Marcos walks through the door with the dark, indigo blue sky in the background. You can see the mosquito noise swarming and moving around with his head as he moves around.

The Audio

The original Spanish mono mix for The Creature is included in LPCM 2.0 mono. The sound is clear and clean with a good amount of dynamics for a monaural mix from the 1970s. When the dog starts barking there is not much clipping.

The Supplements

Severin includes an interview with assistant director Loren and an interview and introduction from filmmaker Gaspar Noé.

Bonus Features:

• A Strange Movie – Interview with Assistant Director Alejo Loren (1080p; 00:22:41)
• Gaspar/Eloy – Interview with Filmmaker Gaspar Noé (1080i; 00:14:04)
• Introduction by Gaspar Noé at Cinémathèque Française (7/20/2023) (1080p; 00:04:29)

The Final Assessment

A genre film that finds its first official release in the United States, one that is not for everyone, and is a very strange but still tastefully done, if that is possible. Unfortunately, the restoration suffers from some significant issues, which is strange and unusual for Severin.

The Creature is out on Blu-ray September 24, 2024 from Severin Films

Purchase The Creature on Blu-ray at Amazon.com

• Rating Certificate: Not Rated
• Studios & Distributors: Alborada P.C. | Guión Producciones Cinematográficas | Severin Films
• Director: Eloy de la Iglesia
• Written By: Enrique Barreiro
• Run Time: 101 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Video Format: AVC 1080p
• Primary Audio: English LPCM 2.0
• Subtitles: English
• Street Date: 24 September 2024