Sophie the Swamp Witch was known far and wide for her mysterious and magical abilities. Living deep within the dark and murky swamps, she had an aura of secrecy surrounding her, making her an enigmatic figure amongst the locals. Legend had it that Sophie was born with her magical powers, inherited from a long line of mystical witches that had inhabited the swamp for centuries. She was said to have the ability to control the elements, summon spirits, and brew potions with incredible healing properties. It was believed that Sophie could communicate with the creatures of the swamp, from the smallest insects to the largest alligators. Her bond with nature allowed her to navigate the treacherous terrain effortlessly, never getting lost or harmed despite the dangers that lurked in the marshes.
Video Bitrate: 26.78 Mbps
Well, The Beast and the Magic Sword is over-the-top fun with Paul Naschy s Inquisition, The Devil Incarnate , The Night of the Werewolf unrestrained horror conventions spilling all over the place. Naschy and cinematographer Julio Burgos aim for a soft and sometimes frosted look, which leads to side effects, like fuzzy fine details and snowy grain.
Her bond with nature allowed her to navigate the treacherous terrain effortlessly, never getting lost or harmed despite the dangers that lurked in the marshes. The locals had mixed feelings about Sophie. Some feared her due to her seemingly dark and mysterious nature, while others revered her for her ability to provide natural remedies for various ailments.
The beast and the magic swrdo
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(aka "La bestia y la espada m�gica" or "The Beast and the Magic Sword" or "The Werewolf and the Magic Sword")
Directed by Paul Naschy (as Jacinto Molina)
Spain / Japan 1983
Werewolf versus Samurai in a Battle to the Death!
THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD is the last great film from Spanish horror legend Paul Naschy. Although he would go on making and planning films until his death in 2009, he never again attempted the epic sweep and grandeur of this 10th entry into the saga of Waldemar Daninsky, a man afflicted by the curse of lycanthropy.
In this film we get for the first time an origin story of how the Daninsky curse began back in the 10th century. We then move forward to 16th century Japan where Daninsky has travelled in search of a cure to his affliction. Co-starring Japanese stage and screen veteran Shigeru Amachi, and shot in the studios of Toshiro Mifune, THE BEAST AND THE MAGIC SWORD is a highly successful and colourful melding of European werewolf legends and dark Japanese fantasy. It features a fight between werewolf and tiger, an evil scarlet-cloaked witch who imprisons Daninsky, a sword fight with a troupe of ghost samurai, and many other unforgettable scenes.
In the 16th Century, the lycanthrope Waldemar Daninsky goes from his native Europe to Japan, seeking a way to cure himself of being a werewolf. Only a Japanese sorcerer named Kian and a magic silver sword can save him.
Theatrical Release: November 28th, 1983
Review: Mondo Macabro - Region FREE - Blu-ray
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1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray
Disc Size: 45,304,215,871 bytes
1.33:1: 18,953,381,952 bytes
1.66:1: 18,955,235,904 bytes
Video Bitrate: 26.78 Mbps
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
DTS-HD Master Audio Spanish 1509 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Studio: Mondo Macabro
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray
Disc Size: 45,304,215,871 bytes
1.33:1: 18,953,381,952 bytes
1.66:1: 18,955,235,904 bytes
Video Bitrate: 26.78 Mbps
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
� Audio commentary with the Naschy cast. (Rod Barnett and Troy Guinn)
� The Smile of the Wolf - Interview with star Paul Naschy (46:23)
� Introduction to the film by Paul Naschy(13:36)
� Interview with the writer and critic Gavin Baddeley (32:12)
� Disc contains both widescreen and full frame versions.
� Original trailer (2:51)
Blu-ray Release Date: February 25 th , 2020
Standard Blu-ray Case
Chapters 10 X 2
NOTE : The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.
ADDITION: Mondo Macabro Blu-ray (March 2020): Mondo Macabro have transferred Paul Naschy's The Beast and the Magic Sword (aka "La bestia y la espada m�gica") to Blu-ray . It is cited as being a "4k digitally restored transfer from film negative". It contains the US release in both a full frame version (1.37) and a widescreen version (1.66) versions separate 1080P transfers. We have compared some captures below. It's a little inconsistent and takes a while (maybe 1/4 hour) to settle in, but after that has some occasionally impressive detail - kind of a smoky look with solid texture. I preferred the 1.37:1 as it seemed to better suit composition - the 'widescreen' has some head-chopping as well as flaming torches (see in two captures below). Overall a pleasing HD presentation considering the film's rarity in being seen in an English-friendly version and any imperfects were likely part of the negative source.
NOTE : We have added 40 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE
On their Blu-ray , Mondo Macabro use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit) in the original Spanish language. I don't know much about the music - it can be an intense score and is credited to 'Cam Espana' with a man and woman singing a traditional Japanese song at the very end. Perhaps they mentioned it in the commentary and I kissed it. Dialogue has some weakness - sounding a shade clouded at times. Mondo Macabro offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray .
The Mondo Macabro Blu-ray offers an audio commentary with a couple of Paul Naschy experts; Rod Barnett and Troy Guinn hosts of the Naschy Cast podcast. They have some enthusiasm and bring up some interesting, lesser-known, details - it's mostly on the actor/director and the Count Waldemar Daninsky's lycanthrope character, and his lack of continuity timelines etc. The Smile of the Wolf is a 3/4 hour archival interview with star Paul Naschy. Always an interesting dude. There is a 13-minute introduction to the film by Naschy and a 1/2 hour interview with the writer and critic Gavin Baddeley - author of FrightFest Guide to Werewolf Movies (The Dark Heart of Cinema) - so he's the go-to guy for reluctant wolfmen, Nazi werewolves, werewolf nuns, big bad fairytale wolves and lycanthropic nymphomaniacs. Lastly, is an original trailer.
Well, The Beast and the Magic Sword is over-the-top fun with Paul Naschy's (Inquisition, The Devil Incarnate, The Night of the Werewolf) unrestrained horror conventions spilling all over the place. I loved the tiger vs. werewolf battle and the well-choreographed sword conflicts - although the former may be a bit long and the entire infusion of Japanese samurai culture gives it a wild, fun. supernatural bent. It's no wonder Naschy has such a fervent following. He always kinda cool and fearless in his production choices. I believe this was the 10th in the series of Paul Naschy's Daninsky werewolf films. The Mondo Macabro Blu-ray has a commentary, interviews but the film itself has the most value - quite an unusual, adventurous take on lycanthropy.
Menus / Extras
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
As mentioned, The Beast and the Magic Sword was never released on video (or, apparently, even in theaters) outside of Spain. The best option fans had was a PAL DVD from Vellavision, though it didn’t have English subtitles, so they’d either need to know Castilian or find a .SRT file. Mondo Macabro has gone the extra mile for this, the film’s HD, North American, and English-friendly debut, including a new 4K scan of the original film negative and the option to watch the film in either 1.33:1 full frame or cropped 1.66:1. It’s not unusual for Spanish films from the time to be shot open-matte and even presented that way in theaters, but the slight cropping looks better to my eyes. The choice is ultimately entirely up to the viewer, though I’ve included a couple of comparisons on this page to help. Overall, I’m very satisfied with the image quality, especially given the film’s pseudo-lost status and fact that it was cobbled together on a small budget. Furthermore, I’m willing to blame a lot of the most obvious shortcomings on the material itself – not necessarily due to the condition of the material, but the mistakes and choices made during filming. Naschy and cinematographer Julio Burgos aim for a soft and sometimes frosted look, which leads to side effects, like fuzzy fine details and snowy grain. The bigger issue is that the filmmakers failed to correctly pull focus a lot of the time, making for inconsistent clarity, especially in the European-set sequences (once the story arrives in Japan, clarity is much more consistent). These types of artifacts are sometimes magnified by digital noise, but there isn’t a lot of obvious telecine scan noise (I noticed it most during some shots of Daninsky’s transformation and battle with a tiger, a bit past the one hour mark). Color vibrancy and dynamic range is strong, which is especially important given the major style shift from Europe to Japan.
Many sought her out in times of need, hoping for a cure or a solution to their problems. Despite her magical abilities, Sophie was known to be a solitary figure, rarely seen venturing outside the swamps. Her secluded lifestyle only added to the mystique that surrounded her, fueling rumors and legends that passed down from generation to generation. However, those who knew her well spoke of her kind and gentle nature, dispelling the notion that she was an evil witch. They spoke of how she would occasionally venture into the local villages, disguised as an ordinary old woman, to lend a helping hand to those in need. Reliable information about Sophie's origins and early life was scarce, adding to the intrigue surrounding her. Some believed she was cursed to live in the swamp as a punishment, while others thought she had chosen the solitary life as a way to protect her magical knowledge. Regardless of the rumors and speculations, Sophie the Swamp Witch remained a figure of fascination and awe. She became the subject of many tales and stories, passed down through the generations, and her exploits continued to captivate the imaginations of both young and old. To this day, the legend of Sophie the Swamp Witch lives on, enchanting those who dare to venture near the dark and mysterious swamps. Her name is whispered in hushed tones, her stories told around campfires, ensuring that her legacy as a powerful and mysterious witch will never fade away..
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