The Malleus Maleficarum: Hammer of the Witches

“No one who reads the histories can doubt that there have always been witches, and that by their evil works much harm has been done to men, animals, and the fruits of the earth, and that Incubus and Succubus devils have always existed.”

-Malleus Maleficarum, Part 2, Chapter IV

Yesterday, I wrote about Benjamin Christensen's Häxan, which is somewhat based on and was definitely inspired by the 1486 witch hunting manual, the Malleus Maleficarum, Maleficas, & earum hæresim, ut phramea potentissima conterens, which translates to The Hammer of Witches which destroyeth Witches and their heresy as with a two-edged sword. Known today as the preeminent medieval witch hunting tome, the Malleus was written by Heinrich Kramer, a German priest and self-styled inquisitor. Jacob Sprenger, another German priest, also become involved with the publication, though contemporary scholars, such as Hans Peter Broedel, have come to believe Kramer was the primary author. Kramer sought to prove the existence of witches and educate other inquisitors on the best ways to locate, identify, and convict witches, most of whom he believed to be female, because of women's supposed predisposition to sin and vanity.

Based on earlier works, such as Johannes Nider’s Formicarius from 1435, the Malleus Maleficarum is divided into an introduction and three main sections, with the ultimate goal of asserting the existence of witchcraft and describing the variety of black arts available to servants of Satan. The first part serves as a lengthy introduction to witchcraft and explores such themes as why witches exist and what forms they can and cannot take, how they must have commerce with the Devil in order to bring about magic, the existence of incubi and succubi, the necessity of witches having sexual intercourse with the Devil, the fact that the majority of witches are female and why, and a description of the variety of powers that witches may possess. 

Part two explains these powers in further depth - who witches can and cannot affect, their methods of disturbing and seducing the innocent, how they form a pact with the Devil, how they transport themselves, how they copulate with the Devil, demonic possession, and how they affect human procreation and fertility, and many other things. Part three examines bringing witches to trial, interrogation, and sentencing, covering such topics as who is fit to be a judge in a witch trial, number of witnesses and the examination process, whether or not “mortal enemies” are acceptable witnesses, what kind of defense may be presented, etc. What kind of torture is acceptable is a major part of this section, which reveals details such as that witches must be shaved to displays the devil’s marks and red-hot irons are a great means of producing confessions. 

Based on his attempts at organized witch hunting in various regions of Germany, Kramer was given a papal bull in 1484 by Pope Innocent VIII, the Summis desiderantes affectibus, which gave him full authority to persecute and prosecute German witches. The bull declared, “Persons of both sexes, unmindful of their own salvation and straying from the Catholic Faith, have abandoned themselves to devils, incubi and succubi, and by their incantations, spells, conjurations, and other accursed charms and crafts, enormities and horrid offences, have slain infants yet in the mother's womb, as also the offspring of cattle,” among many other alleged evils. The bull threatened local clergy with excommunication if they did not cooperate and Kramer wound up using this text as the preface to the Malleus Maleficarum. 

Despite this papal mandate and the book’s enduring popularity and infamy, it was not officially used by the Inquisition. Witch hunting (and the belief in witchcraft at all) was initially considered to be unlawful superstition by the early Church leader, but from the 12th to 15th centuries, largely due to political motivation, the idea of persecuting caught on with increasing fervor. Regardless of the Church’s stance on the Malleus, witch hunting caught on, particularly after the invention of Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press in the 15th century, making the Malleus far more accessible and kicking off a potential propaganda firestorm. 

Though the Malleus has long been associated with the Inquisition, in the last forty years academic critics have relegated its importance to a more symbolic function. It is doubted that Innocent VIII ever saw the book and it is now believed that the text had much less of an effect on medieval witch hunting practices. It was soon condemned by the Church, in particular Spanish Inquisitors, the most infamous branch, warned against accepting its veracity. I can't pretend the Malleus is compelling reading. Despite subject matter like covens, witches' sabbaths, sex with the Devil, feasting on babies, incubi and succubi, Kramer's book reads like the dullest legal brief imaginable. Regardless, it stands as an important symbol, both of a time of persecution and near genocide, and as the potential, if ironic source for something more contemporary: Wicca and neo-paganism. 

HÄXAN: WITCHCRAFT THROUGH THE AGES

Benjamin Christensen, 1922

Starring: Benjamin Christensen, Clara Pontoppidan, Oscar Stribolt, and Astrid Holm

"The belief in evil spirits, sorcery, and witchcraft is the result of naive notions about the mystery of the universe."

Unusual, macabre, blackly humorous, insightful, and unsettling, Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages (1922) is an inspired landmark of early satanic horror. Directed by Benjamin Christensen and starring Christensen, Clara Pontoppidan, Oscar Stribolt, and Astrid Holm, Häxan is an incredible documentary-style silent film about Satan, evil, and witchcraft. This Swedish/Danish film is based partly on the Malleus Maleficarum, as well as other medieval books about witches and witch hunting, and is a brilliant and original film. Häxan essentially aims to show how superstitious interpretations of psychiatric illness can be perceived as occult phenomena, leading ultimately to torture and genocide. Though some segments are shot in a documentary style, others are like short horror films. There is an interesting mixed media feel, where Christensen inserts still of photographs, paintings, and other art work. 

The film is split into seven parts. The first, an essay on witchcraft in Early Modern and Medieval culture, is comprised of text and stills. Christensen includes photographs of statues and woodcuts, paintings, models, and some medieval mechanical art. The second section uses dramatic vignettes to explain Medieval beliefs about Satan and witchcraft. Christensen’s Satan (gleefully played by Christensen himself) is hairy and potbellied, a sort of diabolically sexualized prankster, while his witches are portrayed flying on brooms, making brews out of babies, kissing Satan directly on the ass as part of a greeting ritual, and gracing the doors of their neighbors with fresh urine. Satan’s other minions, devils and demons, are shown as as perverted versions of farm animals, such as pigs and cats, or as writhing insects birthed by a witch. 

Part three has a more cohesive narrative structure and relates the story of an old woman falsely accused of witchcraft in the Middle Ages. She is tortured and confesses her experiences at a Sabbath, but is eventually released. Part four examines witchcraft trials, part five explores the torture practices used to coerce alleged witches into confessing, and part six wraps up the exploration of hysteria, witchcraft, and Medieval torture methods. The seventh and final section explores how superstitions are understood in contemporary times. Like academics and films many years after him (such as Lars von Trier’s Antichrist), Christensen hypothesizes that occult behavior was really misunderstood mental illness. While he praises the fact that these people currently receive treatment instead of being sent to the rack, he laments that modern mental health treatments are appallingly similar to Medieval tortures. 

The film has surprisingly shocking subject matter despite the fact that it came out in 1922 and was initially banned in the U.S. for nudity, perversion, sexual content, and torture, which is not surprising considering the many depictions of grave robbing, possessed nuns, a satanic rite, and Satan tempting a number of people. There is also an impressive amount of sexual content for the time period, expressed both in the witches’ relationship to Satan and the depictions of torture. Somewhat surprisingly, this was the most expensive Scandinavian silent film ever made and received positive reviews in its home territory. Christensen sought funding from both Sweden and his native Denmark, which allowed him more creative and financial freedom. 

With Häxan, Christensen delivers a serious commentary about Medieval superstition that provides insightful parallels to modern times and influenced nearly all subsequent satanic horror films. Chris Fujiwara wrote an essay for Criterion about the film, where he stresses the its importance and influential nature. He writes, “Häxan also has ties to F. W. Murnau’s Faust and later films based on the Faust legend, to demonic-possession movies like William Friedkin’s The Exorcist (1973), and to the many movies in which the devil comes to Earth in human form, of which George Miller’s The Witches of Eastwick (1987) is a pertinent recent example.”

Häxan is available freely on the internet, because it is now in the public domain, but the Criterion DVD release is the most superior edition available. It includes the full 104 minute version, as well as a shorter version that was recut in the late ‘60s and includes a jazz score and narration by William S. Burroughs. The fantastic special features include lengthy notes, a new score from the Danish premier, a restored print, commentary by a Danish scholar Casper Tybjerg, Christensen’s original introduction, outtakes, and more. Tybjerg’s insightful commentary explores Christensen’s life and career, the early Scandinavian film industry, studies of hysteria and witchcraft, representations of the Devil, connections to contemporary films, and more. The original soundtrack, which included classical pieces from Schubert, Wagner, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Gluck, and Beethoven, among others, was also restored and arranged by music scholar Gillian Anderson. 

The film is clearly a labor of love from an innovator of cinema who deserves to mentioned alongside greats like Pabst and Griffith, but unfortunately many of his films are lost or in poor condition. According to James Hendrick from Kinoeye, “Häxan was intended to be the first entry in a trilogy of films that would explore the history of superstition. The two other films in this proposed trilogy, however, The Saint and The Spirits, were left unrealised.” It is a shame these never got to see the light of day, because Häxan is an important part of early world cinema and easily one of the most influential and still-relevant silent films, worth seeing simply because of its unforgettable visuals, editing techniques, and special effects, as well as its progressive views of medieval witch hunts and the evils of religious superstition. 

Also of interest for lovers of Satanic cinema are two of Christensen’s other films that deal with the devil, but remain unavailable on DVD: Seven Footprints to Satan (1929), about a young couple who are kidnapped and brought to a mansion full of of high society Satanic cult members; The Devil’s Circus (1926) concerns a trapeze artist and pickpocket who get involved with a diabolical lion-tamer and his crazy wife.

SCORE

Radley Metzger, 1974

Starring: Claire Wilbur, Calvin Culver, Lynn Lowry, Gerald Grant, Carl Parker

"Jack, I'd hop in the sack with a porcupine if it struck my fancy."

A bisexual married couple pursues a younger, more conservative, newly married couple one night during a dinner party. Though the couple resists at first, a day and night of straight and gay sex, couple swapping, anal sex, lots of oral sex, a strap-on, amyl nitrates, role playing and costumes, drugs, and even an affair with the telephone repair man ensues. Metzger’s film is one of the first to portray bisexuality, which he does in an open and nonjudgemental manner. Score refers to the score kept between husband and wife about the number of people (presumably of the same sex) each have seduced. It is based on an off-Broadway play from 1971 by Jerry Douglas, which included a young Sylvester Stallone in a bit part as the telephone repairman. 

While Metzger changed the play very little other than the setting - moving it from Queens to an imaginary city in Europe - he made two different versions of the film, one softcore and the other hardcore in order to give the film wider potential distribution. This U.S.-Yugoslavian co-production is another of Metzger’s early ‘70s films shot in Croatia, but this looks more lush and inviting than something like Little Mother, which had the same location. The is the least stylish of Metzger’s mid-period films, but still includes some interesting camera angles and textures, namely during the often dizzying sex scenes. There is also a lot of very funny visual innuendo, not quite on the level of Austin Powers; in that neighborhood but much sexier. 

The film puts more of an emphasis on drama and dialogue than it does on sex, and while I enjoyed it, I literally fell asleep during the very long, very tame sex scene at the climax of the film. This is the first time I have ever fallen asleep watching a sex scene. Despite this, there are actually some very erotic moments and the actors are all lovely and bring a certain amount of humor and frankness. Though Lynn Lowry is perhaps the best known due to her roles in The Crazies, I Drink Your Blood, and Shivers, Claire Wilbur steals the film with the sheer amount of charm and sassiness that drives the plot forward. Calvin Culver (aka gay porn star Casey Donovan early in his career, playing a reluctantly gay husband in a straight marriage) and Gerald Grant don’t do a whole lot other than skip off in costumes and seduce each other, but they do it well. 

Arrow Video released a U.K., yet region-free Blu-ray in February as part of a Metzger trilogy with Camille 2000 and The Lickerish Quartet. Like the other two releases, Score looks absolutely lovely and is similar in print quality to the Cult Epics Blu-ray, but this print was restored with supervision from Radley Metzger himself. There is an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and it is encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and a 1080p transfer. The release includes a lossless English LPCM 2.0 audio track with optional English subtitles. The soundtrack is clear, but somewhat aged, though this will only bother absolute perfectionists. There are a number of special features included, such as On the Set of Score, with plenty of behind-the-scenes footage, Keeping Score with Lynn Rowley, an interview, trailers, new sleeve artwork, and essays on the film from Robin Bougie. 

The only way that the Arrow release is inferior to the U.S. Cult Epics Blu-ray is that, unlike the fully uncut and hardcore version on the Cult Epics disc, the Arrow disc is bafflingly softcore and censored. It's difficult for me to recommend anything censored, but the disc is lovely and does have great special features. Obviously you should go with the uncut version, but as far as Metzger films go, you wouldn't be missing out too much with the softcore version of this film. If anyone recommends you watch a softcore version of something like The Opening of Misty Beethoven, slap them, hard, and without question. 

LE MANOIR DU DIABLE: Georges Méliès and the Devil

Georges Méliès, 1896
Starring: Georges Méliès, Jeanne D'Alcy

After a number of advancements from men like Eadweard Muybridge, Etienne Jules Marey, Emile Reynaud, and W.K.I. Dickson (though Thomas Edison took most of the credit), the French Lumière brothers, Louis and Auguste, successfully made the first motion picture camera. Their device, the Cinématographe, was both a camera and a projector, which was loosely modeled on a sewing machine and used flexible, 35mm wide strips of film that recorded images at sixteen frames per second, setting an early industry standard. It was one of the first cameras to project, unlike Dickson and Edison’s kaleidoscope-like device. On December 28, 1895, the Lumières screened a number of short films for a paying audience and with that, the cinema was born. 

One year and several innovations later, another Frenchman, Georges Méliès, began making his own films. Méliès got his start as an illusionist and toy maker and is considered the first person to use cinematic special effects, such as time lapse, multiple exposures, etc. Voyage to the Moon (1902) is his most famous work, a fourteen minute science fiction film about a journey to the moon in a rocket that uses a variety of innovative effects. Here Méliès first used color by hand-painting and tinting the film. By 1898, he was one of the largest film producers in France. 

In 1896 he produced, wrote, directed, and starred in the first horror film, Le Manoir du diable, which is one of the first cinematic depictions of Satan. This three-minute silent, black and white short was initially conceived as a pantomime, meant to amuse rather than scare. In English it is known as The House of the Devil, The Devil’s Manor, or The Devil’s Caste. A bat flies into an abandoned castle, transforms into the Devil, and begins casting spells over a large cauldron. He produces witches, ghosts, and skeletons. One of them holds up a crucifix and he vanishes in a puff of smoke. 

This beautiful film is a worthy experiment in early horror cinema and was a major influence on the forthcoming genre. Many of the stop-camera and lighting effects influenced the work done in German expressionism a few decades later. It’s a little silly that the Devil gets chased away by one of his own minions, but this was intended to be farcical and as the rest of cinema has shown us, he’ll be back many times again. This short, like many of Méliès’ other works, is available online and is in the public domain in places like YouTube.com or Archive.org. If you want Méliès on DVD, there are a lot of good collections. I would start with the Kino release The Magic of Méliès or Georges Méliès: First Wizard of Cinema (1896 - 1913).  

Satan was a popular subject for Méliès. He appeared as Satan again in The Devil and the Statue (1901), where the Devil grows to an enormous size, but is defeated by the Virgin Mary. He also created Faust in Hell (1903), loosely based on the opera by Hector Berlioz, and a sequel, Faust and Marguerite (1904), based on a similarly themed opera by Charles Gounod. In 906 he made The Merry Deeds of Satan aka The 400 Tricks of the Devil, about two travelers beset by Satan and roasted alive in Hell. Méliès plays the Devil once again in the confusing short The Haunted Window (1910). In addition to numerous fantasy and science fiction films - he produced over 500 films total - Méliès made a number of other horror films, such as The Astronomer’s Dream, about an astronomer who is visited by demons and angels, and The Cave of Demons, about ghosts haunting a cave, The Nightmare, The Monster, The Vanishing Woman, and many more. 

Watch Le Manoir du diable here: 

LITTLE MOTHER

Radley Metzger, 1973

Starring: Christiane Krüger, Mark Damon, Elga Sorbas, Anton Diffring

In some ways, Metzger’s Little Mother aka Mother is an anomaly in his early ‘70s catalog, tucked in between incredibly stylish erotic exploitation films like Camille 2000, The Lickerish Quartet, and Score. Make no mistake, Little Mother does contain some erotic scenes (orgy, anyone?) and the central character is a strong woman who gains her independence through sexual means, a la Carmen, Baby and Camille 2000, among others, but it seems that Metzger was trying to do something different and a little more ambitious with this film. Little Mother is actually a loose adaptation of the life of Eva Peron, which Metzger claimed he adapted before her story became famous around the world. 

The life of Metzger’s Peron stand-in, Marina Pinares, unfolds through a series of complicated flashbacks, where we see her rise from a birth in poverty to incredible political power and a possible presidency. In addition to prostituting herself, Marina is responsible for torture, betrayal, and almost constant power plays, particularly after she learns of her limited life sentence due to a terminal illness. She crushes a variety of friends and lovers under foot, namely her friend Annette, who parallels Marina’s story of partying, sex, and eventually syphilis, tuberculosis, and a murder planned by Marina. Her people, meanwhile, worship her, thinking she is generous, motherly, and almost saintly. 

Christiane Krüger is absolutely lovely in the role, though her accent and sometimes questionable acting ability occasionally gets in the way of what should be a compelling, charismatic performance. She is more masculine than most of the actresses chosen for Metzger’s films, but this generally works in his favor and he is able to overcome her stiffness with a few very sexy scenes, including one involving a glass shower door. Metzger’s regular collaborator, Hans Jura, is in charge of cinematography and makes the absolute most of the set. The result is a film that looks far more expensive than it actually cost to make, and, as always, stylish and elegant. 

Though the script, Croatian locations (it’s a beautiful country, but not so much here, where post-war poverty still lingers), and average performances don’t do anything in the film’s favor, it is still worth watching. It is certainly his weakest of the period, but only in the sense that the surrounding films are so strong, erotic, and imaginative. This mainly comes recommended for Metzger fans. It is interesting to see him attempt a historical drama with minimal eroticism, at least compared to his other early works, but it is ultimately a bit too ambitious. There is a decent DVD from Image/First Run that looks better than I expected it would, but keep in mind that this is still a relatively low budget early ‘70s film. 

Miss Rose’s Sexploitation Follies Presents John Waters Themed Burlesque

Eric from PhilaMOCA and the Goddess Isis as Divine

If you are reading this blog, you already know of Baltimore filmmaker, producer, actor, comedian, author, artist, screenwriter, art collector, and book collector John Waters. (If not, get the hell off my site, you philistine.) The Pope of Trash is responsible for some of my favorite trashy films. If you -- saints preserve us -- only have a passing familiarity with this great man, here is a brief, introductory guide to some of my favorite Waters films and books. This is by no means a complete list, but expect a full John Waters retrospective on my blog later this year.

The Films: Multiple Maniacs (1970), Pink Flamingos (1972), Female Trouble (1974), Desperate Living (1977), Polyester (1981), Hairspray (1988), and Serial Mom (1994). Also check out the documentary/stand-up film This Filthy World (2006). 

The Books: Shock Value (1981) and Crackpot: The Obsessions of John Waters (1987, revised in 2003). 

Now that you’re better acquainted, you’re going to be kicking yourself if you didn’t attend Miss Rose’s Sexploitation Follies burlesque evening focusing on the films of John Waters. Held on February 16th at the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia burlesque performers Miss Rose, Lil’ Steph, Mackenzie Moltov, and Miss Mary Wanna, as well as gentlemen performers Doctor Spookenstien and Mr. Fahrenheit all presented sexy, filthy and thoroughly trashy homages to John Waters’ films. Aly Katz filled the intermissions with some gogo dancing and the Goddess Isis (I think I’m in love) did a wonderfully divine impersonation of Divine as the night’s MC and guided us through a raffle and a John Waters trivia contest. Prizes were courtesy of Viva Video and Ritz at the Bourse. Most photographs here were graciously provided by Claire Horvath, who had a seat up front instead of catcalling from the balcony like me. 

We were treated to performances inspired by Female Trouble, Serial Mom, Cry Baby, Pecker, Pink Flamingos and many more. Miss Rose provided one of the most insane burlesque conclusions Philadelphia has seen in a long time, involving a cap gun and a trampoline (I was there after hours when they cleaned the blood off the wall), and Mackenzie Molotov swallowed a variety of things, including knives and worms, as well as stomping around in enough eggs to make Miss Edie wet herself with joy. 

Sadly, no one was fucked by a live chicken, but after enough pestering, Miss Rose hinted that Philadelphia might be able to persuade her to have an encore sometime in the next few years. I expect live chickens and a lobster suit. I would be interested and somewhat terrified to see what Mackenzie Molotov does for a second John Waters performance. Check out her sunny side up pasties:

I asked Miss Rose why she chose a John Waters theme for her cinema-centric burlesque events, though I think the answer to that should be fairly obvious for anyone who has seen his films. 

Miss Rose: Throughout the run of the sexploitation follies, I've tried to pick directors that fit the time of year the show takes place. The inspiration for starting the show was a desire to produce burlesque show homages to my favorite directors. John Waters has been my favorite director since I was in high school. It took all of my will power to not immediately kick off the series with the John Waters theme. I knew waiting until February would be perfect, because it would fall right around Valentine's Day. And when I think of love, I think of John Waters.

The feeling is mutual. I’m just sad it was only one night. But April 20th, Miss Rose and her follies will be back with the less filthy and more sentimental Wes Anderson burlesque. As for more John Waters, find news here and get ready for his next book, Carsick, about his undoubtedly incredible experience hitchhiking across the U.S. in 2011. Also get ready for I Am Divine, a documentary about the incomparable Divine, the most beautiful woman in the world. I hope you had a chance to take part in the Kickstarter campaign. You will see my name in the credits, hopefully under “Pervert.”

        

"I'd like to stick my whole head in your mouth and let you suck out my eyeballs!"

THE LICKERISH QUARTET

Radley Metzger, 1970

Starring: Frank Wolff, Erika Remberg, Paolo Turco, Silvana Venturelli

Metzger’s last softcore film before he turned to hardcore movies under the pseudonym Henry Paris, The Lickerish Quartet is one of his finest and most surreal films, effectively putting his name on the top of the roster for ‘70s erotica. In a castle somewhere in Europe, a well-off couple and their adult son watch a porn film while trying to quell their endless boredom. Later, they go to a carnival and watch a death defying motorcycle act. One of the female performers appears to be the same woman from the film, so they take her home with them for what promises to be an intriguing night. But when they finally put the film on, it becomes a different entity entirely, reflecting the foursome’s varied desires, fantasies and personal histories. Soon their guest begins to seduce them each in turn, further changing the contents of the film and their lives. 

There is some stunning cinematography from regular Metzger collaborator Hans Jura and The Lickerish Quartet has some of Metzger’s most impressive early visuals. One of the first sex scenes, which takes place inside a highly stylized library, is incredibly impressive and alone makes the film worth watching. Though technically a U.S. film, this was shot in southern Italy at the beautiful Balsorano Castle. Between the labyrinthine castle and the lush surroundings, it seems that this could, at any moment, turn into a horror film (in fact several, including Bloody Pit of Horror, were shot here). This somewhat mind-bending film feels like it was co-directed by Jean Rollin (sans vampires) and was influenced by Pasolini’s Teorema. It was understandably praised by artist-filmmakers at the time, such as Andy Warhol. There’s a decent score from Stelvio Cipriani, though I unfortunately can’t think of him without recalling his brain-melting soundtrack to Sergio Martino’s The Great Alligator. 

Loosely based on Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author, the mind games, winding dialogue, and attempts at characterization are all somewhat silly, but if you can look past those things and expect no more of the film than what a standard ‘70s erotica outing would typically offer, you will be very pleasantly surprised. Metzger’s clever use of desire and erotic tension is effective and he ultimately created a compelling meditation on the nature of memory, fantasy, and desire. The acting is average, but Silvana Venturelli, the “guest,” is beautiful and absolutely captivating. It’s a shame she didn’t have many other film roles other than this, Camille 2000 and small parts in a handful of Italian films from the period. 

The Lickerish Quartet comes highly recommended, particularly for fans of unusual erotica and anyone with a special interest in cinematography. It is one of my favorite Metzger films. British company Arrow Video released The Lickerish Quartet this February as a dual format Blu-ray and DVD as part of a trilogy of Metzger releases, along with Camille 2000 and Score. Don’t worry, the discs are region-free, so you can play them on anything. The restored print, an encoded MPEG-4 AVC print with a 1.86:1 aspect ratio and a 1080p transfer is presumably taken from the same source as the U.S. Cult Epics release, looks absolutely wonderful. The print is uncut for the first time in the U.K. and includes optional English subtitles. 

The lossless audio track is particularly stand out, making a few improvements over the Cult Epics release. Wonderful special features include an audio commentary with Metzger and film historian Michael Bowen, The Making of The Lickerish Quartet with behind-the-scenes footage, examples of toned down sex scenes, Giving Voice to the Quartet about the different audio tracks, and some more Metzger trailers. As with the other Arrow releases, there is an insert with all new artwork and a booklet with essays from Cinema Sewer’s Robin Bougie.