The Stendhal Syndrome

4K UHD, Limited Edition

Detective Anna Manni is on the hunt for a sadistic serial rapist and murderer when, whilst working her way through the various artworks on display in Florence’s Uffizi Gallery, she falls into a trance and faints. After regaining consciousness and returning to her hotel room in a dissociative state, Anna is brutally attacked and raped by the killer before she eventually manages to escape his clutches. In the wake of this ordeal, Anna’s psychiatrist explains to her that she suffers from Stendhal syndrome, a rare condition in which individuals become overwhelmed in the presence of great works of art. Returning to her hometown of Viterbo where she has been advised to rest up, Anna continues to psychologically unravel, all the while sensing that the killer has unfinished business with her…

A standout in the ’90s filmography of Italian horror maestro Dario Argento (Suspiria, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage), THE STENDHAL SYNDROME marked the director’s return to his native country after a brief US excursion with Two Evil Eyes and Trauma. More intensely mean-spirited than his previous offerings, THE STENDHAL SYNDROME sees the master filmmaker continue to experiment with a range of striking visual techniques, aided by veteran cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno and complemented by a mesmerizing score from famed composer Ennio Morricone. Now newly restored in 4K from its original camera negative and accompanied by a wealth of bonus features, Vinegar Syndrome is delighted to unveil THE STENDHAL SYNDROME in its UHD world premiere.

directed by: Dario Argento
starring: Asia Argento, Thomas Kretschmann, Marco Leonardi, Luigi Diberti, Paolo Bonacelli
1996 / 119 min / 1.85:1 / Italian, English 5.1 Surround

Additional info:

• 2-disc Set: 4K Ultra HD (High Bitrate UHD100) / Region A Blu-ray
• 4K UHD presented in Dolby Vision High-Dynamic-Range
• Newly scanned & restored in 4K from its 35mm original camera negative
• Commentary track with film historians Eugenio Ercolani, Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson
• "Lost in Art" (27 min) - an interview with director/screenwriter Dario Argento
• "Behind the Canvas" (33 min) - an interview with special effects artist Sergio Stivaletti
• "Architect of Illusion" (34 min) - an interview with production designer Antonello Geleng
• "Shadow Unit" (44 min) - an interview with second unit director Luigi Cozzi
• "Scripted Visions" (15 min) - an interview with screenwriter Franco Ferrini
• "The Price of Vision" (18 min) - an interview with producer Giuseppe Colombo
• "Through Her Gaze" (25 min) - an interview with actress Asia Argento
• "Inside the Wounds" (13 min) - an interview with special make-up effects artist Franco Casagni
• English trailer
• English opening titles
• 40-page perfect-bound book with essays by: Michael Blyth, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Francesco Massaccesi (limited edition only)
• Reversible sleeve artwork
• Newly translated English subtitles