The Asphyx

Made at a time when the British horror film industry was dominated by Hammer and Amicus, The Asphyx is a period piece similar to those regularly churned out in the 1960s and '70s.
 
Renowned scientist Sir Hugo Cunningham and two colleagues are studying death and notice that photos taken at the moment someone dies show a mysterious black shadow which they believe is proof of the soul leaving the body. Sir Hugo is also a member of a reform movement campaigning against the death penalty and is talked into filming a public execution by his friend, the eminent professor Sir Edward Barrett.
 
By accident, the execution fails when Sir Hugo's light enhancer seems to scare the shadow away and he surmises that this isn't the soul, but the death spirit, or 'Asphyx', of that person coming to claim them.
 

When his wife and son are killed whilst Hugo is filming, he becomes even more obsessed with death and decides to capture his own Asphyx, to become immortal.
 
If I didn't know otherwise I would have put this down as a Hammer production with decent set design replicating turn of the century England, a nicely directed and involving story that could have been penned by Edgar Allen Poe and a fine cast including Robert Stephens, Robert Powell and Jane Lapotaire.
 
The Asphyx is very well acted, thoughtfully scripted and great fun to watch.
 

The Disc

 
Extra Features
This 2-disc set includes both the UK and US versions, with the American one longer by about 5 minutes, though I wasn't provided with this disc for review.
 
The first disc has Deleted Scenes that are incorporated into the longer cut, Theatrical Trailers, a Stills Gallery and Trailers for other horror films.
 
This being the Digitally Remastered Special Edition, there is a brief Restoration Featurette which compares the picture to the previous 2004 Anchor Bay version. This highlights the huge improvements that have been made with an anamorphic transfer instead of the dreadful pan and scan!
 
The Picture
This is presented in the OAR of anamorphic 2.35:1 and looks extremely good with vibrant colours and a crisp image. The costumes, set design and other work by the art department are all impressive. The visual effects look a bit creaky by today's standards, as does the SFX makeup, but this is to be expected.
 
The Sound
A clear Dolby Digital mono soundtrack with crisp dialogue and a suitably over the top score, which was par for the course for this type of film.
 
Final Thoughts
It's a shame there is no commentary or retrospective feature but the sterling work on the picture and clear sound are reasons to be cheerful and such a big step up from the previous UK release that, if you already own it, a double-dip may well be in order.
 
The Asphyx is an enjoyable British horror movie that fits in well with the Hammer and Amicus output so fans of their films should definitely invest in this impressive package.