The Asphyx [DVD]

The Asphyx [DVD] [1972]
Directed by Peter Newbrook

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£10.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Delivery. Details

Customer Reviews

Restored and uncut4
The Asphyx at last beautifully restored and available on two discs in a 2:35:1 ratio as the director had intended it to be seen. Included here is the original shortened UK version and the US longer (12 mins or so) version released in region 2 for the first time, at least that I'm aware of.
It's a tale of one of those well meaning but power-mad meddling with nature Victorian scientists who having discovered via the medium of photography what he initially believes to be the captured images of the souls of the near dead/recently expired soon realises that what he has discovered is the Asphyx, a tormented spirit that possesses the bodies of the soon to be deceased as its escape route from its own suffering. The scientist soon discovers that if he can capture and contain the asphyx before it can possess the body then that person, as long as the asphyx is prevented from entering them, would not die; the secret of immortality no less!
The Asphyx is a really quirky original british horror but it is very dialogue heavy. There is a lot of character building, back story, ethical debating, exposition etc which slow the pace somewhat and is probably best not watched unless you are fully mentally alert enough to appreciate the quite bizarre narrative, questionable behaviour and decisions and occasional illogicality of what it is laying forth.
A tale of perdition, guinea pigs both literal and metaphorical, immortality and obsession The Asphyx is well acted, has an interesting premise and manages to gloss over all the bits that don't really add up.
There are no real special effects to talk of bar the Asphyx itself which is a kind of glowing incandescent mish mash with a face of sorts, though what it lacks in visual effect it makes up for with sound by way of a nice screechy eerie noise.
There are few extras; one interesting extra is a 5 min example of the difference between the newly restored and proper ratio presentation compared to the disgraceful prior release and is more fascinating than it sounds. Other then that there is the usual trailer, photo gallery usual affair.
The Asphyx is not the greatest film but it is a good one for those who don't mind quirkyness, are quite forgiving and like occasional heavy character guided stories. Unfortunately through no fault of the other reviewers some of these reviews have been placed on this page by Amazon and are not related to this new fantastic release by Odeon Entertainment but to the earlier botched version so if you like this film don't be put off and definately buy the 2 disc Odeon entertainment version. The longer version doesn't add that much more but there is a nice additional 5 minute scene in particular with the two protagonists talking in their lab about the Asphyx which adds nicely to the overall confusion!

Classic film, lamentable DVD2
(EDIT: This review refers to the 2004 Anchor Bay DVD release of The Asphyx, NOT the 2010 release from Odeon Entertainment)

I'm in complete agreement with the other reviewer here - this disc is a travesty, and shame on the usually reliable cult-film label Anchor Bay for releasing a classic of British horror in this sort of condition! I'd come to think of Anchor Bay as a genuine film lover's label, but this was a real reputation-destroyer as far as I'm concerned and I'm now as wary of Anchor Bay discs as I am of most other labels.

The main sins here are: "The Asphyx" was shot in 2.35:1 and yet Anchor Bay's disc is presented in 1.78:1 - it's not even "halfway-house" 16x9 widescreen either, in fact they've used a pan & scan full-screen master and then further compounded the insult to both the film-makers and the viewer by cropping the top and bottom of the picture to try and make it look "widescreen". As if that wasn't bad enough to invalidate this disc (and in my opinion that's more than enough!) this version of "The Asphyx" is also the shorter of the two versions out there, running at 83 minutes instead of 99 minutes!

If you want the full-length version of "The Asphyx" in 2.35:1 on DVD then you'll have to seek out the increasingly rare R1 disc from Allday Entertainment, released way back in 1997. The fact that the full version has been released on DVD, and is therefore certainly not "lost", just makes this disc look all the more lamentable.

New Odeon release!5
The reviews here are for some reason for the previously released Anchor Bay DVD - ignore them! This new Odeon Entertainment version has been restored from the original negatives.

Buy & read user review