Plot: What’s it about?
Queen Karin (Elissa Pichelli) has gone into hiding to protect her young son, as her husband King Harald is presumed dead, after been lost at sea for time. She was also supposed to be married to Hagen (Fausto Tozzi), a general in the army of the land and a man with eyes on the throne, to say the least. Hagen is not an honest man and in truth, he would do whatever needed to gain control of the power, including forcing Karin to wed him. So she takes her young son Moki and hides from the world, but she soon runs into trouble, when two men harass her and her young son. Another man soon appears also, but he is not a criminal like the others and soon, he comes to their rescue and dispatches the attackers. The man is called Rurik (Cameron Mitchell) and he wields two very unique knives, ones he can use to defeat anyone who crosses his path. As Rurik gets to know these two, he discovers there is a link between himself and them, one that may run deeper than he can handle and in the end, he must protect them, no matter what.
This film was made on a low budget and short schedule, but those resources were trimmed even more once Mario Bava took over, thanks to problems with the previous director. Bava scrapped the existing materials and started over, which could have been a disaster, but it worked out well enough in the end. I have to admit, I liked Knives of the Avenger and while the low budget roots are obvious, it still has some terrific moments. I suppose I am a sucker for these Viking style flicks anyway, but in this one, Bava infuses it with style patterns taken from the westerns genre, which makes even cooler in my book. The liner notes in this case claim Bava borrowed heavily from Shane and if you watch Knives of the Avenger, you’ll see all sorts of elements from that movie, but don’t think this is a simple rip-off, as it isn’t. If you’re a Bava fan, make sure you know this is not a gore laden horror entry, this is a Viking epic so to speak, so be prepared for the non horror Bava, which isn’t bad at all. I recommend this release to fans of Bava and Viking movies of this era, although this disc doesn’t pack much value, it is still worth a look, if you ask me.
He is best known for his work in the horror genre, but Mario Bava also dabbled in other genres, as evidenced by this picture. I wouldn’t go as far as to say Bava’s direction here is superb, but it is pretty good and given the circumstances, he delivered a better movie than most directors could, I am sure. Bava was brought in to finish the film after some problems with the previous director and he chose to start from scratch, even though he was faced with a depleted budget and a very short timeframe to work within. I suppose you could opt to pick this one apart, but I think it is good for what it is, a Viking picture with heavy influences from the western genre, which is obvious. I don’t think this is Bava’s finest work by any means, but it is a solid movie and if you’re a fan of the genre of Bava, then it is more than worth a look. Other films directed by Bava include Kill, Baby…Kill, Rabid Dogs, Twitch of the Death Nerve, Whip and the Body, Black Sunday, I Vampiri, Four Times That Night, Blood and Black Lace, and Five Dolls for an August Moon.
Video: How does it look?
Knives of the Avenger is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The image here is a little soft, but given the age and nature of the picture, I don’t fans could have asked for a much better presentation. The print used shows some grain, but looks much cleaner than expected, to be sure. The colors seem a shade restrained, but not enough to be concerned about, while contrast remains solid throughout. As I mentioned, the image is on the soft side, but in the end, I think this is a more than acceptable visual transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release includes mono options in both Italian and English, but no subtitles have been included, which is not too cool. In any event however, both are of average quality as far as mono tracks, so they handle the material without much trouble. The music seems a little limited at times, but not too much and in the end, it comes through well enough. The sound effects are good as far as mono goes also, while dialogue is clean and well presented at all times. These tracks won’t push your home theater, but they get the job done and that’s what counts.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, a selection of photos & posters, and the film’s theatrical trailer.
