Bruiser – George A. Romero's Forgotten Horror in 4K

Henry Creedlow is an insignificant man in the eyes of those around him, trapped in a failed marriage, a job where his arrogant superior Milo considers him little more than a subordinate to ridicule, and who is also sleeping with his wife. Waking up with a white mask instead of his face marks the definitive break with his old existence: Henry transforms into vengeance against anyone who has always taken advantage of him.

With Bruiser, the late director George A. Romero tackles the theme of identity through a thriller tinged with horror that partly foregoes the bloody excesses associated with his cinema. Jason Flemyng effectively portrays a protagonist whose physical metamorphosis reflects a deeper discomfort, linked to social invisibility and personal frustration. The idea is interesting but the development does not live up to the initial promises. The characters remain schematic and the critique of a society dominated by arrogance loses strength precisely when the story should gain greater incisiveness.

Metaphor struggling to find the right balance

The characters who embody social success are unpleasant figures, while those who share Henry's difficulties receive a more human representation. Therefore, a true alternative to the protagonist's violence is missing. Even the mask, a central element of the film, is not always convincing visually. After a more successful first part, the narrative loses incisiveness, further retreating when listened to in Italian due to the modest dubbing.

Romero delivers an imperfect work, in which the reflection on identity and social marginalization does not find an equally incisive development. The initial idea retains its interest but the story fails to transform it into a truly memorable work, only occasionally revealing the director's ability to go beyond the confines of the zombie movie.

Shot analog 35mm on negative of unspecified sensitivity, original image format 1.85:1 (3840 x 2160/23.97p), HEVC encoding on BD-100 triple layer. The restoration should date back to 2024, included in the British UHD edition Indicator / Powerhouse Films. Remembering that the film did not have Italian theatrical distribution, those who purchased the first US DVD edition or the local Cecchi Gori/Pulp Video will certainly be impressed by the video quality and the excellent recovery of the native material. The level of detail is excellent, leaving the sensation of having maintained the organicity of the native material with a certain background grain. Deep blacks where permitted, rich color and even more precise light dynamics due to the presence of Dolby Vision.

DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (16 bit) Italian with good technical rendition, between dialogue, music and bass, and an enjoyable listening experience via HT system. Penalizing the involvement is the cast of voice actors and voices with a not very effective characterization. DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (16 bit) English that approaches the original mix, between effects, dynamics and a stage presence that does not fail to build tension.

The BD-50 also includes the film commentary by the director along with producer Peter Grunwald and additionally features: “Behind the Mask” (10') sees the actor recount how Lock & Stock - Two Smoking Barrels got him the role in Bruiser, recalling working with the director. “The Perfect Match” (9') with the former Misfits drummer talking about the music composed for the film and a relic recovered from the set. “The Comeback” (12') is dedicated to critic Kim Newman's analysis, explaining why Bruiser was one of Romero's most overlooked films for years. Italian subtitles included.

Box includes a very rich booklet of textual insights by Nocturno editore + special collector's folder that conceals the face of the very bad Miles Styles, under which are placed 4 film posters with as many period creatives + 4 large format postcards.