Review: Spanish Shocker 'No One Heard the Scream' Gets Great Release from Severin Films

Audiences learned very clearly after the 1972 release of "The Cannibal Man" that filmmaker Eloy de la Iglesia didn't exactly fit the grindhouse and exploitation mold that many of his peers occupied. That's what happens when you give shock value a much deeper, more disturbing meaning by wrapping it in the violence and anxieties of Francoist Spain. With his 1973 giallo shocker "No One Heard the Scream," which mixes road movie hallmarks and black comedy notes in equal measure, the absurdism of an unspoken social caste is anchored with pointed digs at the wealthy.

Severin Films brings "No One Heard the Scream" to Blu-ray for the first time in the U.S. with a 1080p presentation sourced from an HD scan of the original negative. Given that information, I set my expectations with regards to the quality of the scan that Severin licensed, but was pleasantly surprised by a pleasing presentation with a full palette of colors and some fine detail, along with nicely layered grain. There are some rough moments here and there, but those don't tarnish this Blu-ray's overall quality. Plus, Severin has added an interview with film scholar Dr. Andy Willis to this disc, which nicely rounds out this release.

"No One Heard the Scream" follows erstwhile Elisa (Carmen Sevilla), a high-class sex worker who abandons her plans to take vacation with the client who has been financially supporting her, as she's swept up in a plot of murder and betrayal when she witnesses her neighbor Miguel (Vicente Parra) trying to dispose of a body by trying to throw it down the elevator shaft of their apartment building. Miguel chases Elisa down, but instead of capturing and killing her for being a witness, he turns her into an unwilling accomplice.

The kind of murder and mayhem in "No One Heard the Scream" really upset Francoist censors back when it was released, but what sticks out most here is the way de la Iglesia can skillfully pass through genre trappings unscathed. Bolstered by the kind of writing and direction that warrants further inspection, and social commentary that feels baked into the proceedings, the film thrills and confounds in its capacity to transcend shock value.

As for special features, the interview with Dr. Andy Willis is the only thing included, although that feature is a rather interesting look at the similarities and differences between Spanish and Italian gialli. If you're a fan of de la Iglesia's hard-hitting thrills and social commentary, I highly recommend you pick up this release. Severin has done yet another great job at bringing an underseen work to a wide audience.

"No One Heard the Scream" is now available on Blu-ray from Severin Films.