Review: Horror Gem 'An Angel for Satan' Gains New Life on Blu-ray

Touted as the last film in actress Barbara Steele's Italian Gothic period, "An Angel for Satan" is a weirdly underseen work that's marginally better than some of the other Steele-led Gothic horror films from that period. It's an adaptation of a novel that has already been adapted a couple of times – most famously in Mario Soldati's 1942 drama "Molambra" – but in classic Italian Gothic fashion, it's all sexed up, foreboding, and more than happy to lean into the theatrics inherent in the genre. Plus, as is Steele's wont, she steals the show in every scene.

Severin Films brings "An Angel for Satan" to Blu-ray for the first time in the U.S., with a solid 1080p presentation sourced from a new 2K scan of the original camera negative. Both Italian and English audio tracks are included, which is nice considering the English audio track was thought to be lost. There's also a handful of special features in this edition, including an interview with actor Vassili Karis and a short film starring Steele from 1967. The 1080p presentation looks terrific, and makes the high-contrast black and white aesthetic really pop.

A mysterious statue is pulled from the water at Count Montebruno's (Claudio Gora) beautiful estate. This coincides with the arrival of the count's niece, the beautiful Harriet (Steele). Roberto (Anthony Steffen), a restoration artist tasked with restoring the statue to its former glory, falls for Harriet. But she may not be all she seems, as the local village suffers from homicidal madness somehow connected to the statue's presence. But who's doing the killing?

While "An Angel for Satan" is certainly slack in places that other Gothic horror films from that era are not, it has Steele to lend the thin script the theatrics it needs to work. She's called upon to play a similar archetype to what she usually played during that era – a woman slowly being possessed by a supernatural force; the perfect, beautiful vessel for evil to seduce the uninitiated. The lush cinematography and solid production design aid the story in its sado-erotic quest.

Severin's new Blu-ray of "An Angel for Satan" may be the first-ever authorized U.S. release of the film, and they've rightfully given it the edition it deserves. Whether you're a fan of Barbara Steele or Italian horror in general, you'll find that there's much to enjoy here.

Other special features include:

� Audio commentary with actress Barbara Steele and horror film historian David Del Valle
� Audio commentary with Kat Ellinger, author of "Daughters Of Darkness"
� "The Devil Statue" – Interview with actor Vassili Karis
� "Barbara & Her Furs" 1967 short film by Pierre Andro based on "Venus In Furs" Starring Barbara Steele with optional partial commentary by Steele
� Trailer
� Extended trailer

"An Angel for Satan" is now available on Blu-ray from Severin Films.