Diamonds of Kilimandjaro Blu-ray Review

"Diamonds of Kilimandjaro" is presented on Blu-ray by MVD Visual's MVD Classics imprint, utilizing an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The transfer is notably untouched by digital enhancements, offering a raw and authentic visual experience. However, the source material is in less-than-optimal condition, featuring persistent nicks, scratches, and occasional misaligned frames. A noticeable haziness clouding the first half-hour impacts detail retrieval and black levels, presenting a grayish tone rather than true blacks. Grain is abundant and resolves naturally despite sporadic chroma anomalies, particularly during darker scenes.

The Blu-ray's image quality varies significantly throughout its 83-minute runtime. After an initial blurry and murky airplane crash scene, the presentation temporarily improves but continues to fluctuate from subpar to exceptional. Notably, outdoor scenes suffer from high contrast, often appearing overly bright, which detracts from the overall viewing experience. On the positive side, the most attractive segments feature impressive depth, vibrant green hues, and detailed skin tones that effectively capture perspiration and other textures. Stock footage interspersed within the film appears significantly grainier and at times resembles VHS quality.

The audio presentation of "Diamonds of Kilimandjaro" features an LPCM 2.0 mono track whose overall quality is notably impacted by suboptimal dubbing, mixing, and editing decisions. One of the most glaring issues occurs in the opening minutes, where a loud and stuttering buzzing noise erratically pings between the right and left channels, making it nearly unbearable to endure. Throughout the film, listeners will encounter sudden amplitude spikes, as well as dialogue that is poorly synchronized with lip movements, contributing to a disjointed auditory experience. Additionally, there are multiple occurrences where sentences are abruptly cut off, further detracting from the listening experience.

Imbalanced levels and persistent hiss are other significant concerns with this track. The hiss is distinctly prominent during quieter scenes, which can be distracting and irritating. These technical shortcomings reflect a lack of refinement in the audio mastering process, ultimately compromising the viewer's immersion and enjoyment. While the LPCM 2.0 mono format was likely chosen for authenticity to the original audio presentation, the aforementioned issues substantially undermine its potential effectiveness. The overall handling of the soundtrack suggests a need for remedial post-production work to address these evident flaws.

The Blu-ray for "Diamonds of Kilimanjaro" offers a robust array of extras that will enchant fans and collectors alike. The trailers undeniably stand out, though it's worth noting that the "Diamonds of Kilimanjaro" trailer itself is presented in 480i with minor discrepancies between audio and lip movements. French is the spoken language, yet it curiously doesn't sync with the visuals. Additionally, this Blu-ray includes trailers for other MVD releases, broadening insight into the distributer's diverse catalog. Overall, this collection provides valuable additional content that enhances the viewing experience.

Extras included in this disc:

Trailers: Includes the "Diamonds of Kilimanjaro" trailer in 480i and trailers for other MVD releases.

"Diamonds of Kilimandjaro," a Spanish/French co-production also known as "El tesoro de la diosa blanca," is an exploitation adventure dressed in the garb of a classic lost-in-the-jungle storyline. Directed by Jess Franco, the narrative focuses on Fred (Antonio Mayans) and his group of mercenaries, who journey to Africa in search of diamonds and a missing girl named Diana (Katja Bienert). The film's backdrop of lush jungles teems with scantily clad women, a trope that transforms elements of venerable franchises like Tarzan into a gender-swapped spectacle of wild women raised by chimpanzees and swinging on vines.

Technically speaking, "Diamonds of Kilimandjaro" struggles with fundamental aspects such as continuity, dubbing, and dialogue coherency. The film's initial scenes set the tone for its disjointed narrative and suboptimal sound editing. The opening sequence, depicting a private plane's crash, is marred by inconsistent sound effects and barely perceptible dialogue. The abrupt transitions and repeated shots suggest a lack of stringent editorial oversight. These technical faults undermine the already tenuous storyline, which attempts to delve into themes of nature versus nurture through Diana's predicament—torn between her cannibalistic upbringing by the Mabuto tribe and the lure of true love.

The movie feints at adventure but ultimately delivers a pastiche of clumsily executed sequences interspersed with unconvincing expository scenes and poorly choreographed sex scenes. Despite its adventurous premise, there is a notable absence of genuine suspense or excitement. Furthermore, despite its title, the film features neither significant exploration of Kilimandjaro nor a substantial involvement of diamonds, raising questions about its thematic coherence. This amalgamation of shortcomings makes "Diamonds of Kilimandjaro" more a curiosity for Jess Franco completists than a must-watch adventure film.

"Diamonds of Kilimandjaro," as presented by MVD Classics on Blu-ray, offers a mixed viewing experience that oscillates between moments of visual clarity and sections marred by significant inconsistencies in picture quality. The release features the original 83-minute version of the film, excluding the additional footage from the 95-minute cut by Olivier Mathot. The transfer starts with a disappointing level of blurriness during the airplane crash scene, but some segments do exhibit highly detailed images with admirable depth and robust color contrast, particularly the greens. However, the presentation is severely hampered by recurrent damage and some scenes verge on VHS-quality fidelity.

The audio quality on this Blu-ray release is more stable. The English 2.0 LCPM track ensures that dialogue is clear and comprehensible, although there are some minor synchronization issues early on. The sound quality gains strength during musical tracks and action sequences, providing an acceptable auditory experience despite the occasional misalignment in dubbing. The supplied extras are minimal, with only trailers for "Diamonds of Kilimandjaro," "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes," and "The Violence Movie" included in this release.

While "Diamonds of Kilimandjaro" could potentially offer some unintentional amusement, it is plagued by a flawed dub and some questionable mix choices. Fans should be aware of the recurrent image damage and consider reviewing screenshots before purchase. This Blu-ray release delivers an uneven viewing experience but retains some merit through its intermittently excellent image and consistent audio quality.