There's only one thing I can think of that's more delicious than a great Italian thriller, and that's a great Italian thriller served with a slice of sleaze (extra sleaze for me please!). Believe me when I say that it DOESN'T get much sleazier than 1972's Delirium (it's sleaztastic!). Director Renato Polselli (Reincarnation of Isabelle) serves up a real sickie here that is sure to please even the most jaded fan of cult cinema. Light on gore, but heavy on perversity, Delirium even had me staring at the screen in amazement on more than one occasion (can they do that?). Anchor Bay serves up a double dose of Delirium as they present both the American and International versions in one neat little package.

Dr. Herbert Lyutak (Mickey Hargitay of Bloody Pit of Horror) is a criminal psychologist aiding the police in a few criminal investigations. The problem is ole' impotent Herbert has a knack for kidnapping young women himself. Herbert likes to sexually abuse them, and then strangle them to death (he's gotta let out his aggressions some how!). Herbet's wife (Rita Calderoni of Reincarnation of Isabelle) has problems of her own (aside from the fact that her husbands shooting blanks) in that she's "tortured" by nightmares of bizarre fetish lesbian orgies (aren't we all?). One night while Herbert is "helping" the police on a case, a prostitute is murdered (Herbert couldn't have done it!) now who's responsible? The twists and turns don't stop there; as a matter of fact they're piled on pretty thick. Delirium has it all, and by all I mean it's got murder, mayhem, strangulation, masturbation, fornication, desecration and contemplation! Besides, how can you resist a film that stars Raoul? Exactly.

This ain't no picnic folks as the sleaze factor here is through the roof (did I mention that it's sleazy?). The violence is actually quite subdued, however, the murders are executed in such a way they are sure to make you cringe. Herbert doesn't just strangle a young girl, he has to hunt her down and then strangle and strip her at the same time. As if all of this debauchery weren't enough, he also has to fondle and sexually abuse her WHILE he continues to strangle her (these scenes seem to last an eternity). It's sick, it's unnecessary, it's perverted, and yes I loved every minute of it. Full of overly long scenes of sexually perverted strangulation, Delirium is a real crowd pleaser! Not to mention the fact that anyone who wears an outfit like this DESERVES to die.

This edition of Delirium comes complete with not just one, but two versions of the film that are radically different from one another. The Italian version runs a cool 102 minutes and features a bit more nudity and violence than the American version. The American version runs 85 minutes and features a very different opening (Vietnam footage to explain Herbert's psychosis), as well as featuring 2 murders not present in the Italian version (Whew! You got all that?). Both versions have their historical significance so it's great to have them both together.

OK folks, let's talk quality. The Italian version (which I'm sure would be everybody's preferred version) looks incredible. Nice sharp colors and a minimal amount of print damage, this film has never looked finer. There is some slight artifacting in a few of the darker scenes (shame on you Anchor Bay), but it's extremely selective and not THAT big of a deal, but definitely worth mentioning. The American version doesn't fare as well. The colors are not nearly as sharp (quite muddy looking actually), and the transfer suffers from a high amount of grain. The print was also pulled together from a few sources (the opening in particular), one of which was a Dutch Video (complete with Dutch Subs, oye vey!) so I'm sure you get the idea. All I have to say is 4th generation bootleg, and you'll get the idea. HOWEVER, I have to stress that you're primary concern should be with watching the Italian version. It's great to even have the American version included, so as an extra, it's an incredible addition. Considering the MSRP is under 20 bucks, and this disc can be picked up at Best Buy for $12.99, there's no complaining.

The Italian version is obviously in Italian and features nice removable English subtitles. Sound is Dolby MONO and is quite acceptable. Nothing mind boggling, just your average MONO mix. The American version features a dubbed MONO mix, and is once again fair. Nothing outstanding here, average at best.

Extras include a new featurette that runs about 14 minutes entitled The Theorem of Delirium that includes interviews with both Renato Polselli and Mickey Hargitay. It's a great and welcomed addition to an already impressive package. Oddly enough there are no trailers present, weird.

The bottom line here is that this DVD is a must have. It's violent, sexual, perverse (sexually perverse), erotic, bizarre, and completely offensive to your parents. What the hell are you waiting for? Exercise your ability to rebel and buy this DVD!