
'The Card Player' 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review - Dario Argento Takes His Giallo Antics Online
A later giallo offering from the master of the form, Dario Argento's (Deep Red, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage) THE CARD PLAYER takes all the familiar trappings of the genre and plants them firmly in an early 2000s milieu, complete with a fittingly pulsing, contemporary electronic score by Claudio Simonetti (Suspiria, Tenebrae). Co-scripted by regular Argento collaborator Franco Ferrini (Phenomena, Demons) and featuring gruesome corpse special effects from Sergio Stivaletti (Cemetery Man), Vinegar Syndrome is delighted to present THE CARD PLAYER in its world UHD debut, newly restored in 4K from the original camera negative and loaded with a full deck of both new and archival extras.
For thoughts on The Card Player, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic here.
Video Quality
The Card Player comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray from Vinegar Syndrome with a 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer in 1.85:1 that is derived from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The film was last released on Blu-Ray in 2022 by Scorpion Releasing from an older master that was decent but left room for improvement. This new 4K UHD release brings out so much more life that allows the film to flourish and impress. The presentation is impeccable throughout with image stability and delineation being top notch.
Instances of print damage have been mostly eradicated, although there is some lingering damage near the beginning of the film. Otherwise, overall clarity and detail are excellent. This transfer retains the natural film grain of the presentation with everything resolving seamlessly and consistently. Colors are deftly saturated to bring out the complexity of the environments and certain articles of clothing. Skin tones are natural with subtle facial features easily noticeable in close-ups. Black levels are deep with nothing in the way of crush, and highlights avoid any unsightly blooming. This presentation is a major win for fans of the film.
Audio Quality
This new 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix in both Italian and English that captures the intention of the film as well as the source will allow. A personal pet peeve with a film this recent is the decision to film with actors in different languages and post-dubbing to match the language chosen. No matter which track you choose, there are going to be some characters who are dubbed. This is a side effect of the filming technique and not an issue with the disc.
That being said, the dialogue is strong, coming through clearly without being stepped on by the music or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely from the chatter at the police station to the train in the final segment. The track avoids any instances of age-related wear and tear or distortion. The music from Claudio Simonetti maintains a pleasing fidelity as it comes through the room. This is a track that represents the film as was intended by Argento. Newly translated optional Italian-to-English and English SDH subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
Audio Commentary:
Film Historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson deliver a really great commentary track in which they discuss the divisive nature of the feature, how this finds Argento functioning in a very different mode, the shot composition of the feature, how this film evolved into something very different from the the original plans, the performances in the film and more. These two like the film quite a bit more than I did, but it is nice to hear different arguments as to why they think it succeeds.
Playing the Game – Interview with Actress Stefania Rocca:
A new 27-minute interview with the star in which she discusses her early love of Dario Argento, her surprise at getting to star in one of his movies, the direct line of communication she had with Argento, the complexity of her character, and more.
Digital Nightmare – Interview with Composer Claudio Simonetti:
A new 19-minute interview with the composer in which he discusses the fun he had composing
The Card Player
, incorporating electronic music into the score, collaborating with Argento, the negative reaction he has received from certain fans, and more.
Like In War – Interview with Make-up Artist Sergio Stivaletti:
A new ten-minute interview with the make-up artist in which he discusses working with Argento, the scenes he felt were most important to get right, creating a realistic-looking corpse, and more.
Sharp Cuts – Interview with Editor Walter Fasano:
A new 20-minute interview with the editor in which he discusses his admiration for Argento, stepping in as an editor for Argento after a fight with his previous collaborator, letting go of his reverence in the editing room, and more.
Watch Me When I Kill – Interview with Director/Screenwriter Dario Argento:
An 18-minute archival interview with Argento is provided here in which he discusses his inspiration to make the film, having the lead characters be police, the shooting locations, the decision to not shoot in Venice, the work on his new cinematographer, the performances and more.
Taking Risks – Interview with Screenwriter Franco Ferrini:
A nine-minute archival interview with Ferrini in which he talks about Argento contacting him with initial ideas, the real-life inspirations for the story, the intentional bleakness of the locations, how it compares to other Argento films and more.
A Chip And A Chair – Interview with Set Designer Antonello Geleng:
A 12-minute archival conversation with Geleng in which he talks about his thoughts on abandoning the idea to shoot in Venice, finding a balance between real locations and sets, how the setting ties into the themes of the film, the lighting of the film, his collaborations with Argento, his feelings towards the film and more.
Game Over – Interview with Actress Fiore Argento:
A nearly nine-minute interview with 'Lucia Marini' in which she discusses where she was at this point in her career, her father writing a role specifically for her, the lighting and costumes in the film, what she represented in the film, how his style and temperament evolved from his earlier days, and more that is very insightful.
Archival Behind-the-Scenes Featurette:
A nearly ten-minute piece that gives a broad overview of the creation of the film.
Final Thoughts
The Card Player is an interesting giallo mostly due to the fact that it is made by the one and only Dario Argento. The legend does not seem to be comfortable working with stories in recent decades, as he has more of a classic sensibility that fits into a certain time period. This effort feels slightly stilted in its execution, yet there are undeniably some thrilling set pieces that will appeal to longtime fans of the filmmaker. Vinegar Syndrome has released a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a mostly great A/V presentation and a pleasing array of special features. If you are a completist for Dario Argento, this is the best release of the film.
The Card Player is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Vinegar Syndrome has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Keira Walsh wants more protection for players from online abuse
Keira Walsh has called for more protection against online abuse after her England team-mate Jess Carter was the target of racist vitriol on social media at Euro 2025. Carter announced she would be stepping away from the platforms for the remainder of the tournament ahead of England's dramatic 2-1 semi-final comeback against Italy to set up Sunday's final showdown with Spain. Walsh came off social media after the 2019 World Cup, when reading negative comments contributed to the midfielder genuinely entertaining the thought of quitting football. 'I think it's just a personal preference,' said Walsh, who did return to the networks, but has – bar a single post – been inactive on X since 2020. Lately, her Instagram account has solely been comprised of tagged posts by the Lionesses, or her respective current and former clubs Chelsea and Barcelona. 'I haven't had social media for the best part of four or five months, and I feel a lot better most of the time,' said Walsh. 'I don't really know what's going on outside of camp. I think at the time, with what's going on, probably more people have come off it, but I can only speak for myself. 'I think obviously the girls are smart enough to know what they should and shouldn't be looking at, and I'm sure they'll know what is going to put them in a good headspace and what isn't. 'Do I think there's enough protection on social media? No, I don't, but I'm not going to be able to change that. That's not up to me, but I think just in general, people can be more protected on social media, and I think we can do more to stop that from happening.' England defender Lucy Bronze has warned companies that athletes can 'thrive' without their services, but the reality remains that in the women's game – where new Arsenal recruit Olivia Smith just became the first £1 million player – brand-building on social media can be a lucrative tool for players earning nowhere near their male equivalents. Carter's case has now been referred to UK police, and, in a statement released Sunday, Football Association CEO Mark Bullingham vowed his organisation will 'ensure those responsible for this hate crime are brought to justice'. One feature of the Online Safety Act, which received royal assent in October 2023, places a greater onus on social media companies to protect users from illegal content. Companies can be fined up to £18 million, or 10 per cent of their global revenue, if they fail to comply with their duties, but Ofcom – which is implementing the act in a phased approach – has only been able to enforce against the Illegal Harms Codes since March 17, 2025. 'I think we would have liked it to have been stronger in some cases,' said Bullingham. 'There's a real risk that if we're not firm in how the act is implemented, it won't be as strong as we hope. 'I think now it's incumbent on Ofcom to make sure they really do bring those responsible for running social media platforms to account and I haven't seen huge progress in the last couple of years. We would like to see it now.' Foreign social media companies operating within the UK are still beholden to the act, but prosecuting individuals living outside the country responsible for abusive content – which is not uncommon – remains a huge hinderance to justice. Bullingham added: 'If you look at the prosecution, obviously we can only work with the UK police, generally. There are, when we work with some of the companies that support us, there are occasions where you can prosecute outside the UK, but it's really hard and generally really expensive.' The FA chief said his organisation has engaged in productive conversations with FIFA and UEFA, encouraging them to put pressure on social media companies to prevent harmful content from appearing in the first place. He added: 'But where there are occasions, make sure we can prosecute. And we do think that people who perpetrate these hate crimes should be prosecuted wherever they are in the world.'

Wall Street Journal
18 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
KKR Faces EU Probe Into Information Provided in $26 Billion NetCo Acquisition
The European Union opened an investigation into whether KKR KKR 1.62%increase; green up pointing triangle supplied the block's merger regulator with false or misleading information before the investment firm's multibillion-dollar purchase of Telecom Italia TIT 0.72%increase; green up pointing triangle unit NetCo was unconditionally cleared by officials last year. The European Commission approved the companies' deal in May 2024, initially ruling that KKR's bid to snap up Telecom Italia's broadband network assets for up to 22 billion euros ($25.90 billion) wouldn't affect competition in Europe. The watchdog had said the merged company wouldn't be able to deteriorate the conditions for rivals' access to services due to long-term agreements that FiberCop—a joint venture between Telecom Italia and KKR—held with several companies.


CBS News
18 hours ago
- CBS News
Woman stabbed at apartment complex near Miami Lakes, MDSO says
A woman was airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center after she was stabbed at an apartment complex early Thursday morning, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. They said around 8:45 a.m. a call came in about a stabbing at the Natura Gardens apartment complex at NW 172 Street and NW 94 Court, just west of I-75 near Miami Lakes. When deputies arrived, they found a woman lying on the ground with at least one stab wound, sheriff's investigators said. She was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital where she is listed as stable. Investigators have focused their attention on a second floor apartment. Sheriff's investigators said the person who stabbed her left the scene before deputies arrived. They added that the woman knows who that person is, but it is unclear what sort of relationship they have.