2025 Subscribers: This is included in your subscription package.
This special limited edition spot gloss slipcover (designed by Suspiria Vilchez) is limited to 6,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
In Rome, Inspector Anna Mari receives a macabre surprise for her birthday when an email lands in her inbox from someone calling themself “The Card Player”, and claiming to be the one responsible for the recent kidnapping of a British tourist. In a sadistic twist, the kidnapper challenges the authorities to a game of online poker to determine whether the young woman lives or dies. When the Police Commissioner forbids his team to go through with the game, the maniac brutally slaughters the tourist before their very eyes via webcam, later dumping the body in a river. As more and more women are abducted from the streets of the Italian capital and subjected to the same treatment, Anna Mari joins forces with Irish policeman John Brennan and young poker whizz-kid Remo in an attempt to beat The Card Player at their own deadly game.
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.
directed by: Dario Argento
starring: Stefania Rocca, Liam Cunningham, Silvio Muccino, Adalberto Maria Merli, Claudio Santamaria, Fiore Argento
2003 / 103 min / 1.85:1 / English, Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.455224 / 5 from 134 reviews.
The Card Player is a limited edition 4K UHD Blu-ray with a fantastic transfer, superb sound quality, and fantastic packaging. Customers appreciated the excellent picture quality, interesting extras, and the top-notch quality of the product. The film, directed by Dario Argento, received mixed feedback but is praised for its contemporary electronic score and gruesome special effects.
Review topics: [colors, quality, shipping, work, looks, packaging, style, film, sound, upgrade, cover, release, movie, argento, transfer, artwork, thriller, extras, edition, features, presentation, interviews, art, version, slipcover, play, director, giallo, dario, picture].
"Glad that I was able to pick this up as part of the last sale, featuring incredible artwork from Suspiria Vilchez. Do yourself a favour and get this one instead of the upcoming imported version with that atrocious artwork."
"Argento's more modern films get a bad reputation, but this one isn't nearly as bad as some of the others. There are still some great Giallo moments, even if some of it is mired in the 2000s cyber thriller nonsense. The presentation looks great!"
"This should have ended Argento’s career, it’s brutal, lol. The transfer is pristine, audio crystal clear, tons of extras, decent artwork… Overall a great package, except for the bore of the film itself. Recommended for Argento completionists only."
"I already had a BD version of this title, but with Vinegar Syndrome we have reached a higher level both in terms of video and audio, but also with excellent extras and the double-sided cover that reproduces the original poster."
"A slick, modern giallo with an engaging mystery and stylish direction. While different from Argento's classics, it delivers suspense, memorable set pieces, and a strong visual style. The presentation is excellent."
"A beautifully presented 4K release of The Card Player. The transfer looks great, the packaging is excellent, and it’s a welcome addition to any Dario Argento collection. Very happy with this edition overall."
"This isn't Argento's worst film, but it's not far off from those duds. With half of the deaths happening off-screen, it almost feels like you're watching an Italian equivalent of CSI or one of those other network crime drama shows. A few cool death scenes toward the end, but still a disappointing mess. The transfer looks good, but I can't recommend, because if I had seen it beforehand, I more than likely would've passed on it"
"For my full detailed review of The Card Player, see my entry on Letterboxd: @M4N14K Defined not one of his best but definitely an important feature to round out an appreciation of Argento’s filmography. I viewed this film on The Card Player Vinegar Syndrome 4K Limited Edition physical media release and it is the same great premium level of packaging and presentation that you’ve come to expect from the generic releases of this boutique label. No other brand beats Vinegar Syndrome at the cardboard game and this great slipcover is no exception to the consistently fantastic artwork and component quality this company produces."
"I did not have a lot of faith in this movie when it first released ( I think Argento's successful run of movies pretty much ended with Opera) but over time I now regard this as one of his best! This presentation is absolutely breath taking !If you don't own this title ( and even if you do ) this is an essential giallo purchase !"
"Dario Argento has a unique style to his films. The Card Player is no different. With a serial killer and the game of poker of all things. The ending leads to a wild confrontation. The release itself looks great with some exceptional packaging and art. Loved this one."
0 Item(s)
