There are few names in horror cinema held to such heights as that of Lucio Fulci. In the early 1970s, Fulci would help usher in what would become the beloved Italian horror/mystery genre giallo with his films Don’t Torture a Duckling and A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin.

Years later, after creating absolute classics of Italian horror with Zombie, The Beyond, and City of the Living Dead, Fulci would dig up those old black leather gloves and marry them to the hugely successful slasher genre, which was making its way through American horror at the time for what might be the pinnacle of both genres: 1982’s grimy bloodbath The New York Ripper (out on Blu-ray now from Blue Underground).

The film follows Lt. Fred Williams (Jack Hedley), a police officer with a penchant for ladies of the oldest profession, as he gets pulled into a sinister case involving a serial killer who is not only murdering beautiful women but also absolutely mutilating them. To make things even weirder, the killer has a penchant for making “duck quacks” whenever speaking to the police.

As the film progresses, the killer continues finding new and atrocious ways of dispatching their prey, all while managing to continually outsmart the police at every turn. These cops are terribly inept, and the duck-voiced murderer uses this to their constant advantage, culminating in some of the most intense and visceral physical horror committed to cinema before or after.

The New York Ripper is the latest film in Blue Underground’s home video catalog to receive the ultimate 4K treatment (Fulci’s Zombie and William Lustig’s Maniac before it) and is every bit as superb a release as the others. I’ve personally owned numerous copies of The New York Ripper across various formats, including the previous (and mostly solid) Blue Underground Blu-ray from 2009, and I must say this new 4K restoration is like seeing the movie for the first time. Fulci is a tremendously visual storyteller and every color-saturated room and grisly close up of gore and mutilation comes alive on the screen in pristine high-definition glory.

Along with the 4K restoration, Blue Underground has filled up the disc with over two hours of special features, almost all of which are brand new for this release. Those special features include a new commentary with critic and author of Splintered Visions (a book on the films of Fulci) Troy Howarth and several interviews with numerous cast members as well as Enzo Sciotti, the original poster artist who also created brand-new art for this release.

Along with these extras, Blue Undergound has also included Francesco Di Masi’s complete and expanded score on a separate CD, a 20-page booklet featuring several write ups on the film and Fulci himself, and the whole package is housed in a handsome lenticular slipcase featuring the aforementioned new art by Sciotti.

The New York Ripper is a shockingly cruel and sleazy film. This is Fulci at his most depraved and relentless, which – considering his body of work – is saying something. Make no mistake; this is absolutely not a film for everyone. Even the most ardent of horror/cult film fans might have a hard time with such constant unpleasantness.

For those willing to take the ride, though, The New York Ripper offers an overwhelming and unrelenting assault on the viewer in wonderfully ghastly ways. By the time the credits roll, the audience will find itself awash in the sleaze and sins of a long forgotten but much romanticized New York, wondering to themselves what they’ve just watch and questioning why they enjoyed it so much.

If you feel you’re ready for such a journey, I can’t possibly recommend this movie more. Coupled with this impeccable restoration and the wealth of special features, this is an easy contender for Blu-ray of the year.