While investigating his girlfriend's vanishing, a journalist's own body is discovered. Only, he's not really dead and his mind is reeling-I am alive!

From the fringes of the giallo genre, writer and director Aldo Lado (WHO SAW HER DIE?, NIGHT TRAIN MURDERS) delivers a debut movie that pushes the boundaries of convention with 'an ending that is one of the best, truly shocking giallo finales ever put on film.' (Geoffrey Thomas, Collider)

American foreign correspondent Gregory Moore (Jean Sorel) is on his final assignment in Prague before transitioning to London. He plans to bring his beautiful Czech girlfriend Myra (Barbara Bach) with him, freeing her from the shackles of oppressive Iron Curtain politics. But their plans are suddenly derailed when Myra vanishes without a trace.

His investigation into her disappearance makes him realize that decadence, superstition, and hunger for power run deep in the City of a Hundred Spires.

And then his own body turns up in a park...

With no sign of life or rigor mortis, doctors prepare to perform an autopsy to discover the cause of his mysterious and symptomless death. What they don't know is that in his mind, Greg is frantic. Silently screaming. 'I am alive!'

Newly restored and presented in 4K ultra-high resolution for the first time, 'Short Night of Glass Dolls' is 'easily one of the most intelligent and stylish gialli' (Shaun Anderson, The Celluloid Highway). The film will surprise you with its remarkable narrative, distinctive photography, and stellar cast that also includes Ingrid Thulin (THE SILENCE, WILD STRAWBERRIES) and Mario Adorf (THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO YOUR DAUGHTERS).

Celluloid Dreams is proud to present this newly scanned version, restored in 4K from the original camera negative, along with countless extras.

Media

Bonus Materials

• 35mm Grindhouse Version
• US Pan&Scan VHS version (as 'Paralyzed')
• Isolated Score
• Commentary Track by Aldo Lado and Federico Caddeo
• Commentary Track by Guido Henkel
• 'The Nights of Malastrana' 2015 Interview with writer/director Aldo Lado (97 mins)
• 'The Most Beautiful Voice in the World' Interview with soprano Edda Del Orso (21 mins)
• 'The Quest for Money' Interview with producer Enzo Doria (20 mins)
• 'Cuts Like a Knife' Interview with film editor Mario Morra (23 mins)
• 'To Italy and Back' Interview with co-producer Dieter Geissler (29 mins)
• Retrospective Featurette by Howard Berger
• Long-lost, export 'Malastrana' credits
• 64-page Booklet
• Image Gallery
• Italian Trailer
• English Trailer
• English Trailer (as 'Catalepsia')
• 2018 Interview with writer/director Aldo Lado (25 mins)

Cast & Crew

•       Jean Sorel as Gregory Moore
•       Ingrid Thulin as Jessica
•       Mario Adorf as Jacques
•       Barbara Bach as Mira Svoboda
•       Relja Basic as Ivan
•       Luciano Catenacci as Morgue Employee
•       Piero Vida as Kierkoff
•       José Quaglio as Valinski
•       Jürgen Drews as Street singer

Additional Details

Label: Celluloid Dreams

Genre: Horror

Language: Italian

Run Time: 97 mins

Region: 1

Release Date: 04/29/25

UPC: 198168989944