Raw Meat aka Death Line (4K UHD Review)

• Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
• Review Date: Oct 15, 2025
• Format: 4K Ultra HD
• 

Director

Gary Sherman

Release Date(s)

1972 (September 30, 2025)

Studio(s)

Harbor Ventures/K-L Productions (Blue Underground)

• Film/Program Grade: A
• Video Grade: A
• Audio Grade: A
• Extras Grade: A

blue-underground.com

Review

Writer and director Gary Sherman was living and working in London in the late 1960s, producing commercials and trying to find a way into the film business, when his script for Death Line (released in the United States as Raw Meat) finally came to fruition with producer Paul Maslansky and executive producers Alan Ladd Jr. and Jay Kanter. A thoroughly British horror film with a sardonic tone and political bent, it was released in 1972 on a double bill with the British drama The Triple Echo, and in 1973 in the US in an edited form on a double bill with the horror comedy Cannibal Girls. It received some good reviews, but was more popular in European territories, and is seen by some as a predecessor to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

In modern London, university students Alex (David Ladd) and Patricia (Sharon Gurney) find an unconscious man (James Cossins) in the London Underground at Russell Square station. They attempt to get help, but when they return with a police constable, the man has vanished. As it turns out, he was a member of the Order of the British Empire, and news of his presence in a disreputable area of London wouldn’t be at all welcomed by higher authorities. Taking the case is Inspector Calhoun (Donald Pleasence) and Detective Sergeant Rogers (Norman Rossington), who are warned by Stratton-Villiers of MI5 (Christopher Lee) to tread lightly. After questioning Alex, Calhoun discovers that more citizens are disappearing from Russell Square. Unbeknownst to them is that the last remaining descendant (Hugh Armstrong) of railway workers who built the underground tunnels and were left for dead after a cave-in is still very much alive, having regressed to base animal instincts and unable to communicate while feeding off of human beings in order to survive. The cast also includes Heather Stoney, Clive Swift, and June Turner.

Marketed as a straight horror film in the US, Death Line is a more complex film than the title Raw Meat would suggest. In truth, neither title really fits the film snugly, but Raw Meat puts across the idea of an exploitative splatterfest. It has a small but effective amount of bloodletting, but the atmosphere of the film gives it more of its edge. It’s also not always easy to watch. After all, we’re sympathizing with an underground-dwelling cannibal whose primary residence is littered with corpses of friends and family long past, walking about covered in puss-filled open sores and filth. Yet we’re given an ample amount of time to understand what he is and what he’s been through, and we’re actually saddened when he realizes he’s alone. Even when he talks a woman hostage as a new companion, his constant utterance of “Mind the Doors” carries many meanings and inflections, all of them with an edge of sorrow. He’s basically an animal that doesn’t quite understand the ramifications of what he does because he’s been driven to survive for so long.

The political angle of capitalism run amok, wherein a society can simply forget about people who were trapped underground and leave them for dead, makes the idea seem feasible. Outside of Patricia, most of the characters in the film aren’t very sympathetic, including our male lead Alex, as well as Inspector Calhoun. Neither is all that kind or understanding, which makes you wonder why Patricia would be with Alex in the first place since she’s the total opposite. There are some hints at Calhoun’s past that he may be a widower, but it’s never stated explicitly, and it doesn’t matter much because Donald Pleasence’s terrific performance gives you the idea that this man has been alone for some time. His face-off with Stratton-Villiers is also compelling, staring down the camera without appearing in the same frame, which according to the filmmakers, was employed due to their height difference. Of course, not enough praise can be given for Hugh Armstrong’s almost word-less performance, which is head and shoulders above everyone else.

Gary Sherman has on more than one occasion explicitly stated that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre ripped off Death Line, but it’s a flimsy connection at best. Death Line is more of a play on the legend of Sawney Bean mixed with urban legends about the London Underground, whereas Chain Saw was inspired by the crimes of Ed Gein. In truth, all countries have their legends, folklore, ghosts, and murderers. The only thing connecting Chain Saw to Death Line really is an inarticulate cannibalistic killer, and neither were first to the table. In fact, you’d have a stronger case against Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes, but that’s neither here or there.

Regardless of any and all borrowings from other filmmakers and folk tales, Death Line is an uneasy but supremely well-made horror film with more on its mind than just straight carnage. The performances are mostly great all around, while the score by Wil Malone and Jeremy Rose, featuring a very sleazy but no less catchy opening number that’s as funky as it is jazzy mixed with unorthodox atonal passages throughout, complements the dark and grimy surroundings with a blending of building dread and dry British humor, making it a unique but effective piece of work.

Raw Meat aka Death Line was shot by cinematographer Alex Thomson on 35mm film with spherical lenses, finished photochemically, and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Blue Underground debuts the film on Ultra HD with a new 4K 16-bit scan and restoration of the original uncensored camera negative, graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and encoded to a dual-layered BD-66 disc. It’s worth noting that this version, like the previous Blu-ray release, carries the title of Death Line.

One the murkiest films on home video pre-optical disc, Death Line has continued to procure more and more image detail with newer scans and larger-sized containers. Blue Underground had already released the film on Blu-ray with a stellar 1080p presentation in 2017, but they’ve returned to up the ante with an astonishing new UHD upgrade that does Alex Thomson’s cinematography proud. It’s a much richer and more detail-oriented presentation with a heavy yield of grain that’s tight and well-resolved. The bitrate tends to stick between 55 and 80Mbps most of the time, taking full advantage of the finer textures of Sharon Gurney’s Jane Fonda as Bree Daniels in Klute hairstyle, not to overlook the incredibly deep shadows found within the London Underground. The HDR aids the film’s darkness beautifully, although I suspect that some viewers may have issues with it if the brightness of their monitors is dialed too low. The opening in which James Cossins’ character surveys the many striptease clubs of London is about as colorful as the film gets on an overall spectrum, but it’s nonetheless boosted here with some lovely flesh tones. The image is also thoroughly stable and clean, and organic from beginning to end. It’s so good that it will likely be the default presentation of the film going forward.

Audio is included in English Dolby Atmos; English 5.1 and 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; and French 1.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. Optional subtitles are included in English SDH, French, and Spanish. The new Atmos track certainly broadens the original mono’s horizons, especially when it comes to the London Underground, wherein the acoustics of the open tunnels and subtle sounds of footsteps and dripping fluids can be cacophonous in the deadly silent environments. The sounds of the trains arriving do seem to be a little limited in the given space, but the offbeat electronic score now has much more room to breathe. Dialogue exchanges above ground are clear and clean, while the echoing mutterings of The Man reverberate all around. The original mono is included if the original, more compact option is your preference, but do give the Atmos track a trial run as it has plenty of good to offer and even improves upon the original audio in some areas.

Blue Underground’s Region-Free 4K Ultra HD release of Raw Meat aka Death Line sits in a black Amaray case alongside a 1080p Blu-ray with a double-sided insert, featuring artwork from the original Raw Meat US theatrical poster on the front and the previous Blue Underground Death Line Blu-ray release art on the reverse. The embossed slipcover re-purposes the US poster art, but with a black background. The following extras are included on each disc, all in HD:

DISC ONE (UHD)

• Audio Commentaries:
  • Gary Sherman, Paul Maslansky, Lewis More O’Ferrall, and David Gregory
  • Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth
• Trailers:
  • Raw Meat Trailer (2:07)
  • Death Line Trailer (2:04)
• TV Spots (2:01):
  • Raw Meat TV Spot #1 (1:04)
  • Raw Meat TV Spot #2 (:34)
  • Raw Meat TV Spot #3 (:23)
• Radio Spots (2:03):
  • Raw Meat Radio Spot (1:01)
  • Raw Meat/Cannibal Girls Radio Spot (1:02)

DISC TWO (BD)

• Audio Commentaries:
  • Gary Sherman, Paul Maslansky, Lewis More O’Ferrall, and David Gregory
  • Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth
• Featurettes:
  • Tales From the Tube (18:51)
  • From the Depths (12:41)
  • Mind the Doors!: An Interview with Hugh Armstrong (15:35)
• Trailers:
  • Raw Meat Trailer (2:07)
  • Death Line Trailer (2:04)
• TV Spots (2:01):
  • Raw Meat TV Spot #1 (1:04)
  • Raw Meat TV Spot #2 (:34)
  • Raw Meat TV Spot #3 (:23)
• Radio Spots (2:03):
  • Raw Meat Radio Spot (1:01)
  • Raw Meat/Cannibal Girls Radio Spot (1:02)
• Poster & Still Gallery (161 in all)

The first audio commentary features co-writer and director Gary Sherman, producer Paul Maslansky, and assistant director Lewis More O’Ferrall, moderated by David Gregory. It’s a lovely chat between the four, albeit partially over Skype, as they reminisce about the making of the film as David occasionally chimes in when things start going quiet to keep the conversation moving. The second commentary, which is new to this release, features the usual Blue Underground pairing of film historians Nathaniel Thompson and Troy Howarth. They examine the film’s pros and cons, discussing the careers of those involved with it, and offering their opinions of its content. Both are solid tracks that offer plenty of entertaining and useful information.

Tales From the Tube features a sit-down discussion between Gary Sherman and executive producers Alan Ladd Jr. and Jay Kanter. They talk about the genesis of the project and relationships between those made it, mentioning that Marlon Brando could possibly have portrayed The Man had his son not gotten ill, which forced him to fly back home before production began. From the Depths offers another discussion, this time between actor David Ladd and producer Paul Maslansky, who recall their memories of the film, and how much they enjoyed making it. Produced by Dead Mouse Productions, Mind the Doors! interviews actor Hugh Armstrong about his portrayal of The Man, and discovering that the film has had a long-reaching aftermarket life. Last is a pair of trailers; three TV spots; two radio spots; and a newly-expanded Poster & Still Gallery that features 161 stills of posters, advertising materials, pressbook images, lobby cards, production and publicity photos, and home video artwork.

Unfortunately, no comparisons can be made to the AIP cut of the film that was originally released in US theaters since it’s not included, and appears to be lost to time. Today, it would be more of a curiosity than anything because, even without having viewed it, it’s safe to say that the original Death Line version is the superior cut of the film. Blue Underground’s 4K Ultra HD presentation is also the superior release of the film on home video, as well, and an essential purchase if you’re a fan. Highly recommended.

- Tim Salmons

(You can follow Tim on social media at these links: Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, and Letterboxd. And be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel here.)