BLU-RAY REVIEW

Hellraiser 4K Ultra HD

Featured In Issue Issue 275, September/October 2024

Picture4
Sound4
WSR Score3.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Arrow Video
(Catalog Number):
AV685
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$119.95
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-100)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
93
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
ABC
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
(Disc Release Date):
10/22/2024
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Clive Barker
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1, DTS HD Lossless 2.0
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

In "Hellraiser," a woman discovers the newly resurrected, partially formed, body of her brother-in-law and lover. She starts killing for him to revitalize his body and escape the demonic beings that are pursuing him after he escaped their underworld. (Gary Reber)

Special features include new commentary with Publicist Stephen Jones and Author and Film Critic Kim Newman, archival commentary with Writer/Director Clive Barker and Actor Ashley Laurence, archival commentary with Writer/Director Barker, the new featurettes: "Power Of Imagination" (HD 58:14), "Unboxing Hellraider" (HD 21:53) "The Pursuit Of Possibilities" (HD 40:57) and "Flesh Is A Trap" (HD 18:19): EPK interview with Clive Barker, and Actors Andrew Robinson, Clare Higgins, Ashley Laurence and effects artist Bob Keen (HD 24:57); original 1987 electronic press kit (SD 06:00); "Being Frank: Sean Chapman On Hellraiser" (HD 26:22); "Under The Skin: Doug Bradley On Hellraiser" (HD 12:32); "Soundtrack Hell: The Story Of The Abandoned Coil Score" interview with Stephen Thrower (HD 18:09); "Hellraiser: Resurrection" (HD 24:27)draft screenplays; image gallery and trailer and TV spots.

The 1.85:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 4K Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, photographed on Fuji 35 mm film stock using the Panavision Panaflex Platinum camera systems and sourced from a newly restoration in 4K master Digital Intermediate format by Arrow Films. The restoration is excellent. Film grain is smooth and virtually non-existent. Color fidelity exhibits saturated hues with strong primaries, particularly blood reds. The colors are vivid and and the imagery is for the most part dramatically illuminated. Colorful puddles of fluids, flesh, and other bodily matter are seen throughout. Flesh tones are perfectly natural. The production design is imaginative and frightening. HDR contrast is excellent with solid black levels exhibited in the dark corners and backgrounds throughout the film, dark revealing shadows and bright white levels. Resolution is superb. Facial features are detailed with makeup detail exhibited in skin pores, lines, hair and the most gory skin and facial imagery in the horrific Cenobite characters and the grisly and horrific gore. Detail is exhibited in the dreary, unkempt locales, from bug-infested kitchens and dusty attics to the scary creature that roams the corridor that leads to another dimension. This is a great looking horror classic with intense imagery that delivers the scars and gore fans crave. (Gary Reber)

The repurposed DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1-channel soundtrack sourced from the original stereo elements is spooky sounding with a soundfield that is wide and that extends to the surround to deliver an enveloping experience. Dynamics, especially in the bass regions, sound a bit compressed and lack the intensity of deep bass support even though there is occasional .1 LFE energy. Atmospherics sound realistic. Sound effects are effective and image with discrete and panned localization. The music track is hauntingly supportive with surround envelopment. At times there are directional effects, such as a brief scene of a train speeding across the soundstage from left to right. Dialogue and screams are generally integrated spatially. The soundtrack builds with intensity as the events unfold to the finale. This should please fans and bring nightmares. (Gary Reber)