The Name of the Rose - Limited Edition Dual 4K UHD/Blu-ray Review

 

Before a few weeks ago my only knowledge of Italian author and philosopher Umberto Eco was his essay Ur-Fascism, which outlined fourteen core tenets of fascism that help to not only define the ideological movements that fall under the fascistic umbrella, therefore helping you to identify and fight against them. His work on this topic is hugely important, and work that I respect; so I was somewhat surprised when I was offered the chance to review a medieval murder mystery film based upon a novel by the same man. Of course, I leapt at the chance, not only because of Eco and the general concept of a mystery solving monk, but because the central cast of The Name of the Rose is quite exceptional.

The Name of the Rose transports the audience back in time to northern Italy in 1327, where Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and his young novice, Adso of Melk (Christian Slater), are travelling to a remote Benedictine abbey where a church conference is soon to be held; with representatives from various branches of the church, and the Vatican itself, will be arriving. Upon arrival at the abbey William is surprised to learn that one of the illuminators appears to have recently committed suicide, having thrown himself from the abbey walls to the rocks below. William, who has a history in investigations for the church, is given permission to look into the death by the Abbot (Michael Lonsdale).

As William and Adso begin to look into the mysterious death they encounter a number of unusual figures throughout the abbey, including a strange hunchback named Salvatore (Ron Perlman), the blind monk Jorge de Burgos (Feodor Chaliapin Jr.) who hates laughter, the stern librarian Malachia (Volker Prechtel), the self flagellating library assistant Berengar (Michael Habeck), and a young peasant girl (Valentina Vargas) who doesn't speak but snuck into the abbey to trade sex for food. When more bodies begin to appear around the abbey it becomes clear that the first death wasn't a suicide, and that a larger plot is at work inside the abbey walls. As William tries to get to the bottom of the mystery he's hampered by the arrival of an old colleague of his, Bernado Gui (F. Murray Abraham), a member of the Inquisition. 

Whilst The Name of the Rose features a formula that's somewhat reminiscent of many murder mystery novels (someone who's not law enforcement but a skilled investigator coming to a remote location filled with a colourful cast of suspects to investigate and solve some crime before an authority figure arrives) its setting and the reasons behind the events of the film feel so unique and unusual that it sets this film apart from many others in the genre. Due in large part to popular literary characters such as Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple, most historic mystery stories take place roughly within the last 150 years, and so going back several hundred years, to a time that most viewers have few references for outside of things like Robin Hood stories or perhaps Braveheart immediately puts the viewer on a back foot.

This is only continued by almost all of the characters (and all of the speaking roles) being monks, cardinals, and members of the Inquisition. The Abbey is a world unto itself, isolated from the 'dregs' of society by thick walls as these 'men of god' set themselves apart from the poor, consuming in isolation as they literally toss their waste down the hill so that those outside their walls can survive off the scraps they leave behind. It feels alien, and this feeling is enhanced by director Jean-Jacques Annauld's decision to cast actors with unusual, often ugly faces for the roles of the various monks, as viewers spend half their time marvelling at the striking appearances of the actors. These unusual faces, most of which are old, rugged, and worn with time, only helps to set the Abbey apart as somewhere different to the world outside, the world from which the much more conventionally attractive William and Adso come from. 

It's strange to think that The Name of the Rose was met with an uncertain production with the casting of its lead, as most moviegoers now will see Sean Connery's name as something of a draw. However, The Name of the Rose was produced at a time when Connery was in something of a 'slump', where he was struggling to really set himself apart from his time as James Bond, and when his inclusion in the project quite literally led to outrage from Umberto Eco, and for Columbia Pictures to back out of the project. Despite this, Connery manages to make William of Baskerville into a likable character, one who's genuine warmth and care for others comes through in his performance, setting him apart from the other more experienced monks featured in the film. He becomes the one decent, moral beacon that the young Adso is able to look up to, a man who's unwilling to allow an injustice to continue on, even if it puts his own life at risk. The scene in which William recounts his past work with the Inquisition, and the way in which it haunts him to that day is one of the best in the film. 

Whilst The Name of the Rose helped Connery to get out of a slump in his career it also helped to boost two actors early on in their careers who would go on to huge success, Christian Slater and Ron Perlman. Both Slater and Perlman had been in a movie before The Name of the Rose, but it was here, in this film, that they were really given the chance to shine. Slater's Adso is a young novice completely unsure of himself, full of nerves and questions, and Slater brings this to life wonderfully; perhaps in part because he himself felt somewhat similar being thrust into a film on the other side of the world, surrounded by much older, more accomplished actors. Despite this, Slater holds his own and delivers a decent performance, one that at times feels like it's filled with the folly of youth (believing he's in love after sleeping with a girl one time being a prime example), yet also with a hope for a better world than the one the older men around him can see.

Perlman's performance is, in contrast, completely different. As has become something of a staple for Perlman, he's acting under heavy make-up, having to act through a fake hunchback, a piggish nose, and a set of make toothless gums in his mouth. Despite the hinderances of this make-up, Perlman delivers one of the most impressive performances in the film. Salvatore suffers not just from physical ailments, but mental ones too, and has difficulty not just staying on subject when he talks, but also sticking to one language. Salvatore skips through English, French, German, Italian, and Latin between words. In the special features Perlman talks about how he made the decision to do this, and went out of his way to get multiple language copies of the book, and write out and memorise Salvatore's dialogue using random words from each language. Despite jumping through these languages Perlman is able to make Salvatore feel compelling, showcasing the humanity in a man who the society at the time would have pushed as a monster. It's not hard to see why Perlman would go on to secure the work that he did following his performance here, in what might be one of the most impressive pieces in his filmography.

It's hard to talk about The Name of the Rose and not mention F. Murray Abraham, who plays the villainous Bernado Gui. Introduced more than an hour into the film, Abraham quickly becomes an imposing presence, the grandeur and power that he commands radiating from him almost immediately. There is some behind the scenes talk about Abraham and his behaviour during the making of The Name of the Rose that seem to bleed through into his performance somewhat. According to cast and crew, Abraham, who had just won an Oscar for his performance in Amadeus, came to the production with a sense of superiority, of believing himself to be of higher calibre than the rest of the cast. If this is true it certainly seems to help with his performance as Gui, a character who radiates arrogance, self importance, and ruthlessness. Despite him only being in the film a short while, and having nothing to do with the larger murder mystery plot, he dominates the role of antagonist so well that you're happier to see his character earn his comeuppance than the person who's been killing monks the entire movie.

Alongside an impressive cast is the film's stunning production details. The largest set built in Europe since 1962's Cleopatra, the film boasts an stunning monastery set that you would believe to be a physical location if you weren't aware it had been created just for the movie. The production team do an impressive job at crafting a film that feels period accurate, even if they miss some details here or there. I'm sure that there'll be some expert historian who can look at The Name of the Rose and find something wrong, but as a layperson it at least feels impressively authentic, and as if a ton of time and care went into crafting a film that evokes the period in which it was set.

Alongside the film the new Second Sight release features a host of extras, including a brand new audio commentary with film critic and journalist James Marsh, and another with Director Jean-Jacques Annaud, both of which offer interesting insight into the making of the film. There are several new interviews with key members of the cast and crew, including Annauld, Christian Slater, Ron Perlman, and Writer Andrew Birkin. There's also an older making-of that features interviews and behind the scenes from the time the film was made. The Limited Edition version of the movie also comes with a slipcase featuring new artwork, as well as some art cards, and a book featuring new essays and writing about the film.

The Name of the Rose is an unusual piece, part murder mystery, part critique of the church, part historical drama, it's hard to pin down exactly what it is. Despite this, it ends up being a fairly compelling piece, largely due to the quality acting on display here from its central cast, as well as some stand out performances from the eclectic group of supporting actors. Whilst The Name of the Rose might not be to everyone's tastes, it is an interesting piece of cinema, one that showcases some stand out early career performances, as well as the beginning of the return of Sean Connery, something that will lead to an era in which he gives some of his best performances. A worthwhile addition to anyone's shelf, particularly those who want something a little different.

The Name of the Rose is available now on Blu-ray and 4K UHD from Second Sight Films for £39.99.

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Dead Man's Shoes - Limited Edition Blu-ray Review

Whilst I had seen Paddy Considine in a few smaller roles it wasn't until House of the Dragon and his absolutely stellar performance as King Viserys Targaryen that I really started to take notice of him. The level of warmth and kindness he brought to a role that needed such a depth of humanity to avoid becoming at times monstrous was something that he had in spades, injecting every scene he was in with subtle, endearing performances that should have won him awards. One of his earliest roles, a film that has gone on to achieve cult status in the two decades since it was releases, is 2004's British crime thriller Dead Man's Shoes, which has just received a new Limited Edition Blu-ray release from Second Sight Films.

Dead Man's Shoes follows the story of Richard (Paddy Considine), a paratrooper who's returned home to his small Derbyshire town of Matlock. This is not a happy homecoming, however, as Richard has come back to take revenge on a small group of low level criminals and thugs who tormented his younger brother Anthony (Toby Kebbell) into taking his life. Richard spends a day stalking various members of the group, watching them from a distance, before breaking into each of their homes that first night, leaving behind evidence that he was there as a warning that he could get to them at any time. As the gang of drug dealers and thugs try to come up with a plan for dealing with the vengeful Richard he starts to pick them off one by one, and they quickly realise that despite their numbers there's little they can do to stop a man out to avenge his family.

The plot for Dead Man's Shoes isn't a complicated one, which considering how quickly the film was made and for the tiny budget it had it's not all that surprising. It's a very by the numbers plot, someone wants revenge and starts killing the bad guys. What makes Dead Man's Shoes stand out from dozens of other films that have the exact same set up is in how brutally depressing it is in how it goes about things, and just how very real and human it feels. 

One of the things that I think British cinema is able to do that American movies just can't touch is making something that feels so real and gritty that you sometimes forget that you're watching fiction and you just feel the movie. Dead Man's Shoes is a dull, grimy looking film, one that rarely has any strong colours, that shows real, rundown locations, and features actors that look like they walked in off the street. There's no glossiness to it, no handsome stars that look like they stepped out of a fashion show, not fancy camerawork or big stunts; and the result is a film that you feel like you could live in, which just makes the brutality of the film hit all the harder.

Richard is out for blood, and when the violence happens is sudden, short, and shocking. There's one scene that's filled with blood as Richard takes someone out with an axe and we see the aftermath, but for the most part there's little in terms of gore and violence. People die after getting stabbed a single time, Richard kills someone with a hard punch to the face, there's no action, and might be one of the most accurate films I think I've seen for showcasing just how fragile a human life can be.

Whilst the violence of Richards revenge is brutal, it's nowhere near as shocking as the reason for it. Scattered throughout the film are grainy black and white scenes that show what happened to Richard's brother Anthony. A young man with learning disabilities, Anthony thinks he's been taken in by the group, seen as one of the gang, little realising that he's there for them to mock him, to be their plaything. As the flashbacks progress we see things turn more sinister, as he's forced to take drugs, beaten, raped, and eventually tortured and abused into taking his own life. These scenes often come after Richard has killed one of Anthony's tormentors, and I don't know if the intent is to remind you why its a good thing why Richard is killing them, but instead it just makes you feel sick. These scenes tell you that violence and torment only beget more violence and torment. Any high you may feel at seeing bad people get what's coming to them is torn away as you watch what Anthony went through.

The scenes with Anthony's torment are for myself the worst to watch in the film. They're too brutal, too realistic. Not everyone will have been in a situation where they've been treated like that, or seen it happen to others, but I think that these scenes will be shockingly familiar to a lot of people, and they certainly reminded me of some awful moments from my childhood. This brutality is deliberate, and in some of the behind the scenes features on the movie Writer/Director Shane Meadows talks about his own youth, of growing up around skinhead neo-Nazis and the violence that he saw first hand. It's clear that these events had a profound effect on him, and it certainly feels like Dead Man's Shoes is him in some way excising some of those demons onto film, recreating that violence.

Balancing out all of the violence in the film is the almost docile performance of Paddy Considine as Richard. Rather than displaying his anger as explosive loudness, Considine plays Richard with an eerie kind of calm. He's quiet, deliberate, often gentle up until the moment when he needs to kill. There's an early scene in which the leader of the gang, Sonny (Gary Stretch) tries to get Richard to leave before the killing starts, and the way that Richard talks to him like he's chatting to someone down the shops makes him so much more sinister than if he was angry. His calmness projects a level of confidence on Richard that feels earned, and that makes his eventual breakdown at the end of the film all the more tragic. 

Alongside Considine I want to mention the performance of Kebbell as Anthony. Despite not being alive during the course of the film we get to know Anthony through both the flashback scenes, and via Richard, who spends time talking to an imaginary version of Anthony. The imaginary Anthony is probably supposed to be a big reveal, but it felt very obvious from the start of the film that only Richard acknowledges him, and that he's not really there, and I'm glad that the film never makes a big dramatic scene in which it's revealed that Richard is talking to himself, instead being treated like something that the audience should have worked out by that point. Whilst these moments with Anthony are brief, and mostly told through Richard's memory of what his brother was like, Anthony is given real humanity throughout. You can't help but see the goodness in him, can't help but see how easy it would be for him to fall in with a bad crowd and be taken advantage of. Kebbell talks candidly about his worries about playing the role respectfully, of not being exploitative, and I think he does a good job in not making a mockery of the character and instead playing him with great pathos.

The Second Sight release comes with a decent amount of special features to accompany the movie. There's three full audio commentaries, two of which are brand new for this release. These feature Director Shane Meadows, Producer Mark Herbert, Paddy Considine, and film experts Jon Towlson and Andrew Graves. Across the three commentaries you're covered for every aspect of the film's production, as well as discussions about the impact of the film and it's place in British cinema, so if you're the kind of person who loves learning about movies they'll tick those boxes for you. There are also several interviews, including brand new ones with Shane Meadows and Mark Herbert, Toby Kebbell, and Gary Stretch. Deleted and extended scenes, as well as an alternate ending are included, alongside In Shane's Shoes, an archival behind the scenes feature that goes into Shane Meadows history with violence in his youth and his journey to making Dead Man's Shoes. The short 30 minute movie Northern Soul, which features cast from Dead Man's Shoes, and a music video round out the disc.

Having not seen Dead Man's Shoes before, but having heard of it, I was glad to be given the chance to not only experience it, but to be able to dive into the behind the scenes of the film and have the chance to understand it better thanks to this new release. Whilst the film isn't a long one, the trio of commentaries, interviews, and other extras make this feel like a release that's absolutely worth the money, and one that any fan of the movie will want to experience. 

Dead Man's Shoes is available now on Limited Edition Blu-ray from Second Sight Films for £39.99.

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Cold Prey Trilogy - Limited Edition Blu-ray Review

 

I recently watched my first Norwegian film recently, Insomnia, thanks to the recent release from Second Sight, and now I've been able to expand that number even further thanks to their latest release, collecting together the three Norwegian slasher films Cold Prey. 

Originally released at a time where bland remakes and gory torture porn were the headline horror offerings from big studios, Cold Prey gave viewers something a little different; a smaller scale slasher movie that felt more in line with the iconic franchises of the past, yet managed to deliver it with a visual flare and style that felt refreshing and new to those not used to Norwegian cinema.

The first Cold Prey follows a group of friends who travel to the Jotunheimen mountains in the middle of winter to go snowboarding. One of the group, Morten Tobias (Rolf Kristian Larsen) takes a nasty fall down the mountain and ends up breaking his leg. With the nearest town too far to reach before night falls, the group decide to take shelter in an old hotel nestled in the mountains. The five of them are able to care for Morten Tobias' wound as best as they can, stay warm, and even find some alcohol inside to help while away the long night. 

Disturbingly, however, they find evidence of the lodge having been abandoned decades before after the owners young son went missing in the mountains a few weeks before the parents were killed in an apparent avalanche whilst searching for him. As the group explore the sprawling building someone else is watching them. This hulking, fur clad figure, enters the hotel and begins to hunt the group through its halls, picking them off one by one with traps and his pickaxe. 

The second film picks up almost immediately where the first film leaves off, with the lone survivor of the massacre, Jannicke (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal) found wandering the mountain roads, barely alive. Taken to a hospital in the small town of Otta, the police question her as to what happened. When a search party is sent up into the mountains they discover the icy grave of her friends, and the monstrous Mountain Man (Robert Follin) responsible for killing them. When the bodies are brought back to the hospital Jannicke is faced once again with the trauma that she just lived through. But, when the Mountain Man begins to show signs of life the hospital staff work to revive him; a decision that will lead to a new night of terror and the Mountain Man works his way through the hospital, targeting doctors, patients, law enforcement, and Jannicke once again.

The third film decides to move to the past, telling a prequel story instead of trying to somehow justify the return of the Mountain Man a second time (something that would be even harder to explain away following the conclusion of the second movie). The film opens with flashbacks to the Mountain Man's childhood, where it's shown that his parents tried to kill him in the mountains due to his psychopathic tendencies. However, after surviving their murder attempt he returns home and kills his own parents, vanishing with their bodies. Twelve years late, the Mountain Man remains hidden in the wilderness of the Jotunheimen National Park, where a group of young friends are travelling to, wanting to check out the long abandoned hotel with strange rumours attached to it. 

Despite not staying in the hotel, and leaving it almost immediately (a pretty smart choice for horror protagonists), the group still attract the attention of the Mountain Man, and begin to fall prey to the traps he's left out in the wood. As the group realise that someone is hunting them down they attempt to make their way back to safety. Unfortunately for them, the Mountain Man has been hunting in the forest for years, and now that he's decided to switch from animals to humans he won't abandon his prey.

Cold Prey isn't really anything new or original when you look at the bare bones of it. It's a group of friends with very broad, archetypal characteristics who travel to a remote location, go somewhere they shouldn't, and then get picked off one by one. It's adhering to the expectations of the slasher genre, even if it has a Norwegian flavour to it. What makes the film stand apart from other on offer, especially against other horror films of the era, is how visually unique the film feels. Where the US is offering things like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes remakes, and new slasher franchises like Wrong Turn, films set in warm summer locations such as the forest and deserts, seeing a movie shift to the middle of winter, to the cold barren wilderness of the Norwegian mountains feels like the complete tonal opposite.

The new type of setting offers what feels like more realism in some ways too. Our protagonists can't just head for the nearest road and try to get help because the road is miles of trekking over the mountains away, and no one is using them anyway. They have to break into the abandoned building they find because if they don't they'll freeze to death outside, meaning they don't have to go into the obvious murder house simply because they're curious idiots. Where other films have their group of victims making stupid choices because they need to for the story here it feels like the creators are trying to justify why things are happening, which leads to a much more grounded and relatable story. Plus, just having the amazing visuals of the snow covered mountains is such a pleasant change that gives the movie its own character.

I also have to give the franchise points for trying something different with each movie too. The choice to shift location from an isolated mountain resort to a small town in the sequel is a bold move. Yes, there's still a sense of isolation in some ways thanks to the small hospital that's in the middle of closing down so only has a handful of staff for even fewer patients, and the snow and darkness outside gives the impression that it's cut off from the rest of the world, but it's still in a place where our protagonists can literally flee the building, run down the street to someone's house and ask for help, or where a dozen police can turn up to help (something that does actually happen in the movie). Considering most horror franchises will try and stick to the same kind of formula for several films before opening up the world, taking things from a distant isolated location to a more populated one, Cold Prey made the bold choice to do that.

This willingness to change their formula is also present in the third film in the series. Set decades before the events of the first film, Cold Prey 3 changes things up by moving from winter to summer. This simple shift in season changes the bleak white wilderness of snow covered mountains to luscious green forests and grassland. This immediately gives the prequel film a flavour of its own, making it instantly unique from the others just at a simple glance. I found the locations that were used for the third film to be the most gorgeous of the trilogy, presenting an amazing look at some of the stunning wilderness that Norway has to offer. And whilst the third film might be more limited in terms of its storytelling (we know that anyone who sees the Mountain Man has to die as he's an unknown entity in the other films) this simple change in visual style keeps it fresh and interesting. 

Alongside the films each movie comes with brand new audio commentaries on each of the films that feature directors, actors, and film academics who offer some fantastic insight not only into the making of the franchise, but also on Norwegian cinema as a whole. The first film has the most extra features to accompany it, featuring some original behind the scenes videos, an alternate ending, new interviews with cast and crew, visual effects breakdowns, and two short films. The second movie also comes with new cast and crew interviews, cut scenes, and original behind the scenes featurettes, whilst the third film sadly only has some short original behind the scenes features to go alongside the commentary track.

On a whole, I really enjoyed the Cold Prey Trilogy. It was a lot of fun to discover horror cinema from a country where I'd never experienced it before. They stood out against other films of the era, and made me come away wanting to see more of what Norway has to offer, especially in genres that I love. This new blu-ray set offers a fantastic way to either discover these films for the first time, or add an updated version to your home collection.

The Cold Prey Trilogy Limited Edition Blu-ray set is available now from Second Sight Films for £39.99.

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Insomnia - Limited Edition 4K/UHD & Blu-ray Review

 

Stellan Skarsgård is an actor that has found critical acclaim around the world, and has delighted audiences by camping it up in the musical Mamma Mia!, by helping to ground the god Thor into the MCU, and by inspiring people to stand against fascism and hate in an awards worthy role in Andor. There are dozens of amazing roles in his catalogue that you'd be hard pressed to pick a favourite from; but one that may have slipped by your notice is the 1997 Norwegian neo-noir thriller Insomnia. Thankfully, Second Sight Films are offering audiences the chance to catch this unique piece in a new Limited Edition 4K/UHD and Blu-ray release.

Insomnia begins with a series of disturbing images filmed on an old handheld camera, showing a young woman alive one moment, then dead the next, a hidden figure carefully cleaning her body before putting her inside black plastic bags. From here we join police officers Jonas Engström (Stellan Skarsgård) and Erik Vik (Sverre Anker Ousdal), who are flying to the city of Tromsø, which is located in Norwegian Arctic, where summer is in full swing and the sun won't set for months. 

Arriving in Tromsø to investigate the murder of teenager Tanja Lorentzen (Maria Mathiesen) the two detectives find themselves tested by this surprisingly harsh environment, a place where the blaring white light of day never gives a moments rest. Jonas has trouble sleeping, his nerves pushed to their limit, whilst Erik has trouble remembering things; though this is more likely due to his age than Tromsø itself. When a key piece of evidence is discovered at a remote shack, the police decide to use it as bait, hoping to find the killer returning to the scene to remove anything incriminating. As the arctic fog moves in the police spot their suspect and give chase. In the chaos that ensues one cop is shot and injured. As Jonas tries to find the killer he opens fire on the suspect, but accidentally kills Erik.

Choosing to hide his actions from the other police, telling them that the suspect was the one who killed Erik, Jonas must alter evidence into the investigation to ensure that he's not found to be responsible. Unfortunately for him, there is one witness to the event, Tanja's killer. Jonas finds himself in a complex game of cat and mouse as he tries to keep his freedom, and deals with his ever decreasing sanity in the relentless glare of the never ending sun.

At first I was wondering if Insomnia was going to be kind of Twin Peaks type mystery as it opens with an investigator travelling somewhere strange to find answers about a murdered teen wrapped in plastic; but Insomnia is it's own animal completely, instead taking us on a journey with a desperate, morally grey protagonist. It's not going to surprise anyone that Skarsgård delivers an exceptional performance, as I don't think he does anything else, but the way that he depicts Jonas' descent into sleep deprived, guilt-induced madness is simply sublime in how it elicits both sympathy for him, and disgust at what he does.

This was one of the most surprising parts of the film for me, Skarsgård is a nasty piece of work throughout. We learn that he had to leave a previous position for ruining a case by sleeping with a witness, we watch him murder a dog, kill his partner and cover it up, molest a teenager whilst driving. He's not a character that you'd normally want to spend time watching, other than perhaps in a villain role; yet here he is, our protagonist and 'hero' of the film. Insomnia does a wonderful job at always keeping you unsure what you should be feeling, and you end up feeling conflicted and on edge throughout.

I was also impressed how the usual crime noir visuals were completely inverted for Insomnia. So many films in the genre rely on darkness, for atmosphere, for keeping things hidden, for reflecting the heroes inner turmoil or journey. Insomnia blasts you with a bright light instead, every scene almost uncomfortably so. It's not the warm light of a regular sunny day, it's an invading, insistent glow that drains you rather than invigorates. The constant sun manages to feel more oppressive than darkness, and the never ending day almost becomes a character itself during the course of the film, the entity that has driven Jonas to breaking point. 

The new 4K restoration of the movie enhances those feelings of oppressive brightness thanks to the wonderfully crisp image quality. Alongside the film, which is presented in its original language with English subtitles, comes with an English Language audio commentary from Director Erik Skjoldbjærg and Co-writer Nikolaj Frobenius that offers some great insight into the film. Skjoldbjærg also appears in a brand new interview; as does Producer Petter J. Borgli. There's also a short video essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and a trio of short films from Skjoldbjærg. The limited edition also comes with a 120-page booklet filled with essays and writing about the film, and six art cards.

As someone who's only known Stellan Skarsgård from his English language work it was an absolute delight to get to see him much earlier in his career. Insomnia showed me a very different side to the actor, and offered an unsettling, twisted narrative that entertained throughout. 

Insomnia is available on Limited Edition 4K/UHD & Blu-ray from Second Sight Films on Monday 25th May 2026 for £39.99.

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The Ginger Snaps Trilogy - Blu-ray Review

 

I remember watching the original Ginger Snaps soon after its VHS release in the UK. I was still a teen, and this was before I came out as a trans woman. I remember being enraptured by the movie. I adored Ginger and Brigitte, with their strength, their independent nature, and the journey they went on through the movie. Guys I knew who liked the movie would always default to some gross reason, usually their attraction to Katherine Isabelle, and never talked about the movies messages or themes beyond the most surface level male gaze interpretation of 'weird girl got hot because of a werewolf'. I didn't understand it at the time, but it was because the movie was talking to me on a feminist level as a closeted trans woman. It was a powerfully defiant movie, one that bucked the trends of the time, put women in the forefront, and handled topics that other movies would have ran from. Even though it had been many years since I watched it I still cited it as one of the best werewolf films ever made; and so when Second Sight announced that a new Blu-ray release of the entire trilogy was coming out and offered me the opportunity to review it I knew that I couldn't let the opportunity pass me by.

The first Ginger Snaps film begins in the quiet, boring suburb of Bailey Downs in Ontario, where a series of dog killings have been taking place. Despite these brutal attacks, the community remains somewhat insular, unwilling to care for the plight of their neighbours. It's here that we meet sister Ginger (Katherina Isabelle) and Brigitte Fitzgerald (Emily Perkins), two social outcasts struggling to find their place in the world. They insist on living in their homes unfinished basement, they create a slideshow of death images of the two of them for their school project on 'life in Bailey Downs', and they don't really have any friends in their lives. They're isolated and alone, unsure of who they want to be, or even if they want to be.

One night when out to pull a prank on one of the school bullies the two of them are attacked by some kind of large dog, with the creature seemingly focused in on Ginger as she suddenly experiences her first period; the blood apparently drawing its attention. The two of them manage to escape, but Ginger is badly wounded in the attack. However, her wounds begin to heal quickly, much to the worry of Brigitte. As the days go on Ginger begins to change, both in personality and her body, and Brigitte becomes convinced that she's losing her sister to a monstrous transformation. With only a handful of days before the next full moon Brigitte sets out to try and save her sister.

For a genre that's usually dominated by male leads, Ginger Snaps bucked trends and gained international acclaim by putting it's two female leads in the centre stage. Werewolf stories focus on transformation, of the physical changes that twist the human body into something monstrous. With Ginger Snaps, however, the film makes the wonderfully bold choice to link lycanthropy with menstruation and puberty, and doesn't shy away from the horrors that can often come with that experience. There's some very surface level take aways from this linking, the monthly cycle, your body being wracked with pain and aches, the shedding of blood; but for those with a keener eye and the willingness to explore further the film offers a lot more. Ginger Snaps is as much a movie about the female experience of your body's physical transformation, exaggerated her with monstrous effect. We get to watch as Ginger rejects the changes she's going to, wanting to hold onto the life she had before. She's embarrassed by the new attention her mother gives her. She fights through the new rush of desires she begins to experience for the boys around her and the hunger she feels. Ginger Snaps is a monster movie, but the monster is menstruation, not the werewolf.

It was this narrative choice that set Ginger Snaps apart when it first came out, but it was the performances from its two young leads that cemented the film as an all-time great in both the annals of horror and genre of female rage. Katherine Isabelle is much of the focus of the film as the titular Ginger, the young woman who's living through the nightmare of the curse she's fallen under. Isabelle plays the older of the two sisters, the one who believes she must protect her sister, and who holds the most power in their relationship. Over the course of the film you begin to see a somewhat toxic co-dependence pushed by Ginger, one that she's probably not even aware she's creating. She drives so much of Brigitte's life, her choices, and forces her into situations she's not comfortable with, yet never feels obviously manipulative and cruel. If anything Isabelle makes you see the love that drives this toxic pairing, the love that makes Ginger somewhat dangerous, and blind to her own twisted nature. Isabelle is also able to wonderfully capture both sides to Ginger, from the quiet, 'weird' kid who just wants to be left alone, to the girl who suddenly begins to feel confident and sexy in her body; a change that's ironically captured in her hallway walk scene.

It's easy to see why Katherine Isabelle gets her laurels for her performance in Ginger Snaps, but Emily Perkins delivers just as strong a performance as Brigitte. Where Ginger goes through a huge outward change Brigitte experiences a more subtle one. Watching as her sister begins to change around her, Brigitte must go from the meek follower to someone willing to take risks, to stand up to her overbearing older sister, and who puts her life on the line to set things right. Brigitte has just as important an empowerment story, yet often gets forgotten about when people discuss the film, focusing instead on Ginger. But when you watch through the film focusing instead on Brigitte (the real man protagonist) you begin to see how amazing Perkins is in the role. She builds this quiet power over the course of the film, you start to see the defiance build behind her meek facade, and where Katherine Isabelle uses her body and her confidence to show Gingers strengths Perkins does this with her eyes, with the subtle shift in how she holds herself, and ultimately with a truly powerhouse performance come the final act. 

Ginger Snaps was something of a low budget monster movie made in the early 2000's, and as such I was expecting the film to have aged somewhat poorly. But I was still surprised with how well the film looked on screen. Director John Fawcett manages to capture a dreariness in the film, a sense of grey, empty everyday life that teenagers of the time wanted to escape from. The film looks dull in many ways, the lack of colour and the boring normalness of it may not have been a conscious choice, perhaps one driven by lack of any other option, but the end result is a film that despite two and a half decades of age feels just as fresh and interesting as when it first came out. It has a low budget feel to it, but one that feels intentional, and one that perfectly suits the tone of the film. A flashier, more Hollywood version of Ginger Snaps not only wouldn't work, but would ruin the entire flavour of the film, and it wouldn't hold up anywhere near as well as it has managed to do.

Alongside the movie Ginger Snaps comes with a trio of audio commentary tracks. There's an audio commentary with Director John Fawcett, and another with Writer Karen Walton that have been on previous releases of the film and offer some wonderful insight into the creative process that went into the movie, as well as the impact the film had. The third commentary track is new for the Second Sight release, and features May Beth McAndrews and Terry Mesnard from the Scarred For Life podcast, who offer insight into the film from the perspective of expert fans of the genre, and people who grew up with the film shaping their experiences of horror. There's also a short video essay, some new interviews with crew members such as Director John Fawcett, Producer Steve Hoban, and Storyboard Artist Vincenzo Natali. Some behind the scenes featurettes that go into the making of movie, the creation of the monster effects, and rehearsals accompany deleted scenes and trailers. There's a lot of special features included, and even without the commentary tracks there's enough here to take hours to go through; giving any fan of the movie a load to sink their teeth into.

Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed is the first of the concurrently produced sequel films, and directly picks up where the first film left off (spoilers ahead for the end of Ginger Snaps). With Brigitte having been forced to kill her sister following her monstrous transformation at the end of the first film, and now dealing with her own growing infection, we find Brigitte on the run, tracking the progress of the 'cure' from the first film that has turned out to be a temporary solution, only slowing the transformation instead of preventing it. Haunted by the spectre of her sister (and our way of featuring Katherine Isabelle in the film still), Brigitte is trying to stay one step ahead of a male werewolf that's on her trail, hoping to mate with her. When the male wolf catches up with her, killing a library worker looking to help her, it leaves Brigitte injured, waking up in a youth drug rehab centre as authorities believe her werewolf serum and needles point to her being a drug addict.

Locked inside the facility, and with no access to the to the drug that will slow her transformation, Brigitte is desperate to find a way to escape. She soon finds herself teaming up with the young Ghost (Tatiana Maslany), a girl who's there awaiting a foster care placement after her grandmother was injured in a fire, and who quickly recognises Brigitte's condition from her horror comics and love of monsters. Together the two of them must find a way to escape the facility and prevent the pursuing male werewolf from taking Brigitte as his mate.

I never saw Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed when it was first released, and knew nothing about it before watching it other than the previous films two leads were in it. I didn't even know how Katherine Isabelle featured, and if they would somehow bring Ginger back from the dead. This would have been the easier approach, the one that a lesser film would have made, somehow undoing the ending of the previous movie and removing the impact it had just to get one of its stars back. However, Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed made the more impressive choice of sticking to their guns. Ginger is dead, and now it's impossible to deny that Brigitte is the real star of the series as she's forced into the role of the one fighting the werewolf infection.

Despite only being set a few weeks after the first movie it's impressive how much Brigitte has changed. She's outwardly assertive now, the quiet, almost nervous energy of the first film having been shed to make way for a young woman fighting for power, to be recognised as someone who knows what she's doing, as respected enough that others allow her to advocate for herself. Despite this change, it's fully believable with her journey, and whilst the Brigitte of the first movie wouldn't be threatening bullies with violence, or sternly talking down to counsellors, she has more than earned that strength now. This is a Brigitte without Gingers shadow, and she could easily stand beside other horror icons like Sarah Connor or Ellen Ripley as a woman coming into her own and finding the strength to fight against overwhelming odds.

Emily Perkins also gets the chance to invert the sister role from the first film, as she steps into the protective elder role with the inclusion of Ghost. Ghost gives Brigitte the excuse to become the protector, to become more like Ginger; and there are moments in the film that mirror scenes from the first one where Brigitte is now the one angrily telling the younger girl to leave her alone as she tries to deal with her transformation alone whilst the younger girl keeps trying to help her. It's a great inversion, and you can almost see the hesitancy from Brigitte as this dynamic starts to form, likely not wanting things to end the way they did for her and Ginger with this new friend. It also helps that Ghost is played wonderfully by a young Tatiana Maslany, who manages to inject warmth, comedy, and kindness into Ghost, whilst also bringing a level of darkness that makes her a character you're never quite sure of, who keeps you guessing right up until the end of the film.

I can see why people might not have liked the second film as much when it first came out, as it's a very different kind of film. Despite her prominent inclusion on the cover and name in the title, Ginger is barely in the film, and when she is she's clearly a manifestation of Brigitte's own internal thoughts and fears instead of her actual sister. Katherine Isabelle received perhaps too much of the praise of the original film, with male audience members focusing on her over her sister, and so I can understand a feeling of disappointment that she wasn't really a part of the follow-up. However, Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed manages to be just as good as the first film, because of how different they are. Perhaps it helped that I got to watch them pretty much back to back over two days, instead of waiting four years to see it, but I found it to be a well thought out and brilliantly put together follow-up. The first film had a very definitive ending, so any sequel would have been hard pressed to make its existence feel earned, and the second Ginger Snaps not only did this, it also managed to stand on its own as a great piece of feminist film.

The second film comes with an audio commentary with Director Brett Sullivan, as well as a brand new interview with him that goes into the creation of the film. Writer Megan Martin also receives a new interview, and offers her perspective on the movie, as well as going into the difficult creation process. There are also some behind the scenes special features, audition tapes, and deleted scenes that offer more insight into the movie. 

Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning is the most unusual piece of the trilogy, and the movie that I was most interested to finally see. A prequel film set in the harsh wilderness of the Canadian frontier, it sees two sisters, Ginger and Brigitte Fitzgerald, seeking out help as the only survivors of their family party. The film begins with the two of them travelling through the brutal winter conditions on horseback, searching for any kind of help, when they come across a ruined Cree camp. Here they encounter an elderly seer (Edna Rain), who delivers them a cryptic warning that they must 'kill the boy' to prevent one of the sisters from killing the other. The sisters then discover a Cree hunter, simply named The Hunter (Nathaniel Arcand), who leads the two of them to a fort manned by a ragtag group of soldiers and fur-trappers. 

The sisters learn that the fort is under siege by monsters that come in the dark, that kill without mercy, or infect you and slowly transform you into one of them. Monsters that the locals call wendigo. With supplies having been cut off for months, no sign of help coming, and losses mounting, the fort inhabitants may be as dangerous to the two sisters and the creatures lurking just beyond the walls. However, when Ginger becomes infected the two sisters must try to figure out a way for them to survive not just the danger that surrounds them, but the prophecy from the Cree elder.

Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning is a hugely bold move from the creators. The sequels were both greenlight at the same time, and they were given free reign to take the series in whatever direction they wanted, as long as the two leads were in them. Rather than making two films that follow on, which would have limited their options and perhaps locked them into the 'sequel hell' trope, they chose to conclude Brigitte's story at the end of Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed in a wonderfully dark ending, and decided to have some fun with the third movie by giving audiences something so completely different. And this wild departure is perhaps the reason why a lot of people find it to be the weakest film in the series; and whilst I will say that I prefer the first two I did absolutely love the third one.

I'm a sucker for historical horror. I love it when a horror story, whether that be a book, film, or game, decides to go for a setting that enhances the horror experience. It's bad enough dealing with werewolves in a time where we know the legends, where you have modern weapons, vehicles you can escape in, or the ability to call for help at any moment; but imagine you've got no idea what these things are, you have only candlelight at night, guns are few and far between and only fire a single shot, and you have no way to get help. The added isolation and danger that comes with a historical setting only enhances the themes of being overwhelmed, of danger and powerlessness that most horror stories rely on.

Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning does this well, putting a handful of characters in a remote, isolate location. They're running out of supplies, their walls are weakening, and they have only the myths and whispered legends of the native people they look down upon to guide them towards an answer. It feels like the most dangerous film of the three, especially as there are multiple werewolves to deal with, alongside violent men. One of the main drawbacks, however, is that I feel the film loses much of the feminist messaging of the previous two. Ginger and Brigitte are meeker in this film, their attitudes and actions restricted by the expectations and roles of the era. Yes, we do see that they're independent women, surviving on their own, but they still become subservient to the men around them, looked down on as weak, lusted over and seen as temptations. Despite the names and the actresses being the same, the Ginger and Brigitte in this film are pretty far from the Ginger and Brigitte we know and love.

For me, the film does manage to stay entertaining thanks to how different it was, but trying to do some new things, and because I have a soft spot for that particular sub-genre, but I certainly understand how it's the black sheep of the trilogy and the most divisive one. As with the other films, the third comes with an audio commentary to accompany it, featuring Director Grant Harvey. Harvey also gets a new interview, in which he goes into the making of the third film, as well as shedding some light on how it and the second were made at the same time and the creative process that led to them. There's also an interview with Producer Paula Devonshire, a making of special feature, deleted scenes, and a video diary.

The new trilogy boxset is an impressive release. It not only gives fans of the series some great new features, but for those like myself who loved the original film when it first came out but struggled to get access to the sequels it's a wonderful way to do so. Ginger Snaps remains as one of the important horror films of recent decades, one that helped to push women into the spotlight as more than just a final girl, and made women's stories and their struggles the main focus. It's wonderful to see the film getting the recognition and attention it deserves with this new set, and hopefully it will give whole new audiences the chance to discover it.

The Ginger Snaps Trilogy is available on Blu-ray from Second Sight Films from 25th May 2026 for £39.99.

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The Devils Candy - 4K UHD/Blu-ray Review

 

A family moving into a new home to find something sinister waiting for them, some supernatural force that puts their lives at risk, is perhaps one of the oldest tropes in horror. It's a well that creators keep going back to because it's so viscerally frightening. Your home is the place where you're supposed to feel the safest, so it becoming the place where you're in danger is one of the ultimate betrayals. Sean Byrne's film The Devil's Candy is a wonderful addition to this genre, one that manages to subvert expectations and forge its own path in a darkly claustrophobic and frightening tale.

The Devil's Candy focuses on struggling artist Jesse Hellman (Ethan Embry), whose dark art style fails to get him many sales, and is forced to paint things he has no interest in to bring money home. When the opportunity for Jesse and his wife, Astrid (Shiri Appleby), and teenage daughter Zooey (Kiara Glasco) to move into a huge farmhouse in a small Texas town the family jumps at the chance. Jesse even gets to turn the large barn into a studio where he can try to dedicate himself to his craft.

At first everything seems normal, but then Jesse begins to experience strange moments, draws to certain images and ideas, whispers in his head that inspire him to create new pieces of art that exceed anything he's ever made before. He's convinced that he's found his muse, but something sinister lies behind it all; the same thing that once drove the home's previous inhabitant to kill his own parents, and now drives him on to hurt children. And Zooey is the girl he's set his sights on now.

One of the things that immediately sets The Devil's Candy apart from a lot of other horror films is music. Not in the sense that the film has a good soundtrack (it does but that's not what I mean), but in how much music, particularly metal music, shapes the entire style of the film. Jesse and Zooey are metal fans, and whether it's their clothing, the way they decorate the house, or them head banging as they drive, the bond the two of them share through their love of the genre instantly creates a wonderful bond that you can feel from their first scene together. With so many horror films having father figures that feel distant, almost disconnected from their children it's amazing to have one where you can sense the love between them; which makes the deterioration of that relationship hit even harder when it happens.

Ethan Embry has the task of playing a man who begins to lose himself. At first it's just to his art, to the passion that he suddenly feels ignite within him. He's a man who's been trapped making commissions that fail to speak to who he is and what he's feeling, so when that fire finds him he takes hold of it with both hands. Sadly, this is the first step towards finding himself losing the things that really matter to him; his wife and daughter. He becomes distant, stays out in his studio more and more, misses appointments, and fails to be there when Zooey needs him the most. His passion begins to become his downfall, and we have to watch as Jesse grapples with his desire to be the best artist he can be whilst not wanting to lose the people he loves. It's a hard role to play, yet Embry manages to inject so much humanity into Jesse, which stops him from being just another horror arse-hole father and instead he becomes and almost tragic figure.

The films antagonist, the almost child-like Ray Smile, played amazingly by the hugely talented Puritt Taylor Vance, acts as a wonderful counterpoint to Jesse. Similar to Jesse, Ray tries to lose himself in art; this time in music. However, where Jesse's art is a passion that pours out of him Ray's desperate deafening playing of the electric guitar to try and drown out the same terrible influence that is driving Jesse to create his dark paintings of dying children. Moreso than Embry's performance, Puritt Taylor Vance's is one of the most important ones in the film to get right. It would be easy for Ray Smile to become a monster, a simple child killer driven by cruelty, instead he almost feels like a victim. Ray is portrayed as childlike and innocent much of the time, someone whose true kind nature tires to fight back against the monstrous force influencing him yet sadly fails. It's a shocking portrayal that makes you want to see the villain survive and get help, rather than seeing him meet a cruel end.

The Devil's Candy is the first film I've seen from Sean Byrne, and I found it incredibly impressive. Whilst there's only a relatively short runtime the film moves at a decent pace. The film manages to spend enough time with the characters that you become invested in them and want to see them well, and the quieter moments of interaction between them become some of the best parts of the film. There's also plenty of scenes that follow Ray where we get to witness the twisted things the voice in his head tells him to do, as well as scenes that show Jesse falling prey to the same force. I found it honestly surprising how economical The Devil's Candy ended up being with its screentime, always given enough whilst creating an almost leisurely pace that left me shocked just how much was crammed into it without it feeling bloated. With so many films either leaving me wanting more, or feeling overly long, The Devil's Candy hit the sweet spot and showcased how good a craftsman its director is.

The new 4K UHD and Blu-ray release has a new 4K restoration of the film that looks incredibly crisp and clear. The film looks absolutely fantastic, and this high quality picture really came into its own when the film got the chance to show off some of the artwork that Jesse was crafting, giving the viewer a wonderfully clear look at the wonderfully dark and twisted work provided by Stephen Kasner. Alongside the film there's also an audio commentary track by director Sean Byrne, which goes into a lot of the details about the behind the scenes of the film, providing the viewer with a deeper understanding of the narrative being created, as well as how the film itself was made. There's also a series of interviews which feature Byrne, as well as Ethan Embry, Director of Photography Simon Chapman, Editor Andy Canny, and Production Designer Tom Hammock that give further insight into the creation of The Devil's Candy. The extra features are rounded out by some behind the scenes VFX, and two of Byrne's short films. The physical release also comes with some collectors art cards, and a 120-page book with essays on the movie.

The Devil's Candy was a film that slipped under my radar when it was first released, so I'm pleased that the new 4K release allowed me the opportunity to get to discover it now. It's a wonderfully intimate film, one that puts a very realistic family at the centre of the 'scary new home' horror trope in an interesting way, bolstered by some fantastic performances. If you've not seen it before this new release is the perfect opportunity to check it out; and if you're already a fan of the film this new release will make a brilliant addition to your physical media collection.

The Devil's Candy is available on 4K UHD/Blu-ray from Second Sight Films from 25th May 2026 for £39.99.

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Re-Animator - Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray Review

 

The works of H.P. Lovecraft have helped to inspire a myriad of stories over the decades since their release, with multiple books and short stories drawing upon his mythos, video games set in the worlds he created, and film adaptations of some of his more famous stories. However, film tends to be one of the areas in which Lovecraft doesn't get as much praise. There are films that draw upon the kind of cosmic horror he crafted, such as Event Horizon or Alien which become hugely popular, but there are few actual Lovecraft films that are well received or remembered. 1985's Re-Animator, however, bucks this trend and stands out as an icon of horror cinema.

The first film from director Stuart Gordon, Re-Animator adapts several short stories by Lovecraft that tell the story of Herbert West, a scientist who's part grave robber, part Doctor Frankenstein. Updated for the current era, Re-Animator casts Jeffrey Combs in the role of West, a young medical student who has been developing a cure to the ultimate illness, death. After an opening scene in Switzerland in which he brings his dead professor back to life with horrific results, the film shifts the Massachusetts Miskatonic University, where we meet the passionate young medical student Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott), and professor and researcher Dr Hill (David Gale), who has been trying to study where in the human brain will originates.

Having returned from Switzerland, West has enrolled at the university to continue his studies and perfect his reanimation agent, and is introduced to Cain and Hill. West eventually moves in with Cain, who's seeking a roommate, and shifts his experiments to the basement, where he brings Cain's dead cat back to life in order to convince Cain to assist him in his mission. However, the two of them will have to deal with Dr Hill, someone who's already stolen others work in the past, and now wants to take West's cure for death and pass it off as his own.

One of the things that immediately stands out about Re-Animator is that it has a sense of humour to it that's almost guaranteed to be missing from every other Lovecraft project. Lovecraft was known for being serious in his fiction, focused on the horror and strangeness of his stories; stories that often had terrible ends for the people in them. However, the original source material for Re-Animator was one of his more humorous works, and makes for the prefect material for Stuart Gordon to adapt. There's a vein of dark comedy that runs throughout the movie, one that helps to lessen some of the scenery chewing performances and over-the-top gore effects because these moments now become part of the overall vibe, a movie that's having fun telling it's story and doesn't need you to take it overly serious.

After watching through the film again for this new release I was shocked that it was Gordon's first feature film. Re-Animator has a higher level of quality than other films of that era, especially other horror movies, and has managed to age incredibly well. It feels like the kind of film that would take an experienced film director, not someone who had never been on a film set before. Gordon manages to blend some wonderfully create cinematography and camera tricks with some fantastic practical effects, a solid script, and some stand out performances from its main cast.

Re-Animator is probably best known for Jeffrey Combs, who plays the titular mad scientist, though isn't supposed to be the star of the film. The film really follows Dan Cain, an ordinary guy who finds himself drawn into this world of crazy doctor and zombies. He's the audience stand-in, our vehicle throughout the story, and whilst he is the protagonist it's Combs' West who ends up stealing every scene he's in. Without trying to Combs manages to upstage his co-stars at every turn, and transforms a role that could have been a villain into something of a loveable anti-hero that we want to see succeed. This doesn't mean that other cast members are delivering weak performances by any means, as the film is populated with stand-outs, and whilst it seems that Combs might be outperforming Bruce Abbott at times Abbott is still delivering a strong performance, and carries much of the film despite being overshadowed. 

David Gale manages to match Combs in many of their scenes, and whenever the two of them are together it feels like a battle of wills between their two driven, almost monstrous scientists. It's wonderful to see how their roles seem to shift over the course of the film, with West being set up in a villain role early on and Dr Hill the target of his abuse, yet as things unfold Gale injects more and more sinister elements into Hill until he becomes both a figurative and literal monster by the end. Some of this transformation comes in how he acts towards the only woman in the film, Barbara Crampton's Megan Halsey. Crampton transforms a rather thankless role, of the damsel in distress, into a memorable and laudable performance as the most level-headed person in the film, one who's not afraid to stand up to the overbearing, powerful men around her. Crampton would go on to become a huge name in the horror community over the years, and there are many fans who would hold Re-Animator as one of her best performances.

Second Sight's new 4k UHD and Blu-ray release is absolutely packed to bursting with special features that makes this a set that fans will want to check out. The 4K restoration looks absolutely fantastic, and is the best looking version of the film that I've seen. Whilst this crispness does mean that you might more easily spot some seams in the effects work I found that it enhanced the experience, as you can't help but love to spot how some of the tricks were done. There's also three full length audio commentary tracks, a brand new one with Eddie Falvey, one with director Stuart Gordon, and another with the producer Brian Yuzna and actors Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Bruce Abbott, and Robert Sampson.

There are also a variety of interviews included, including with Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna, writer Dennis Paoli, editor Lee Percy, and composer Richard Band. There are deleted and extended scenes, trailers and TV spots, and a gallery. There's also an extensive behind the scenes documentary, a feature that looks at the legacy of re-Animator, a video essay on various Lovecraft film adaptations over the years, and a conversation with Barbara Crampton. There's also several art card included with the release, as well as a 120 page book filled with essays and writings on the film. Second Sight have included so much in the release that despite Re-Animator only being an hour and a half long you're going to be spending hours watching everything, and the extra features are going to fill you with even more love for the film.

Re-Animator is an absolute gem of a movie. It manages to be fun and frightening, has a brilliant cast, and remains one of the best adaptations of Lovecraft's work decades later. 

Re-Animator: Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray is available from Second Sight Films from 15th December 2025 for £39.99.

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Possession - Limited Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray Review

Andrzej Żuławski's 1981 Possession is a hard film to describe, even in terms of what genre it falls into. Often advertised as horror, though with lashings of fantasy, melodrama, and psychological thriller, it's a unique creature that has continued to disturb and baffle viewers for decades. Once a part of the notorious Video Nasties list, having been banned in the Britain, Possession gets it's first 4K UHD release in the UK thanks to Second Sight.

Set in Berlin during the Cold War, the film opens with Mark (Sam Neil) returning home from some vague spy mission, only to find his wife Anna (Isabelle Adjani) in a depressed state, unhappy at his arrival. She tells him that she wants a divorce, admitting to seeing another man. After a spiral into an alcohol fuelled depression Mark returns to their home to find his son, Bob (Michael Hogben), in a state of neglect. He learns that Anna has lost control, vanishing for days at a time, and acting more and more unstable. Mark suspects that this may be due to her affair, but as he learns more he discovers something much more frightening.

I first learned of Possession through the Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape documentary, which covered the wave of censorship that went through the UK as the BBFC banned certain films, almost all of which were horror films. Most of the films on this list are rather bloody, gore filled films that would have fallen into obscurity if it wasn't for their inclusion on the banned list. Possession found itself on this list, but other than having a few disgusting moments, feels incredibly out of place from those others now that I've finally seen it. 

Possession is less of an overt horror film and more of a twisted, almost dream-like European art-house experience. Partially inspired by director Andrzej Żuławski's own divorce, the film feels like an exploration of the complex, destructive emotions one goes through when their comfortable, happy life falls to pieces and shatters their entire worldview. 

Almost the entire first half of Possession lacks any overt horror, and plays instead as a heightened version of reality, where we explore the lives of these people in very relatable situations, even if their emotions are turned up to eleven. Performances are ramped up, with dialogue as likely to be delivered through yells or bursts of physicality than any real sense of sincerity. This makes Possession difficult and uncomfortable to watch in its own unique way as you feel trapped in this skewed, broken version of the world.

The film is probably most known for this in it's most infamous scene as Isabelle Adjani delivers a hauntingly raw, visceral performance as Anna suffers a miscarriage whilst in an underground passage. It is likely the scene that helped to secure the film it's place on the banned list as it delivers an incredibly shocking sequence with very little else than Adjani's performance to elicit feelings of discomfort. Adjani physicality in the sequence is nothing short of stunning as she flails and thrashes against the walls and floor, screams, bleeds, and cries out in agony as she feels the life inside her die. It's a scene that has produced essays and introspection, and even if you fail to connect with the rest of the film it's a moment that will linger with you and be the first thing that you think about when you hear the film mentioned. It's not hard to see why Adjani was nominated for so many awards for her performance in Possession.

Whilst I have been praising Possession that doesn't mean that I consider it a faultless film; and if anything I think I may have failed to connect with it the way others have. Possession has achieved a cult-like following over the decades, and has had academic praise thrown upon it by experts in horror and cinema. But, probably as someone who hasn't had much experience of melodrama, and who was expecting something a bit different, I struggled to connect with Possession. Whilst I found it interesting there were many scenes that I didn't enjoy, I found that it dragged at times, and the things that were interesting to me weren't given enough time or focus for my liking. 

Possession isn't going to be a film that everyone likes, and I'm glad I didn't watch it with my partner as originally planned as I know she'd have hated it, but there are people that have yet to see it that will fall in love with it. I think that's likely a big part of the artistic merit of the film, it's one that will divide people because it's so unique and so unusual. If you've never watched Possession I would absolutely encourage you to do so, and if you enjoy the film this new release is a wonderful way to experience it.

Alongside the absolutely beautiful looking 4K version of the film, which is incredibly crisp and clear, the new limited edition set is packed with extra features. There four full length audio commentary tracks which offer a huge amount of insight and extra perspective into the film that add a ton to the watching experience; as mentioned before, I didn't really connect with the film, but I loved listening to the commentaries so that I could learn more about the film, and I ended up enjoying them more than the film itself. There's a sit down chat with Guillermo del Toro to discuss his love of Possession, which ends up being hugely fascinating. Kat Ellinger provides a video essay on the film, a look at the reception of the film in the UK and US, and an archival documentary. There's also a look at the locations where the film was shot, an interview with the composer, the producer, and director. Add onto that a look at the artist on the film's iconic poster, a making-of, deleted scenes, and a trailer, and you couldn't ask for more. Whether you're a Possession lover who demands more, or simply a fan of behind the scenes materials, this release serves up so much to enjoy. Oh, and there's the 220 page book filled with essays, art cards, and a reproduction of the original script it's hard to know what else you could want.

Possession was an odd viewing experience, one that I didn't always enjoy, but one that was fascinating throughout. The new release from Second Sight is frankly ridiculous with how much extra content you get, and puts some physical media releases to shame.

Possession is available from Second Sight Films from December 15th 2025 for £54.99.

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