The Shrouds – Vertigo Releasing (UHD)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Canada, 2024
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Cast: Vincent Cassel, Diane Kruger, Guy Pearce, Sandrine Holt, Elizabeth Saunders, Jennifer Dale

Release Date: December 8th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 119 Minutes 39 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK)

"In an eerie, deceptively placid near-future, a techno-entrepreneur named Karsh (Cassel) has developed a new technology that will allow the bereaved to bear witness to the gradual decay of loved ones dead and buried in the earth. While Karsh is still reeling from the loss of his wife (Kruger) from cancer, a spate of vandalized graves utilizing his ""Shroud"" technology begins to put his enterprise at risk, leading him to uncover a potentially vast conspiracy." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

The Shrouds comes on a 100 GB tripe layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 76.9 GB

Feature: 75.4 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones and colors look correct, and image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent, dialogue is always clear, everything is balanced, ambient sounds are well represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release are limited to a theatrical trailer (1 minute 47 seconds, DTS-HD 5.1 English, no subtitles).

Summary:

A grieving widow builds a device that connects the deceased buried in shrouds with their loved ones.

Over the last 50 years, David Cronenberg stands out as one of the few filmmakers who could have only directed his filmography. His singular vision is evident from the opening sequence in every one of his films. Known most for being the originator of body horror, his films often intertwine the psychological and the physical. Throughout his career many of his films have had a personal connection; The Brood was based on his acrimonious divorce from his first wife, while The Shrouds was his response to his wife of 43 years dying of cancer.

Grief is the central theme that drives The Shrouds; its protagonist has created a technology that allows you to view your loved one's decaying corpse. Like any new technology, there are inherent dangers, and as it evolves, we must question whether we lose our humanity and our souls in the process. While The Shrouds introduces many intriguing concepts, several of them remain vague and fail to capture the intensity found in David Cronenberg’s finest films.

The Shrouds features an impressive cast that fully meets the demands of their roles. Vincent Cassel (Eastern Promises) portrays Karsh Relikh, a grieving widower. He’s a man driven by his passion, a technology called Grave Tech that allows him to stay connected with his deceased wife. Another performance of note is Diane Kruger (Inglourious Basterds), who takes on three roles: Karsh’s deceased wife, her look-alike sister, and his virtual assistant named Hunny.

The narrative serves as both an exploration of grief and a thriller, particularly when someone desecrates his wife's and several other graves. From that point, the protagonist investigates the motives behind the desecration of the graves and the sabotage of Grave Tech. The narrative does a superb job drawing you in, and it is very effective in building momentum to its finale. While the visuals mostly let the characters take center stage, David Cronenberg delivers a few visually arresting moments. Ultimately, besides being one of David Cronenberg’s most personal films, The Shrouds is a deeply spiritual film whose themes stay with you long after its last moment fades off screen.

Vertigo Releasing gives The Shrouds a solid audio/video presentation. Recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Rabid: Collector's Edition – Shout! Factory (UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada/USA, 1977
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Cast: Marilyn Chambers, Frank Moore, Joe Silver, Howard Ryshpan, Patricia Gage, Susan Roman, Terry Schonblum

Release Date: December 16th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 16 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision
Rating: R
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $39.99

"A young woman develops a taste for human blood after undergoing experimental plastic surgery, and her victims turn into rabid, bloodthirsty zombies who proceed to infect others, which turns into a city-wide epidemic.?" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD), 4.5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K Scan from the Original Camera Negative."

Rabid comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 65.3 GB

Feature: 65 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Rabid comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45.1 GB

Feature: 33.5 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio is in excellent shape, free of any hiss or distortion; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with director David Cronenberg, an audio commentary with William Beard, author of The Artist As Monster: The Cinema of David Cronenberg, and an audio commentary with Jill C. Nelson, author of Golden Goddesses: 25 Legendary Women of Classic Erotic Cinema and Marilyn Chambers' personal appearances manager Ken Leicht.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include an image gallery (stills/posters), three radio spots (1 minute 38 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), a TV spot (32 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 9 seconds, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles), a video essay by Caelum Vatnsdal, author of They Came from Within: A History of Canadian Horror Cinema titled From Stereo to Video (26 minutes 23 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with producer Don Carmody titled Northern Exposure (15 minutes 37 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with executive producer Ivan Reitman titled Independent Spirit (12 minutes 28 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with David Cronenberg (20 minutes 36 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actress Susan Roman titled Young and Rabid (33 minutes 5 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Violet Lucca, author of David Cronenberg: Clinical Trials titled Inside Rabid (12 minutes 18 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Canadian film historian and author Paul Corupe titled Becoming Cronenberg (19 minutes 34 seconds, DTS-HD stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with David Cronenberg, an audio commentary with William Beard, and an audio commentary with Jill C. Nelson.

Other extras include a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

An experimental plastic surgery is the only hope for saving a woman who has narrowly survived a devastating motorcycle crash. Will she make a full recovery or will there be side effects due to the surgery?

Although David Cronenberg's debut film, Shivers, was very successful at the box office, it was also a film that garnered quite a bit of controversy, and because of this, it would be two years before he would make his follow-up film, Rabid. At the time of Rabid's release, the casting of Marilyn Chambers (Behind the Green Door, Resurrection of Eve) may have seemed like an odd choice, considering her background in acting was limited to a few pornographic films. Fortunately, time can often be kind, and that decision to hire her as the protagonist looks like an inspired choice. And it is her lack of acting experience that ultimately makes her performance so mesmerizing. Unfortunately, when it comes to the rest of the cast, their performances are best described as adequate.

Rabid contains many of the themes that David Cronenberg explored in Shivers; the way in which they are presented is how these two films slightly differ. While Rabid presents itself on a much grander canvas, Shivers contains itself more as a film that primarily unfolds in a single location. This distinction is not merely about the scale of production; Rabid lacks the intense claustrophobia that made Shivers profoundly terrifying.

That said, there are elements in Rabid that don't gel as well as they did in Shivers. That is not to say that there is not plenty to admire about Rabid. One of the more fascinating aspects of Rabid is how David Cronenberg mutates the vampire mythos to suit his cinematic universe. The most fascinating aspect of Rabid is how David Cronenberg uses the distance between characters to drive the mood, especially when it comes to the protagonist and her boyfriend.

Rabid's most potent moment involves these two characters as the protagonist calls her boyfriend to let him know that she has locked herself in a room with an infected person. She is doing this to demonstrate to him that she is not responsible for the outbreak. As the scene unfolds, the tension reaches an intense level, exposing the fear of the once-confident protagonist as her impending demise draws nearer. Ultimately, Rabid is an extraordinary example of body horror.

Shout! Factory gives Rabid its best home media release to date. Highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Scanners: Limited Edition – Second Sight Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada, 1979
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Cast: Jennifer O'Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane, Michael Ironside, Robert A. Silverman, Lee Broker

Release Date: March 31st, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 102 Minutes 50 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £39.99

"A scientist recruits a drifter with extraordinary telepathic ability to hunt down an equally powerful ’scanner’ who, together with others of their kind, is hellbent on taking over the world." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "A new 4K restoration approved by Director David Cronenberg."

Scanners comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 91.5 GB

Feature: 75.4 GB

The source looks excellent; Scanners has never looked better on home media. Flesh tones are healthy-looking, color saturation, image clarity, and compression are solid, contrast and black levels look perfect, and the image always retains an organic look. That said, Fidelity in Motion delivers another exemplary encode.

Scanners comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46.1 GB

Feature: 30.7 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5 (LPCM Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English; included are removable English SDH. Both audio tracks sound outstanding; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score sound exemplary.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a video essay by Tim Coleman titled Cronenberg's Tech Babies (13 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with makeup effects artist Chris Walas titled Monster Kid (21 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with makeup effects artist Stephan Dupuis titled Exploding Brains & Popping Veins (9 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with executive producer Pierre David titled The Chaos of Scanners (13 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Howard Shore titled Mind Fragments (18 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Mark Irwin titled The Eye of Scanners (15 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Lawrence Dane titled Bad Guy Dane (5 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Michael Ironside titled Method in his Madness (30 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Stephen Lack titled My Art Keeps Me Sane (23 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with William Beard, and an audio commentary by Caelum Vatnsdal.

The Blu-ray disc has all of the same extras that are on the 4K UHD disc.

Other extras include a rigid slipcase, 6 collectors' art cards, and a 120-page book cast & crew information, an essay titled Long Live Scanners! written by Kurt Halfyard, an essay titled Mind-Blowing Body Horror Why We Still Can’t Get Scanners Out of Our Heads written by Dr Xavier Aldana Reyes, an essay titled Brain Matter The Cultural Context(s) of Scanners written by Craig Ian Mann, an essay titled Celebrating the Ground-Breaking Special Effects of David Cronenberg’s Scanners written by Heather Wixson, an essay titled The Flesh of the Mind written by Eugenio Ercolani and Gian Giacomo Petrone, an essay titled ‘We’ve Won’ The Power of Invisible Disability Representation in Scanners Jessica Scott, an essay titled Can’t Get You Out of My Head Scanners, Psychosis and Trepanation written by Emma Westwood, and an essay titled Exploding Inked Heads Metacinema and References Around David Cronenberg’s Scanners written by Francesco Massaccesi.

Summary:

Transformation and what it means to be human are central themes that run throughout David Cronenberg’s filmography. These two themes are explored in Scanners, a film about a new breed of humans wanting to replace mankind. A scanner is someone who can read minds and inflict pain by thinking about it. Though being a scanner has its advantages, there are side effects related to using these things too often.

Though David Cronenberg’s films deal with complex themes and ideas, they always engage you in a way that holds your attention. His delivery of these two things is never heavy-handed and is easy to latch on to. Though Scanners deals with things that at the time were far-fetched, it was forward-thinking like many of David Cronenberg’s films.

When it comes to the performances, the most surprising is Stephen Lack who portrays the protagonist, Cameron Vale. Though he had limited acting experience, his bland performance actually works extremely well in the story that unfolds. Rounding out the cast are a few recognizable faces like Patrick McGoohan (The Prisoner), who portrays the doctor responsible for creating scanners; Jennifer O'Neill (The Psychic), who portrays Kim Obrist, a good scanner; and Michael Ironside (Total Recall), who portrays Darryl Revok, an evil scanner wanting to eradicate anyone who's not like him. That said, these three performances are outstanding.

Despite its futuristic elements Scanners is set in the present. The special effects are prominent throughout and they hold up extremely well for practical effects; especially the moment where a head explodes. The most elaborate special effects-related moment is a scene where the protagonist connects with a computer over the phone, gains control of the mainframe, and in response to this action, someone on the other end tries to harm him by self-destructing the computer while he’s connected.

The well-constructed narrative does a phenomenal job building momentum with tense moments that build to an ambiguous finale that provides a perfect coda. Another strength of narrative is how effectively it lays out characters' motivations. Though David Cronenberg gets most of the accolades for his films, one cannot overlook the contributions of composer Howard Shore and cinematographer Mark Irwin. Ultimately, Scanners is an exemplary film that finds that balance between thought-provoking and entertaining.

Scanners gets a definitive release from Second Sight Films, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Brood: Limited Edition – Second Sight Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: Canada, 1979
Director: David Cronenberg
Writer: David Cronenberg
Cast: Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman, Nuala Fitzgerald, Cindy Hinds, Susan Hogan, Gary McKeehan

Release Date: March 31st, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 92 Minutes 9 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £39.99

"A worried father attempts to uncover a controversial psychologist's unconventional therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, amidst a series of horrific murders that seem to be targeting those closest to him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "A new 4K restoration approved by Director David Cronenberg."

The Brood comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 61.7 GB

Feature: 55.6 GB

The source looks excellent; The Brood has never looked better on home media. Flesh tones are healthy-looking, color saturation, image clarity, and compression are solid, contrast and black levels look perfect, and the image always retains an organic look. That said, Fidelity in Motion delivers another exemplary encode.

The Brood comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 33 GB

Feature: 26.6 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds outstanding; dialog always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, ambient sounds and the score sound exemplary.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay by Leigh Singer titled Anger Management: Cronenberg's Brood and the Shapes of Cinematic Rage (22 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with David Cronenberg titled Cronenberg - The Early Years (13 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actor Robert A Silverman titled Character for Cronenberg (10 minutes 24 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with composer Howard Shore titled Scoring the Brood (7 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Mark Irwin titled The Look of Rage (13 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with executive producer Pierre David titled Producing the Brood (11 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with actors Art Hindle and Cindy Hinds, and Fangoria editor Chris Alexander titled Meet the Carveths (19 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with William Beard, and an audio commentary by Martyn Conterio and Kat Ellinger.

The Blu-ray disc has all of the same extras that are on the 4K UHD disc.

Other extras include a rigid slipcase, 6 collectors' art cards, and a 120-page book cast & crew information, an essay titled “Go All the Way Through to the End” written by William Beard, an essay titled Loving the Children of My Rage written by Jenn Adams, an essay titled Of Sound Body and Mind The Cultural Context(s) of The Brood written by Craig Ian Mann, an essay titled Playing God Female Abjection & Male Hubris in The Brood written by Shelagh Rowan-Legg, an essay titled “I Disgust You” David Cronenberg’s The Brood written by Scott Wilson, an essay titled Father Hunger The Brood is a Freudian Field Day written by Amber T, an essay titled Fucked Up Mummies The Fear of Motherhood in The Brood written by Carolyn Mauricette, and an essay titled Labour Pains The Family as a Site of Horrific Productions written by Alexandra West.

Summary:

Though David Cronenberg’s films are filled with forward-thinking and futuristic elements, many of them also contain personal aspects connected to his life. Case in point, The Brood, a film about a couple going through a bitter separation, an event that corresponds with David Cronenberg’s divorce, which inspired The Brood.

The narrative revolves around a husband who becomes concerned when his daughter comes back from a visit with her mother with bruises on her body. The wife is currently in isolation going through intense therapy, and only her daughter is allowed to visit her. Wanting answers, the husband tries to visit his wife, only to have her therapist block him from seeing her.

The Brood is a film that takes a moment before it settles in; it is around 17 minutes in when things become unnerving. This also coincides with the first sighting of the brood, who are a manifestation brought about by the mother's therapy. The narrative’s deliberate pacing does a phenomenal job holding your attention by creating tense moments that build upon each other. Though there are some intense moments overflowing with carnage, notably the scene where the brood beats to death a schoolteacher. The Brood is a dialogue-driven film whose carnage is limited to four violent outbursts.

The Brood has an outstanding cast, which is anchored by Samantha Eggar (The Collector), who portrays Nola, the wife, and Oliver Reed (Revolver), who portrays Nola’s therapist, Dr. Hal Raglan. In the case of the latter, it's unusual seeing him in a restrained role, while Samantha Eggar’s character is filled with rage. The most underrated performance is by Cindy Hinds, a first-time child actor who delivers an astonishing performance that exceeds her years.

There is a lot to admire about The Brood, notably the way it explores self-reflection. Throughout David Cronenberg’s filmography there are countless examples of his views on the evolution of humans, and in The Brood it is one character's inability to go and grow that leads to their destruction. Though the Brood's cathartic finale depicts the cancer being removed, the final image of the daughter suggests the cycle will continue. Ultimately, The Brood is an extraordinary melodrama with horror film elements that explores destructive behavior between those in a conflict and the rage it creates.

The Brood gets a definitive release from Second Sight Films, highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

Written by Michael Den Boer