The Sweet House of Horrors – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1989
Director: Lucio Fulci
Writers: Lucio Fulci, Vincenzo Mannino, Gigliola Battaglini
Cast: Jean-Christophe Brétignière, Cinzia Monreale, Lubka Lenzi, Lino Salemme, Franco Diogene, Vernon Dobtcheff, Giuliano Gensini, Ilary Blasi, Dante Fioretti, Pascal Persiano

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 82 Minutes 47 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"A wealthy couple in a mansion are brutally murdered, leaving their two young children in the care of their aunt and uncle. The distraught kids seek to communicate with the ghosts of their parents, but they aren't the only spirits in the building. Chaos ensues as the confused aunt and uncle try to sell the property, prompting the dead to clearly make their desires known." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration."

The Sweet House of Horrors comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 40.9 GB

Feature: 24.8 GB

The source looks excellent; this film has never looked better on home media. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, and image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid. Though grain remains intact, this film was shot on 16mm, and there is an intentional soft-focus look.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian language tracks sound more robust. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival trailer (4 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Lino Salemme (3 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Pascal Persiano (10 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Jean-Christophe Brétigniere (3 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Cinzia Monreale (6 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an archival introduction by Cinzia Monreale (48 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with screenwriter Gigliola Battaglini (3 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles), an interview with editor Alberto Moriani titled Editing for the Masters (18 minutes 5 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with set designer Massimo Antonello Geleng titled Fulci House of Horrors (16 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with Cinzia Monreale titled Sweet Muse of Horrors (28 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani and Troy Howarth.

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a poster, a rigid outer box, and a CD with Vince Tempera’s original soundtrack.

Summary:

The Sweet House of Horrors is one of four made-for-television films known as The Houses of Doom. The other three films are The House of Clocks, The House of Witchcraft, and The House of Lost Souls.

A murdered couple return from the beyond to protect their children and prevent their home from being sold.

The Sweet House of Horrors opens big with the type of sequence that is synonymous with the cinema of Lucio Fulci. In this opening setup, a masked intruder is interrupted by the homeowners, and carnage ensues. Instead of trying to flee, he beats them to a pulp, puts their bodies in a car, and pushes it over a cliff, trying to make it look like an accident. This sequence is gory and vicious in its execution.

After that solid opening sequence, things take a dramatic step backwards after setting the bar so high. Though there are moments where characters are hurt and moments of mischief, nothing comes close to that opening sequence. That said, The Sweet House of Horrors leans heavily into the supernatural realm with only minimal gore.

When it comes to the performances, they have many of the same faults that The House of Clocks does, notably characters lacking depth. Another strike against the performances is the two child actors who are annoying, but not in the same way Bob from The House by the Cemetery was. Notable cast members include Lino Salemme (Demonia), who portrays Guido, the gardener, and Cinzia Monreale (The Beyond), who portrays Marcia, the aunt to the two children whose parents were murdered.

Though the narrative only clocks in at 83 minutes, there are a few lulls making it feel longer than it is. The most surprising aspect of the narrative is an unusually upbeat ending for a Lucio Fulci film. The most disappointing aspect is the special effects, which look crude and call attention to themselves. A strength is Vince Tempera’s (The Psychic) exemplary score, which does a phenomenal job reinforcing the mood; he also wrote a solid score for The House of Clocks. Ultimately, The Sweet House of Horrors is underwhelming and only recommended for Lucio Fulci completists.

The Sweet House of Horrors gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The House of Clocks – Cauldron Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1989
Director: Lucio Fulci
Writers: Gianfranco Clerici, Lucio Fulci, Daniele Stroppa
Cast: Keith Van Hoven, Karina Huff, Paolo Paoloni, Bettine Milne, Peter Hintz, Al Cliver, Carla Cassola, Paolo Bernardi, Francesca DeRose, Massimo Sarchielli, Vincenzo Luzzi

Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 83 Minutes 35 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $34.95

"Three young thieves looking for a big score set their sights on the most lavish house they can find. Little do they know that this house and its inhabitants have murderous impulses of their own. Will they make it out alive? Only time will tell…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "2K restoration."

The House of Clocks comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.2 GB

Feature: 25.1 GB

The source looks excellent; this film has never looked better on home media. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, and image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid. Though grain remains intact, this film was shot on 16mm, and there is an intentional soft-focus look.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced. That said, the Italian language tracks sound more robust. Included are English subtitles for the Italian language track and English SDH subtitles for the English language track. It should be noted that subtitles can only be chosen via the audio setup menu, and they cannot be turned off while watching the main feature. Also, you cannot toggle between the two audio options while watching the main feature.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an archival trailer (4 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Al Cliver (1 minute 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Carla Cassola (9 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actor Paolo Paoloni (5 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with FX artist Elio Terribili titled Time with Fulci (19 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Nino Celeste titled Lighting the House of Time (25 minutes 45 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an interview with composer Vince Tempera titled Time and Music (28 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with 1st AD Michele De Angelis titled Working with a Master 23 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Eugenio Ercolani, Nathaniel Thompson, and Troy Howarth.

There are Easter egg extras; it is a collection of cast auditions for The Sweet House of Horrors (71 minutes 25 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with non-removable English subtitles).

Extras not carried over from the limited edition release for this standard edition release include a poster, a rigid outer box, and a CD with Vince Tempera’s original soundtrack.

Summary:

The House of Clocks is one of four made-for-television films known as The Houses of Doom. The other three films are The Sweet House of Horrors, The House of Witchcraft, and The House of Lost Souls.

Three criminals break into a house full of clocks, and when they kill the two elderly owners and their servant, a series of bizarre events unfold.

From 1985 to 1987, Lucio Fulci would only direct one film, after hitting his peak period in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Things would pick up for him considerably in 1988 and 1989, directing two films each. In the case of the latter, he directed The House of Clocks and The Sweet House of Horrors.

The House of Clocks is a supernatural horror film, a subgenre of films that Lucio Fulci is well versed in. The main location is a house filled with clocks, which have the power to alter time. And when the three criminals murdered the couple and their servant, they found themselves trapped, unable to leave the house. That said, all of the characters, including the elderly couple and their servant, have ulterior motives; all characters in this film fall on the side of evil.

All of the characters are one-dimensional; there is no attempt at backstory. It is difficult to gauge performances, since they are dubbed not only for English but also for Italian. That said, Lucio Fulci’s films, especially his horror films, are more about presence and atmosphere than performance. In these two areas, The House of Clocks gets high marks.

When discussing the cinema of Lucio Fulci, everything comes back to his ability to deliver gore. The House of Clocks has a few gory moments like he’s known for and a nasty scene where a cat is put in a plastic bag and suffocated. Fortunately, in the case of the latter, the cat exacts its revenge in the twist ending. That said, though the gore effects are in line with other Lucio Fulci films, they do have their limitations.

From a production standpoint, The House of Clocks is a film working with very limited resources, and yet Lucio Fulci at times manages to work miracles. At 84 minutes in length, the narrative overstays its welcome; it does a great job building to an ending that suggests the cycle has not been broken. Though The House of Clocks is not one of Lucio Fulci’s more arresting films visually, there are many moments that have his unique signature. Ultimately, The House of Clocks is a film that is a lot better than its reputation; that said, it is still a lesser film in Lucio Fulci’s oeuvre.

The House of Clocks gets an excellent release from Cauldron Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Lady of the Law – 88 Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1975
Directors: Shen Chiang, Stanley Wing Siu
Writer: Shen Chiang
Cast: Lo Lieh, Shih Szu, Chang Pei-Shan, Chan Shen, Tung Lin, Dean Shek, Yang Chi-Ching, Ou-Yang Sha-Fei 

Release Date: May 19th, 2025 (UK), May 20th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK), $34.95 (USA)

"A dangerous criminal escapes captivity – but luckily crime-busting super-swordswoman Leng Rushuang (Shih Szu, Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires) is on his trail. However, she has doubts about his guilt, and she's not going to stop fighting until she's sure the right man is being punished." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "High Definition Blu-Ray Presentation In 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio".

Lady of the Law comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 24.6 GB

Feature: 24.1 GB

Though the transfer uses a dated source, it is in excellent shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid. 

Audio: 4/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a stills gallery with music from the film playing in the background (21 images), an audio commentary with David West, reversible cover art, a double-sided foldout poster, and a slipcase (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

A man is framed for the rape and murder of a woman by the man who is responsible for murderering his father.

Lady of the Law is a revenge-themed film in which a character's original quest, avenging the death of his father, takes a backseat when he is accused of a heinous crime. What makes this scenario so compelling is that those responsible for his father's death and the framing of the son are one and the same. Though all of these things drive the narrative, none of these characters are the protagonist.

The best martial arts all have excellent opening sequences which draw you in and perfectly set the stage for what follows. Lady of the Law opens with a scene where a man's son has been kidnapped by bandits who try to blackmail him by threatening to kill his son. The father dies after rescuing his son, and when the bandits try to kill the boy, a woman named Madam White Brows convinces them to spare the boy. Flash forward years later, the son, now a man, is a servant for the man whose men killed his father.

Though Leng Rushuang, aka Lady of the Law, is the protagonist, this character comes and goes at opportune moments throughout. Shih Szu (The Lady Hermit) is cast in the role of Leng Rushuang, and she delivers an exemplary performance in the role of the hero. Her character has only one purpose: bringing those who commit evil deeds to justice. Leng Rushuang’s mentor is Madam White Brows, which makes her task of bringing Jiao Yaner to justice all the more complicated.

Jiao Yaner, the son of the man who was murdered at the beginning of the film, has the most screen time. Lo Lieh (King Boxer), an actor who appeared in many of Shaw Brothers' most celebrated films from the 1970s, portrays Jiao Yaner. This character acts like a simpleton, while he secretly learns martial arts while watching those around him. That said, when it comes to the rest of the performances, they are all excellent, especially Dean Shek’s (Drunken Master) portrayal of a rapist.

Though Shaw Brothers at their peak were cranking out films at an incredible pace, a film like Lady of the Law is a textbook example of their craftsmanship. The most compelling aspect of Lady of the Law is how it takes a familiar premise and puts an inventive twist on it. The narrative is flawlessly constructed; it does a phenomenal job building momentum to an exemplary finale. When it comes to the fight scenes, they are all well-crafted moments, many of which feature impressive stunt work. Ultimately, Lady of the Law is an outstanding film and a superb showcase for the talents of Shih Szu.

Lady of the Law gets a first-rate release from 88 Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and an informative audio commentary, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

The Magnificent Chang Cheh: Limited Edition – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Hong Kong, 1966 (The Magnificent Trio), Hong Kong, 1977 (Magnificent Wanderers)
Director: Chang Cheh (Both Films)
Cast: Jimmy Wang Yu, Lo Lieh, Fanny Fan, Margaret Tu Chuan, Chin Ping, Cheng Lei (The Magnificent Trio), David Chiang, Alexander Fu Sheng, Chi Kuan-Chun, Phillip Kwok Chun-Fung, Lu Feng, Jamie Luk (Magnificent Wanderers)

Release Date: April 28th, 2025 (UK), April 29th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Times: 108 Minutes 32 Seconds (The Magnificent Trio), 98 Minutes 14 Seconds (Magnificent Wanderers)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Mandarin (Both Films), LPCM Mono English (Magnificent Wanderers)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"One of the Shaw Brothers Studio's most prolific directors, Chang Cheh - or the "Godfather of Hong Kong Cinema" - is the filmmaker behind Five Deadly Venoms, Chinatown Kid and Boxer Rebellion. Collected here are two films by this maestro of martial arts cinema that showcase his considerable talents at both ends of his career: The Magnificent Trio, produced when wuxia films ruled the Hong Kong box office in the mid-1960s, and Magnificent Wanderers, made at the height of the kung fu craze at the end of the 1970s.

In an early role that pre-dates his star-making turn in Chang's The One-Armed Swordsman, Jimmy Wang Yu stars in The Magnificent Trio as swordsman Lu Fang, who - along with fellow warriors Yen Tzu-ching (Lo Lieh) and Huang Liang (Cheng Lui) - lends his martial arts prowess to a group of oppressed farmers when they kidnap the daughter of their local magistrate. Then, in the kung fu comedy Magnificent Wanderers, the three nomads Lin Shao You (Fu Sheng), Shi Da Yong (Chi Kuan-chun), and Guan Fei (Li Yi-min) attempt to join Chinese patriots in their struggle against invading Mongol armies with the help of the wealthy Chu Tie Xia (David Chiang).

From straight-faced wuxia pian to farcical kung fu comedy, The Magnificent Trio and Magnificent Wanderers display the full range of Chang Cheh, a filmmaker who sat in the director's chair for over three decades." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5 (The Magnificent Trio, Magnificent Wanderers)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "1080p HD presentations on Blu-ray from masters supplied by Celestial Pictures."

The Magnificent Trio and Magnificent Wanderers come on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.6 GB

Feature: 20.8 GB (The Magnificent Trio), 20.1 GB (Magnificent Wanderers)

Though no information has been provided about the sources used for these two film transfers, it is clear that they come from outdated ones. Flesh tones look correct, colors look good, image clarity is strong, black levels fare well, compression is solid, and there are no issues with digital noise reduction. 

Audio: 4/5 (LPCM Mono Mandarin - Both Films), 3/5 (LPCM Mono English - Magnificent Wanderers)

The Magnificent Trio comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin with removable English subtitles. Magnificent Wanderers comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Mandarin and a LPCM mono mix in English. Included are removable English subtitles for the Mandarin audio track, as well as removable English subtitles for the Mandarin text when viewing the film with the English audio track. Both Mandarin language tracks are in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound very good. The English language track lacks the range that the two Mandarin tracks have.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a video essay titled  Chang Cheh Style by Gary Bettinson, editor-in-chief of Asian Cinema journal (29 minutes 20 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival) and martial artist and filmmaker Michael Worth for The Magnificent Trio, an audio commentary with action cinema experts Mike Leeder and Arne Venema for Magnificent Wanderers, reversible cover art, an O-Card slipcase (limited to 2000 copies), and a 20-page booklet (limited to 2000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled A Magnificent duo Notes on Wuxia, Kung Fu and Chang Cheh written by James Oliver, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Chang Cheh directed The Magnificent Trio and Magnificent Wanderers. He is known for One-Armed Swordsman, Golden Swallow, The Boxer From Shantung, The Water Margin, and Five Venoms.

The Magnificent Trio: A swordsman joins farmers in the fight against a ruthless magistrate.

If The Magnificent Trio’s premise sounds familiar, that is because it is a loose adaptation of Hideo Gosha's Three Outlaw Samurai. Both of these films revolve around a wanderer, with exceptional sword skills who assists peasant farmers who are being opposed by an evil magistrate. Despite being inspired by another film, The Magnificent Trio is a film that stands well on its own.

In the arc of Chang Cheh’s evolution as a filmmaker, The Magnificent Trio is widely considered a triumph that foreshadows many elements that would become synonymous with his films. Though not as action-heavy or bloody as Chang Cheh’s later films, The Magnificent Trio’s fight sequences are exemplary. That said, in terms of visuals, Chang Cheh consistently delivers visually striking moments that are enhanced by creative framing.

The Magnificent Trio pairs Chang Cheh with Jimmy Wang Yu and Lo Lieh, both of whom he had already worked with and would work with many more times. When it comes to their performances, they are both outstanding; especially when it comes to action sequences. The most surprising aspect of The Magnificent Trio is its well-defined women characters, and the actresses who portray them are all exceptional.

The Magnificent Trio is a dialogue-driven film in which characters' motivations are never in doubt. Though action takes a backseat to character development, the latter half of the narrative is where the action sequences truly take center stage. At 109 minutes in length, pacing is never an issue, as the narrative does a superb job building momentum to a phenomenal climax. Ultimately, The Magnificent Trio is a classic take on the righteous versus the wicked that finds a very satisfying balance between exposition and action.

Magnificent Wanderers: A wealthy rebel who has been swindled out of his fortune enlists the help of a trio of con artists to assist him in retrieving it.

By the time Chang Cheh directed Magnificent Wanderers, he was truly hitting his stride; a year later, he would reach his peak with The Five Venoms, a film that marked the beginning of a lengthy collaboration with a group of actors known as the Venom Mob. Though Magnificent Wanderers features several actors who would later become part of the Venom Mob, the outcome is a film that does not align well with their other collaborations with Chang Cheh. That said, Magnificent Wanderers is a film that relies on silly humor, making it stand out when compared to Chang Cheh's other films, which are known for their heroic bloodshed.

The performances are anchored by David Chiang’s (All Men Are Brothers) portrayal of Chu Tie Xia, a wealthy rebel whose weapon is a bow that fires bullets made of gold. Another performance of note is Alexander Fu Sheng (The Brave Archer), who portrays Lin Shao You, one of the three con men who help Chu Tie Xia retrieve his fortune. That said, when it comes to the rest of the performances, none of them are lacking.

Magnificent Wanderers is a film that is actually a lot of fun, despite being standard martial arts fare. Content-wise, Magnificent Wanderers is a satisfying mix of martial arts and humor. In the case of the latter, most of the humor comes from the magistrate character, who stutters and has trouble speaking in general. The main action set piece culminates the film and takes place at a military camp. The sequence is an exemplary action set piece that has some impressive stunt work. Ultimately, despite Magnificent Wanderers shortcomings, its positives far outweigh any of its negatives.

Eureka Video’s The Magnificent Chang Cheh brings together two films, gives them strong audio/video presentations, and includes informative extras, recommended.

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