This “Limited Edition” 4K Ultra HD release from Arrow Video is currently available for purchase.
Ten years ago, director Guillermo del Toro was still riding high on the international success of the award-winning Pan’s Labyrinth, working with major Hollywood studios on big productions like Pacific Rim. Crimson Peak from Universal Pictures was sold as a gothic melodrama with horror elements. It received decent notices, but still flummoxed many critics and several audience members as well, ultimately grossing just under $75 million US against a $55 million dollar budget.
Still, in the last decade esteem for the picture has grown, especially as the director’s star has continued to rise (he won Best Picture and Director Oscars for The Shape of Water and his recent animated Pinocchio film earned him an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature). Arrow Video has now decided to present the movie in 4K Ultra HD (no Blu-ray is included in this release) and the results are, as expected, sensational.
Set in the late 18th century, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) is a young aspiring novelist who yearns for freedom and independence. When she falls for Baronet Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), she finds herself traveling across the Atlantic to his dilapidated and very haunted estate in England. Also in the mix are the husband’s intense and controlling sister, Lucille (Jessica Chastain) and one Dr. McMichael (Charlie Hunnam), who desires Edith’s affections.
Of course, things aren’t as they initially appear. In fact, it isn’t long before viewers will be pretty certain of exactly what dastardly activities are taking place by the brother and sister. As the story moves to the haunted locale and the characters become more overtly hostile, the feature begins picking up momentum. There are some startling moments and visual panache as spirits disturb the estate’s newest resident. This includes a wailing form covered in red clay with a cleaver firmly wedged in its head. Scares and action sequences are what director Guillermo del Toro specializes in, and as events boil over, there are some great individual scenes of shapes and human figures moving in the background and stalking their prey.
After rewatching the picture, I do feel the same way as when I first watched it. It’s a very entertaining movie, but not without a few minor story issues. There’s a heavy emphasis on the courting of Edith and the financial straits of Thomas and Lucille Sharpes early on. In fact, it’s almost all pure melodrama for the first thirty minutes. This includes a long and slow-moving opening act. And the screenplay shows most of its cards quickly, giving away a lot of mystery behind the protagonist’s suitor in the process.
Admittedly, the movie is attempting to emulate classic gothic romances like Jane Eyre and focusing on its lead character and her relationships rather than the spiritual goings on, but the supernatural bits are so effective that the exaggerated romance doesn’t resonate as strongly. But in the end, the movie is still a great deal of fun. The manor itself is a visual marvel and it’s fun to see Edith finally stand up for herself and square off against the main villain.
The feature is also a visual treat, so it is no surprise that this latest presentation is stunning in many respects. All of the aspects mentioned above, from the elaborate sets and visual effects, are gorgeous to behold in 4K. It all looks phenomenal and those who already admired the appearance of the picture will be even more impressed with this upgraded presentation.
This edition also comes loaded with a ton of extras (too many to go through in detail right here). There is an informative commentary with Gullermo del Toro in which he goes over various aspects of the production. He details some stories within his own family history about spirits and these comments do provide a lot of insight into what inspires him creatively. And there’s plenty of talk about the effects work and his attempts to combine practical and digital elements within the same shot in order to make phantoms and other otherworldly beings look as realistic as possible. Additionally, you’ll get a fun reveal that the enormous exterior finale locale was actually a set built on a soundstage in Toronto. Overall, plenty of fun tidbits are revealed.
There is a “newly edited” piece on the production featuring cast and crew talking about the movie’s use of gothic melodrama and how elements of the production came together. In fact, there is a primer piece on the genre and a previously unseen talk with the director about it. In general, Guillermo del Toro spends a lot of time talking about gothic melodrama and comes across as a little defensive (the filmmaker was likely irked that many bristled at the emphasis of melodrama over chills and horror), but the passionate figure is always interesting and compelling to listen to.
As for other bonuses, critic Kim Newman discusses the history of Gothic Romance in literature and cinema. He also notes the other genre film variations that the director often dabbles in. It’s very informative and in the process gives fans of the movie plenty of other titles to seek out.
There is also a visual essay on Guillermo del Toro’s films by Kat Ellinger and similar themes and elements that appear throughout his catalog. This bonus is also enlightening and does provide more thematic connective tissue between his various projects. It is also noted that women in his movies are typically given more to do than other heroines in genre pictures, with Crimson Peak featuring a very strong lead who ultimately saves herself (rather than relying on the help of others).
As if that wasn’t enough, you’ll get featurettes about the various floors and sections of the estate and how they were created for the production, as well as specific examinations of the visual effects and storytelling techniques. Deleted scenes are also included, alongside numerous trailers and TV spots, and an image gallery of production and behind-the-scenes stills.
And it comes with “Limited Edition” packaging designed by the man who created concept art for the film. There is an 80-page book included with writing on the film, an archival interview with del Toro, conceptual design illustrations and more. Naturally, a double-sided fold out poster is also included featuring the above new and original art for the film, as well as four double-sided postcards with images from the feature.
Opinion on Crimson Peak is wide-ranging, but there’s no question that it is phenomenal on a visual level. For me personally, it isn’t among his very best, but is still an enjoyable effort with plenty in it to recommend. The 4K Ultra HD disc from Arrow is remarkable, with a dazzling image. The disc is also filled to the rafters with bonus material that does help viewers get a better understanding of what the director was aiming for and perhaps appreciate the movie even more. It’s a fantastic release that will wow those who enjoy the filmmaker’s work and/or gothic melodrama.