Masters of the macabre – writer Stephen King and director George A. Romero – conjure up five shocking yarns, each a virtuoso exercise in the ghouls-and-gags style of classic ’50s horror comics. A murdered man emerges from the grave for Father’s Day cake. A meteor’s ooze makes everything … grow. A professor selects his wife as a snack for a crated creature. A scheming husband plants two lovers up to their necks in terror. A malevolent millionaire with an insect phobia becomes the prey of a cockroach army. Add the spirited performances of an excellent cast (Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, E.G. Marshall and King himself) and the ghoulish makeup wizardry of Tom Savini, and you have a non-stop, thrilling ride that “plays like an anthology of human phobias” (Roger Ebert)!

For thoughts on Creepshow, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/-PPneOXXT6M?t=378]

Video Quality

Scream Factory presents Creepshow with a stellar 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. This film was originally released on Blu-Ray by Scream Factory five years ago which was derived from an older 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative. We do not have that original release for comparison, but considering these are both from the OCN, they are both surely in the same ballpark quality wise. Improvements when it comes to nicks or scratches are probably minimal, but the increase in disc space and implementation of Dolby Vision probably put this over the top. There is next to nothing in the way of print damage, and the clarity is truly outstanding almost the entire time. This is a winner no matter which way you cut it.

The gorgeous Dolby Vision presentation is practically flawless when it comes to depth and nuance. As Director of Photography Michael Gornick discsusses in the special features, the restoration process gave him the tools to finally get the look of the film perfectly dialed into its intended appearance. The visual palette may not always be a feast for the eyes, especially with some of the grotesque shots, but there are many wondrous colors in the clothing, makeup and production design that are more boldly realized. There is a greater accuracy to some of the more rudimentary colors within the interiors. The new presentation takes the movie to its apex.

The sumptuous natural film grain brings out a ton of distinct texture in the outfits, production design, the unsettling special effects and more. When the undead are rising out of the grave, you can make out more distinct textures of the earthy bones. This grain resolves well with nothing ever appearing frozen, clumpy or spiking throughout either the daytime or nighttime scenes. There are brief decreases in quality during the transition from the comic material to the live action scenes, but these are mercifully brief. Black levels are rock solid with no blatant crush present, and highlights never get too hot. Scream Factory has provided a strong encode for this one, as well, with no sudden downturns in quality that we spotted. This disc should be considered the definitive visual presentation for this feature at home.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a brand new Dolby Atmos track, what appears to be a downmix of that track for the DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track, and the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track. Each of these options captures this material favorably, especially considering the reports that the previous Blu-Ray had a compromised 5.1 track which did not sound good at all. For audio purists, the stereo track sounds pretty wonderful. All of the sound effects appear to be authentic, and there is nothing in the realm of distortion to hold this one back. As long as you have a good original base, most fans are pretty happy.

Those looking for a full audio experience will be blown away by the new Dolby Atmos track. From the opening notes of the haunting score, you are settled into this world in which you are settled into the atmosphere with unwavering fidelity. Environmental noises such as the waves of the beach or insects crawling across are allowed the precise placement within the mix. The height channels do not carry the main information often, but they complement the soundscape with amazing space and grandiosity. Dialogue comes through with great clarity even in more chaotic environments. The low end of the track delivers some texture when it counts, but it is not turning this movie into something that feels foreign. Scream Factory should be commended for this audio experience. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.

Special Features

Disc One (4K UHD Blu-Ray – Feature Film)

Audio Commentary #1: Director George A. Romero And Special Make-Up Effects Creator Tom Savini provide a very thorough and entertaining commentary track moderated by Michael Felsher from Red Shirt Pictures in which they reflect on the production, how certain sequences came to be, memories of the performers, the editing process, the film’s legacy and more.

Audio Commentary #2: Composer/First Assistant Director John Harrison And Construction Coordinator Ed Fountain provide a commentary track moderated by Michael Felsher from Red Shirt Pictures in which they discuss how they got involved with the project, memories from working with the creative team, aspects they brought to the production, the music of the feature, how they have related to the film over the years, and more that rarely lets up throughout the film.

Audio Commentary #3: Director Of Photography Michael Gornick provides a great commentary track moderated by Lee Carr in which they discuss where he was at this point in his career when this film was made, the style of the different segments, working with the performers, memories from the set and more.

Audio Commentary #4: Michael Felsher from Red Shirt Pictures collects an array of fascinating interviews from Director Of Photography Michael Gornick, Actor John Amplas, Property Master Bruce Alan Miller, And Make-up Effects Assistant Darryl Ferrucci which bucks the traditional commentary style by not corresponding to the action on screen.

Mondo Macabre: A ten-minute piece with Mondo Co-Founder Rob Jones and Mondo Gallery Events Planner Josh Curry in which they discuss their love of the film, the various posters the company has created for Creepshow and more.

Collecting Creepshow: A nearly 13-minute featurette with collector Dave Burian who discusses how he acquired some of his props and collectibles while giving audiences a look at them in the modern day.

The Colors of Creepshow: A ten-minute discussion with Director of Photography Michael Gornick who discusses his original work on the film and how this new restoration has finally allowed the film to look as it was intended on home entertainment.

Into The Mix: A 13-minute interview with Sound Re-recordist Chris Jenkins who discusses his work with George A. Romero, the sound design of the film and more.

Still Galleries: This disc offers photo galleries for Posters & Lobby Cards, Movie Posters, Color Stills, Special Effects Makeup and Behind The Scenes.

Disc Two (Blu-Ray – Feature Film)

Audio Commentary #1: Director George A. Romero And Special Make-Up Effects Creator Tom Savini

Audio Commentary #2: Composer/First Assistant Director John Harrison And Construction Coordinator Ed Fountain

Audio Commentary #3: Director Of Photography Michael Gornick

Audio Commentary #4: Director Of Photography Michael Gornick, Actor John Amplas, Property Master Bruce Alan Miller, And Make-up Effects Assistant Darryl Ferrucci

Terror and The Three Rivers: A 30-minute roundtable conversation with John Amplas, Tom Atkins, Tom Savini, and Marty Schiff in which they reflect on how they became involved with the production, scenes they refused to shoot themselves, memories of George A. Romero, the impressive ensemble, the shooting locations, the familial feeling on set and more.

The Comic Book Look: A 13-minute interview with Costume Designer Barbara Anderson in which she discusses her background, becoming involved with the production, the challenges of working with the special effects and insects, working with George A. Romero and more.

Ripped From The Pages: A nearly 16-minute conversation with Animator Rick Catizone who discusses his work creating the pages of the comic on screen, his relationship with George A. Romero, adapting shots to fit the budget and more.

Horror’s Hallowed Grounds: A 15-minute episode of Horror’s Hallowed Ground is provided in which the host explores the original filming locations.

Tom Savini’s Behind-The-Scenes Footage: A 26-minute selection of fly-on-the-wall footage from the production of the film with a focus on some of the special effects creations.

Deleted Scenes: Nearly 16 minutes of unused footage is provided here with some text to give some context to some of the material. Most of the footage is in pretty rough shape.

Trailers: A nearly three-minute collection of trailers is provided here.

TV Spots: A 28-second TV spot is provided here.

Radio Spots: A minute-long collection of radio spots is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Creepshow is one of the best examples we can think of when it comes to how to execute an anthology film. Each segment has its own flavor and identity, but it also feels cohesive as an entire experience with the perfect blend of dark humor and genuine thrills. There is not a storyline in this one which feels like an egregious weak spot. There is such an insanely talented pool of performers which add so much to the overall quality of the endeavor. George A. Romero is a legend, and he was particularly good when collaborating on this one. Scream Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a knockout A/V presentation and a deep library of special features. Even if you already own this one on Blu-Ray, this new presentation is one to grab for fans. Highly Recommended

Creepshow (Collector’s Edition) will be available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack on June 27, 2023.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.