From the imagination of Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water) comes Crimson Peak, a lavish, stunningly realized journey into the dark heart of Gothic romance… Beginning in Buffalo, New York, during the 1880s, Crimson Peak stars Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Stoker) as Edith Cushing, an aspiring writer who is haunted by the death of her mother. Edith falls in love with seductive stranger Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston, The Avengers), who whisks her off to Allerdale Hall, his baronial, yet dilapidated English mansion built upon a mountain of blood-red clay. Here Edith meets Lucille (Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty), Thomas’s sister who at times seems hostile and jealous. As Edith struggles to feel at home in the imposing residence, she gradually uncovers a horrendous family secret and encounters supernatural forces that will help he discover the terrible truth behind Crimson Peak. Boasting incredibly intricate and ornate production design and a rich visual style, del Toro’s film is a grandiose, boldly baroque triumph of Gothic decadence, which expertly combines and contrasts the sublimely beautiful with the shockingly grotesque. Crimson Peak is presented here in sumptuous special packaging, with a wealth of extra features, affording unprecedented insight into the making of this modern Gothic classic.

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Video Quality

Arrow Video presents Crimson Peak with a top-tier 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from NBC Universal presented in 4K resolution and graded in 4K HDR10/Dolby Vision by Fidelity In Motion. The results were reviewed and approved by director Guillermo del Toro. As with most del Toro movies, this has a very distinct style that captures the gothic ethos of the narrative with great care. Despite the 2K DI origins, the upscale to 4K resolution is a great benefit to his feature that is executed flawlessly by David Mackenzie at Fidelity in Motion – meaning it ostensibly looks the best it possibly can. This film was previously released by Arrow Video on Blu-Ray in 2019, but we have never seen that disc to compare the presentations. It is supposedly nearly identical to the 2016 Blu-Ray from Universal which we have and is much less impressive than this new 4K UHD disc.

One of the most exceptional aspects of the disc is the application of Dolby Vision for refined color output that takes this artfully crafted film and displays every distinct hue to its grandest ambition. One of the most prominent aspects of this feature is how color works within the narrative, so it is vital that this be executed with precision. The new master features some nuances within the lighting, production design, and clothing that harness a mind-bending amount of depth. Thankfully, nothing is quite oversaturated or candy-colored, but the depth that is achieved is a process that simply cannot be matched by a lesser format. Every choice is nicely suffused in this transfer to immerse you in this world. Black levels are terrifically deep with nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights show no evidence of blooming.

The level of discrete detail and clarity on display is a blessing and rises above what was seen on previous Blu-Ray releases. The photography captures every carved banister of the manor and every rivet of the intricately crafted costumes. The craft elements alone are a treat for the eyes, and this presentation puts them on their highest level of display. This transfer showcases positively nothing in the way of damage or unwanted digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. This world feels lived-in and three-dimensional thanks to the tremendous depth of field. The disc always holds firm with its command of contrast. This presentation is an A+ effort from the team at Arrow Video.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a mighty DTS-X track that captures this haunting narrative with the precision you desire. The creepy and complex sound design is just as vital to the movie as the visuals, and this track brings it to life with great skill. The film is replete with environmental effects that engage the surround and overhead speakers making you feel as if the house is alive in a visceral way. The movie showcases some pulse-pounding moments that add weight to the low end.

The track has an intricate and accurate sense of directionality with sounds always emanating from the appropriate channels. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear in the front channel without being drowned out by any sound effects or the score. The gorgeous score sets the tone for this story which fills the speakers well. There are absolutely no issues with fidelity or damage to the track. This audio presentation is in top form thanks to Arrow Video. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

The first pressing of the Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Crimson Peak arrives in a Limited Edition book-style package that is magnificent in person. The release also includes an 80-page, hard-bound book featuring writing by David Jenkins and Simon Abrams, an archival interview with Guillermo del Toro, and original conceptual design illustrations by artists Guy Davis and Oscar Chichoni. All of this provides great insight into of the film, the themes, the creatives, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Co-writer and director Guillermo del Toro provides a very informative and entertaining commentary track in which he discusses the background of the production, the misframing of this feature as a horror film, working with the performers to bring these characters to life, the topics they explore within the narrative, the importance of color, the largely practical production design and special effects, and so much more that gets covered quite thoroughly throughout this track.

The House Is Alive – Constructing Crimson Peak: A 50-minute documentary produced by Arrow Video featuring interviews with the cast and creative that delves deep into the creation of this film from the idea to the craft elements and beyond.

An Interview with Guillermo del Toro: A nine-minute interview with the filmmaker in Spanish with English subtitles in which he discusses the film, the subgenre of Gothic Romance, the care put into bringing the house to life, the symbolism in the film, character traits, and more.

Allerdale Hall – Four Featurettes: A four-part look at some of the key locations in the film that explores the construction, how they fit into the narrative, the secret details, and more.

- The Gothic Corridor (4:06)

- The Scullery (4:24)

- The Red Clay Mines (5:18)

- The Limbo Fog Set (5:42)

A Primer on Gothic Romance: A nearly six-minute exploration of this genre with the cast and creative team as they discuss the origins, the themes, how it is utilized in this film, and more.

The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak: An eight-minute featurette on the setting of the film and the purposeful use of color to bring the world to life.

Hand Tailored Gothic: A nine-minute examination of the ornate costumes created for the film and the inspirations for certain looks.

A Living Thing: A 12-minute piece on the house itself and its evolution from conception to realization on screen.

Beware of Crimson Peak: An eight-minute tour of the house with star Tom Hiddleston.

Crimson Phantoms: A seven-minute video on the ghosts and ghouls created for the film and how they were brought to life through largely practical effects work.

Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance: An 18-minute piece with the film historian in which he discusses the exploration of genre from Guillermo del Toro and how the filmmaker draws upon efforts of the past to create this work.

Violence and Beauty in Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films: A 24-minute video essay by writer Kat Ellinger that explores how this film fares in the annals of gothic fairy tales, the deeper thematic elements, specific works that presage this effort, and more.

Deleted Scenes: There are five unused scenes totaling nearly five minutes provided here.

Original Trailers and TV Spots: This disc provides the US Theatrical Trailer (2:35), the International Theatrical Trailer (2:27), and TV Spots (1:04).

Image Galleries: This disc provides galleries for Production Stills and Behind the Scenes.

Final Thoughts

Crimson Peak is one of the Guillermo del Toro films that feels somewhat overlooked compared to its relative quality. This feature finds the filmmaker working in a mode that encapsulates nearly everything he loves about movies into one masterfully crafted feature film. The narrative is patient but ultimately very impactful as you follow our heroine through this dark and twisted mystery. The performances are first-rate across the board, and everything else falls into place just right. It ranks among his best without a doubt. Arrow Video has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a knockout A/V presentation and a welcome array of special features in stunning packaging. This is a dream release for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Highly Recommended

Crimson Peak will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on May 21, 2024.

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

Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.