Christina Ricci (Yellowjackets), Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland), Joshua Jackson (Dr. Death), Judy Greer (Halloween Kills), and Milo Ventimiglia (Kiss Of The Damned) find themselves caught up in an unimaginable horror!
A werewolf loose in Los Angeles changes the lives of three young adults who, after being mauled by the beast, learn that the only way to break the curse put upon them is to kill the one who started it all!
From master of horror Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson (Scream), CURSED is both frightening and undeniably fun!
For thoughts on Cursed, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Scream Factory gives Cursed its Blu-Ray debut with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1 that is derived from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative for both the PG-13 Theatrical Cut and the Unrated Cut on separate discs. Having both cuts of the film looking so great is a tremendous coup for fans who have been waiting for this one to be treated with some level of respect. The new transfers provide a very pleasing viewing experience overall that appears faithful to the original intention, stable and detailed in all respects. There is a mythical “Craven Cut” of the film that was almost completely finished before being scrapped and much of it reshot with new performers. Scream Factory attempted to gain access to this footage, but they were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, most will be excited for this film to look better than it ever has.
Both cuts of the film maintain a solid grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture. The transfer showcases subtle details in the production design of the various locations, especially the space that Jake is setting up the exhibit that acts as a love letter to horror films. The practical effects of the werewolf hold up well under the scrutiny of high definition, but the dated CGI fares less favorably by today’s standards. Skin tones can appear washed out in some scenes, but my hunch is that this is a combination of garish cinematography and pale performers rather than a limitation of the transfer. The film features some vibrant colors such as the opening carnival which are rendered faithfully. The neon signage and some of the outfits really pop off the screen. Black levels hold up pretty well with some admirable depth to the image. There is no apparent damage to be found in this presentation. Scream Factory has made the film look the best it ever has on disc by far.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray set comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that opens up this world in a pretty interesting way sonically. The treks into nature offer distinct sounds that creep through the surrounds to provide some excellent ambient details. The activity in the hallways of the school or on Hollywood Blvd is even more dynamic and consuming in the rear channels. All of the various sounds in the mix seem accurately placed so that nothing ever feels off. Dialogue sounds perfectly clear without sound effects or the needle drops trouncing on important information. Moments of banter among the siblings and friends are employed appropriately in precise channels in the front and rear. The subwoofer is given a palpable workout in the finale where things start hitting the fan. The soundtrack provides different stylistic flourishes from the haunting score to the Hot Topic-approved soundtrack. Overall, this is a pleasing track that does everything it needs to do.
Special Features
Disc One (Theatrical Cut)
- A Sheep In Wolf’s Clothing: A new 14-minute interview with actor Derek Mears in which he discusses his background, how he thought to expand his skill set, his debut work on Wild Wild West, his friendship with Rick Baker, his initial meeting with Wes Craven, the initial design of the wolf, bringing on Greg Nicotero for the second round of shoots, the origins of the infamous “middle finger” shot, the reception to the film after all these years and more.
- A Movie That Lives Up To Its Title: An 18-minute piece with editor Patrick Lussier in which he dishes about how he got involved with the picture, the behind-the-scenes turmoil, the decision to scrap almost the entire original version of the film, what they were able to salvage in the released cut, the different additions and subtractions, sacrificing the emotional ending, the insanity of working for Dimension Films and more. This is the kind of insight you want from a release like this.
- Behind The Fangs – The Making Of Cursed: A nearly eight-minute archival piece in which the creative team and actors talk up the movie they aspired to make with the best intentions. This is fairly fluffy stuff with no hint that anything was wrong behind the scenes.
- The Cursed Effects: A seven-minute archival piece which takes a look at the practical and digital effects, the performance of Derek Mears, and more. Some of the effects they talk about are not present in the original theatrical cut of the film.
- Creature Editing 101: A nearly six-minute archival piece with editor Patrick Lussier in which he does not get to share details about the scrapped version of the film like his new piece, but he does get to discuss the differences in the theatrical cut and unrated cut.
- Becoming A Werewolf: An eight-minute archival piece which humorously finds actor Jesse Eisenberg pretending to make a documentary of the special effects makeup process which turns into a strange day with Greg Nicotero.
- Theatrical Trailer: The nearly two-minute trailer is provided here.
Disc Two (Unrated Cut)
- Select Scenes With Audio Commentary: Special Effects Artist Greg Nicotero And Actor Derek Mears provide insights over four scenes totaling 32 minutes including the initial car wreck sequence, the parking garage attack, the showdown at Tinsel, and the final fight. These two mostly stick to the details of how the filming of these sequences went down, how they blended practical effects with CGI, difficulties they had to overcome and more.
Final Thoughts
Cursed is a film with a tainted reputation due to the behind-the-scenes drama that kept it from having a concrete vision from conception to execution. The Unrated Cut is a bit more exciting and natural than the toned-down Theatrical Cut, but it still suffers from some of the erratic narrative choices and inconsistent performances that is present in both cuts. Christina Ricci is always a transfixing presence on screen, and she, along with several of the other talented performers, keep this one from being a complete misfire. The direction of Wes Craven and screenplay from Kevin Williamson still delivers a base level of entertainment that should appease less discerning members of the audience. Scream Factory has released a new Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray that sports a great A/V presentation and a fun array of new and legacy supplemental features. Flaws and all, this movie has a really watchable quality that makes it a very tempting choice to add to your collection. Recommended
Cursed (Collector’s Edition) will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on May 10, 2022.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.