SOME LINES SHOULDN’T BE CROSSED. Known for his impressively eclectic filmography and for helping to launch the careers of several young Hollywood stars of the 80s and 90s, Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, St. Elmo’s Fire) tackles the existential question that, at one time or another, haunts us all: what awaits us after we die? At the University Hospital School of Medicine, five ambitious students subject themselves to a daring experiment: to temporarily induce their own deaths, hoping to glimpse the afterlife before being brought back to life. But as competition within the group intensifies and their visions of the world beyond increasingly bleed into their waking lives, they’re about to learn that the greatest threat comes not from the spirit world but from the long-suppressed secrets of their own pasts… Stylishly photographed by Jan de Bont (Basic Instinct) and featuring a cast of Hollywood’s hottest talent – including Kiefer Sutherland (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me), Julia Roberts (Secret in their Eyes) and Kevin Bacon (Wild Things) – Flatliners is the ultimate life-and-death thrill ride.
For thoughts on Flatliners (1990), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Arrow Films presents Flatliners (1990) with a marvelous 2160p transfer in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the original 35mm camera negative conducted by Sony and graded in 4K HDR10/Dolby Vision, all approved by director of photography Jan de Bont. One of the most impressive aspects of the disc is the application of Dolby Vision for increased color output that takes this artfully composed film and displays every considered hue in a way that feels like a master painter working on canvas. Jan de Bont is a cinematographer who makes bold choices, and the new restoration features some nuances within the colors that reveal a depth you might not have even considered previously. Very few moments are going to look like the natural world, as this film uses both warm orange and icy blue lighting depending on the scene and intention. It works perfectly in tandem with the narrative drive of the film, and every choice is nicely suffused in this transfer.
This transfer showcases absolutely nothing in the way of print damage. Audiences are treated to a world more that feels lived-in and three dimensional thanks to a depth of field that is simply stunning. This disc avoids unsightly digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. The disc also does not falter when it comes to the command of contrast and the grain field. The black levels are deeper than ever before with nothing in the way of crush present, and white levels show no evidence of blooming. Due in no small part to this, the level of detail and clarity on display is greater than ever before. The presentation provides nearly the perfect amount of natural film grain that helps bring out the textural details of the gothic production design. This grain resolves well with no fluctuations detected outside the most minor moments primarily in the opening shots of the sky. This presentation is top tier work from the crew at Arrow Video.
Audio Quality
This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with both a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track that translates this world perfectly. The film is built upon a lot of great atmospheric effects that engage the surround speakers including the many hallucinatory moments that overlap and bounce throughout the room in a really fun manner. Dialogue comes through perfectly clear in the front channel without being smothered by any sound effects or score. The track has a precise sense of directionality with sounds always emanating from the appropriate channels. The movie is filled with some pulse-pounding moments which add some texture to the low end, although this is far from an all-out actionfest. The terrific James Newton Howard score and certain song choices set the mood for this story which fills the speakers well. There are absolutely no issues with fidelity or damage to the track that we could find. This audio presentation delivers exactly what it needs to and more. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
The first pressing of the Arrow Video 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Flatliners (1990) includes a 35-page booklet featuring the essays “Land of the Almost Dead: Flatliners and a Historical Overview of the Near-Death Experience” by film historian and author Amanda Reyes and “‘See You Soon’: The Surprising Spirituality of Joel Schumacher’s Flatliners” by author Peter Tonguette. These works provide a great analysis 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: Entertainment journalists Bryan Reesman and Max Evry provide a very informative and entertaining commentary track in which they discuss the background of the film, where the performers were in their careers and their background, the unique elements Joel Schumacher brought to the story, the themes they explore within the narrative, the style of the film courtesy of cinematographer Jan de Bont, the production design, the uncertain morality of certain characters, and so much more that gets covered quite deftly throughout this track.
- The Conquest Of Our Generation: A new 19-minute interview with screenwriter Peter Filardi in which he discusses his early career, his inspiration for writing this screenplay, collaborating with Joel Schumacher to shape the script into what we see on screen, the conflicting interpretations of themes between Schumacher and himself, his appreciation for being so involved on set, the loss of Schumacher and more.
- Visions Of Light: A new 19-minute interview with director of photography Jan de Bont and chief lighting technician Edward Ayer in which they discuss getting involved with the project, the collaborative nature of Joel Schumacher and with one another, the motivation behind certain visual choices in the film, sacrificing realism for the cinematic language, how they achieved certain lighting choices and more.
- Hereafter: A new 14-minute interview with first assistant director John Kretchmer in which he discusses his background, the philosophy of Joel Schumacher, getting involved with this project, shifting the location to Chicago, the visual flair of the film, what he learned from Schumacher, memories of the performers, his appreciation for the project and more.
- Restoration: A new 11-minute interview with production designer Eugenio Zanetti and art director Larry Lundy in which they discuss their contributions to the film, shaping the story around Chicago, working with Joel Schumacher, crafting the aesthetic of the film, their enthusiasm for working with Jan de Bont and more.
- Atonement: A new 12-minute interview with composer James Newton Howard and orchestrator Chris Boardman where they discuss their background, memories of working with Joel Schumacher, trying to not simply sound like what they have done before, the orchestration of the score, the risks that were taken and more.
- Dressing for Character: A new seven-minute interview with costume designer Susan Becker in which she discusses getting her big break with Joel Schumacher, the character traits that impacted the costumes, what she was trying to accomplish and more.
- Image Gallery: A collection of images from the production are provided here.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Flatliners is not an absolutely terrifying film, but it is one that taps into a deeper sense of existential dread and moral reckoning than you might think. The script provides a solid foundation for the film, but it is the direction of Joel Schumacher and his collaboration with cinematographer Jan de Bont which raises this to a higher plateau of artistry. The bold visual choices mixed with a collection of talented young performers makes this one a solidly entertaining studio thriller with character. Arrow Video has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stunning A/V presentation and a terrific array of special features. This is a 5-star release for longtime fans and newcomers alike. Recommended
Flatliners (1990) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray.
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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.