Teenager Owen is just trying to make it through life in the suburbs when his classmate introduces him to a mysterious late-night TV show — a vision of a supernatural world beneath their own. In the pale glow of the television, Owen’s view of reality begins to crack.

For in-depth thoughts on I Saw The TV Glow, please see my colleague Fritz Couture’s review from its original theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

I Saw The TV Glow comes to Blu-Ray in an AVC encoded transfer in its original aspect ratios courtesy of A24 which provides a standout presentation that showcases this film without issue. This grand transfer offers a consistent image quality throughout without any visual shortcomings. The fact that this was captured on 35mm translates effortlessly on disc with the majority of footage presenting with more texture than most modern digital productions. There are some scenes that portray The Pink Opaque within the film that replicate the video quality of the period. This is purposefully not as crisp as the normal footage.

Cinematographer Eric Yue captures some intoxicating imagery that really thrives in high definition. Colors take on an otherworldly glow when it comes to lighting and certain facets of the production design. Not only do the textural details render with absolute clarity, but colors are suffused in a way that complements the heightened aesthetic of the film. Skin tones look natural throughout the narrative with age makeup creating more texture on faces as time passes. There is no trace of compression artifacts or other digital anomalies even in the most dimly lit locations. We would have loved to have seen this in 4K UHD Blu-Ray, but we are still pleased by this fetching presentation.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an impeccable Dolby Atmos track that creates a mesmerizing sonic conduit to this world. The environmental soundscape is key to the effectiveness of the film with the unsettling nuances keeping you on edge. Ambient sounds flow through the rear channels to capture the unique facets of the locale. The height channels never steal focus, but they allow each space to unveil a greater amount of depth. There are moments during Pink Opaque where the sound gets a bit crusty to mimic the sound quality of an old VHS recording, but this is not a deficit with the track. The score from Alex G and other carefully curated tunes emanate from the speakers with unwavering fidelity. Dialogue is often mumbled by our characters, but it comes through as clearly as the source intends. The audio track is a knockout. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Jane Schoenbrun and Brigette Lundy-Paine provide a lively and informative commentary track in which they discuss the production of the film, the shooting locations, memories of the performers, the production design and costumes, the challenges faced during shooting, technical elements, subtle moments that mean a lot and much more.

Ear Worms – The Anthems, Tributes, and Testaments of I Saw The TV Glow: An 11-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the importance of music in the film, filming with the live bands, and more.

Deleted Scenes: There are 12 unused scenes totaling around 14 minutes of material that didn’t make it into the final film but is still well worth watching for some fun moments.

Postcards: There are six collectible postcards featuring special photography by Josiah Rundles and Spencer Pazer.

Final Thoughts

I Saw The TV Glow is a very confident and impressive sophomore outing from director Jane Schoenbrun. They have taken a feeling that is very personal and isolating and transferred that into the realm of the mainstream. Those who can particularly identify with the queer allegory at play will likely have the greatest reverence for this material, but there are universal themes that any audience can relate to. The film is never really that scary, but it does leave a lingering existential mark. The performers put forth some of the best work of their respective careers. A24 has released a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and some nice special features. The rapturous critical reception may build unfair expectations for audiences coming in cold, but it is a fantastic feature. Recommended

I Saw The TV Glow is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray exclusively at the A24 Shop.

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

Disclaimer: A24 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.