Two-time Academy Award®-winning cinematographer* Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List) directs Oscar® nominee** Winona Ryder (Bram Stoker’s Dracula) and Ben Chaplin (The Thin Red Line) in a riveting supernatural thriller.

For 2,000 years, he has feasted on pain, sown the seeds of chaos … and waited. But now, the Devil will take human form and plunge humanity into eternal darkness – unless one woman can stop him. Maya Larkin (Ryder) must race against time and all the forces of evil to convince a born skeptic (Chaplin) that he’s the unwitting, chosen pawn in a shocking satanic conspiracy that will end the world as we know it. Lost Souls is a pulse-pounding rush that’ll scare the hell out of you!

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Video Quality

Lost Souls debuted on Blu-Ray in 2023 courtesy of Shout! Studios with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer derived from a new 2K scan of the Interpositive. Colors are highly stylized thanks to a bleach bypass yet are rendered to their intended hues. Skin tones are detailed and consistent across the ensemble. Black levels are very deep and hold up well with crush not emerging as a significant issue. Highlights seem to be accurate to the creative intent and controlled well. Print damage has been eliminated without any notable blemishes making it through the remaster.

The remaster retains the natural film grain of the source which avoids digital manipulation that would obscure the raw details. This film is directed by a master cinematographer, so you know the visuals are going to be one of the most successful aspects of the endeavor. This is served by organic film grain that brings forth a plethora of rich textures to the image. Clarity and detail are impeccable with the costumes and the production design rendering favorably. Every frame of this one is filled with textures to explore and appreciate. Shout! Studios has treated this one with respect.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in its original English audio which translates this material without issue. While this is not a particularly kinetic movie, there are thrilling moments that make an impact with environmental sounds emerging from the appropriate spots. This is very unnerving during the wailing of the exorcism. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by competing information. Every exchange is steady with no crackling or sibilance. The score adds a bit of personality to the picture as it flows out with ideal fidelity. This presentation seems to be in great shape. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Janusz Kaminski and Cinematographer Mauro Fiore provide a commentary track that is pretty entertaining as they discuss creating the look for the film, the challenges of working in Hollywood, and more. It does not seem as if these two were recorded in the same room, and the way the track has been edited is frustrating at times as the audio will fade out of an anecdote to accommodate the other participant.

Deleted Scenes: A 27-minute collection of unused footage is provided with optional commentary from director Janusz Kaminski and cinematographer Mauro Fiore.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided.

Final Thoughts

Lost Souls is not the most thrilling movie, but it is much better than the critical reception would lead you to believe. Director Janusz Kaminski chooses to ratchet up the unsettling atmosphere slowly rather than assaulting you with overt horror tropes. We personally have a soft spot for investigative thrillers, so the act of chasing down clues and connecting the dots is fun for us, especially when it is done by the great Winona Ryder. The film does not quite reach its narrative potential, but there are plenty of positive elements that make it worth a watch. Shout! Studios has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and a fine selection of archival special features. Recommended

Lost Souls is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

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

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios 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.