Allan Mann (Jason Beghe, Chicago Fire) is a bitter, angry and vengeful man ever since an accident left him paralyzed from the neck down. He’s fed up with himself and everyone around him. All that changes when he’s given Ella, a monkey trained to meet his every need. But when Ella begins anticipating Allan’s thoughts, strange and deadly things start happening. And as she stalks and wreaks havoc on Allan’s fair-weather girlfriend (Janine Turner, Northern Exposure), incompetent doctor and meddling mother, Allan realizes he must stop the cunning maniacal creature…before she fully takes over his mind!

Kate McNeil (The House On Sorority Row), Joyce Van Patten (Grown Ups), Stephen Root (Office Space), John Pankow (To Live And Die In L.A.), and Stanley Tucci (The Hunger Games) also star in this riveting thriller from George A. Romero (Night Of The Living Dead)!

For thoughts on Monkey Shines, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Scream Factory presents Monkey Shines with a magnificent 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. This film was originally released on Blu-Ray by the label in 2014 which was derived from an older master. While we have never seen that release, we understand that there were obvious deficiencies such as print damage and discoloration. Thankfully, any such issues have been ameliorated with a transfer replete with beautiful, natural film grain which brings out a parade of unique textures in the environments, the clothing, the special effects, and more. This grain resolves evenly with nothing ever appearing clumpy or swarming throughout either the daytime or nighttime scenes. This disc executes every environmental shift with the utmost precision.

The special effects are authentic to how they originally appeared, and they blend in with the surrounding material as seamlessly as the process allows. There is a world of rich detail in terms of the fur of the monkeys and distinct pieces of clothing and production design. This transfer has done an exceptional job of cleaning up any print damage with virtually nothing in the way of specks or dirt remaining. Dolby Vision is a highlight of the disc that brings out depth and nuance even in the most shadowy corners. The new presentation reaches a level of precision and color detail that likely matches or improves upon the original run in theaters. Black levels are stellar with no blatant crush present, and the highlights remain firm and never get too bright. A sturdy encode ensures that there are no major dips in quality. Romero fans will be pleased to see this treated so well.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track and a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio surround sound track, both of which bring this story to life just as one would hope. The original stereo track is the way to go for purists, but the surround track expands things in subtle yet effective ways that do not upset the original sonic intentions of the experience. Dialogue emerges with ideal clarity even during the more upsetting developments. The music and the score from David Shire sound excellent without a hint of damage or weakness. All of this helps set an appropriate tone that gets the most out of this wild story. Environmental noises come through with impeccable quality. The fidelity of the movie is in top form. The low end of the track provides some texture, but it does not get too invasive even in the 5.1 track. Scream Factory provided a sterling audio experience for this one. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentaries: Two commentary tracks are provided in which the filmmaker and critics discuss the shooting locations, working with the performers, the direction of George A. Romero, the special effects, technical aspects of the production, the cinematography, the legacy of the film, and so much more.

- Audio Commentary #1 (Archival): Director and Writer George A. Romero, moderated by Stuart Andrews

- Audio Commentary #2 (New): Film Critic Eric Vespe and Author Daniel Kraus

An Experiment in Fear – The Making of Monkey Shines: A 50-minute documentary from 2014 featuring interviews with writer/director George A. Romero, special makeup effects artist Tom Savini, executive producer Peter Grunwald, Kate McNeil, Jason Beghe, John Pankow, and more. There are some great insights into how the film was developed, the casting process, working with the monkeys, the special effects, and more.

Alternate Ending: A five-minute look at a different version of the ending that ends on a more sinister note.

Deleted Scenes: A four-minute selection of unused footage is provided here.

Behind the Scenes Footage: A 13-minute fly-on-the-wall look at the production of the film including work with the monkeys.

The Making of Monkey Shines: A nearly six-minute archival piece that takes a broad look at the production of the film with on-set footage.

Vintage Interviews: A nearly six-minute look at interviews with George A. Romero, Kate McNeil, Jason Beghe, and John Pankow from the production of the film.

TV Spots (0:33)

Still Gallery (2:38)

Theatrical Trailer (3:23)

Final Thoughts

Monkey Shines is an entertaining and intermittently creepy thriller from George A. Romero which rarely goes full tilt into camp despite its outlandish premise. The performance from the monkey does a nice job of bringing more emotional stakes to the material rather than relying completely on special effects. You cannot take it completely seriously, but it works in the register it is supposed to with committed performances from the humans. Scream Factory has provided this one with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts an amazing A/V presentation and a valuable array of special features. This new presentation is a welcome gift for fans. Recommended

Monkey Shines (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

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