This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Welcome to Castle Rock, Maine, a lovely place to live…if you don’t mind selling your soul! Acting greats Ed Harris (The Abyss) and Max von Sydow (3 Days of the Condor) head an exceptional cast—including Bonnie Bedelia (Die Hard), J.T. Walsh (A Few Good Men) and Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction)—in this supernatural thriller that’s dark, haunting and a hell of a good scare! Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Harris) has a devil of a problem: Suddenly all the residents of his sleepy little town are dying…to kill each other. But at least business is still booming, especially at a new antique store. The shop’s mysterious owner, Leland Gaunt (the nerve-shattering von Sydow), has something for everyone, and his prices are always reasonable: just one small favor…oh, and, of course, eternal damnation! Needful Things comes stylishly directed by Fraser C. Heston (The Crucifer of Blood) and scripted by W.D. Richter (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) from the #1 bestselling novel by the crowned king of horror, Stephen King (The Dead Zone, Cujo, Misery).

For thoughts on Needful Things, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/_GZkJ0C44NA?t=4178]

Video Quality

Needful Things debuts its theatrical cut on 4K UHD Blu-Ray courtesy of Kino Classics with a beautiful 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer derived from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative. This release does come with a Blu-Ray disc, but that disc is exclusively for the TV Cut of the film which was previously unreleased in the U.S. along with additional supplemental features. The film was released by Kino Classics on Blu-Ray in 2015, and when compared to that lacking release, this transfer ranks miles ahead. While some may prefer the content of the TV Cut, the elements available for that one are not in a state that could be given the same upgrade as the theatrical cut. If you are a fan of the original version of the film, this new 4K UHD Blu-Ray is a home run.

With the 4K UHD release, the transfer provides a remarkably consistent uptick in fine detail and delineation with only occasional moments that take a slight downturn due to the use of optical effects. Throughout most of the runtime, you do not have to worry about softness or fluctuation. The overcast New England locale may not provide the candy-colored hues of certain other features, but the Dolby Vision provides very accurate, deep colors throughout which unlocks the nuances within the environment and lighting choices. Black levels are wonderfully deep and allow the image to maintain a robust amount of depth and detail in the numerous shadowy environments. Highlights are also stable while maintaining their brilliant brightness that never succumbs to blooming.

The sumptuous natural film grain remains intact while always resolving naturally free of clumping and swarming. Cinematographer Tony Westman captures the location with great care, and every detail within the frame is fully realized here. You are allowed to witness so much texture and detail within the transfer which brings out new dimensions to the feature. Skin tones are consistent, and the clarity of the transfer gives you a striking amount of facial detail. The command over the contrast and overall clarity is never in doubt, especially in unique details within the production design and the clothing. Kino Classics has brought this one to life to its fullest potential.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray presents the movie with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio lossless track that does a nice job of bringing this one to life. The dialogue comes through crisp and clear which works well with other sonic elements. The new surround sound track utilizes the additional channels to provide some immersive texture to the world, especially near the end of the tale. Directionality of all sounds is precise throughout, but this is not a surround presentation that radically changes the viewing experience. The low end adds a bit of baseline texture which helps accentuate certain moments. The score from Patrick Doyle establishes an effective atmosphere which emanates with flawless fidelity. This audio presentation executes this film exactly as needed. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Disc One (Theatrical Cut – 4K UHD Blu-Ray)

Theatrical Cut (2:00:43)

Audio Commentary: Director Fraser C. Heston delivers a terrific archival commentary track moderated by Scorpion Releasing’s Walt Olsen in which he recalls various aspects of the production including the attempt to wrangle the massive script, development of different scenes, the shooting locations, editing techniques, working with the performers, the visual aesthetic of the film, the score and much more that gives rich technical details that fans should appreciate.

Disc Two (TV Cut – Blu-Ray)

TV Cut (3:08:58): This heavily extended version of the film has been upscaled to HD from a standard definition source with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio. This seems to be presented in as stable of quality as possible, but there are very obvious digital anomalies at points and it seems to have been artificially sharpened and scrubbed of grain.

The Devil Is In The Details – Interview with Screenwriter W.D. Richter: There is a new 18-minute interview with Richter in which he discusses the massive undertaking of tackling such a lengthy book, his experiences with Stephen King, working with Castle Rock to get an approved screenplay, the decisions made to keep the budget in check and much more that is insightful.

Trailers: There is a two-minute trailer provided for Needful Things. There are also trailers provided for Cujo and Misery.

Final Thoughts

Needful Things is rarely mentioned in the pantheon of Stephen King adaptations, but it is one that deserves a bit more consideration after 30 years. Given that some of the author’s stories have been turned into some of the most beloved cinematic tales of all time, it is not a slight to say this one ranks firmly in the middle of his work, and it would likely rank even higher if it had not cut so much footage out of it. As it stands, though, the film conjures a very creepy and wicked atmosphere which explores human desire and just how far you are willing to go to achieve it. It is classic King, and the talented ensemble brings this one to life really well. The rushed pacing is a detriment to character development, but you cannot help but be sucked into this world. Kino Classics has given this one a 4K UHD Blu-Ray upgrade with a great A/V presentation, new and archival special features, and access to the much-coveted TV cut of the feature. Do yourself a favor and do not underestimate this one if you are a King fan. Recommended

Needful Things 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: Kino Classics 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.