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.
Boone (Craig Sheffer) may be a troubled young man, but his troubles are just beginning. Set up as the fall guy in a string of slasher murders, he decides he’ll hide by crossing the threshold that separates “us” from “them” and sneak into the forbidden subterranean realm of Midian. Boone will live among the monsters.
Hellraiser creator Clive Barker writes (adapting his novel Cabal) and directs this vivid leap into horror that asks: in the battle of man vs. monster, who’s really the monster? The answer supplies flesh-crawling suspense, sudden fear, a colorful Danny Elfman score and a creepy array of shape-shifting beings. They are the Nightbreed, denizens of a world beyond death, beyond the imagination, perhaps beyond anything you’ve seen.
For thoughts on Nightbreed, please check out my piece on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Scream Factory presents Nightbreed with a wonderful 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K scan of the best surviving film elements with Dolby Vision/HDR. This particular 4K UHD presentation applies to the Theatrical Cut of the film, while the Director’s Cut is provided on Blu-Ray as detailed below in the special features. Scream Factory first released both cuts on Blu-Ray in 2014, and by all accounts this was a lauded release by fans. This release does not list a new scan for the Director’s Cut, but the Theatrical Cut Blu-Ray is noted as being from the same new 4K scan as the 4K UHD disc. It is disappointing to not have the Director’s Cut on 4K UHD, as well, but we are still grateful to have the Theatrical Cut in this upgraded form.
One of the most favorable aspects of the disc is the application of Dolby Vision for increased color output that finally captures the depth and nuance of the hues on screen. The new presentation features some colors in the production design, landscapes and backgrounds that appear to be so lush and rich. Lighting is used well to establish the tone of this film, and this disc handles every distinct environmental change without issue. The film features many dark, shadowy sequences either in the structures of Midian or during normal nighttime antics for extended portions of the narrative, yet there is also a world of nuance to be found during the daytime scenes in the open air. Black levels are favorable with virtually nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights are dialed in perfectly with no evidence of blooming.
The main drawback that keeps this from being perfect is some of the excessive noise that can be found in the shots of the sky. The encode holds up well in most instances, but some backgrounds simply put it to a test it cannot quite ace. The film thankfully does not apply egregious instances of DNR as the film grain is allowed to shine through with detail and clarity. For the most part, the grain resolves well without looking unnatural. Outside of the noise in the sky, we did not spot any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding or any other such nuisances. The texture on display in the makeup, the outfits and within the production design are unbelievable. The special effects present with impressive clarity, and the added resolution makes their practical roots seem even more impressive. This presentation is true to the original look of the film, and we are happy to have it from Scream Factory.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track, both of which translate the material without fail. From the very opening moments of this fantastical journey, the track provides an immersive soundscape that centers you right in the world with a fidelity that is precisely maintained. The environmental sounds such as weather effects and moments of terror are rendered well alongside everything else. The Danny Elfman score has never sounded more robust, and it is used deftly to establish the tone of the story. There is never a moment where it threatens to overshadow competing sounds, and it maintains a fine balance so that dialogue comes through crisp and clear. There does not seem to be any noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear that would ruin the listening experience. Scream Factory has done a really good job with this release. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.
Special Features
Disc One (4K UHD Blu-Ray – Theatrical Cut)
- Theatrical Cut (1:41:37)
- Audio Commentary: Film Critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint provide a breezy and informative track in which they discuss the complicated production history of the film, the studio meddling, Clive Barker’s original intention for the series, how the film was marketed, the film’s legacy and more.
Disc Two (Blu-Ray – Theatrical Cut)
- Theatrical Cut (1:41:37)
- Audio Commentary: Film Critics Adrian J. Smith and David Flint
- Memories of Midian – Interviews with Actor Nicholas Vince: A 31-minute interview with Nicholas Vince, who played Kinski, in which he discusses his relationship and what he learned from Clive Barker, the makeup effects, uncomfortable moments on set, how this film fed into his career as a writer and more.
- Walking The Line Between Heaven and Hell – Interview with Critic Kat Ellinger: A 24-minute piece in which Ellinger puts this work into context, how the writing is a response to classic literature, the aesthetic of the film, and more that helps you gain more from this text.
- Speaking Up For The Monsters – Interview with Critic Kim Newman: An 18-minute conversation with the film historian who discusses his relationship with Clive Barker, the mishaps in marketing the movie, the feelings about the theatrical version that was released and more.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-long trailer is provided here.
Disc Three (Blu-Ray – Director’s Cut)
- Director’s Cut (2:00:48)
- Introduction: A five-and-a-half minute introduction from writer/director Clive Barker and restoration producer Mark Alan Miller in which they discuss the journey to the creation of this director’s cut.
- Audio Commentary: Barker and Miller provide a really entertaining commentary track in which they give background on this cut of the film, the visual style of the feature, memories of the ensemble, the moments that were previously cut out of the director’s cut, the special effects work and more. You can tell that getting this version of the film out into the world means a lot to Barker, and this is a fun listen.
- Tribes of the Moon – The Making Of Nightbreed: A terrific 72-minute documentary in which a whole slew of cast and crew members take you through the creation of Nightbreed including the worldbuilding of Clive Barker, the backgrounds of various characters, the special effects work, the financial and creative constraints, the collaborative nature of the set, the music of the film, its theatrical rollout and more. This is the kind of doc that you wish all of your favorite movies could get.
- Making Monsters – Interviews with Makeup Effects Artists: A 42-minute featurette in which Special Makeup Designer Bob Keen discusses being brought onto the film, the experimental nature of the effects work, his love of Clive Barker and more.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-long trailer is provided here.
- Fire! Fights! Stunts! 2nd Unit Shooting: A 20-minute interview with second unit director Andy Armstrong who discusses his work on the film including a lot of the action bits, collaborating with Clive Barker, the execution of the stunts and more.
Disc Four (Bonus Features)
- Deleted Scenes: The disc provides 23 minutes of unused material with a mixture of great and poor quality depending on the source utilized.
- Monster Prosthetics Masterclass: An 11-minute piece which takes a look at the legacy of the special effects work in the film, what determines what a good prosthetic can do for an actor and more that is well worth a watch if only to see some of these designs in better light.
- Cutting Compromise: A 14-minute discussion with Editor Mark Goldblatt who discusses the volatile situation he entered on this picture, the tough decisions that were made when cutting the film, his history in the business and more.
- The Painted Landscape: A five-minute featurette on the work of concept artist Ralph McQuarrie.
- Matte Painting Tests: A nine-minute piece which takes a look at how the camera plays with the matte paintings.
- Makeup Tests: A five-minute supplement which does the same for some of the makeup work.
- Stop Motion Lost Footage: A seven-minute look at the scrapped plans to implement more stop-motion animation into the project.
- Extended Torture Scene: A three-and-a-half minute extended look at torture flashbacks.
- Rehearsal Test: A three-minute look at some of the rehearsal test footage.
- Extensive Still Galleries: There are galleries provided for the Early Sketches, a Deleted Scene, Poster and Pre-Production Art, On The Set of Nightbreed and The Cast and Crew.
Final Thoughts
Nightbreed is an extremely ambitious and understandably flawed effort from Clive Barker, who faced the classic tale of studio interference to the creative process. The Theatrical Cut is still an entertaining movie in its own right, but the feeling of compromise surrounding it always leaves you feeling the slightest bit disoriented and wanting more. Even if it is not the pure creative vision of Barker, there is still much going for it including some fascinating world-building and some peerless special effects work. Scream Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a great A/V presentation and an assortment of special features that are not to be missed. It would have been preferred to also have the Director’s Cut in 4K UHD, but this is still a top notch release for fans. Recommended
Nightbreed (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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.