For the first time in one complete set, all seven terrifying PARANORMAL ACTIVITY movies come together in PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE ULTIMATE CHILLS COLLECTION on Blu-ray. This limited-edition, collector’s set includes the latest chapter on Blu-ray for the first time: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: NEXT OF KIN, which debuted exclusively on Paramount+.
Packed with chills and horrifying surprises, this must-own collection also features the 90+ minute documentary UNKNOWN DIMENSION: THE STORY OF PARANORMAL ACTIVITY. This definitive documentary chronicles the complete story of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY from indie sensation to blockbuster franchise. Featuring interviews with cast and crew, newly revealed footage from the terrifying films, and insight from fans, it’s a must-see exploration of the movies that reimagined the “found footage” genre for a whole new generation of viewers.
For in-depth thoughts on the Paranormal Activity: Next Of Kin, please check out my colleague Cassie Brown’s review from its streaming release here.
For thoughts on the Paranormal Activity: The Ultimate Chills Collection, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
All seven films in the Paranormal Activity: The Ultimate Chills Collection come to Blu-Ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in their original aspect ratio. While these films are NOT going to stand out on the Blu-Ray format, they capture the intended aesthetic admirably. While some of the footage in the later films look a bit more “professional grade” when it comes to the equipment used, none of it looks stellar. The colors in these films are slightly drained of life with barely any hues in the production design or even nature making an impression. Fine detail is not something you should expect with very little in the way of depth to the image. The picture features some digital noise and banding throughout this journey. The cinematography of these films is very intentional, and, while it may not be the most beautiful presentation, these discs capture it without issue. Overall, these are about as good as you should expect.
Audio Quality
All films in this set come to Blu-Ray with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track which holds up about the same across the board. The movie does not go as overboard on trying to create a narratively accurate presentation on the audio side, which should include really crappy and occasionally muffled sound with the equipment used. Instead, you get a pretty clear soundscape that does not push far beyond its limited sonic ambitions. Environmental sounds provide a somewhat immersive atmosphere for the story. The low end of the track comes alive during the finale of each film when things start hitting the fan. The dialogue and sound effects are appropriately balanced with what music pops up where nothing gets lost in the track that is not supposed to. Surround channels get some eerie activity during the more kinetic scenes and with the natural ambiance of interpersonal moments. These tracks are quite precise and effective, and achieve what they set out to do.
The subtitle situation evolves as the series progresses. There are English, English SDH, and Spanish subtitles provided for the first film, and French and Portuguese are added for Paranormal Activity 2 through Ghost Dimension. Both Next of Kin and Unknown Dimension include over ten subtitle options but strangely eliminates Portuguese as an option.
Special Features
Paranormal Activity
- Theatrical Cut (1:26:17) and Unrated Version (1:26:17)
- Theatrical Ending Only: The five-minute theatrical ending can be viewed separately from the film.
- Alternate Ending Only: The five-minute alternate ending can be viewed separately from the film.
Paranormal Activity 2
- Theatrical Cut (1:31:07) and Extended Version (1:38:03)
- Found Footage: There are four minutes of additional footage included here.
- Teaser Trailer: The minute long trailer is included here.
Paranormal Activity 3
- Theatrical Cut (1:24:08) and Extended Version (1:33:59)
- Lost Tapes: This includes a “Scare Montage” which is two minutes of Dennis scaring Julie, and “Dennis’ Commercial”, a minute long commercial for Dennis’ business.
Paranormal Activity 4
- Theatrical Cut (1:27:08) and Extended Version (1:36:41)
- The Recovered Files: This is a thirty minute collection of deleted scenes that is made to look like “found footage.”
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones
- Theatrical Cut (1:24:12) and Extended Version (1:41:04)
- Found Footage: There are seven deleted scenes totaling eleven minutes of footage not shown in the film included here.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension
- Theatrical Cut (1:28:03), Extended Version (1:37:22), Extended Version with Alternate Ending (1:35:09)
- Lost Footage: There are nine deleted scenes totaling twenty minutes of footage not shown in the film included here.
- 3D Disc: The Theatrical Cut and one deleted scene in 3D are included on this disc. You must have compatible 3D equipment to view this disc.
Paranormal Activity: Next Of Kin
- Deleted Scenes: There are six deleted scenes and an alternate ending (03:21) that can be viewed separately from the film totaling twenty-six minutes included here.
Unknown Dimension
- Unknown Dimension: The documentary (1:34:34) tells the history of the Paranormal Activity franchise, including interviews with fans, cast and crew members, and never-before-seen footage from all of the films.
Final Thoughts
Paranormal Activity: The Ultimate Chills Collection finds a highly popular franchise blossoming from a microbudget indie into a horror staple that kept audiences returning over the years. There were some engaging continuations from the original outing, along with a few that simply missed the mark and felt like the franchise had run its course. The premise is easy to wave away if you do not allow yourself to believe in the creepy opportunities, but those who give into the journey should have quite a bit of fun. The new Blu-Ray set from Paramount Home Entertainment offers a decent A/V presentation and a couple of good special features all in a fetching package. Fans will be happy to own all of these entries on physical media at last. Recommended
Paranormal Activity: The Ultimate Chills Collection 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: Paramount Home Entertainment 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.