‘ParaNorman’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook Review – A Whimsical Love Letter To Classic Horror Cinema

From the makers of Coraline comes the story of Norman, a boy who must use his ability to see and speak with the dead to save his town from a centuries-old curse. In addition to spooky zombies, he’ll also have to take on mysterious ghosts, wily witches, and, worst of all, clueless grown-ups. But this young ghoul whisperer will soon find his paranormal abilities pushed to their otherworldly limits.

Featuring the voice talents of Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin and John Goodman, it’s a frightfully funny and magically thrilling adventure for the whole family in eye-popping stop-motion.

For thoughts on ParaNorman, please check out my review of the previous Blu-Ray release here.

For a look at the Limited Edition 4K UHD SteelBook, please check out my unboxing video:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCsMq8aIrJI]

Video Quality

ParaNorman comes to 4K UHD Blu-Ray courtesy of Shout! Factory with a miraculous 2160p/HDR transfer in 2.40:1. The company just released a new Blu-Ray last year after securing a new deal with LAIKA, which was not that much different from the older Universal release that has been around for a decade. Both of those older releases really capture the artistry of this film, but fans are sure to applaud this new 4K restoration. There is a level of quality revealed which you never knew you were missing. 

Right from the start, you will notice this disc levels up mightily with the implementation of the HDR. The command of contrast alone is a real treat, especially with the respect paid towards classic horror films. Black levels are quite an improvement with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. The highlights are handled with precision as you avoid any instances of blooming. No matter which way you look at it, this transfer avoids all major encode issues. The colors present in this transfer render with greater accuracy than ever before in a way that goes beyond simple classification. Nothing is overblown or candy colored just for a quick visual boost. All of the hues are balanced and executed without issue. 

In addition to the dazzling colors, the picture is given a sterling boost in minute textures and details within the frame. The depth of field has been increased by a nice margin with every location given a real personality. Every new scene provides an opportunity for additional ridges and textures that remind you of the hand-crafted nature of most of these designs. Every element from the clothing to character models and environments is presented with greater immediacy than ever before. Whether you are checking out the bright daytime scenes or the numerous shadowy environments, you will never be lacking for detail. As always with this team, the animators have put a tremendous amount of care into each environment to make the experience seamless for the viewer. This is a peerless 4K UHD Blu-Ray presentation that greatly improves upon the previous Blu-Ray. Fans will not want to miss out. 

Audio Quality

This release comes equipped with an enveloping new Dolby Atmos track that cracks this world open with purpose. The sonic landscape knows how to effectively implement environmental effects which add such texture to every moment. The sound design effortlessly conveys the precise direction of the various source cues. Dialogue comes through perfectly clear without getting drowned out by any competing sound effects or score. The thematically resonant score from Jon Brion flows throughout the room with a flawless fidelity. This new track utilizes all of the channels with panning effects and environmental sounds that create a rich tapestry. The low end activity comes through forcefully in a way that escalates as the story intensifies. The additional height tracks take on a lot of information overhead with the score, environmental effects and more that really excites. Shout! Factory has provided a dynamite track for fans. English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles are provided for those who want them.

Special Features

Shout! Factory has provided ParaNorman with the option of a sleek new SteelBook featuring artwork that is truly lovely in person. Video of the SteelBook can be found at the top of this review.

• Booklet: A multi-page booklet is included featuring an essay from Indiewire Crafts & Animation Editor Bill Desowitz in which he discusses how this production fits into the LAIKA filmography. 

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Chris Butler and Director Sam Fell deliver a marvelous commentary track which keeps things very informative as they reveal secrets about the production of the film and tweaks they had to adjust throughout to get to what we see on screen. These two are very personable and keep things lively. 

• Inside LAIKA – Discovering The Characters And Effects Of ParaNorman: A new 13-minute featurette which offers interviews with with co-director Sam Fell, co-director/writer Chris Butler, producer and lead animator Travis Knight, producer Arianne Sutner, production designer Nelson Lowry, visual effects supervisor Brian Van’t Hul, animation rigging supervisor Oliver Jones, and animation supervisor Bred Schiff. In this piece the participants discuss the problematic elements within the story that made it difficult to achieve in stop motion and how they had to enhance the film with digital effects. It really is amazing to hear how all of these elements came together. 

• Inside LAIKA – Revisiting Puppets with LAIKA’s Animation Team: A new series of brief videos in which Jason Stalman and Dan Alderson give you a brief overview of the characteristics of these characters and how their design feeds into these traits interspersed with clips from the films. This helps underscore how much care was taken with each character. 

• • Courtney Babcock (1:25)

• • Mitch (1:35)

• • Norman Babcock (1:59)

• • Neil (1:22)

• • Mr. Prenderghast (1:43)

• • Zombie Judge (2:09)

• Feature-Length Storyboards: An option to watch the film in storyboard form. Once again, it is fascinating to see how the film evolved from early drawings to what we know and love. 

• Peering Through The Veil – Behind The Scenes of ParaNorman: A great overarching look at various key aspects of the production which gives you a lot of fun and fascinating insights into the creative process. 

• • That’s ParaNorman (1:01)

• • Creating A World (4:17)

• • Voicing ParaNorman (6:22)

• • Building Characters (5:38)

• • Making Faces (6:58)

• • Rigging The Game (4:01)

• • Bringing The Undead To Life (4:27)

• • Angry Aggie (5:18)

• • Weird And Wonderful (2:35)

• You Don’t Become A Hero By Being Normal: A three-minute featurette which takes a look at the team at LAIKA and how they related to the characters they created for the film. This studio is one of the gems that animation has to offer, and it is great to see them harness their creativity in such special ways. 

• A Norman’s Childhood: A two-minute piece focusing on co-director/writer Chris Butler and how he went from being an “outcast” kid to the creative we know today channeling his experiences into this film. 

• Playing As A Profession: A two-minute look at co-director Sam Fell and how he uses his kid-at-heart personality to create magic on screen. 

• Making Norman: A minute-and-a-half timelapse video showing the Norman puppet being created. 

• This Little Light: A minute-long timelapse video taking a closer look at preparing for the library sequence. 

• Have You Ever Seen A Ghost?: A two-minute featurette in which LAIKA employees and voice talent humorously relay some of their personal experiences with the paranormal. Subjects include producer assistant Laura Merton, director of photography Tristan Oliver, costume designer Deborah Cook, head of set dressing Robert DeSue, puppet wrangler Alicia Cortes, writer/co-director Chris Butler, animator Jason Stalman, and actors Tempestt Bledsoe, Jeff Garlin, Anna Kendrick, Leslie Mann, and Alex Borstein.

• The Zombies Of ParaNorman: A two-minute look at the creation of the zombies for this feature with stories from the creative team. 

• Still Galleries: Sections are provided for Character Art, Concept Art and Behind The Scenes photos. 

• Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

LAIKA is one of the most creative studios working in animation today, and every film they release is like a little gift to the world. This may seem hyperbolic, but there are too few creative forces that shape practical animation in the magnificent way this company does. ParaNorman is a true gem of a narrative which pays tribute to the classic horror films of the past while providing very modern laughs and thrills. The tonal balance is impeccable, and the spooky elements provide a good stepping stone for burgeoning young horror fans. Shout! Factory has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a knockout A/V presentation and a strong assortment of special features. Plus, you have an option to get this in a fetching SteelBook package. If you are a devoted fan of this one, this is worth catching in the best presentation possible. Highly Recommended 

ParaNorman will be available to purchase on Limited Edition SteelBook and Standard 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack on December 13, 2022. 

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

Disclaimer: Shout! 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.