Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss: Dracula (Nicolas Cage). For centuries, Renfield has slavishly served Dracula by procuring his master’s prey and doing his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, Renfield is ready to look for a new life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness, if only he can figure out how to end the toxic, co-dependent relationship…

For in-depth thoughts on Renfield, please see my colleague Cody Allen’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

Renfield arrives on Blu-Ray courtesy of Universal Studios Home Entertainment with a great AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The level of detail in this presentation is pretty terrific at every turn, especially when it comes to the facets of the ornate production design. All of the subtle aspects of the costumes and environments are likewise razor sharp. Even the practical gore effects are impressive in their grotesque beauty. There are no egregious instances of aliasing or compression artifacts detectable here, but you might spot a minuscule amount of digital noise.

The color palette is presented with a crisp depth that enhances the aesthetic of the photography. Black levels are deep with some layered detail in shadows. The highlights do not seem to present any blooming in this presentation. Skin tones are natural across the entire cast (at least as it suits the characters) with even the most minor facial details on display. Universal has delivered a top notch transfer for this Blu-Ray, even if an option for a 4K UHD Blu-Ray would have been preferable.

Audio Quality

The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track brings admirable life to this undead tale. Dialogue comes through clearly with no information feeling muddled in the sound designs. Sound effects have a precise sense of direction within the mix with every aspect registering as important. The movie uses environmental sounds to awesome effect, and the track retains firm detail even in the more outrageous developments. The soundscape is very dynamic with a nuanced design throughout. The movie is largely focused on the dialogue, but it digs deep in the low end when the moment calls for it. The soundtrack and score radiates out with perfect fidelity. Universal has killed it with this track. There are optional English SDH, Spanish and French subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: A crew commentary track with Producer Samantha Nisenboim, Screenwriter Ryan Ridley, Post-Production Editor Noah Cody, Supervising Sound Editor Nancy Nugent, Supervising Sound Editor John Marquis, Digital Colorist Supervisor David Cole, Visual Effects Supervisor Jamie Price, and makeup effects artist Christien Tinsley. With so many participants, it is difficult to balance all the voices, but everyone has moments to contribute some really funny and interesting background information.

Deleted & Extended Scenes: Eight scenes of unused material totaling 18 minutes are provided including an extended opening, a dance sequence explored elsewhere on this disc and more. There is some good stuff worth exploring for fans.

Alternate Takes: Three minutes of alternate takes are provided here which offer subtle differences from the theatrical version.

Dracula Uncaged: A five-minute look at the place of Nic Cage within this narrative and why no one else could do the character justice. There are fun insights from the performers about the experience of working with Cage, and the actor provides some thoughts behind his approach.

Monsters & Men – Behind The Scenes of Renfield: A 13-minute featurette which explores what drew the performers to the project, the ideas behind the story, the themes explored, taking elements from previous adaptations, the makeup effects and more.

Stages of Rejuvenation: A six-minute look at the physical journey Dracula takes throughout the film and the makeup effects that went into that.

Flesh & Blood: A nearly six-minute look at blood and gore that came together to bring this path of carnage to life.

Fighting Dirty: A six-minute piece which explores some of the fight sequences, the training undertaken, the choreography and more.

The Making Of A Deleted Scene – Renfield’s Dance!: A nearly four-minute look at the scene found elsewhere on this disc which was cut from the film and why the team wanted to bring it to life.

Final Thoughts

Renfield is an experience that fares slightly better in concept than execution, but it remains a truly fun time regardless. Nicolas Cage is every bit as fun as you would expect as Dracula, and Nicholas Hoult is flawless as his beleaguered assistant. The movie never fails to be quite funny and entertaining, but there is a lack of development on a thematic level which keeps this from ranking among the great horror comedies. If you want to shut off your brain and experience some slightly surface level antics, you will get what you want. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a 5-star A/V presentation and a substantial amount of special features. If you are a fan of the stars and the concept, you should not walk away disappointed. Recommended

Renfield is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital.

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

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment 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.