In the twisted tradition of classic anthology horror films such as TALES FROM THE CRYPT and CREEPSHOW, TRAPPED ASHES features four stories of the surreal, macabre and terrifying, helmed by five of Hollywood’s most unique directors: Joe Dante (GREMLINS, THE HOWLING), Ken Russell (ALTERED STATES, THE DEVILS), Monte Hellman (TWO-LANE BLACKTOP), Sean Cunningham (FRIDAY the 13th), and John Gaeta (Oscar winner for Visual F/X on THE MATRIX Trilogy). Seven strangers (including legendary character actors John Saxon and Henry Gibson) are trapped inside an infamous Roger Corman/AIP-style House of Horrors during a Hollywood movie studio tour, and forced to confess their most disturbing personal memories to get out alive.

In Ken Russell’s “The Girl With The Golden Breasts,” a struggling actress (Rachel Veltri) decides to get gel implants made from reprocessed human cadavers – with monstrous results for her and her boyfriend (Jayce Bartok). In Sean Cunningham’s “Jibaku,” an unhappily-married woman (Lara Harris) and her architect husband (Scott Lowell) have a nightmarish encounter with a dead monk on a visit to Japan. In Monte Hellman’s “Stanley’s Girlfriend,” , two ambitious young filmmakers become unlikely friends in 1950s Hollywood: Leo (Tahmoh Penikett), writer of sadistic little B-pictures like “The Strangler,” and a soon-to-be-famous director named Stanley Kubrick (Tygh Runyan). When they both fall in love with the same eerie, irresistible woman (Amelia Cooke), it unleashes a decades-long mystery involving desire and celluloid. And in John Gaeta’s “My Twin The Worm,” a young Goth woman (Michele-Barbara Pelletier) reveals the horrific, Cronenberg-like tale of the inhuman “twin” that grew alongside her in her mother’s womb. With marvelous visual F/X by multi-Academy Award winner Robert Skotak (TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY, ALIENS) and a superb, haunting soundtrack is by acclaimed Japanese composer Kenji Kawai (THE RING, GHOST IN THE SHELL), TRAPPED ASHES is a dark and surreal love letter to classic genre filmmakers like Mario Bava, to the phantoms (literal and figurative) of the film industry, and to the art of telling scary stories. Newly restored in 4K for its first-ever U.S. 4K UHD and Blu-ray release!

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Video Quality

Deaf Crocodile presents Trapped Ashes with a wonderful 2160p transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio derived from a 4K restoration of a mixture of the 35mm Original Camera Negative and Interpositive elements with Dolby Vision. This has never been the most widely available film, and this new release allows it to exist exactly as it was meant to be. Even if you are not yet 4K UHD capable, this release comes with a Blu-Ray sourced from the same 4K master which also impresses. This is the first of hopefully many 4K UHD Blu-Ray releases from the company, and they start on a very good foot.

This transfer has been spared all unnecessary digital manipulation for a natural, healthy presentation with a fine layer of film grain that brings forth the texture of the design elements. Audiences can squirm when they see the corpse having a good time in the Jibaku segment, not to mention the gross body horror of The Girl With The Golden Breasts. There are also non-stomach churning aspects like the period production design in Stanley’s Girlfriend. There is a world of intricate facets in the costumes and set dressing. The degree of detail and clarity newly on display is favorable thanks to the natural film grain. The grain resolves consistently with nothing ever feeling clumpy even within the shadowy environments. Any potential specks of damage have been eradicated thanks to the restoration. There are no unsightly digital anomalies such as compression artifacts or any other such shortcomings.

The utilization of Dolby Vision for nuanced and accurate color output dials things into the perfect hue. Highlights are firm with no major signs of blooming in the brighter elements. Lighting is a key part of the conception of this film, and this disc handles every subtle shift with ease. Black levels are in top form with nothing in the way of crush or banding present even in the dark corners of the screen. Audiences can now discern much more shadow detail with outlines properly defined instead of blending into the murky background. The special effects are largely practical and wonderfully textured including some truly disgusting design elements. This presentation is a worthwhile 4K UHD outing from Deaf Crocodile.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track which is every bit as faithful as you desire. There are not any unexpected instances of age-related wear and tear. This narrative presents with a complex sound design that becomes very immersive with this surround mix. This track provides a meticulous soundscape that handily captures the artistic intent with pristine fidelity. Environmental sounds such as special effects and horrifying creatures are rendered consistently alongside everything else. The score is used to establish the unique tone of the story, and there is never a moment when it threatens to steal focus from the competing sounds. Deaf Crocodile has treated this one with the greatest respect. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Deluxe Edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Trapped Ashes arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes an 80-page booklet is included in this release which features new essays by Walter Chaw and Dennis Bartok, a reprint of an original Fangoria article by Sean Decker, and a Q&A with producers Yuko Yoshikawa, Yoshifumi Hosoya, and Dennis Bartok. All of these pieces provide a great amount of context to the background of the production, underlying themes, the work of the individual filmmakers, and more. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Comics artist (Swamp Thing), film historian, and author Stephen R. Bissette provides a commentary track in which he discusses his background in anthology filmmaking, how this film plays with the form, the background of the filmmakers involved, and much more that is worth a listen.

New Interviews with Cast and Crew: Producer/writer Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile takes on the herculean task of moderating three massive discussions for his film which reunites him with various figures in front of the camera and behind the scenes that helped make this movie a reality. There are so many invaluable anecdotes that you will not want to miss.

- Cast Members Tahmoh Penikett & Tygh Runyan and Production Designer Robb Wilson King (1:28:43)

- Director John Gaeta, Cast Members Jayce Bartok, Scott Lowell and Lisi Tribble, Producers Yuko Yoshikawa & Yoshifumi Hosoya, and Cinematographer Zoran Popovic (1:18:12)

- Producer Mike Frislev of Nomadic Pictures (40:06)

Hollywood Parasite – Hysteria in Trapped Ashes: A 15-minute visual essay by journalist and physical media expert Ryan Verrill (The Disc Connected) and film professor Dr. Will Dodson that examines some of the thematic threads running through the film.

A Look Inside – 5-Part Archival Making-Of: Each segment was provided with an archival interview piece that explored the background of the production.

- The Making of Trapped Ashes (5:54)

- The Girl with the Golden Breasts (7:14)

- Jibaku (5:54)

- Stanley’s Girlfriend (6:42)

- My Twin, The Worm (6:10)

Stanley’s Girlfriend – Director’s Cut (28:20 – Standard Definition)

The Girl with the Golden Breasts – Original Cut (26:03 – Standard Definition)

Final Thoughts

Trapped Ashes is a weird and wild horror anthology that finds some of the most distinct voices in horror putting their stamp on an array of grotesque stories. As with all anthology films, there are segments that will resonate with some more than others, but we see a world where each of these is somebody’s favorite. For what is obviously a low-budget labor of love, this is an impressive, underseen outing. Deaf Crocodile has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a strong A/V presentation and a welcome selection of new and archival special features. Recommended

Trapped Ashes is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack or with a Deluxe Edition Slipcase exclusively through Deaf Crocodile and DiabolikDVD.

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

Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile 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.