Follows a family of traveling sideshow performers as they traverse the harsh conditions of Depression-era America on a bloody search for eternal life.

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[youtube https://youtu.be/T7jBM3kHH9s?si=-9D6e36yGOvokTLL&t=604]

Video Quality

Where The Devil Roams debuts on Blu-Ray with a 1080p presentation in 1.87:1 from an HD master that typically captures the creative intention without issue. With this being a deeply independent affair, it is admirable how sleek and stylish the film is, even with the flat, natural lighting. The feature has a desaturated color palette that suits the narrative needs of the endeavor while maintaining a great amount of detail and clarity. The highlights flirt with blooming without ever losing its grip. There is quite a bit of darkness present to accentuate the fear of the unknown. Black levels stand up fairly well with objects holding up pretty well in the shadows and retaining their depth. There is slight banding in certain shots, but it is not pervasive throughout. The CGI gets the job done considering the limited budget they had to pull it off. Overall, this disc really delivers for this movie.

Audio Quality

Yellow Veil Pictures gives this Blu-Ray a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that mirrors the video presentation by delivering the strongest presentation within the creative confinements. Dialogue sounds clear without being lost to competing sounds. The music is deftly woven into the journey with a well-balanced soundscape. Environmental sounds of the world are kept contained in the mix while never sounding artificial. When the characters are moving through the landscape, some unique ambient details flesh out the setting. There is a scrappy quality to some of the work, but it largely holds up as well as any independent feature. There is a bit of texture in the lower registers when it comes to some of the bass in the music. The audio track gives this one a nifty life. This film is presented with optional English subtitles.

Special Features

Devil In Detail – Behind The Scenes of Where The Devil Roams: A terrific hour-long making-of documentary that features interviews with all of the key creative figures that show how collaborative and hands-on the process of creating this feature was. There are some great insights into how this story was created, the construction of the sets, the digital supplements to the cinematography, the process of filming in winter, the friends they plugged into different roles, the music, and so much more that spotlights the admirable ways this creative family makes movies.

Ever (Short Film): A seven-minute short film from the Adams family is provided here that features heavy narration over striking shots of nature.

Trailers: This disc provides the Tubi Trailer (1:30) and the Original Trailer (1:47).

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “Of Sideshows & Squalor” by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is provided that explores the subgenre of carnival horror and the themes of the film.

Final Thoughts

Where The Devil Roams is another impressive feat of low-budget filmmaking from the Adams family. The film may not have the glorious production value of others that cost much more, but there is a handcrafted quality to what you see on screen that gives it a lot of personality. By establishing the visual parameters early, you give yourself over to what is being gifted to you. It is with this scrappy quality in mind that you forgive some of the creaky moments in the performances or the struggle to keep up the momentum in the final act. The Adams family works best when you get swept up in their wavelength of creepy imagery and disquieting vibes. They will not be for everyone, but they are some of the best DIY horror filmmakers around right now. Yellow Veil Pictures has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a couple of amazing special features. Recommended

Where The Devil Roams is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

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

Disclaimer: Yellow Veil Pictures and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.