Freaked 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Freaked 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Freaked is a cult classic comedy. The genre defying comedy gem is one of the must-see creations of the 90s. Starring the great Alex Winter (who co-wrote and co-directed).

A group including a popular actor (Alex Winter), his close friend, and a rights activist end up going to a mutant farm together and end up being transformed into creatures for the freak show. The diabolical leader (Randy Quaid) of the park has plans for everyone. Can anyone escape and return to their pre-mutant selves before it is too late?

Starring Alex Winter, Brooke Shields, William Sadler, Michael Stoyanov, Morgan Fairchild, Alex Zuckerman, Megan Ward, Randy Quaid, Elijah C. Skuggs, Jaime Cardriche, Nicholas Cohn, Derek McGrath, Jeff Kahn, John Hawkes, Mr. T, Karyn Malchus, Lee Arenberg, Patti Tippo, and Bobcat Goldthwait.

The ensemble cast does a terrific job with the feature. The various “freaks” of the circus come to life and each has a distinct style and personality. The performances do well to showcase the creature effects of the film and the vibrant creativity of the production. Alex Winter leads the cast with a great performance and the supporting actors are all excellent across the board.

The score composed by Kevin Kiner (Ahsoka, Narcos: Mexico) is fun and charming for the genre classic. The offbeat music adds a lot to the production. The score is a good highlight for the visual sensibilities throughout the film. The music plays a big role in the zaniness of the filmmaking.

The cinematography by Jamie Thompson (Visitors from the Unknown, Grave Secrets) is well-done and one of the best qualities of the feature-film. Thompson is a talented cinematographer and there are numerous visual cues throughout that make a big impression. The cinematographic style is perfect throughout the film and is a testament to the zany creativity of the filmmakers. An exceptionally photographed film.

Edited by Malcolm Campbell (Coming to America, Keeping the Faith), Freaked is a well-paced comedy hit. The genre elements play well throughout the edit. The editing manages to never feel overlong – instead, the comedy flows well and the wide ensemble is well highlighted throughout.

The production designs by Catherine Hardwicke (Vanilla Sky, Tank Girl) are well-done. The designs add a lot to the filmmaking. Hardwicke is a talented production designer and her work here is certainly fun, thrilling, and creative. It is great to see Hardwicke as a designer before moving on to directing some major films.

The art direction by Kim Hix (Vampires, Tombstone) is well-done and makes an impression. Hix is a talent and the art direction works well. The artistry of the filmmaking shines throughout and looks great here. An enormous talent to be sure.

The costume designs by Malissa Daniel (Cool World, Communion) are excellent and work perfectly for the feature. The designs by Daniel are first-rate. The efforts are stupendous. The myriad of characters highlighted in the film are given distinctive aesthetic styles as the various “freaks” of the story showcase their own originality and style. The costuming plays a big role in that aspect of the film.

Written by Tim Burns (An American Werewolf in Paris), Tom Stern, and Alex Winter, Freaked is a cult genre gem with good reason. Freaked is over-the-top, original, and fun. The writing is hilarious and offbeat. The genre aspects are well balanced. The comedic heart of the script is well-done.

Directed by Tom Stern (The Idiot Box) and Alex Winter (The Idiot Box, Zappa), Freaked is a cult favorite that has withstood the test of time. Freaked is a lot of fun and there are so many compelling elements throughout the film. Freaked is a blast of creative fun and a gem that shouldn’t go overlooked. A must see.

Freaked 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on 4K UHD by Umbrella Entertainment, Freaked is presented in HEVC/ H.265 2160p in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The release includes a selection of HDR grade options: HDR10 (standard) and Dolby Vision. A worldwide first on 4K UHD and on Dolby Vision, an impressive 4K presentation and one that is sure to amaze fans of the film. The colors look superb throughout. The HDR color grade rendering looks fantastic and faithful to the cinematography. A exceptional looking film and one that has received a pristine restoration in 4K UHD. The release features encoding by Fidelity in Motion. The encoding quality is top-notch throughout the entire presentation as well.

Freaked 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. The lossless audio encoding is top-notch and sounds superb throughout the release. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The score and soundtrack are well reproduced. The soundstage is excellent, crisp, and dynamic. The release benefits a great deal from the lossless audio encoding of the release.

Freaked 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The collector's edition comes packaged in a deluxe chipboard artbox with incredible artwork, a slipcovered copy inside of the case, and a selection of bonuses – including a 100+ page book including behind-the-scenes, essays, and artwork, a script book, a comic book, stickers, a pamphlet, and a poster.

On disc:

The 4K:

2004 Audio Commentary with co-writers/co-directors Tom Stern and Alex Winter

Trailer (HD, 1:51)

Blu-ray 1:

2004 Audio Commentary with co-writers/co-directors Tom Stern and Alex Winter

Deleted Scenes (SD, 7:13)

"Hijinx in Freek Land" Featurette (SD, 11:50)

"There are no Weirdos Here!" Featurette (SD, 5:31)

"It's the Troll!" Featurette (SD, 3:07)

"Under Construcshen" Featurette (SD, 3:38)

"Behold…the Beast Boy!" Featurette (SD, 6:56)

"A Conversation with Writer Tim Burns" Featurette (SD, 23:20)

Transformed by the GOOP – Silent Make-Up Tests (SD, 1:13:13)

The Freaky Tapes - Extended Behind-the-Scenes Footage (SD, 2:03:14)

Petty Degradations – Uncut Behind-the-Scenes Footage (SD, 42:31)

"NYU Sight and Sound Project" Short Film by Tom Stern and Alex Winter (SD, 00:54)

Jake Boston on Cult Movies & Their Second Life on Physical Media (HD, 11:58)

Blu-ray 2:

Workprint Cut (SD, 1:24:49)

Rehearsal Cut (SD, 1:23:49)

Additional Special Features:

The Night's Special Guest – Co-Director/Writer & Actor Alex Winter on Freaked (HD, 33:26)

Very Special People – Co-Director/Writer Tom Stern and Writer Tim Burns on Freaked (HD, 39:10)

The Glass Cyclops – Cinematographer Jamie Thompson and Camera Operator Harry Garvin on Freaked (HD, 17:42)

The Freekmaker – Special Makeup Designer Tony Gardner on Freaked (HD, 14:36)

Strange Days in Santa Flan – Production Designer Catherine Hardwicke on Freaked (HD, 10:40)

The Weird Revolution – The Butthole Surfers' Paul Leary on Freaked (HD, 6:52)

A Conversation with Alex Winter and FX Make-Up Artist & Art Department Supervisor Bill Corso (HD, 24:52)

The Insanimator – Stratacut Maestro David Daniels on Freaked (HD, 18:31)

Trailer (HD, 1:51)

Original Trailer (SD, 1:59)

Freaked 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Freaked is an outstanding genre film. The quirky cult comedy is a must-see for fans of offbeat and strange cinema. The performances are excellent. The production is ambitious and creative in spades.

The 4K UHD release features a stunning restoration of the film, lossless audio, and an enticing and large selection of bonus features. The release also comes with a deluxe collectors edition which includes the expansive supplements alongside numerous other physical goodies such as a 100+ page book, script book, and much more. Highly recommended.