4.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Upon returning to his family's abandoned mansion, Jonathan realizes he has inherited his father's powers of sorcery, which he uses to unwittingly unleash a handful of demons known as The GHOULIES! The tiny terrors run amok, getting into mischief and killing their unfortunate hosts before Jonathan summons the strength to defeat them...
Starring: Peter Liapis, Lisa Pelikan, Michael Des Barres, Jack Nance, Peter RischHorror | 100% |
Dark humor | 8% |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
MVD Visual is not just revisiting Ghoulies and Ghoulies II, which Shout! Factory released as a double feature several years ago and which Charles Band's own Full Moon Features also offered as part of their Empire Pictures Collection, they're perhaps unexpectedly offering the first film in both 1080 and 4K UHD formats, which may indicate that an outing Charles Band himself has more or less described as his one and only "cash cow" production is continuing to generate dividends.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from MVD's 1080 presentation.
Ghoulies is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of MVD Visual with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. The back cover of this
release states this was culled from a "4K restoration (16 bit scan of the original camera negative)", while further specifying it also has Dolby Vision. I
was frankly a little trepidatious about how this was going to look in 4K UHD since I often do not like the look of grain at the higher resolution
and added dynamic range this format offers. It's undeniable that this 4K version shows some of the rather large variances in grain thickness that are in
evidence in MVD's 1080 presentation, and perhaps even exacerbates or reinforces them, but on the whole, I was actually pleasantly surprised at the
overall organic qualities of grain resolution. HDR and/or Dolby Vision have added some interesting highlights, but kind of curiously, I'd rate this 4K UHD
version as just a tad cooler looking than MVD's 1080 release, which may make this particular iteration the "middle ground" between the appearance of
MVD's 1080 presentation and Shout!'s old 1080 presentation. Densities are as variable as grain at times, and the same sudden downturns in saturation
and clarity that occasionally afflict the 1080 presentation are of course probably only more noticeable here. This may not be a "beautiful" presentation,
but it offers an accurate rendering of the lo-fi ambience of the film.
Marty wasn't overly impressed with Shout!'s DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 rejiggering of the original soundtrack, but I'm happy to report this disc's DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track sounds well balanced and is especially supportive of another playfully anarchic score by Richard Band. Dialogue and effects are all rendered without any issues. Optional English subtitles are available.
4K UHD Disc
In a way, it's both kind of funny but also understandable how Ghoulies became one of Charles Band's most successful productions. This new release offers improvements in video, audio and supplements from the old Shout! and Full Moon releases, though HDR and/or Dolby Vision have slightly cooled the palette from MVD's 1080 version (also included in this release). One way or the other, this package should easily appeal to the film's many fans.
MVD Rewind Collection
1988
Restored Edition
1981
1986
2018
1981
1993
1994
1986
1987
4K Restoration
1981
1986
Collector's Edition
1987
2013
2016
Slipcover in Original Pressing
1986
Collector's Series
1987
Vinegar Syndrome Archive
1988
2015
1943
Limited Edition
1982