5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Spanning three generations, this horrifying story chronicles the struggle of one family who unknowingly created the puzzle box that opened the doors of Hell - setting the diabolical Pinhead free to spread evil here on earth! Now, the family must fight to slam those doors shut again...but not before Pinhead wages one of his fiercest and most frightening battles ever!
Starring: Bruce Ramsay, Valentina Vargas, Doug Bradley, Kim Myers, Christine HarnosHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 42% |
Supernatural | 20% |
Sci-Fi | 2% |
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 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 0.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow's Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment 4K set.
Perhaps out of deference to Clive Barker's home country, Arrow released its massive Hellraiser: Quartet of Torment sets in both 1080 and
4K
UHD formats almost exactly a year ago as this review is being written. Both formats were covered by me at the time of their UK release, and these
Region A sets basically duplicate what was in the previous Region B sets, so I am repeating information and providing links as appropriate.
The problem with those pesky portals to other dimensions is that there's evidently no way to keep them permanently closed, which may be why
Arrow
is revisiting the Hellraiser franchise just a few years after it brought out the rather extravagantly packaged Hellraiser: The Scarlet Box. The good news is, while Arrow can almost
always be counted for rather luxe packaging one way or the other, they've seen fit to offer fans new 4K restorations of the first four films (note that
the aforementioned Scarlet Box only offered the original triptych), as well as at least some new supplements augmenting previously
produced bonus features. Maybe sometimes it's a good thing when a multidimensional portal won't stay closed.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from Arrow's standalone 1080 release, which I frankly feel gives an overall better representation of the
palette in particular, than had I sourced screenshots directly from the 4K UHD disc, which by necessity would have been downscaled to 1080 and
SDR. This set does not include 1080 discs, and so the 2K video score above has been intentionally left blank.
Hellraiser: Bloodline is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow
provides
the
same hardback book for both its 4K UHD and 1080 releases, and it contains the following information on this latest restoration:
Hellraiser: Bloodline is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 with stereo 2.0 and 5.1 sound. The original 35mm camera negative was scanned at Fotokem and restored in 4K resolution at Silver Salt Restoration, London. The film was graded in SDR, HDR10 and Dolby Vision by Silver Salt Restoration, London.Marty was understandably less than thrilled with Echo Bridge's 1080 release, but judging from his comments, virtually all of his issues have been at least ameliorated with this version, if not outright eliminated, and I'd go further to state that this 4K UHD version really provides some great new highlights for the many blue and red tinged scenes courtesy of HDR and/or Dolby Vision. The aspect ratio has been corrected, and it actually looks like Echo Bridge didn't just zoom for a 1.78:1 presentation, they kind of "squished", somewhat hilariously. Even apart and aside from the nice highlights HDR adds, the overall color timing is much improved in this version, offering a somewhat darker but still rather lusciously suffused presentation. The ping ponging between blue and red gradings and/or lighting regimens actually doesn't seriously impede fine detail levels, and in the more "normally" lit or graded sequences, fine detail is typically excellent. Marty thought grain mixed with noise in the Echo Bridge release, and while this is very grainy at times, to the point that things can look just slightly pixellated, especially in this 4K UHD version, I wouldn't say this is "noisy" in the traditional sense. My score is 4.25.
Marty also wasn't overly enthusiastic about the Echo Bridge's LPCM 2.0 track, stating that a surround track would have been preferable, and in that regard, Arrow offers both a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, both of which sound rather robust. Even the stereo track offers some clear panning and directionality, but the surround track nicely opens up everything from score to sound effects, especially as things become more and more gonzo. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Echo Bridge's Region A 1080 release sported no supplements, so all of the following are newly produced or released:
The following version of Hellraiser: Bloodline is a workprint with temporary music and sound effects. It was assembled sometime after Kevin Yagher's departure from the film; even though his name is still listed as director in the opening credits, it is most emphatically not his director's cut, which remains lost.
This version, which has a different plot structure and some alternate material compared to the final 'Alan Smithee' cut, is presented from a timecoded VHS, the best material available for this release.
Hellraiser: Bloodline may be the Clive Barker version of "in space, no one can hear you scream", except maybe they can. This is another example of the law of diminishing returns for an established franchise, but Arrow has done fans a service by offering a release with generally solid technical merits and some nice supplements.
(Still not reliable for this title)
Hellraiser 8
2005
Hellraiser V
2000
Hellraiser VI
2002
1988
1992
1987
2001
Hellraiser IX
2011
2018
2000
1992
Hellraiser VII
2005
Collector's Edition
1982
1997
1959-1964
Puppet Master 2
1990
1951
1965
1983
1985