Monkey Shines 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Monkey Shines 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Stephen Larson June 30, 2025

Prior coverage of George A. Romero's Monkey Shines (1988) on our site was supplied by my colleagues Jeffrey Kauffman and Dr. Svet Atanasov. Jeff reviewed Scream Factory's 2014 "Collector's Edition" while Svet wrote about Eureka Entertainment's 2018 BD-50 + DVD combo. To read their thoughts and impressions of those two editions, please refer to the linked reviews.

Ella gives Allan milk.

Monkey Shines 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Scream Factory's latest "Collector's Edition" comes as a two-disc 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + standard Blu-ray combo with a slipcover duplicating the theatrical artwork. The art on my copy's spine insert is misaligned. Apparently, lots of other copies suffer from this printing error. My replacement is on order. This edition is struck from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative. The UHD is presented in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible).

While I don't own Scream's 2014 disc, I do have Eureka Entertainment's Blu-ray, which is probably sourced from the same master (likely a 2K scan of the film's interpositive). In addition to the UK disc, I have made numerous graphical comparisons to Orion Home Video's open-matte LaserDisc, which provides additional information on the top and bottom while masking the sides. The LD boasts more natural flesh tones in comparison to Eureka's image. For example, look at how pink/ruddy Allan Mann's (Jason Beghe) forehead and cheeks appear in Screenshot #s 22 and 38 as opposed to the more cooler skin tones in #s 21 and 37. Scream's recent Blu-ray looks a tad pink but its 4K disc has more neutral flesh tones akin to the LD (see frame grab #s 24 and 40). Moreover, Melanie Parker's (Kate McNeil) cheeks are on the rosy side in the UK transfer (#30) but lose the ruddy complexion on the LD (#29) and UHD (#32).

The LD has elevated brightness to boost contrast in places, though. For example, when Allan is jogging in a park (#19) and when his friend, the scientist Geoffrey Fisher (John Pankow), gets out of his car in #17. Check out how the color temperature on Scream's transfer corrects that in #20 and #18.

While the movie's original exhibition ratio of 1.85:1 is the most preferred viewing option, there are several shots where the actors are framed tightly at the high forehead, which crops their hair, so it's interesting to see a lot of these full-profile shots on the LD. Also, you see more of the Casablanca poster up close and uncropped on the LD (#33) whereas the credits are chopped off on the Blu-ray/UHD discs.

Writers John Skipp and Craig Spector were on set in Cor­aopolis, a Pittsburgh borough, for a September 1988 article they co-wrote in Gorezone (Fangoria's sister publication). In addition to observing some scenes, they also spent time watching dailies. They characterize James Contner's cinematography for a few of the evening scenes as "blue-black nightflesh." In viewing several of the film's transfers, I would also describe the nighttime interiors that way, too. The Eureka sports thick and coarse grain during these latter scenes in Allan's home. Scream's UHD and Blu-ray also boast plentiful grain. The encode on Scream's 2014 Blu-ray is superior to its 2025 counterpart. The older disc delivers a mean video bitrate of 38500 kbps while this year's BD-50 averages 29997 kbps for the feature. Like those discs, Eureka employs the MPEG-4 AVC encode with an average video bitrate of 34903 kbps. Scream's UHD is a BD-100 (actual disc size: 81.0 GB) and carries a mean bitrate of 80.2 Mbps, with an overall bitrate of 88.9 Mbps for the whole disc.

Screenshot #s 1-10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, & 40 = Scream Factory 2025 4K Ultra HD BD-100 (downscaled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 25, 29, 33, & 37 = Orion Home Video 1989 LaserDisc (Open Matte) (upscaled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 22, 26, 30, 34, & 38 = Eureka Entertainment 2018 BD-50 (from an older 2K scan)
Screenshot #s 23, 27, 31, 35, & 39 = Scream Factory 2025 BD-50 (from a 4K restoration)

The standard twelve chapters accompany the 113-minute feature on both discs.

Monkey Shines 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Scream Factory has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround remix (3275 kbps, 24-bit) and the original stereo mix, encoded here as a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track (1989 kbps, 24-bit). Scream's Surround track has better encoding than Eureka's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround remix (1727 kbps, 16-bit). The UK's stereo mix is presented as a LPCM 2.0 (2304 kbps, 24-bit). I listened to the 5.1 on Eureka and Scream's discs. Dialogue along the fronts is a tad softer than Scream's 2.0. The rear channels come alive during the music's more dramatic moments and select f/x.

I made full comparisons between the digital stereo track on the LD and Scream's 2.0. Fortunately, the latter legitimately sounds like OGA from the movie's Dolby SR. Music and f/x placement are very similar. The LD sounds a notch louder when played at an identical volume level on my receiver. Note: There are three brief instances on my LD copy in which the sound pops/crackles on Side Two. So, it has very light rot. The digital track sounds excellent otherwise. I tried the analog stereo on the second side where there was crackle on the digital track and it sounds clean.

Composer David Shire was a replacement for Henry Mancini, who Romero initially wanted (and incorporated a temp score from his early music at Universal) but Orion rejected. Two commercial albums have released Shire's score. The latest is a 2018 edition courtesy of French label Music Box Records, who have released the complete score from the master tape elements except for the cue "Blind Date," which couldn't be found. According to Randall D. Larson, who wrote the liner notes for the booklet, Shire employed a full orchestra of 50-60 players. Jeff Bond and Lukas Kendall provided a lot of information about the scoring process in the liner notes for a 2001 Film Score Monthly Silver Age Classics album, which also contains Shire's score for Farewell My Lovely (1978). Shire worked with percussion soloist Emil Richards and five members of the Toronto University music school ensemble, Nexus. He wanted to draw a stark contrast between the lighthearted music written for monkeys in cartoons with the more menacing material associated with the animals in the jungle. Shire's score utilized contrabass marimba, bass marimba, marimba and xylophone. On Scream's 2.0 mix, I could really hear the marimbas on the satellite speakers for the roving "monkey vision" POV shots. Flutist Stephen Kujala did a commendable job performing on this score. The flute represents the warmer moments between Allan and Ella. Shire combines flute with guitar for Melanie's theme because she resides in the countryside to train the monkeys, and the guitar gives the score a more rural sound.

I watched Monkey Shines with the optional English SDH turned on. The track delivers a complete and thorough transcription of the film's dialogue (including filler words).

Monkey Shines 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Scream has retained all extras from its Blu-ray eleven years ago and produced an exclusive new commentary.

DISC ONE: 4K UHD

• Audio Commentary with Director and Writer George A. Romero, Moderated by Stuart "Feedback" Andrews - Andrews serves as an effective moderator here, asking Romero detailed-enough questions that trigger extended responses. Together, they discuss the Jekyll and Mr. Hyde theme, auditions, and the biggest change Romero made to adapting Michael Stewart's eponymous 1983 novel. Romero describes the "Helping Hands" program, the training Boo and the other monkeys received, and the special makeup department's contributions to the puppeteering. Romero addresses the original ending and theatrical ending on a few occasions in this track. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW & EXCLUSIVE Audio Commentary with Film Critic Eric Vespe and Author Daniel Kraus - this feature-length track is moderated more or less by Vespe. Kraus is more of an expert on Romero's oeuvre. The pair discuss 1980s American cinema themes that crop up in Monkey Shines, the actors and their backgrounds, crew members, and analyses of certain scenes. They also delve into the controversial ending and even Romero's unrealized projects. Neither Kraus nor Vespe go into Romero's adaptation of Stewart's novel. All in all, an engaging and interesting listen. In English, not subtitled.

DISC TWO: Blu-ray

• Audio Commentary with Director and Writer George A. Romero, Moderated by Stuart "Feedback" Andrews - Andrews serves as an effective moderator here, asking Romero detailed-enough questions that trigger extended responses. Together, they discuss the Jekyll and Mr. Hyde theme, auditions, and the biggest change Romero made to adapting Michael Stewart's eponymous 1983 novel. Romero describes the "Helping Hands" program, the training Boo and the other monkeys received, and the special makeup department's contributions to the puppeteering. Romero addresses the original ending and theatrical ending on a few occasions in this track. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW & EXCLUSIVE Audio Commentary with Film Critic Eric Vespe and Author Daniel Kraus - this feature-length track is moderated more or less by Vespe. Kraus is more of an expert on Romero's oeuvre. The pair discuss 1980s American cinema themes that crop up in Monkey Shines, the actors and their backgrounds, crew members, and analysis of certain scenes. They also delve into the controversial ending and even Romero's unrealized projects. Neither Kraus nor Vespe go into Romero's adaptation of Stewart's novel. All in all, an engaging and interesting listen. In English, not subtitled.

• An Experiment in Fear: The Making of MONKEY SHINES Legacy Featurette (49:31, 1080p) - this program produced by Red Shirt Pictures features interviews with special makeup effects artist Tom Savini, executive producer Peter Grunwald, writer/director George A. Romero as well as actors Kate McNeil, Jason Beghe, and John Pankow. Additional interviewees include editor Pasquale Buba as well as special effects assistants Greg Nicotero and Everett Burrell. The retrospective doc does a fine job of covering the production of Monkey Shines. Romero discusses some of the same material he broaches in his commentary track but there is different information shared here, too. All interviewees speak in English, not subtitled.

• Alternate Ending (5:11, upconverted to 1080i) - this contains both an alternate ending and an epilogue unused in the final cut. Shown in 1.33:1. Romero and editor Pasquale Buba apparently supplied the footage. In English, not subtitled.

• Deleted Scenes (4:07, upconverted to 1080i) - four excised scenes that look to be taken from a work print of the film. They are accompanied with musical underscore. Displayed in 1.33:1. Again, Romero and Buba provided the footage. In English, not subtitled.

• "Behind the Scenes" Footage (13:14, upscaled to 1080i) - BTS VHS footage of a few scenes from the film, snippets showing training of the monkey, and clips of monkey puppeteers (including Tom Savini manipulating a monkey doll). Savini provided the footage.

• The Making of MONKEY SHINES Original Featurette (5:21, upconverted to 1080i) - Orion's EPK featurette containing some B-roll footage and short interviews with writer/director George Romero, producer Charles Evans as well as actors Jason Beghe, Kate McNeil, and John Pankow. In English, not subtitled.

• Vintage Interviews and News Feature (5:41, upconverted to 1080i) - Presents the following:
  1. Extended Interview No. 1: George Romero, Time :44.
  2. Extended Interview No. 2: Jason Beghe, Time :39
  3. Extended Interview No. 3: Kate McNeil, Time :30
  4. Extended Interview No. 4: John Pankow, Time 1:17
  5. News Feature: includes BTS footage and an interview with Helping Hands instructor and monkey trainer Alison Pascoe.
  

• TV Spot (0:33, upconverted to 1080i) - one US TV spot for Monkey Shines presented in 1.33:1. It's more of a teaser.

• Still Gallery (2:38, 1080p) - a brief slideshow consisting of twenty-nine color photos of the makeup department working on monkey dolls.

• Theatrical Trailers (3:23 altogether) - Orion's two trailers for Monkey Shines. The first (1:54) is a standard theatrical trailer appearing in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. It looks restored and is definitely in far better condition of the two. The second (1:29) is a teaser trailer 16x9 enhanced that's excessively grainy and rife with age-related artifacts.

Eureka Classics has an exclusive audio commentary by Travis Crawford, a film journalist, film historian, and programmer. Crawford gives several detailed bios of the actors and crew members. He also imparts several nuggets about Romero's career.

Monkey Shines 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Monkey Shines is one of Romero's most underrated pictures. Jason Beghe is likeable and sympathetic in the lead. Since Romero scripts several unlikable characters, the film isn't particularly endearing but the writer/director places the secondary characters on arcs that lead to appropriate outcomes in the story. Scream Factory's 4K Ultra HD is practically flawless. The color corrections it has made are accurate to my eyes. Scream's 2.0 stereo track ranges from good to very good. It doesn't have the same range as the LaserDisc's audio, though. The stereo on that disc delivers some remarkable panning effects with the monkey sounds and David Shire's often foreboding and suspenseful score. Legacy bonus features, including Michael Felsher's terrific making-of and the informative Romero commentary, are included in the package. The new commentary track is a fairly enlightening discussion about the film, Romero, and how the latter's career compares to Craven's. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!