Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Piranha 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Shout! Factory has released the classic 1978 B-Horror film 'Piranha,' Directed by Joe Dante, to the UHD format. New specifications include restored 2160p/Dolby Vision video on the UHD disc, restored 1080p video on the Blu-ray, and a new DTS-HD Master Audio mono track. Also included is a new retrospective interview. Legacy supplements do carry over.

Piranha 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the remastered 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Shout! Factory updates the cult classic Horror film Piranha with two new presentations on Blu-ray and UHD. Both are of a very good quality and offer signifcant upgrades over the 2010 release. First, a few words about the Blu-ray, then a few about the UHD.

The Blu-ray is very handsome and a welcome upgrade from the aged 2010 release. The picture quality is filmic and healthy, capturing revealing details and a pleasing filmic veneer. Grain can be a little dense and sharp, but the picture never appears dumbed down to remove grain. The result is a sturdy, stable image that presents the material with impressive depth and clarity. The picture capably reveals faces and clothes with a yield well above the old Blu-ray. The 4K restoration on which this is based delivers ample definition that was missing on the old Blu-ray, resulting in a firmer, more satisfying image. Colors are robust. They are not vivid -- the movie was not made do dazzle and delight with an abundance of tonal excess -- but the red plaid shirt, yellow tees, natural greens, and other colorful elements offer improved depth and clarity beyond the old Blu-ray. Meanwhile, blacks are more stable and whites are pleasantly crisp. Skin tones look natural and appealing. There are no serious print problems or encode issues, either.

The UHD is all of that and then some. The 2160p resolution yields a significant gain to sharpness. It's obvious just by watching the film back-to-back and it's really night and day in direct comparison. The UHD amplifies textures to a significant degree, boosting clarity and intricacy of clothes, skin, and environments with what amounts to striking levels. The sharpness never appears to be artificial. Instead, this is a naturally sharp and very cinematic image bolstered by a natural grain structure that is very flattering. The Dolby Vision grading offers brighter colors with more depth and natural presentation parameters. Natural greens, various colors of clothes, and of course red blood leap off the screen not with intense vividness but rather satisfying realism and tonal authority. Black levels are superior here, too, for both shadow detail and overall depth and definition. Skin tones are very healthy, too.

Fans can't go wrong with either disc in this package, but the UHD...wow...what a delight!

Piranha 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Both the Blu-ray and the UHD include the same DTS-HD Master Audio mono soundtrack. The presentation is highly efficient and far more balanced and agreeable than the old Blu-ray's LPCM track. Clarity is very good. While the elements reveal their age, dialogue is clear and center images very well, musical engagement is firm and nicely spaced, and various sound effects play with surprisingly suitable detail, whether intense elements like a ringing bell, revving car engines, or splashing water during various underwater madness. Light atmospherics in quieter scenes are nicely engaged as well, obviously lacking back-channel support but nevertheless presenting with a fair bit of spatial awareness as far as the material allows. This is not a rock-'em, sock-'em sort of track, but despite the age and the limited channel engagement, this one plays well.

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

This UHD release of Piranha contains all of the extras below on the Blu-ray disc. None of the video-based extras appear on the UHD disc, but the audio commentaries do carry over on that disc, at least. See below for a list of what's included and a review of the newly crafted extra and please click here for full coverage of everything else. No digital copy code is included with purchase. This release does ship with a non-embossed slipcover.

• NEW! Interview with Director Joe Dante (1080p, 8:24): In this new retrospective, the Piranha director talks about the era in which the film was made, working with Roger Corman, directing Piranha, shooting locations, building and shooting the Piranha models, editing the picture, sound effects, release, publicity, legacy, and more.
• The Making of Piranah
• Trailers from Hell - Piranha
• Behind-the-Scenes Footage
• Additional Scenes from the TV Version of Piranha
• Bloopers and Outtakes
• Trailer
• Teaser Trailer
• TV Spot
• Radio Spots
• Poster and Still Gallery
• Phil Tippet's Behind-the-Scenes Photographs
• Audio Commentary: Executive Producer Roger Corman.
• Audio Commentary: Director Joe Dante and Producer Jon Davison.

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

It's not Jaws, but Piranha is a perfectly good knockoff that plays as equal parts serious Horror movie, parody, and campy cult classic. Director Joe Dante's picture is probably the pinnacle of the Roger Corman catalogue; that's not really saying a whole lot, but his insistence on staying away from the Corman staples -- excess gore and nudity -- pays off in a big way. Piranha takes itself just seriously enough to work, but the entire movie gives off a "just kidding" vibe that really sells it and makes for a wonderful exercise in mindless filmmaking done right. No, don't look to see if it was nominated for any Oscars, but Piranha is an all-star of low budget filmmaking done right. This is an absolute delight of a release from Shout! Factory. The new video is terrific and the audio is rock-solid, too. Plenty of extras are included. Highly recommended!