The Addams Family 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

The Addams Family 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount brings the fan-favorite 1991 film 'The Addams Family' to UHD with a newly remastered and restored 2160p/Dolby Vision picture (which is also the source for the companion Blu-ray). The picture quality is exceptional. Rather than reconfigure for Dolby Atmos, the audio remains in the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless configuration. Paramount has added a couple of new extras and offers two cuts of the film: The Original Theatrical Cut (1:39:37) and a version with 'More Mamushka!' (1:41:09; Director Barry Sonnenfeld offers an optional introduction to this cut). The film was previously released to Blu-ray in 2014 under the Warner Brothers label.

The Addams Family 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

For as wonderful as the Blu-ray looks, Paramount's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release looks even better. This is an absolute gem of a transfer. It's incredibly rich and wonderfully detailed. The picture could not look more cinematic and pristine than it does here. Grain is beautiful. It's a bit more prominent than it is on the Blu-ray. However, it's very flattering and still very fine. The presentation is just a delight to watch, and that there's been no obvious filtering or smoothing or de-noising reveals the care with which this master was prepared. Textural grace is magnificent. The picture's sharpness must be seen to be believed. Clarity pushes the UHD format to its zenith and the viewer will be privy to every single facial detail, the finest of makeup application (just look around Christopher Lloyd's eyes), and even individual strands of Raul Julia's hair which have been slicked and combed flat against his head. The clarity is breathtaking, and the UHD renders everything even sharper than the Blu-ray, allowing audiences to soak in exemplary definition around the house: old woods, cobwebs, worn and well used furniture and utensils and the like. Every frame is a stunner.

The Dolby Vision color grading is excellent, too. The level of depth and sophistication cannot be matched. The highlight here are the black levels, which are just superbly deep and powerful, whether considering low light corners and shadows, black clothes, black hair, black makeup, whatever the case may be the blacks are perfectly pure and never devour detail. Conversely, whites are beautifully crisp and, even as the movie favors shades of black and gray, colors with opportunity for vivid expressiveness take full advantage. Skin tones are excellent, too, obvious even through a fairly wide berth of natural and deeply covered in pale makeup.

Finally, the print reveals absolutely no signs of wear and the encode is perfect. It doesn't get any better than this; this is one my favorite transfers of 2021.

The Addams Family 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount brings The Addams Family to UHD with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, the same encode featured on the 2014 Warner Brothers Blu-ray. Michael Reuben described that track as "little more than a discrete encoding of the four channels created for the surround matrix, with minor reinforcement from the LFE channel." He also labeled it "a playful mix." I did not review, nor do I have access to, that disc, but based on that verbiage it's very possible that this is a newly mixed track because it's insanely loud, aggressive, full-throttle from start to finish. The track is a dominant force with every opportunity. Music soars with incredible dynamics and serious front side engagement and volume. At reference level this one is a beast, with well defined low end support and excellent and well balanced surround activity. The train sequence heard around the 39-minute mark is a treat to say the least. The precision movement, intense volume, and uninhibited expressiveness and surround engagement make it a stellar reference quality moment for full-on audio assault. Such holds true with any prominent sounds in the film. Everything is aggressively immersive, thunderously loud, and full of invigorated bass. Yet it is all balanced and true, never forceful for forcefulness' sake. One can only imagine what might have been with an Atmos mix allowing even more opportunity for immersive precision, but even limited to a more traditional 5.1 presentation this one is an absolute delight. Pure, clear, well prioritized, and center focused dialogue round an insanely fun track into perfect finished form. Fans are in for a serious treat with this one and, combined with the hugely impressive video work, this is one of the absolute best catalogue A/V experiences of 2021.

The Addams Family 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of The Addams Family includes a new retrospective, a vintage featurette, and an introduction to the new cut. Note that the UHD does not include the trailers that appear on the Blu-ray.

• More Mamushka! Introduction by Director Barry Sonnenfeld (2160p, 0:32): Sonnenfeld briefly discusses discovering the original negative and bringing the full dance into the movie.
• NEW! Filmmaker Focus: Barry Sonnenfeld on The Addams Family (1080p, 16:32): Sonnenfeld discusses what was his first film. He remembers the challenges of making the movie, his connection to the characters in his youth, his hesitancy to direct the film and direct in general, his collaborations with Cinematographer Owen Roizman, cast and performances, the cast's rejection of the original ending, the film's full suite of practical effects, set design, the film's sale from Orion to Paramount, the Mamushka dance, the film's success on release, and more.
• Archival Featurette (1080p, 7:29): A look at the Addams family dynamics, character details, stunt work and choreography, sets, and more.

The Addams Family 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Addams Family hasn't lost a step in three decades. It remains a lively and fun movie escape that has found new life thanks to Paramount's shipshape UHD. The 1080p visuals are excellent, the 5.1 track is a treat, and a few new extras are included. Highly recommended.