The Boys Next Door 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Boys Next Door 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 14, 2026

Penelope Spheeris' "The Boys Next Door" (1985) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; audio commentary by Penelope Spheeris and Maxwell Caulfield; interviews with actor Kenneth Cortland; extended scenes; and more. In English, with optional Enlgish SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Dangerous visitors

This film could have been made only in LA and only during the ’80s. It is brash, erratic, fast, and angry. It is hardcore punk and damn proud of it.

The plot is just a wrapper for an incredible dose of destructive energy. Best friends Bo (Charlie Sheen) and Roy (Maxwell Caulfield) leave their small town and head to LA to experience the many vices the city has to offer. Six hours later, they pull up at a gas station and nearly kill the man behind the counter. At the beach, they injure an elderly woman and then have more fun with a couple of brave beauties. At a popular gay club, the boys pick up a ‘friend’, visit his place, and then leave him lying in a puddle of blood. At a not-so-busy video game arcade, the boys meet a pair of lovebirds and shoot them in their car. At a lousy pub, Bo hooks up with a lonely older woman (Patti D’Arbanville), but an hour later, Roy kills her on her couch. Eventually, the LA cops surround the visitors in a fancy mall, but even there, they still figure out a way to have a bit of macho fun.

The Boys Next Door is a prime example of a genre film that can no longer be made. It is directed by Penelope Spheeris, once a punk icon in LA, who nowadays appears to be one of its biggest critics. Spheeris hasn’t disavowed the film but recognizes a lot of serious problems in it and does not like its attitude.

Too bad.

The one and only reason this film looks unique and is still worth seeing is its attitude. It is what makes absolutely everything that happens in it appear legit -- the ugly is unloaded without filters, and the bad is left to flourish with complete disregard for the censors. This is what a genuine punk torpedo should be.

What’s the message of such a film? It is precisely the point; it does not have one, or at least it does not have one that mainstream critics can recognize. It was created to hit hard and self-destruct, like its characters, and that's it. The only thing that matters is its attitude, which is defined by pure and impossible to contain energy.

Great White, Iggy Pop, Code Blue, and The Cramps add plenty of fuel to the fire that rages throughout the film. However, it feels like the original soundtrack should have utilized a bigger selection of straightforward punk tracks, preferably from smaller LA bands. As it is, the soundtrack has a semi-hard rock edge with a somewhat mainstream appeal, which isn’t bad but lacks proper testosterone.

*Severin Films's combo pack presents a 4K restoration of The Boys Next Door, struck from its original 35mm camera negative. It also features extended scenes, as well as a vintage opening sequence with the film's alternate video title Blind Rage.

The Boys Next Door 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Severin Films' release of The Boy Next Door is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray and the Blu-ray are both Region-Free.

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-16 are taken from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #18-27 are taken from the 4K Blu-ray.

The combo pack brings a native 4K presentation of the recent 4K restoration of The Boys Next Door that was introduced with this Blu-ray release in 2019. The native 4K presentation is graded with HDR. It is not graded with Dolby Vision.

I like the 4K restoration a lot and was eager to see it in native 4K. On my system, it looked quite impressive. While I did not observe big improvements in delineation and depth, the expanded color gamut of 4K definitely helped the nighttime footage with the neon lights appear more attractive on my system. Primary red, blue, and green look lusher in native 4K. Some of the remaining darker footage also reveals slightly better shadow nuances. Grain exposure is very good. However, I must mention that grain also becomes more pronounced in native 4K, so there is a bit of a trade-off between the darker areas from the 1080p presentation of the 4K restoration, where it looked a tad loose, and how it appears in native 4K. I think that the native 4K presentation is preferable if you have a very big screen. Obviously, there are no traces of any problematic digital corrections. Image stability is very good. I noticed a few tiny flecks, but there are no debris, cuts, damage marks, or other distracting age-related imperfections.

So, if you already have the previous Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration, should you consider an upgrade? I think that the improvements in color reproduction are good, and the native 4K presentation produces slightly better visuals on a large screen. If you have a large screen and want the best possible presentation of The Boys Next Door, then consider an upgrade. My score is 4.75/5.00.

The Boys Next Door 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The original Blu-ray release of The Boy Next Door from 2019 had only a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track. The 4K Blu-ray has two tracks: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the film in native 4K with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The action material, like the chase, definitely has an expanded dynamic field. There are a few other areas where the music leaves a better impression as well. Also, the footage where Roy and Bo meet the Marine recruiter sounds a little better, too. So, this new DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is good to have as an additional option, and I urge you to test it.

The Boys Next Door 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by Penelope Spheeris and Maxwell Caulfield.

• Trailer - original R-rated trailer for The Boys Next Door. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this audio commentary was recorded by Penelope Spheeris and Maxwell Caulfield.

• Trailer - original R-rated trailer for The Boys Next Door. In English, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).

• Blind Rage - in this new program, Stephen Thrower, author of Nightmare USA: The Untold Story of the Exploitation Independents, discusses Penelope Spheeris' background, the genre identity of The Boys Next Door, and the era in which the film was conceived. In English, not subtitled. (25 min, 1080p).

• Both Sides of the Law - in this new interview, actors Maxwell Caulfield and Christopher McDonald remember their collaboration on The Boys Next Door and what it was like to work with Penelope Spheeris (while she was wearing various leather outfits that apparently had a great impact on their ability to focus on their parts), and discuss the film's tone and attitude. There are some pretty funny comments about Charlie Sheen and his not-so-healthy habits and addictions as well. In English, not subtitled. (20 min, 1080p).

• Give Us Your Money - presented here is a new interview with street band performers Texacala Jones and Tequila Mockingbird, who have small cameos in The Boys Next Door. In English, not subtitled. (6 min, 1080p).

• Caveman Day - in this archival interview, director Penelope Spheeris and Maxwell Caulfield recall their collaboration on The Boys Next Door and explain how their appreciation of the film evolved as they got older and their lifestyles changed. The interview was conducted for the Cinemaniacs presentation of The Boys Next Door at Backlot Studios in Melbourne on November 19, 2015. In English, not subtitled. (21 min, 1080p).

• Tales From the End Zone - in this new video interview, Kenneth Cortland remembers how he was cast to play the character of Dwayne, which was his first acting gig. The actor also recalls what it was like to be around Penelope Spheeris. In English, not subtitled. (13 min, 1080p).

• The Psychotronic Tourist - a closer look at some of the key locations in Los Angeles where important sequences from The Boys Next Door were shot. Before and after comparisons are provided. In English, not subtitled. (14 min, 1080p).

• Alternate Opening Title and Extended Scenes - extended scenes and a vintage opening sequence with the alternate video title Blind Rage. (5 min, 1080p).

The Boys Next Door 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

During the '80s, the vibrant LA punk scene existed in a completely different universe, which is the place that inspired reformed punk icon Penelope Spheeris to shoot The Boys Next Door. This film oozes pure and very dangerous kinetic energy that is not allowed to exist in contemporary cinema, and this is basically what makes it special.

Severin's combo pack brings a native presentation of the recent, excellent 4K restoration of The Boys Next Door, together with a brand new 5.1 track, included only on the 4K Blu-ray. I liked how the native presentation looked on my system, and I think that the new 5.1 track is a good option to have. If you want the best presentation of The Boys Next Door, consider an upgrade. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.