Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Brood Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 15, 2016

David Cronenberg's "The Brood" (1979) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of German label Wicked-Vision Media. The supplemental features on the disc include original promotional materials for the film from around the world; audio commentary by professor William Beard; exclusive new video interviews with actress Cindy Hinds, composer Howard Shore, and cinematographer Mark Irwin; and more. In English, with optional English or German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

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Oliver Reed is Dr. Hal Raglan, an ambitious scientist who has developed a groundbreaking new technique called phsychoplasmics which allows him to heal patients with serious emotional disorders. The technique also allows Dr. Raglan to establish direct contact with his patients’ minds and partially manipulate the way they think. This way he can direct how their bodies respond to his therapy.

Dr. Raglan’s most important patient is Nola Carveth (Samantha Eggar, The Exterminator), whose emotions can be so powerful that occasionally she can completely override the new technique. While attempting to pinpoint the origin of their strength, Dr. Raglan discovers that they could have a devastating effect on other human beings. Nola’s anger outbursts, in particular, are so powerful that they could also temporarily transform her into an entirely different person.

Concerned that Dr. Raglan might be seriously hurting his wife, Frank Carveth (Art Hindle, Invasion of the Body Snatchers) meets some of his patients. As he begins learning more about phsychoplasmics, his wife’s family is attacked and their daughter’s schoolteacher killed.

The Brood has the two key ingredients that make David Cronenberg’s films worth seeing -- terrific atmosphere and creepiness. The subject it tackles is also approached with a familiar degree of seriousness that gives plenty of credibility to the horror. The result is a film that is genuinely unsettling and at the same time seriously thought-provoking.

The film is slow but not tiresome. As Frank gathers information about Dr. Raglan’s technique, Cronenberg gradually alters the entire identity of the film -- the thriller elements are slowly replaced with horror elements and the main characters undergo profound transformations. By the time Frank visits Dr. Raglan’s clinic, the focus of attention is effectively shifted elsewhere.

Long before the final credits appear the viewer knows exactly how Cronenberg feels about psychotherapy, but the film never switches into a preachy mode. Instead, Cronenberg bombards the viewer with all sorts of different ideas and observations that force him to ponder why things have gotten so ugly.

Despite the limited resources some of the visuals are quite incredible. The graphic sequence at end, for instance, is still mighty impressive. In fact, it single-handedly elevates the film to an entirely different level. Hitchcock’s very best films have such powerful sequences that are always vividly remembered when the director’s legacy is discussed.

The acting is very good. Reed is very convincing as the slightly mad scientist whose passion for knowledge has unleashed an evil force. Eggar is also fantastic. Hindle’s performance is somewhat subdued but he is also believable as the looking for logical answers husband and father. The weak link here is the child actress Cindy Hinds, who often looks unusually cold.

The Brood was lensed by cinematographer Mark Irwin, who after The Brood also collaborated with Cronenberg on Scanners (1981), Videodrome (1983), The Dead Zone (1983), and The Fly (1986).

The film’s intense soundtrack was created by multiple Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore (The Silence of the Lambs, Sliver, Crash).

Note: In 1981, The Brood won the Prize of the International Critics' Jury (Special Mention) at Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival.

The Brood Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, David Cronenberg's The Brood arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of German label Wicked-Vision Media.

The release appears to have been sourced from the same master that British label Second Sight and Australian label Umbrella Entertainment accessed when they prepared their local releases of this cult film in 2013 (you can see our reviews of these releases here and here). There is a different master, a newer one, that Criterion used for the U.S. release in 2015. In terms of depth and clarity there are no substantial differences between the German, UK and Australian releases. Perhaps there are some minor fluctuations in the brightness settings and color saturation, but I think that they are academic at best. Obviously, the same source limitations remain -- elevated highlights, some light crushing in the indoor/darker footage, and very light grain fluctuations. Here the film also has an overall warmer color temperature, which is not the case on the Criterion release. To be honest, while the newer master has stronger organic qualities, I do not actually dislike the older master, but some of its limitations are indeed rather easy to identify while viewing the film. The encoding on this release is very strong. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your Blu-ray player or PS3 regardless of your geographical location).

The Brood Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English and German subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There are no technical anomalies to report. The lossless track has good depth and clarity is very pleasing. Overall dynamic intensity is rather modest, but as I have mentioned in the reviews of the British and Australian releases the native sound design has some native limitations. There are no pops, cracks, hiss, or digital distortions.

The Brood Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary I - professor William Beard from University of Alberta offers a terrific analysis of The Brood and also has some great observations about the evolution of David Cronenberg's style during the years. (Professor is also the author of The Artist as Monster: The Cinema of David Cronenberg). In English, with optional German subtitles.

• Audio Commentary II - presented here is an audio commentary by Dr. Marcus Stiglegger and Kai Haumann. In German, not subtitled.

• Cindy Hinds: "Childhood Memories" - in this new video interview, actress Cindy Hinds recalls how she was cast by David Cronenberg to play Candice Carveth, what it was like to shoot the film (and especially some of the heavier material), her interactions with the rest of the cast members, etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Wicked-Vision Media. In English, with optional German subtitles. (14 min).

• Howard Shore: "Scoring the Brood" - in this new video interview, composer Howard Shore recalls his initial encounter with David Cronenberg and explains how the intense soundtrack The Brood has came to exist. The interview was conducted exclusively for Wicked-Vision Media. In English, with optional German subtitles. (8 min).

• Pierre David Uber: "The Brood" - in this new video interview, producer Pierre David Uber recalls how he entered the film business, and discusses his relationship with Roger Corman, the funding of The Brood, and his interactions with David Cronenberg. The interview was conducted exclusively for Wicked-Vision Media. In English, with optional German subtitles. (11 min).

• Mark Irwin: "Cronenberg Compositions" - in this new video interview, cinematographer Mark Irwin recalls some of the important lessons he learned in film school, and discusses his early work in the adult business in Toronto, David Cronenberg's early work and the qualities that defined it, his work on Fast Company, The Brood and the real story behind it (which has a lot to do with David Cronenberg's personal life), etc. The interview was conducted exclusively for Wicked-Vision Media. In English, with optional German subtitles. (24 min).

• Super 8 Fassung - presented here is archival Super 8 footage from The Brood. In English, with optional English and German subtitles. (16 min).

• Teaser - original Canadian teaser trailer for The Brood. With English text. (1 min).

• German Trailer (Recut 2015) - restored and recut German trailer for The Brood. In German, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Trailer - original Canadian trailer for The Brood. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• TV Spot - original Canadian TV spot for The Brood. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Radio Spot - original Canadian radio spot for The Brood. In English, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Artwork Gallery - a gallery of original promotional materials for The Brood from around the world. With music. (5 min).

• Lobby Cards - a gallery of original lobby cards for The Brood from around the world. With music. (5 min).

• Promotional Materials - a gallery of printed/published original promotional materials from around the world. With music. (3 min).

• Film Program - reprinted original German film program for The Brood. With music. (2 min).

• Wicked-Vision Media Trailer Park - a collection of trailers for other Wicked-Vision Media releases. With music. (2 min).

• Booklet - an illustrated booklet with writings on The Brood and David Cronenberg's work in German. (See screencaptures).

The Brood Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is the first Blu-ray release from German label Wicked-Vision Media to reach my desk and I have to say that I am very impressed with it. It is quite clear that the people that produced it worked hard to make sure that fans of David Cronenberg's film The Brood would love to have it in their collections. Also, excluding one audio commentary, all of the supplemental features on the disc are English-friendly, and quite a few were actually produced exclusively for Wicked-Vision Media. Well done. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.