The Burbs 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Burbs 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Stephen Larson June 18, 2026

A bevy of Blu-ray editions of Joe Dante's The 'Burbs (1989) has been released worldwide. We have covered some of them on our site. My colleague Dr. Svet Atanasov reviewed Arrow Video UK's SteelBook in 2014. (A "Special Edition" with a standard case was released on the same day.) Two years later, my colleague Marty Liebman covered Universal Studios' BD-50. I wrote about Shout Select's first "Collector's Edition" in 2018. For full details on those releases, please consult the linked reviews.

Be sure to eat your Gremlins cereal for breakfast!

The Burbs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shout Select's second "Collector's Edition" of The 'Burbs comprises a two-disc set with a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray encompassing the feature and three commentary tracks and a standard Blu-ray including the film, commentaries, and additional bonus materials. The standard case is housed with a slipcover. Since this is the second physical media release of The 'Burbs that director Joe Dante has been involved with, it is useful to review the restoration notes and technical specs that went into Arrow Video's two releases from a dozen years ago. The following text appears inside Arrow's booklet and as a prefatory note prior to the start of the feature on disc. (The credits are exclusive to the booklet.)

The 'Burbs was exclusively restored in 2K resolution by Arrow Films for this release. The original fine grain positive was scanned in 2K on a 4K ArriScan by NBCUniversal StudioPost. The film was graded to Director Joe Dante's specifications on the Baselight colour grading system at Prime Focus, London The film was then restored at Deluxe Digital-EMA, London, where thousands of instances of dirt, light scratches and debris were removed through a combination of software tools and techniques. Image stability and related picture issues were also improved. The soundtrack was mastered from the original audio elements by NBCUniversal StudioPost.

The restoration of The 'Burbs was overseen by James White on behalf of Arrow Films and has been approved by Joe Dante.

Restoration Supervisor: James White/Arrow Films
Film Scanning: NBCUniversal StudioPost
Colour Grading: Gerry Gedge/Prime Focus
Picture Restoration: Tom Barrett, Clayton Baker/Deluxe Digital-EMA
Restoration and Colour Grading Management: Jo Griffin/PrimeFocus, Mark Bonnici, Graham Jones/Deluxe Digital
Special Thanks: NBCUniversal StudioPost, Fabien Braule/Carlotta Films

A very special thanks to Joe Dante for his participation in this project.

Production Credits
QC and Proofing: Michael Brooke, Ewan Cant
Authoring: David Mackenzie

The 2160p and 1080p transfers on Shout's discs are each sourced from a 4K restoration from the original camera negative. Dante both supervised and approved this 4K scan/restoration. The picture appears in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The UHD is encoded with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible). I viewed the movie on an OLED in D.V. When critiquing Universal's BD, Marty brings up a valid point that grain is highly noticeable in places while virtually absent in others. I have a similar impression while re-evaluating Universal's SD picture from 27 years ago. That DVD was placed on a single layer and even though the feature is under two hours, I could see either blocky pixels or macroblocking on the black screen just prior to the appearance of the vintage Universal logo. There are compression artifacts and noise throughout. In addition, I spotted specks and dirt periodically throughout and especially during the main titles. (Fortunately, there are no scratches on the print Universal used at that time.) Grain spikes in some scenes while it's hardly noticeable in others. In my 2018 review, I mentioned that I recalled seeing mosquito noise when I viewed this DVD on a 60" or 65" projection TV. But there's also a thick layer of coarse grain in the reaction shot of Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks): see capture #18 and #s 19-22 for how it looks on the other transfers. It seems Universal mined a similar source for its '16 disc (with DNR applied) and Shout possibly gave it a new scan a few years later.

The IP that Dante approved for the Arrow disc has heavy grain in practically every shot. It looks very organic. (Grain lovers should rejoice!) If Arrow were to take that 2K master and place it in an HDR container, it would not look as good as the 4K master does on the Shout. Grain is interspersed well with other image properties. User and forum member bodhiISgod put it succinctly on this title's thread that "the grain resolves much better into the picture." Another major strength is the HDR highlights and definition in the hues (without colors looking oversaturated). Daylight exteriors are bright around Mayfield Place and colors really pop. Notice in the scene where Ray's neighbor Art Weingartner (Rick Ducommun) is playing sniper and trying to shoot a raven, the leaves appear dark green and shiny (see #16). I didn't have enough room to include additional screenshots from this section of the film, but I even thought that the D.V./HDR brought out the bright yellow on Walter Seznick's (Gale Gordon) sweater when he's standing in his yard. Ditto for the doggie dish belonging to Vince, the Petersons' canine, which stands out among the grass. Ditto for the yellow lawn chairs and umbrella in the family's backyard porch. In addition, the sleeveless military vest that Mark Rumsfield (Bruce Dern) wears shows greater hue delineation and detail (see #28). For night scenes, the D.V. beautifully illuminates the lightbars on the police squad cars (see frame grab #34). When Ray and his wife Carol (Carrie Fisher) are silhouetted on the street (#4), I could still see their skintones amidst the vestiges of light in other shots during this scene. I feel that in the Shout transfers, I could truly see the orange-to-yellow color of the flames in an explosion (see frame enlargement #s 39-40) for first time since the DVD (see #36). On the 2018 Shout presentation, there's much more of a hot white that affects the overall temperature of the photographed image (#38). On the Arrow (#37) the fire looks crushed with a loss of detail. (I did my very best to capture identical frames as close as possible to each other.) There are no source-related marks or defects on the Shout discs.

The UHD sports a rough average video bitrate of 89.0 Mbps while the whole disc carries an overall bitrate of 98.9 Mbps. Shout's 2026 Blu-ray employs an MPEG-4 AVC encode and carries a mean video bitrate of 28000 kbps. That's a little better than the standard bitrate on the label's 2018 BD (25998 kbps). Neither, however, has as good an encode on regular Blu-ray as Arrow's disc (an average bitrate of 35015 kbps).

Note: I own MCA's LaserDisc of THE 'BURBS and will post captures from it in the near future.

Screenshot #s 1-10, 16, 22, 28, 34, & 40 = Shout Select 2026 4K Ultra HD Collector's Edition BD-100 (downsampled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 11, 17, 23, 29, & 35 = MCA Home Video 1989 LaserDisc (upscaled to 720p)
Screenshot #s 12, 18, 24, 30, & 36 = Universal Studios 1999 DVD-5 (upscaled to 720p)
Screenshot #s 13, 19, 25, 31, & 37 = Arrow Video UK 2014 Special Edition BD-50
Screenshot #s 14, 20, 26, 32, & 38 = Shout Select 2018 Collector's Edition BD-50
Screenshot #s 15, 21, 27, 33, & 39 = Shout Select 2026 Collector's Edition BD-50 (from a 4K restoration)

Eight chapter stops accompany both discs.

The Burbs 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shout has supplied a lone sound track: a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo mix (1557 kbps, 16-bit). On its 2018 Blu-ray, Shout also included a DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo track but at a higher bitrate and bit depth (2021 kbps, 24-bit). This appears to be the same master that Shout utilized on the disc I reviewed eight years ago, but it's not as technically robust. I re-listened to it on the 2026 UHD while in close proximity to my Logitech G560 speakers. I had the volume turned halfway up but still had difficulty discerning dialogue during certain scenes, such as the kitchen conversation between Art, Ray, and Carol. I played both the DVD's lossy Dolby 2.0 Stereo Surround mix and Arrow's LPCM 2.0 Stereo mix (2304 kbps, 24-bit) in my home theater. I am preferential to both over the DTS-HD MA tracks on Shout's releases. I didn't have any issues hearing spoken words at all on either the Universal or Arrow. The latter makes outstanding use of the split surrounds. Chirping birds, buzzing insects, and low-end sounds are fully audible along the satellite speakers. The pipe organ from Jerry Goldsmith's score is amplified significantly at times. (Note: Robert Townson writes in the liner notes to "The Deluxe Edition" of Varèse Sarabande's 2007 CD of The 'Burbs that the only non-Goldsmith score material excerpted into the final cut of the film is the cue "Se Sei Qualcuno E' Coipa Mia" from soundtrack albums highlighting Ennio Morricone's music for My Name Is Nobody. Goldsmith adapts the trumpet triplets from his Patton score to create a theme befitting Mark Rumsfield, a lieutenant in Vietnam.)

Shout's lossless mix seems better than the English track on Universal's 2016 BD. My audio score is 3.75/5.00.

Optional English SDH are available for the main feature.

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

Shout has ported over all extras from its 2018 CE and recorded two recent audio commentaries.

DISC ONE: 4K UHD

• NEW Audio Commentary with Film Critics Drew McWeeny and Eric Vespe - this feature-length track with McWeeny and Vespe has the two critics discussing The 'Burbs and Joe Dante's filmmaking. Vespe claims to have seen The 'Burbs 100 times(!) and McWeeny brings the perspective of a Universal Studios tour guide and one who's interviewed Dante. The pair talk about the movie's incorporation of comedy and horror. They argue that the film would have been even darker than it is if not for Universal's insistence on a lighter tone. McWeeny and Vespe also broach fandom's debate about Corey Feldman's Ricky Butler and conspiracy theories surrounding his character. This is a chatty and lively discussion that rarely has any gaps. Both speak in English, not subtitled.

• NEW Audio Commentary with Film Critics Emily Higgins and Julia Cunningham - I like Higgins and Cunningham's categorization of The 'Burbs as "cozy horror" given its black comedy and levity. The critics give a nice backstory about the backlot where The 'Burbs was filmed. Neither Higgins nor Cunningham pick up on Dante's direct homage to a Sergio Leone-produced Western in the film. Cunningham probably talks the most of the two and this is perfectly welcome since she intelligently covers the movie's thematic tropes and sociocultural issues. Higgins and Cunningham yearn for Tom Hanks to return to his comedy roots in a live-action feature (as we all do). Both speak in English, not subtitled.

• Audio Commentary with Screenwriter Dana Olsen Moderated by Author Calum Waddell - Waddell prepared lots of questions, which he peppers Olsen with. The screenwriter is up to the task as he answers the questions pretty sufficiently. A continuous discussion ensues about making The 'Burbs, Dante, Hanks, et al. Olsen also discusses writing Memoirs of an Invisible Man. In English, not subtitled.

DISC TWO: Blu-ray

• NEW Audio Commentary with Film Critics Drew McWeeny and Eric Vespe - this feature-length track with McWeeny and Vespe has the two critics discussing The 'Burbs and Joe Dante's filmmaking. Vespe claims to have seen The 'Burbs 100 times(!) and McWeeny brings the perspective of a Universal Studios tour guide and one who's interviewed Dante. The pair talk about the movie's incorporation of comedy and horror. They argue that the film would have been even darker than it is if not for Universal's insistence on a lighter tone. McWeeny and Vespe also broach fandom's debate about Corey Feldman's Ricky Butler and conspiracy theories surrounding his character. This is a chatty and lively discussion that rarely has any gaps. Both speak in English, not subtitled.

• NEW Audio Commentary with Film Critics Emily Higgins and Julia Cunningham - I like Higgins and Cunningham's categorization of The 'Burbs as "cozy horror" given its black comedy and levity. The critics give a nice backstory about the backlot where The 'Burbs was filmed. Neither Higgins nor Cunningham pick up on Dante's direct homage to a Sergio Leone-produced Western in the film. Cunningham probably talks the most of the two and this is perfectly welcome since she intelligently covers the movie's thematic tropes and sociocultural issues. Higgins and Cunningham yearn for Tom Hanks to return to his comedy roots in a live-action feature (as we all do). Both speak in English, not subtitled.

• Audio Commentary with Screenwriter Dana Olsen Moderated by Author Calum Waddell - Waddell prepared lots of questions, which he peppers Olsen with. The screenwriter is up to the task as he answers the questions pretty sufficiently. A continuous discussion ensues about making The 'Burbs, Dante, Hanks, et al. Olsen also discusses writing Memoirs of an Invisible Man. In English, not subtitled.

• There Goes the Neighbourhood: The Making of The 'Burbs (1:06:33, 1080p) - a retrospective doc directed by Calum Waddell. We hear from director Joe Dante, director of photography Robert M. Stevens, production designer James H. Spencer as well as actors Corey Feldman, Wendy Schaal, and Courtney Gains. The participants present anecdotes about meeting with Dante during pre-production, color-coordinating the picture, The Munsters house and the Leave It to Beaver house, and many other subtopics. All interviewees speak in English, not subtitled.

• Interview with Director Joe Dante (2018) (18:35, 1080p) - Dante remembers working with Imagine Entertainment while getting The 'Burbs made and dealing with the challenge of the then-WGA strike. He enjoys the spontaneity of his cast members' performances and their adlibs. Dante also talks about collaborating with Hanks, Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Bruce Dern, Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, Theodore Gottlieb, Courtney Gains, Gale Gordon, and Corey Feldman. In addition, he goes over the various endings that the crew shot. The most interesting part of the interview is when Dante recollects the temp track that was prepared for Jerry Goldsmith and how the composer used it construct his own template for an original score. In English, not subtitled.

• Interview with Additional Photographer John Hora (10:57, 1080p) - Hora recalls when he first met Dante and also working with the director on The Howling. He states that he did a lot of inserts and pickups for The 'Burbs shoot and worked on the backlot. Hora also cites his favorite shot in the movie. Hora misremembers one ending that he claims wasn't shot, but in fact was. In English, not subtitled.

• Interview with Editor Marshall Harvey (9:53, 1080p) - Harvey reminisces about working with Dante at New World Pictures and shares what he and the director have in common. More, he discusses The 'Burbs' production and cutting the picture. In English, not subtitled.

• Alternate Ending (7:21, upconverted to 1080p) - this same ending is also part of the workprint. It appears on the R1 DVD in slightly truncated form.

• Original Workprint from Director Joe Dante's Archive (1:45:57, upconverted to 1080p) - this workprint appears sourced from Dante's VHS copy. It appears in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and sports various print-related artifacts. While the sound is front oriented, it is plenty loud. There is hiss at the beginning and some warping throughout. This workprint has significant value for two reasons. First, it includes several short scenes and alternate dialogue that don't appear in the theatrical version. Second, it contains presumably all of the music that Dante compiled for the temporary score. I hear excerpts from Spaghetti Westerns and other genre films that Ennio Morricone scored. Extracts from Bernard Herrmann's music for Psycho is also played. In addition, there are cues that sound like they could have been originally scored for earlier '80s movies. The sequence that ultimately became the main titles has a theme similar to the one Goldsmith came up with. Compression on this Shout disc is superior to Arrow's 2014 effort. The workprint occupies 9.16 GB of space on Shout's latest BD-50. It delivers a rough average video bitrate of 10000 kbps. By contrast, the WP file is only 4.86 GB on the Arrow; it carries a standard bitrate of 6001 kbps. Also, the Arrow merely has a Dolby Digital 1.0 track (192 kbps) while the Shout offers a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix (1575 kbps, 16-bit). The latter marks an improvement over Shout's 2018 disc, which only has a Dolby Digital 2.0 track (256 kbps). In English, not subtitled.

• Behind-the-Scenes Still Gallery (4:44, 1080i) - a slide show consisting of 63 images that document The 'Burbs's shoot on Universal's backlot. A majority of them feature Dante, his crew members, and the cast. Frequently show in this gallery are Hanks, Fisher, and Dern.

• Stills and Poster Gallery (6:19, 1080i) - a second slide show containing a total of 83 distinct images, although there are a number of duplicate pictures appearing in the lobby cards. The first 40 are additional behind-the-scenes photos depicting interior and exterior scenes from the film. The remaining 43 comprise posters, B&W snapshots from a press kit, and lobby cards from foreign marketing campaigns.

• Theatrical Trailer (1:32, 1080p) - Universal's original trailer for The 'Burbs presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen and accompanied by a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo track (1557 kbps, 16-bit). The trailer has been restored save for a couple scratches.

Arrow Video UK 2014 Special Edition BD-50 Exclusive Supplements

• Isolated Music and Effects Soundtrack - presented as an LPCM 2.0 Stereo track (2304 kbps, 24-bit).

• A Tale of Two 'Burbs with Optional Commentary from Joe Dante (23:37, 1080p) - this video featurette delivers side-by-side comparisons to highlight differences between the workprint and theatrical version of the film. Arrow includes descriptive text explaining the content and context of each excised scene. The program offers optional commentary by Dante, who provides the reasoning behind why the scenes ended up on the cutting room floor. In English.

• Collector's Booklet - a 32-page booklet with essays by Kenneth J. Souza (author of Scared Silly: The Films of Joe Dante) and Michael Heintzelman. The latter penned a piece examining the collaborations of Dante and Goldsmith. The booklet is illustrated with vintage production stills and posters.

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

If you own either of Arrow's terrific releases of The 'Burbs and are still on the fence about whether to upgrade, Shout's 4K UHD/Blu-ray is well worth a purchase. If you owned Shout's older disc, then this is a no-brainer. The 4K presentation is marvelous with HDR highlights that are delivered just right. The lossless stereo mix is not up to par with the PCM track on Arrow's so you will want to hang on it for that and a few extras that haven't been retained on this release. The two recent commentary tracks are each pretty good. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED!