The Devil's Backbone 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Devil's Backbone 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Sony has released the 2001 film 'The Devil's Backbone,' directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Eduardo Noriega and Marisa Paredes, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. Also included is a Spanish language DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Many of the extras from the Criterion disc are ported over, but some are not. No Blu-ray disc is included; all extras are found on the UHD disc. At time of writing, this release is exclusive to the eleven-film Sony Pictures Classics: 30th Anniversary Collection boxed set.

The Devil's Backbone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from Criterion's 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Wow. The review could end there. Sony's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release of The Devil's Backbone may very well be the best-looking film of the eleven included in the Sony Pictures Classics boxed set. It looks gorgeous. It is entirely true to the natural film elements, presenting grain with beautiful consistency, depth, and stability. Of course, the supportive textural characteristics are right in-line with expectations for a beautifully crafted, film-sourced picture. Everything is razor-sharp and viewers will discover every nook and cranny in the film's well textured locations with striking ease and efficiency. The clarity and definition are befitting both the film and the film medium, and this looks like it belongs not just on the screen but on the biggest screen possible: the larger, the better. Add in resoundingly beautiful skin textures and clothing details, not to mention a complete absence of print wear and encode artifacts, and this is a standard bearer for the UHD format.

The Dolby Vision grading is a sight to behold, too. Nighttime shots are a standout for black levels intensity and depth that holds true and deep without crushing details or absorbing the screen. Shadowy and moody nighttime blues are also beautiful. Contrasts in low light are beautifully rendered. Warm daytime scenes are beautifully saturated without feeling over pumped or unnatural. White balance is terrific, skin tones are true, and clothing colors pop as allowed and as are presented. This is a knockout of a presentation from Sony.

The Devil's Backbone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The included Spanish language DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is wonderful. The track presents every element in well-working order, with musical clarity abounding throughout the film presented with seamlessly wide and enveloping excellence. Horror cues offer larger, deeper depth and detail. Supportive atmosphere, like cracking thunder and falling rain (listen around the 53:40 mark), deliver seamless stage engagement and drop the listener right in the middle of the film. Gunshots at the 55-minute mark crack with terrifying realism. More intensive Horror jumps and genre characteristics are handled with expert clarity and depth. Dialogue is clear and refined with firm front-center placement and faultless prioritization.

The Devil's Backbone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of The Devil's Backbone includes many of the supplements from the Criterion disc, but does not include the following: Introduction, Spanish Gothic, Director's Notebook (note that Sony's initial press release promised this extra, but I cannot find it on the disc), Designing 'The Devil's Backbone,' and A War of Values. There is also a commentary track on this disc which was not on the Criterion disc; it is marked as being new below, which means it is new to Blu-ray/UHD and not newly recorded. Please click here for full coverage of the carryover content. As it ships in that boxed set, a non-embossed slipcover is included.

• Original EPK Featurette
• "Que es un Fantasma?" - The Making of The Devil's Backbone
• Summoning Spirits
• Audio Commentary: Director Guillermo del Toro.
• NEW! Audio Commentary: Director Guillermo del Toro and Cinematographer Guillermo Navarro offer one of the most well-spoken, engaging, and informative tracks I have ever heard.
• Director's Thumbnail Track
• Deleted Scenes: With Optional Commentary
• Sketch, Storyboard, Screen: Multi-Angle
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 4x3, 2:05).

The Devil's Backbone 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

UHD doesn't get much better than this. A great film is supported by a perfect 2160p/Dolby Vision video presentation, a first-rate DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack, and plenty of extras, though fans of the film want to hold on to the Criterion disc in order to have everything available at their disposal. Very highly recommended.