The Mothman Prophecies Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Mothman Prophecies Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 27, 2021

Mark Pellington's "The Mothman Prophecies" (2002) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include archival audio commentary by the director; archival documentary about the production of the film; vintage promotional materials; deleted scenes; archival interviews with cast and crew members; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

At the core of Mark Pellington’s The Mothman Prophecies is a fascinating story just like the one that inspired Sidney J. Furie’s The Entity. This story is carefully described in John A. Keel’s novel and there is plenty of evidence suggesting that very large parts of it are true. But what about the rest that may or may not be true? Well, you have to decide for yourself what to believe. Some years ago, after I saw The Entity, I read Frank De Felitta’s novel and then did quite a bit of research to form an opinion on my own. I did not allow the film to do it for me. I think that this is the right approach for The Mothman Prophecies as well. If you find the film intriguing and want to be certain that it does not just play with your fears and emotions, do your own research and get the answers for the questions your mind might be asking for. Some of them may not be as clear as you like them to be, but at the very least you will gain a much broader understanding of what The Mothman Prophecies tries to accomplish.

Shortly after they make a decision to purchase their dream home, John Klein (Richard Gere) and his wife Mary (Debra Messing) have an awful car accident. John is unharmed, but Mary, who has been behind the wheel, is very badly hurt. At the hospital, the doctors then discover that she has a large tumor in her brain that is inoperable. While recovering from her injuries Mary undergoes intense chemotherapy which, as the doctors have predicted, fails to make a difference and eventually she dies. Not too long after that, John, who works at The Washington Post, begins investigating a tiny book with drawings from Mary pointing to a moth-like creature she had mentioned seeing moments before the awful car accident.

John’s investigative work takes him to the sleepy town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, where local deputy Connie Mills (Laura Linney) reluctantly reveals to him that various residents have described very strange experiences with the moth-like creature. After meeting Gordon Smallwood (Will Patton), who claims to have met him before, and eventually reveals that he has met the moth-like creature, John begins to see reality from an entirely new angle.

The Mothman Prophecies is very heavy on atmosphere and this is arguably its biggest strength. Indeed, much like The Entity it blends spooky sounds and visuals that can play with the mind in some pretty remarkable ways. Its got a very good cast too, so there is quality acting which very quickly creates the impression that what is documented in it ought to be taken seriously.

Like most contemporary films that deal with paranormal material, however, The Mothman Prophecies eventually mishandles the viewer’s willingness to accept its speculations as legit simply by trying to visualize what the mind fears the most. This is something that quite simply cannot be done right. Lush colors, deep shadows, fancy camerawork and sleek editing cannot substitute the mental images produced by a genuinely spooked mind, which is why in these type of genre films creepy sounds are always preferable. After John begins learning about the odd happenings in Point Pleasant, the film essentially evolves into a large and quite erratic mosaic of stylish images that make it awfully easy to conclude that its main goal isn’t to pursue the truth, whatever it might be, but repeatedly send chills down the spine. Admittedly, this is precisely what a lot of viewers will expect the film to accomplish, but in it there is a fascinating story that could and should have been explored with vastly superior authority.

The Mothman Prophecies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Mothman Prophecies arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Via Vision Entertainment.

The release is sourced from an older master that was supplied by Sony Pictures. While I can easily identify a few areas where meaningful improvements can be made, I still think that the film looks quite good in high-definition. For example, virtually all of the close-ups look very strong. The wider panoramic vistas look fine as well, though there are areas where some highlights and shadow details certainly can be better balanced. Colors look healthy and stable as well. They could be slightly fresher and lusher, plus some minor nuances can be expanded as well, but you will never feel that the film looks anemic. Image stability is very good. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. However, grain could be tighter and better exposed, and if one day the film is redone in 4K this will the key improvement that you will notice. Fluidity is quite nice, but with a stronger encode it could have been slightly more convincing. There are no distracting large debris, cuts, damage marks, spots, stains, warped or torn frames to report in our review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

The Mothman Prophecies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD HR 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) and English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

I experiment with both tracks and found them to be solid. While a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track would have been preferable, the DTS-HD HR 5.1 handles the film's sound design very well. (And, as you probably know well, there are quite a few audio effects that strengthen the desired atmosphere). What about the lossless 2.0 track? Well, don't write it off because it is rock-solid. There are large portions of the film that I actually think work terrific with it. I would have no problem recommending viewing the entire film with it, though again, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, or another lossless 5.1 track could have been the better option.

The Mothman Prophecies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

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

• Deleted Scenes - a couple of deleted scenes for The Mothman Prophecies. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• Ninety-Nine Will Die - in this exclusive new program, director Mark Pellington discusses the evolution of his career as a director, starting with his experimental work (including his work for MTV), his involvement with Arlington Road, and the genesis of The Mothman Prophecies. In English, not subtitled. (23 min).

• Nocturnal Butterfly - in this exclusive new program, editor Brian Berdan explains how he approaches original material and edits to create continuity. There are specific comments about the narrative construction of The Mothman Prophecies and how particular sequences were edited for maximum effect. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• What Do You See? - in this exclusive new program, production designer Richard Hoover recalls how he was offered the opportunity to work on The Mothman Prophecies, his initial reactions to the original screenplay, and contribution to the film. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Don't Be Afraid - in this exclusive new program, composers tomandandy recall how they began developing particular sounds and noises that became central pieces of the original soundtrack for The Mothman Prophecies. There are additional comments about the very moody tunes that are heard throughout the film as well. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

• Making of Featurette - an archival featurette with clips from cast and crew members as well as raw footage from the shooting of The Mothman Prophecies. In English, not subtitled. (16 min).

• Music Video - presented here is an original music video for Low's "Half Light". (5 min).

• Search for the Mothman - an outstanding archival documentary that explores the myth about the Mothman and the events that inspired The Mothman Prophecies. In English, not subtitled. (44 min).

• Day By Day: A Director's Journey - Part One - archival documentary about the production of The Mothman Prophecies directed and produced by Mark Pellington and Jason Free. In English, not subtitled. (31 min).

• Day By Day: A Director's Journey - Part Two - part two of the same documentary, featuring an abundance of footage from the shooting of The Mothman Prophecies and various clips from interviews many of the people that made the film. In English, not subtitled. (31 min).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary was included on the Special Edition DVD release of The Mothman Prophecies. Director Mark Pellington discusses in great detail how the film was put together, shot and edited. There are some interesting comments about its reception as well.

The Mothman Prophecies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Mothman Prophecies is a very effective chiller, which is precisely what the overwhelming majority of people that decide to see it would expect it to be. I like it, but I think that there is a good story in it that could and should have been explored with vastly superior authority. As it is, the film treats the story as a ruse that allows Mark Pellington to prove that he is a gifted cinematic stylist. There is no doubt that he is, but I personally expected more substance from the film. Fortunately, this recent release from Via Vision Entertainment has a fantastic selection of bonus features that offer plenty of terrific information about the Mothman and the various paranormal events that apparently inspired the film. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.