The Nesting 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Nesting 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 23, 2025

An adult film director, Armand Weston was hunting for a mainstream effort to help change the course of his career. Inspired by the success of horror entertainment in the late-1970s, the helmer (joined by co-writer Daria Price) attempts to add to the genre gold rush with 1981’s “The Nesting” (titled “Phobia” on the disc), revisiting certain haunted house elements and peaks of madness from such films as “The Amityville Horror” and “The Shining.” Weston isn’t seasoned in the ways of suspense, and his inexperience shows in the endeavor, which drags along without much purpose for an entirely unearned run time of 110 minutes. Hopes for frights and mystery are drained out of the viewing experience quickly, as “The Nesting” simply refuses to engage on a suspenseful level, resembling more of a television movie with its punishing pace and limited dramatic rewards.

Lauren (Robin Groves) is a successful author and an agoraphobic, unable to participate in life outside her New York City apartment. Understanding a need for change, Lauren elects to move out into the country to help complete her next novel, mysteriously drawn to a dilapidated dwelling that’s home to a secretive past. Eager to get started on her new life, Lauren is quickly attacked by vivid dreams and visions, which terrify her. Unable to process this new reality, the writer researches the past, meeting with locals who aren’t thrilled to find the strange woman digging up ugliness, including the story of Florinda (Gloria Grahame) and her work as a brothel madame.

As derivative as it is, “The Nesting” has early potential, following Lauren’s battle with her own mind as she tries to conquer her phobias. She’s desperate to leave her apartment and enjoy life with her weirdly bullying boyfriend, Mark (Christopehr Loomis), but Lauren can’t break free, electing to experience a move to help break her routine. Of course, all is not well in the house she selects, and Weston hopes to provide some scares as she settles in, dealing with tainted dreams and hostile strangers, putting Lauren in a tight spot, growing curious about her surroundings.

“The Nesting” could tear off as a detective story blended with increasingly spooky occurrences. However, Weston doesn’t have a killer instinct for horror entertainment, preferring to keep “The Nesting” as slowly paced as possible, following Lauren as she explores the house and interacts with others. Tension is missing from most of the picture, save for a few sequences where the supernatural elements of the script rise up, or more physical pursuits are staged. But this kind of screen activity is a rare event in “The Nesting,” as Weston mistakes stillness for suspense.

For additional information and analysis, please read Martin Liebman’s 2011 Blu-ray review.

The Nesting 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

"The Nesting" was originally issued on Blu-ray in 2011, and returns with a UHD release, listed as "presented in Dolby Vision HDR and newly restored from its 35mm original camera negative." The viewing experience maintains a steady sense of color, leading with distinct greenery around the house, and costuming offers clear primaries, especially on period dresses. Housing interiors maintain a cooler look, exploring darker areas of decay and mystery. Skin tones are natural. Blood remains red. Detail is capable, examining the rougher textures of the living space. Skin particulars are appealing, coming through softer cinematography at times. Clothing remains fibrous. Gore is open for inspection. Exteriors retain depth, supporting the remote location. Blacks are strong, preserving shadow play and evening events. Highlights are tasteful. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition.

The Nesting 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers a simple understanding of production elements. Dialogue exchanges are intelligible, but also fight sibilance issues throughout the listening event. Scoring is satisfactory, with decent instrumentation. Sound effects are appreciable.

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

• Commentary #1 features writer Andy Marshall-Roberts.

• Commentary #2 features an audio interview with co-writer Daria Price.

• "Acting is Being Brave" (20:39, HD) is an interview with actress Robin Groves, who traces the quick development of her acting career, moving from West Virginia to New York City to take on Broadway. Achieving some success, Groves moved into commercial work and, eventually, "The Nesting," managing to impress with her handle on a "psychological" part. Thoughts on characterization are offered, along with the challenge of nudity for the interviewee's first major part. Co-stars are assessed and production challenges are recalled, exploring technical issues and physical demands. Some memories of director Armand Weston are supplied as well.

• "The Outlaw Poet" (21:02, HD) is an interview with actor David Michael Lally, who felt a drive to pursue a creative life, beginning with writing, developing an interest in acting while living in New York City. Charming director Armand Weston through his resemblance to Montgomery Clift, the actor acquired a part in "The Nesting," turning to a passage from his own book to share his experience acting alongside John Carradine. The interviewee also details his time around the location, and he recalls the theatrical release of "The Nesting," enjoying a chance to see it with an active audience.

• "Low Budget Miracle" (30:32, HD) is an interview with producer Don Walters, who recalls his initial introduction to director Armand Weston and co-writer Daria Price, finding the pair unable to agree on the tone of "The Nesting." As the film was shot for just under $400,000, Walters points out the shortcomings of the production, but celebrates its casting, as cash was spent to attract John Carradine and Gloria Grahame to the picture. Technical challenges are noted, including "trouble with special effects," as newcomers to the business were used to craft the ghoulish visions of the feature. Location are analyzed, working around the dilapidated state of the "octagonal house," and low-budget woes are plentiful, forcing the crew to figure out how to achieve visuals without money to spend. Release woes are also highlighted, leaving "The Nesting" strictly to cult appreciation.

• "The Sating of Desire" (28:39, HD) is an appreciation piece from author Stephen Thrower.

• "'The Nesting' Outtakes: Preserving Armand Weston's Gothic Horror" (14:22, HD) is a film preservation featurette featuring interviews with DistribPix's Steve Morowitz and Vinegar Syndrome's Oscar Becher. The interviewees examine the history of DistribPix and Morowitz's huge archive of materials, which were brought to Vinegar Syndrome for future examination. Morowitz and Becher also delve into "The Nesting" and its 4K release, which features previously unseen deleted scenes and ideas.

• Unused Dailies (11:26, HD) assembles extra takes and red hot clapperboard action from "The Nesting" shoot, offered without sound.

• Cuts and Trims (8:56, HD) provides a look at deleted moments from "The Nesting," offered without sound.

• Image Gallery (5:17) collects BTS snaps, marketing art, production documents, script pages, and film stills.

• Title Sequence (1:24, HD) offers "The Nesting" title.

• Alternate Jump Scare (1:11, SD) is included.

• Radio Spot (:35) is provided.

• T.V. Spots (1:40, HD) offer three commercials for "The Nesting."

• And a Spanish Theatrical Trailer (1:59, HD) and a U.S. Theatrical Trailer (1:59, HD) are included.

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

The screenplay makes an admirable attempt to offer a slightly more complex understanding of ghostly happenings and past community horrors. It's something for a movie that's in dire need of a tighter edit, or maybe a filmmaker interested in the basics of creating a decent fear factor. "The Nesting" is painfully dull, which ruins any effort to pull the audience into Lauren's community crisis and detective work, leaving the film to a few jolts of genre visuals while the rest of it goes to sleep.