The Witch 4K Blu-ray Review & Comments

Mark Costello

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This movie scared the sh*t of out of me! Really good watch - will rewatch the 4K version soon
 
Nice review Coz :)

This should be the definitive release as worth noting that the US Lionsgate 4K disc has an problematic HDR grade (Milky Black levels was one thing) that Eggers himself wasn't happy about hence the delays on this edition as Second Sight chose to create a new grade with his supervision.
 
Thanks for the review Mark! This is one of my favourites, an absolutely fabulous throwback to unnerving 1970s and 80s horror films with a sense of dread right from the beginning and a marvellous refusal to be anything but measured in its build up. Some amazing shots in this and as you say the score is so effective in adding to the tension. Superb stuff! However in terms of the price, I’m also struggling with this a bit as I’ll effectively be paying £20 extra over the eventual standard release for a small book and probably my least favourite of the postcard images for the cover. But I’m very happy that a studio as great as Second Sight are handling this, they are knocking it out of the park with all these releases.
 
Nice review Coz :)

This should be the definitive release as worth noting that the US Lionsgate 4K disc has an problematic HDR grade (Milky Black levels was one thing) that Eggers himself wasn't happy about hence the delays on this edition as Second Sight chose to create a new grade with his supervision.
Cheers bud.

So interestingly, I got sent the original SS 4K disc back in March. Wrote the review and it was a matter of hours away from being published when the release got pulled. So when SS sent me the revised 4K disc I was able to do a side by side comparison. And frankly, I expected much more of a pronounced difference between the two than there is - the reduced contrast ratio especially in relation to the original blu remains, albeit with a slightly enhanced black level (the scene around the camp fire at 4 minutes was the most obvious example, the night around the characters is now more obviously darker than on the previous SS disc, and its more evident in some of the forest scenes). However, it wasn't a night and day difference, and certainly not in every shot (the night around the witch ascending in front of the moon in the first act actually looked slightly darker on the original SS disc).

But its a fascinating aesthetic and one obviously the creators wanted. For this film, that sense of almost uber realism - the drained colours especially - added to the 'uncanniness' of it all so where on other releases, this sort of changed colour scheme may be felt to be detrimental to the new release, here, for me certainly, it adds to it.
 
Great film, Black Philip is my second favourite horror film animal performance to the fox in The Antichrist.
For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet and doesn’t want to spend a load of money, it’s on Netflix in HD SDR.
 
I really like this movie and wondered whether a 4k upgrade over the BR would be worth the double dip. This review has convinced me that it may be in the future, but certainly not a must have. Perhaps the standard edition on a multi buy. Very detailed review. Thanks.
 
Great review Mark.

Glad I didn't sell my US 4K version now as I think it was a perfectly acceptable disc (even though they didn't like the HDR grading).

And reading the review it doesn't look like the new disc has much more to offer over the previous 4K regarding HDR.

Great Film though.
 
I just cant bring myself to pay £42.99. I still get PTSD seeing price stickers on DVD's I bought brand new years ago that are now worth pennies!
 
I just cant bring myself to pay £42.99. I still get PTSD seeing price stickers on DVD's I bought brand new years ago that are now worth pennies!
I agree, been there done that. I rent all my 4K Blu-rays, I rarely rewatch films (I would much rather watch something I have never seen before).
Cinemaparadiso has the 4K version of The Witch if I really wanted to see it.
I don’t watch the extras and I am not interested in the tat they pad it out with. Plus in my DVD days they literally took over a whole room.
Unfortunately physical media is on its last legs, I guess 90% of everything I watch these days are streamed.
 
Unfortunately physical media is on its last legs
That is true, but in this case I kinda see it as a plus, as 4K Blu is the final physical form essentially, 8K will hardly reap any additional benefits (even if there was a new format) unless viewed on an giant screen (90-100") whether physical or digital, so it's nice to know the discs we buy now are gonna viable for an extremely long time, and keep relevant.
 
That is true, but in this case I kinda see it as a plus, as 4K Blu is the final physical form essentially, 8K will hardly reap any additional benefits (even if there was a new format) unless viewed on an giant screen (90-100") whether physical or digital, so it's nice to know the discs we buy now are gonna viable for an extremely long time, and keep relevant.
Yep. 8K discs arent happening and I dont want them to! 4K is the final physical format it seems. I do have the majority of what I really want in 4K I think but there are still many that havent made it to 4K yet. Im not buying digital downloads and Im not streaming films that matter either.
 
Yep. 8K discs arent happening and I dont want them to! 4K is the final physical format it seems. I do have the majority of what I really want in 4K I think but there are still many that havent made it to 4K yet. Im not buying digital downloads and Im not streaming films that matter either.
Good luck with that. TBH I think that the audio technology is more likely to change and also some of the 4k videos may eventually get atmos soundtracks (Eg. Harry Potter movies).

Personally I am at peace just buying the Apple versions these days.
 
Good luck with that. TBH I think that the audio technology is more likely to change and also some of the 4k videos may eventually get atmos soundtracks (Eg. Harry Potter movies).

Personally I am at peace just buying the Apple versions these days.
Good luck? I wont need that because Im not changing my stance. And I dont do CrApple either.
 
Great review Mark. I absolutely love this film, the atmosphere and ever present sense of dread is the sort of thing that profoundly appeals to me. I also find these kind of films age better and last longer than those “BOO!” jump scare mainstream fares that are ten a penny and all blend into one. This is a must own for me, even though I’ve never had any illusions over how this will look in 4K. And I’m a sucker for fancy packaging and added tat. I pre-ordered this for £37 MONTHS ago, so I’m very much looking forward to finally getting it. Though after this, Drive and Tenebrae, all in quick succession, this will likely have to be my last boutique purchase of the year!
 
Excellent review Mark :)

Watched it recently and thought it was really good. Much of the dialogue is a direct transscript of text from that era, which i think adds so much realism to the movie.
 
Apologies Jim ... what I meant was good luck expecting the industry to stop at 4K and atmos. I wasn't doubting your own desire to stop at 4k.
Thats OK - sorry if I appeared tetchy! :) As I understand it, 8K wouldnt be much use for most of us anyway assuming screens under 72" and 'normal' viewing distances. Im not sure there are many films that could even have an 8K transfer as well.
 
Thanks for the review Mark! This is one of my favourites, an absolutely fabulous throwback to unnerving 1970s and 80s horror films with a sense of dread right from the beginning and a marvellous refusal to be anything but measured in its build up. Some amazing shots in this and as you say the score is so effective in adding to the tension. Superb stuff! However in terms of the price, I’m also struggling with this a bit as I’ll effectively be paying £20 extra over the eventual standard release for a small book and probably my least favourite of the postcard images for the cover. But I’m very happy that a studio as great as Second Sight are handling this, they are knocking it out of the park with all these releases.
Well said.. the Omen (original) and Rosemary's Baby spring to mind (recently watched the last one for the first time)
 
Watched this the other night and thought it was a decent film. Slow build and the tension was held throughout but I found the dialogue hard to make out at times (because of mumbling rather than the sound mix) and had to use the subtitles couple if times. I would say it’s the type of film you need to concentrate on so that during the cuts when it goes to a black screen and your imagination is left to do the work it’s more effective. While I enjoyed it I’m not sure I would watch it again.
 
Great movie, one part of this scared the hell out of me, it’s strange but really good.
 
A bit late to the party on this one, but watched the 4K UHD last night not knowing much about this other than the director connected to it.

Thanks for the review BTW.

A very eerie film and I thought all the cast were excellent....even the goat. The dialogue was difficult to hear at times, in part due to the dialect used and it being softly spoken, so I had to turn it up now an again....only for a loud noise to wake the house, so turn it down again.

PQ was decent, and as the review says the colours are quite muted but easy to see everything going on.

Anya Taylor Joy was excellent in her role. I don't know what age she was when making this but she was excellent....in fact they all were.

Not something I'd rewatch, but glad I've seen it and enjoyed it, if that's the right word ?
 
A bit late to the party on this one, but watched the 4K UHD last night not knowing much about this other than the director connected to it.

Thanks for the review BTW.

A very eerie film and I thought all the cast were excellent....even the goat. The dialogue was difficult to hear at times, in part due to the dialect used and it being softly spoken, so I had to turn it up now an again....only for a loud noise to wake the house, so turn it down again.

PQ was decent, and as the review says the colours are quite muted but easy to see everything going on.

Anya Taylor Joy was excellent in her role. I don't know what age she was when making this but she was excellent....in fact they all were.

Not something I'd rewatch, but glad I've seen it and enjoyed it, if that's the right word ?
You've made me want to watch this again!
 

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