The Haunting 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

Shout! Factory's 4K UltraHD Blu-ray release of "The Haunting" is a marked improvement over its previous Blu-ray incarnations, leveraging a comprehensive 4K scan supervised by director Jan de Bont. The visuals retain the film's original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, presenting the movie with enhanced clarity and detail due to the HDR10 and Dolby Vision compatibility. This combination ensures flawless color replication, particularly noticeable in scenes with predominant brown and red hues, as detailed by the production designer Eugenio Zanetti. Cinematographer Karl Walter Lindenlaub's lighting scheme, emphasizing soft frontal illumination with sparse backlighting, is rendered with impressive fidelity, despite the occasional flat appearance in non-VFX shots—a deliberate stylistic choice.

Furthermore, the UHD disc employs an efficient encoding method—74.30 GB of space on the BD-100—with a mean video bitrate of 85.0 Mbps, ramping up to an overall bitrate of 94.3 Mbps. This high bitrate ensures that shadow details remain crisp without overexposing elements, which is crucial in maintaining the intended atmosphere of this visually dark film. Compared to the predecessor Blu-ray from Paramount Presents, this UHD offers marginally better clarity and a more consistent presentation of flesh tones and other subtle colorations. Minor imperfections like scratches and dirt are barely detectable, preserving the film grain and fine detail authenticity.

Ultimately, Shout! Factory's release builds upon Paramount's formidable groundwork, delivering a presentation likely to stand as the definitive version for "The Haunting" on home video. For cinephiles and enthusiasts of meticulously crafted horror visuals, this UHD release justifies an upgrade with its superior image quality, unmatched color accuracy, and meticulous replication of the original cinematic experience.

Scream’s 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "The Haunting" offers a notable auditory experience with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround (4225 kbps, 24-bit) and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Stereo downmix (2017 kbps, 24-bit). The DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix, a focal point of this review, impressively disperses the legendary sound design by Gary Rydstrom. His meticulous compilation of 532 distinct sounds, derived from unique locations like a Northern California winery and Glacier National Park, enriches the film's soundscape. The surround mix effectively distributes atmospheric elements such as wind, creaky doors, and whispers across the rear speakers, greatly enhancing the immersive experience.

A significant achievement of this mix is its seamless integration of Jerry Goldsmith’s musical score. Overall audio fidelity is high, though some scenes exhibit minor cases of flutter, distortion, crackling, popping, and hissing. Scenes featuring Goldsmith’s compositions—like "A Place for Everything" and "The Carousel"—harmonize with Rydstrom’s effects to an extent that they become nearly indistinguishable at times. The audio design culminates dramatically in segments like "Finally Home," where the combination of music and sound effects heightens tension and mood.

In sum, although the absence of a Dolby Atmos track is noted, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track still delivers a potent and evocative auditory experience. For those pursuing the definitive audio experience of "The Haunting," this release stands out as its most comprehensive offering on home video to date.

Shout!'s 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "The Haunting" mirrors the extras from Paramount’s previous Blu-ray edition. These features provide a comprehensive look behind the scenes, although some anticipated content, such as complete production notes from the Dreamworks DVD and certain deleted scenes, remain absent. The highlight is the exclusive "Filmmaker Focus," where Director Jan de Bont offers valuable insights into the film's creation and its enduring impact. Notable too is the archival Behind-the-Scenes Featurette, hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones, which presents interviews with key cast and crew members. The inclusion of both teaser and theatrical trailers rounds out the package, offering fans a nostalgic revisit to the film's original promotional material.

Extras included in this disc:

• Filmmaker Focus: Director Jan de Bont on The Haunting: Director discusses working with Spielberg, cast, and effects.
• Behind-the-Scenes Featurette: Archival program with interviews and B-roll footage hosted by Catherine Zeta-Jones.
• Teaser Trailer: Shorter trailer presented in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1.
• Theatrical Trailer: Original trailer in anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1.

Jan de Bont's 1999 remake of "The Haunting" breathes new life into Hill House by opting for a grandiose, visually driven style over the subtler, psychological terror of Robert Wise's 1963 adaptation. The film pivots significantly from its predecessor by foregrounding more overtly supernatural elements, enhanced by Industrial Light & Magic's exceptional visual effects. The mansion itself is a character, brought to vivid life by production designer Eugenio Zanetti and cinematographer Karl Walter Lindenlaub. Complementing the visuals, Jerry Goldsmith’s atmospheric score and Gary Rydstrom’s sound mix effectively create an immersive experience that keeps the audience on edge.

The narrative centers on Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) and his unsuspecting research subjects—Theo (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Luke (Owen Wilson), and Nell (Lili Taylor)—who find themselves embroiled in more than a mere study on fear when the malevolent essence of Hill House begins to manifest. Although the screenplay by David Self and uncredited Michael Tolkin had potential, it suffers from underdeveloped characters and a plotline that deviates significantly from Shirley Jackson's original 1959 novel, "The Haunting of Hill House." However, Lili Taylor's portrayal of the troubled and eerie Nell stands out, giving depth to a otherwise thin character ensemble.

While the film garners praise for its production design and initial build-up, it falters in its latter half due to an overreliance on CGI that strips away much of the mystery and shifts focus to less effective jump scares. Despite these shortcomings, de Bont manages to deliver an entertaining, if not deeply substantive, haunted house experience. The cast's performances, particularly those of Neeson and Taylor, effectively anchor the film, though some, like Zeta-Jones and Wilson, struggle to fully engage given their underwritten roles. Nonetheless, "The Haunting" succeeds in delivering a visually compelling spectacle that aligns well with de Bont's penchant for high-octane, popcorn-friendly cinema.

Scream Factory's 4K Ultra HD release of "The Haunting" (1999) presents an elevated, if not transformative, viewing experience for this haunted house thriller. While de Bont’s film significantly diverges from Robert Wise's 1963 psychological masterpiece, it offers its own visual and auditory allure. The HDR transfer is commendable, showcasing superior video quality over Paramount's previous Blu-ray. However, the difference is subtle and might not justify an upgrade for casual viewers.

The audio mix shift—from DTS Master to Dolby TrueHD—adds a nuanced depth to the soundstage, enhancing the atmospheric and eerie ambiance crucial to the film's impact. Nonetheless, what will likely disappoint enthusiasts is the lack of new supplemental material. Scream Factory has opted to recycle extras from prior home video releases, missing an opportunity to add fresh insights or behind-the-scenes content that would entice collectors and aficionados.

In conclusion, "The Haunting" (1999) on 4K Ultra HD by Scream Factory is a technically solid release, offering the best home video presentation to date for dedicated fans. Its visual upgrade and audio mix improvements ensure an engaging experience. However, given the absence of new extras, those who already possess the Paramount Blu-ray edition may consider waiting for a price drop. This edition earns a solid recommendation for those enamored by de Bont’s stylistic take on the haunted house genre.