Mandy Blu-ray Review

RLJ Entertainment's Blu-ray release of "Mandy" delivers a striking and faithful video presentation that thoroughly aligns with director Panos Cosmatos' unique visual style. Utilizing digital filming through Alexa cameras with anamorphic lenses, the production aims to evoke a gritty, grimy 16mm film look. This is enhanced by deliberate post-production modifications that add a film grain texture, setting the stage for a surreal early '80s aesthetic. The 1080p, AVC-encoded image is meticulously crafted, maintaining a hefty average bitrate of 27.99 Mbps on a BD-50.

Colors in "Mandy" are tinted away from realism, featuring psychedelic hues often compared to Hammer horror films—blue, red, and green lights flood the scenes, creating a mescaline-fueled visual explosion. Nearly a third of the film is bathed in pure red, challenging the Blu-ray's compression but handled impressively without introducing banding or artifacts. Notably, the film oscillates between clean digital sharpness and low-res, noise-filled scenes, contributing to its intended ragged '80s paperback fantasy novel feel.

The artistic choice for softening and underlighting to augment mood is clear; figures are frequently underlit, reducing detail intentionally. However, close-ups reveal substantial textural detail, particularly in later scenes where Nicholas Cage’s blood-splattered visage stands out. Black levels in the film are often crushed by heavy contrasting light, with shadows shifting to blue, boosting the psychedelic ambiance. Though some noise persists in darker outdoor scenes, medium indoor sequences and close-ups retain sharp clarity. Overall, while Mandy’s visuals are highly stylized and non-realistic, this Blu-ray preserves the director’s intent masterfully, offering an immersive and intoxicating visual experience.

"Mandy" arrives on Blu-ray boasting a robust DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, delivering an immersive and intense auditory experience that's thoroughly engaging. The score by the late Jóhann Jóhannsson, one of his last, integrates everything from haunting electronic tunes to doom metal-inspired pieces in collaboration with drone metal guitarist Stephen O'Malley. This eclectic mix of screeching guitar riffs, 80s synth tones, and eerie atmospherics adds a thick, resonant layer to the film’s soundscape, enveloping the viewer completely.

While the dynamic range is somewhat subdued and channel separation mainly enhances music over discrete effects, the mix still utilizes the full breadth of the sound field effectively. Violent sequences are accompanied by loud, impactful effects that stand out for their clarity and precision. Notably, moments like Jeremiah's morphing face scene demonstrate the mix’s ability to extend dialogue through all five speakers, placing the viewer in a disoriented state similar to Mandy's drugged perspective. Despite dialogue being occasionally buried within the aural chaos, it is mostly well-balanced and centrally located, capturing both the softer monologues and the wild action sequences with equal fidelity.

Dialogue exchanges handled through a strong center channel ensure clarity, even during intense moments. This audio track offers a demo-worthy experience, pulling in multidimensional effects such as gunshots, bike roars, and burning flesh that bring the woodland horror-scape vividly to life. It may lack the full 3D audio design of DTS:X or Dolby Atmos, but it compensates with its sheer intensity and richness, ensuring that your sound system gets a significant workout. The combination of Johansson's score and the film's sound design successfully immerses viewers in its unique, oppressive atmosphere.

The Blu-ray release of "Mandy" offers a limited but high-quality selection of extras that enhance the viewer's experience. The standout is a comprehensive 22-minute behind-the-scenes featurette that delves into the thematic style of the film, featuring interviews with cast and crew, and enhanced by concept art, storyboards, and on-set footage. Viewers will appreciate director Panos Cosmatos's insights into his filmmaking process. Additionally, the disc includes a 14-minute compilation of deleted and extended scenes. These segments provide more depth to characters and plot elements, particularly extending Nick Cage's dialogue and detailing the Black Skulls biker gang's background, though some scenes underscore the film's unique, surreal nature.

Extras included in this disc:

• Behind the Scenes: An extended series of interviews with cast and crew, interspersed with film excerpts, concept art, storyboards, and on-set footage.
• Deleted & Extended Scenes: A compilation of scenes excluded from the final cut, adding depth to characters and context to scenes.

Panos Cosmatos' Mandy is a fever dream of vivid imagery and hallucinatory madness that defies genre expectations. Set in 1983, the film follows Nicolas Cage's Red Miller, a lumberjack living a peaceful life with his girlfriend Mandy, portrayed by Andrea Riseborough. Their tranquility is shattered when Mandy catches the eye of a deranged cult leader who summons a demonic biker gang to kidnap her. This sends Red on an unhinged, blood-soaked quest for vengeance.

Mandy’s visual style is its standout feature, drenched in a psychedelic haze that recalls the aesthetic of 80s heavy metal album covers. The film employs blown-out colors, mist, and haze to create stunning, otherworldly frames. Cosmatos' use of neon lights, lens flares, and vivid primary tones reflects the influence of music video culture, immersing viewers in an oppressive, surreal atmosphere. These visual elements are enhanced by Jóhann Jóhannsson’s haunting score, adding depth to the nightmarish experience.

Nicolas Cage's performance as Red is a tour de force of controlled chaos, cementing his status as an icon of cult cinema. His transformation from a stoic logger to a frenzied avenger is depicted through wild, unrestrained scenes of raw emotion and physical intensity. Andrea Riseborough's Mandy is equally compelling, her enigmatic presence adding depth to the narrative. Linus Roache’s portrayal of the cult leader Jeremiah Sands delivers a mesmerizing mix of charisma and insanity.

While Mandy occasionally veers into over-indulgence and dizzying self-awareness, it remains an unforgettable audiovisual experience that merges 80s exploitation with trippy psychedelia. It’s a film that revels in its excesses, crafting an immersive, visceral journey that lingers long after the credits roll.

"Mandy" is an unabashedly surreal and violent horror film that stands out as a distinctive entry in the genre. Directed by Panos Cosmatos, it delivers a unique revenge story through hallucinatory visuals, genre-defying elements, and a relentless auditory landscape crafted by Jóhann Jóhannsson in his final composition. This Blu-ray release from RLJE Films showcases exceptional video quality, preserving the director's intent with vivid colors and deep blacks, while the audio presentation immerses viewers in a haunting and atmospheric soundscape. Those fortunate enough to obtain this HMV exclusive will appreciate the impressive technical merits complemented by a solid selection of bonus features.

While "Mandy" has polarized critics, it has garnered a cult following for its bold style and intense performances, particularly by Nicolas Cage, who delivers one of his most unhinged yet compelling roles in years. The film's deliberate pacing, excessive violence, and visually challenging elements might deter some viewers accustomed to conventional cinema. Nevertheless, for those willing to embrace its eccentricities, "Mandy" offers an unforgettable sensory journey that pushes the boundaries of contemporary horror.

With marmite suitably spread all over by way of warning, this also comes with a recommendation.

There's absolutely no doubt that this is going to be a complete and utter marmite movie - with some balking at the pretentious overkill that the director displays with visual and aural excesses that are only eclipsed by the wide-eyed madness displayed by a full-tilt Nic Cage. Others, however, might appreciate turning the lights off, turning the volume up, and getting drowned by this utterly insane little sensory overload of a film - actually Cage's best film in years - coming replete with hallucinatory visuals and enhanced no end by the oppressive majesty of the late Jóhann Jóhannsson's very last LFE-infused beats.

If you fall into the latter camp, then don't be worried about the lack of (non-third-party-seller) Blu-ray options popping up on your Amazon search; this baby is an HMV exclusive, and with strong video and demo audio, as well as a few nice extras, it'll make the most bewildering Christmas present you could deign to get yourself - or some unsuspecting work colleague perhaps. With marmite suitably spread all over by way of warning, this also comes with a recommendation.