When I reject a film outright, I don’t completely forget about it. Rather I hold on to that film and approach it with new eyes in a few years. This is what happened with Crimson Peak. In 2016 1 outright rejected the film. I felt I was given a bill of spoiled goods. A film not quite a horror film and not quite a Romance. I should have looked to my favorite literary Romance for the answer, Jayne Eyre.
Crimson Peak comes from the same literary tradition of Gothic Romances. With that lens, the del Toro film is one of the most mislabeled films of the last few years. A doomed Romance with a huge fatalistic streak and a ghost story sadder than it is frightening. Del Toro is working in his wheelhouse as much as anything he has done before giving us one of the most unusual films of his career (that is until The Shape of Water).
The story of the complicated triangles of Romance betwixt Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), Dr. Alan McMichael (Charlie Hunnam), and Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) all play a part in the Romance but in the most unexpected way. Murders corruption, extortion, murder, and gaslighting all play a part in the story of Crimson Peak. The film plays out as more mystery than a ghost or haunted house story.
Though it is not the travesty I or others thought. The same directorial flourishes, themes, and production designs that earmark a del Toro production are here. What is lacking is the sort of genetically ingrained passion. Similar to Scorsese’s King of Comedy, the film is brilliant but lacks the director’s trademark passion and replaces it with a distance from the subject.
Crimson Peak feels like a director spread too thin, someone though creative not inspired beyond his normal fetishes and conventions. That is the biggest question and critique at the heart of Crimson Peak. Can a film be a vital and worthy entry into a director’s filmography if it’s told without the normal passion that the director is known for? In the aforementioned King of Comedy, the answer is an unreserved yes because that is partially the point and how the director envisioned the piece. In this case, it is more yes than no.
Crimson Peak will remain one of the lesser del Toro efforts but will still attract its share of ardent detractors and fans alike. Ultimately, this is both Crimson Peak‘s gift and curse. However, my fascination has only grown in the intervening years. The gift of Crimson Peak, for this reviewer, is returning to the film and having found my views on it have changed. Where my passionate love of Shape of Water has waned my interest in Crimson Peak. Given even more time who knows what my opinion may be.
The Transfer
The 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), approved by director Guillermo Del Toro is a marvel of what the format can be. Here are my original thoughts on the Arrow Blu-ray release.
Though not listed, this re-grading and possibly New Transfer is nothing short of stunning. The image from the original release was always a more “red-hued” transfer. It suffered from every worse impulse that Universal Home Video has, pushing the color, DNR’ing the image to within an inch of its life. Those issues are gone. What you’re left with is what you expect from a Guillermo Del Toro Blu-Ray, a beautifully crisp image with the right amount of grain structure giving an almost ethereal beauty to the transfer making it feel like a 35mm print. It’s nothing short of stunning and this alone would be worth the price of the upgrade.
The 4K UHD edition doubles down on all the positives of the Blu-ray release but with the added flourish of what’s possible with the High Dynamic Range of the format. The image is darker but there’s subtlety in the contrast and blacks and the result is a more luminous image. Crimson Peak has never looked better, even in theaters, than it does on 4K UHD.
The Extras
They include the following;
Audio commentary by co-writer and director Guillermo del Toro
The House is Alive: Constructing Crimson Peak, a feature-length documentary with cast and crew interviews and extensive behind the scenes footage
Spanish language interview with Guillermo del Toro
The Gothic Corridor, The Scullery, The Red Clay Mines, The Limbo Fog Set; four featurettes exploring different aspects of Allerdale Hall
A Primer on Gothic Romance, the director and stars talk about the key traits of Gothic romance
The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak, the cast and crew talk about the film’s use of colour
Hand Tailored Gothic, a featurette on the film’s striking costumes
A Living Thing, a look at the design, modelling and construction of the Allerdale Hall sets
Beware of Crimson Peak, a walking tour around Allerdale Hall with Tom Hiddleston
Crimson Phantoms, a featurette on the film’s amazing ghosts
Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance, an interview with the author and critic
Violence and Beauty in Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films, a video essay by the writer Kat Ellinger
Deleted scenes
Image galleries
Original trailers and TV spots
Note: ALL special features appear on the 4K UHD disc. It cannot be understated how great it is that Arrow Video continues to do this while other brands do not.
The Audio Commentary is ported over from the original Blu-ray release back in 2016 so I will not go into detail as I usually do as it isn’t a new commentary track nor one created specifically for this release. I will note that per usual del Toro is a magnificent speaker and takes the listener on an audio tour of the production. One can usually listen to a del Toro commentary multiple times for sheer entertainment value – this track is no different. The director known as a raconteur does not disappoint. Though director sounds a bit wounded from the reception of his film and is in a bit of a defensive mood (it was recorded only a week or two out from its theatrical release). As the movie moves forward del Toro lets his guard down and is back to his jovial and detailed self. If one has not listened to this track do so immediately. Well after you’ve watch the film of course.
The House Is Alive (50:00) – is an archival documentary created for the Arrow Blu-ray release on the making of Crimson Peak. This is honestly this is the kind of feature one comes to expect from a Guillermo del Toro Special Editions that was not present on the film’s initial release back in 2016. This documentary is a great nuts and bolts making-of but done with a huge streak of artistry. Beautifully edited and composed the featurette is composed of talking head interviews, behind-the-scenes b-roll footage, and pre-production art. The detail they go into is astounding from the origins of the film to the fact they built the entire house (both interior and exterior) on location to the detailed models that Production Designer Tom Sanders had done in preparation of working with del Toro. It is one of the most considered and artful making-of’s that this reviewer has seen.
An Interview with Guillermo del Toro (8:35) – the archival Spanish Language interview with del Toro runs he covers a lot of the references that went into creating the film. Films and novels like Dragonwyck, Rebecca, and Gaslight and how they formed a “visual cohesion” for the film and worked as references for the actors to explore.
Allerdale Hall: Four Featurettes – The Gothic Corridor (4:06), The Scullery (4:24), The Red Clay Mines (5:18), The Limbo Fog Set (5:42) – are four archival featurettes discussing each of the sets in detail with comments by Guillermo del Toro, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, and Tom Hiddleston. The featurettes also discuss how the production design relates to the themes of the film. One has the option with these featurettes to play individually or can use the “Play All” option.
A Primer on Gothic Romance (5:36) – is an archival featurette with soundbites from Jessica Chastain, Guillermo del Toro, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Jim Beaver, and Charlie Hunnam. The featurette pulls out behind-the-scenes photos, production art, and various other clips to explore the difference between Gothic Romance and Gothic Horror.
The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak (7:53) – is an archival featurette featuring comments by Shane Vineau and others from the crew about the use of Color in the sets and how they differ from Buffalo, New York, and England. An interesting tidbit about the story, del Toro chose Buffalo as it was the most “electrified” city in 1902.
Hand Tailored Gothic (8:58) – is an archival interview with del Toro and Costume Designer Kate Hawey about the intricate costumes. The featurette goes into how the Costumes worked within the confines of the sets and were specifically designed for that purpose.
A Living Thing (12:11) – is an archival featurette with del Toro and Tom Sanders discussing the creation of the amazing sets and the house which was built as an entire interior and exterior set. Sanders goes into detail about how the house is not Gothic but Gothic revival and was designed as another “character”. The featurette is amazing if just for getting more up-close views of the models that Sanders built.
Beware of Crimson Peak (7:51) – is an archival guided tour of the Allerdale Hall set by Tom Hiddleston on the last day of production. It’s too bad that the tour isn’t one long continuous take but all the same its impressive to get an idea of how interconnected everything is on the set.
Crimson Phantoms (7:02) is an archival featurette on the “Ghosts” featured in the film. David Martí and Montse Ribé, along with del Toro, who were the primary designers discuss the challenges and unique design of the spirit.
Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance (17:36) – is an archival video essay where Newman discusses the Gothic Romance tradition including Hitchcock’s Rebecca, The Bronte Sisters, The Corman/Price Poe Adaptations, Mario Bava, and even how this relates to the Twilight Series and Fifty Shades of Grey.
Violence and Beauty in Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films (23:36) – in this archival Video Essay by critic Kat Ellinger on the work of Guillermo del Toro and how Crimson Peak, Pan’s Labrythin, The Devil’s Backbone, and The Shape of Water all take from both Faire Tales and Gothic Romances. Here the essay shows us the subtle differences between the two using del Toro’s filmography as an example.
Deleted Scenes (4:24) –Judging by the polished and completed nature of the work it appears that this was last minute trims before the release. Nothing that will change opinions but interesting odds and ends no less. One has the option with these featurettes to play individually or can use the “Play All” option.
The Park (1:02)
Thomas’ Presentation (0:57)
Father Consoles Daughter (0:48)
Thomas Sees A Ghost (0:50)
Lucille at the Piano (1:01)
Original Trailers and TV Spots
US Theatrical Trailer (2:35)
International Theatrical Trailer (2:27)
TV Spots (1:04) – two 30-second spots
Image Galleries
Production Stills – consisting of 18 images. Which can be navigated using your next and back chapter stop button on your remote.
Behind the Scenes – consisting of 17 images. Which can be navigated using your next and back chapter stop button on your remote.
The Final Thought
Arrow Video has again given us a wonderful upgrade to a Blu-ray release. The Transfer alone makes Crimson Peak a worthy double dip. Highest recommendations!
Crimson Peak gets a gorgeous 4K UHD upgraded Collector’s Edition thanks to Arrow Video.
The Film
When I reject a film outright, I don’t completely forget about it. Rather I hold on to that film and approach it with new eyes in a few years. This is what happened with Crimson Peak. In 2016 1 outright rejected the film. I felt I was given a bill of spoiled goods. A film not quite a horror film and not quite a Romance. I should have looked to my favorite literary Romance for the answer, Jayne Eyre.
Crimson Peak comes from the same literary tradition of Gothic Romances. With that lens, the del Toro film is one of the most mislabeled films of the last few years. A doomed Romance with a huge fatalistic streak and a ghost story sadder than it is frightening. Del Toro is working in his wheelhouse as much as anything he has done before giving us one of the most unusual films of his career (that is until The Shape of Water).
The story of the complicated triangles of Romance betwixt Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), Dr. Alan McMichael (Charlie Hunnam), and Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) all play a part in the Romance but in the most unexpected way. Murders corruption, extortion, murder, and gaslighting all play a part in the story of Crimson Peak. The film plays out as more mystery than a ghost or haunted house story.
Though it is not the travesty I or others thought. The same directorial flourishes, themes, and production designs that earmark a del Toro production are here. What is lacking is the sort of genetically ingrained passion. Similar to Scorsese’s King of Comedy, the film is brilliant but lacks the director’s trademark passion and replaces it with a distance from the subject.
Crimson Peak feels like a director spread too thin, someone though creative not inspired beyond his normal fetishes and conventions. That is the biggest question and critique at the heart of Crimson Peak. Can a film be a vital and worthy entry into a director’s filmography if it’s told without the normal passion that the director is known for? In the aforementioned King of Comedy, the answer is an unreserved yes because that is partially the point and how the director envisioned the piece. In this case, it is more yes than no.
Crimson Peak will remain one of the lesser del Toro efforts but will still attract its share of ardent detractors and fans alike. Ultimately, this is both Crimson Peak‘s gift and curse. However, my fascination has only grown in the intervening years. The gift of Crimson Peak, for this reviewer, is returning to the film and having found my views on it have changed. Where my passionate love of Shape of Water has waned my interest in Crimson Peak. Given even more time who knows what my opinion may be.
The Transfer
The 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible), approved by director Guillermo Del Toro is a marvel of what the format can be. Here are my original thoughts on the Arrow Blu-ray release.
Though not listed, this re-grading and possibly New Transfer is nothing short of stunning. The image from the original release was always a more “red-hued” transfer. It suffered from every worse impulse that Universal Home Video has, pushing the color, DNR’ing the image to within an inch of its life. Those issues are gone. What you’re left with is what you expect from a Guillermo Del Toro Blu-Ray, a beautifully crisp image with the right amount of grain structure giving an almost ethereal beauty to the transfer making it feel like a 35mm print. It’s nothing short of stunning and this alone would be worth the price of the upgrade.
The 4K UHD edition doubles down on all the positives of the Blu-ray release but with the added flourish of what’s possible with the High Dynamic Range of the format. The image is darker but there’s subtlety in the contrast and blacks and the result is a more luminous image. Crimson Peak has never looked better, even in theaters, than it does on 4K UHD.
The Extras
They include the following;
Note: ALL special features appear on the 4K UHD disc. It cannot be understated how great it is that Arrow Video continues to do this while other brands do not.
The Audio Commentary is ported over from the original Blu-ray release back in 2016 so I will not go into detail as I usually do as it isn’t a new commentary track nor one created specifically for this release. I will note that per usual del Toro is a magnificent speaker and takes the listener on an audio tour of the production. One can usually listen to a del Toro commentary multiple times for sheer entertainment value – this track is no different. The director known as a raconteur does not disappoint. Though director sounds a bit wounded from the reception of his film and is in a bit of a defensive mood (it was recorded only a week or two out from its theatrical release). As the movie moves forward del Toro lets his guard down and is back to his jovial and detailed self. If one has not listened to this track do so immediately. Well after you’ve watch the film of course.
The House Is Alive (50:00) – is an archival documentary created for the Arrow Blu-ray release on the making of Crimson Peak. This is honestly this is the kind of feature one comes to expect from a Guillermo del Toro Special Editions that was not present on the film’s initial release back in 2016. This documentary is a great nuts and bolts making-of but done with a huge streak of artistry. Beautifully edited and composed the featurette is composed of talking head interviews, behind-the-scenes b-roll footage, and pre-production art. The detail they go into is astounding from the origins of the film to the fact they built the entire house (both interior and exterior) on location to the detailed models that Production Designer Tom Sanders had done in preparation of working with del Toro. It is one of the most considered and artful making-of’s that this reviewer has seen.
An Interview with Guillermo del Toro (8:35) – the archival Spanish Language interview with del Toro runs he covers a lot of the references that went into creating the film. Films and novels like Dragonwyck, Rebecca, and Gaslight and how they formed a “visual cohesion” for the film and worked as references for the actors to explore.
Allerdale Hall: Four Featurettes – The Gothic Corridor (4:06), The Scullery (4:24), The Red Clay Mines (5:18), The Limbo Fog Set (5:42) – are four archival featurettes discussing each of the sets in detail with comments by Guillermo del Toro, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska, and Tom Hiddleston. The featurettes also discuss how the production design relates to the themes of the film. One has the option with these featurettes to play individually or can use the “Play All” option.
A Primer on Gothic Romance (5:36) – is an archival featurette with soundbites from Jessica Chastain, Guillermo del Toro, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Jim Beaver, and Charlie Hunnam. The featurette pulls out behind-the-scenes photos, production art, and various other clips to explore the difference between Gothic Romance and Gothic Horror.
The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak (7:53) – is an archival featurette featuring comments by Shane Vineau and others from the crew about the use of Color in the sets and how they differ from Buffalo, New York, and England. An interesting tidbit about the story, del Toro chose Buffalo as it was the most “electrified” city in 1902.
Hand Tailored Gothic (8:58) – is an archival interview with del Toro and Costume Designer Kate Hawey about the intricate costumes. The featurette goes into how the Costumes worked within the confines of the sets and were specifically designed for that purpose.
A Living Thing (12:11) – is an archival featurette with del Toro and Tom Sanders discussing the creation of the amazing sets and the house which was built as an entire interior and exterior set. Sanders goes into detail about how the house is not Gothic but Gothic revival and was designed as another “character”. The featurette is amazing if just for getting more up-close views of the models that Sanders built.
Beware of Crimson Peak (7:51) – is an archival guided tour of the Allerdale Hall set by Tom Hiddleston on the last day of production. It’s too bad that the tour isn’t one long continuous take but all the same its impressive to get an idea of how interconnected everything is on the set.
Crimson Phantoms (7:02) is an archival featurette on the “Ghosts” featured in the film. David Martí and Montse Ribé, along with del Toro, who were the primary designers discuss the challenges and unique design of the spirit.
Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance (17:36) – is an archival video essay where Newman discusses the Gothic Romance tradition including Hitchcock’s Rebecca, The Bronte Sisters, The Corman/Price Poe Adaptations, Mario Bava, and even how this relates to the Twilight Series and Fifty Shades of Grey.
Violence and Beauty in Guillermo del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films (23:36) – in this archival Video Essay by critic Kat Ellinger on the work of Guillermo del Toro and how Crimson Peak, Pan’s Labrythin, The Devil’s Backbone, and The Shape of Water all take from both Faire Tales and Gothic Romances. Here the essay shows us the subtle differences between the two using del Toro’s filmography as an example.
Deleted Scenes (4:24) –Judging by the polished and completed nature of the work it appears that this was last minute trims before the release. Nothing that will change opinions but interesting odds and ends no less. One has the option with these featurettes to play individually or can use the “Play All” option.
Original Trailers and TV Spots
Image Galleries
The Final Thought
Arrow Video has again given us a wonderful upgrade to a Blu-ray release. The Transfer alone makes Crimson Peak a worthy double dip. Highest recommendations!
Arrow Video’s 4K UHD Edition of Crimson Peak is out May 21st
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