Cursed (2005) (Collector’s Edition) [Blu-Ray]

Director: Wes Craven

Cast: Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson, Jesse Eisenberg

Release Date: May 10, 2022

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Disc Rating: 8.5/10

Synopsis:

A werewolf loose in Los Angeles changes the lives of three young adults who, after being mauled by the beast, learn that the only way to break the curse put upon them is to kill the one who started it all!

From master of horror Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson (Scream), CURSED howls its way into your home as a 2-disc Collector’s Edition, featuring both the Theatrical and Unrated cuts of the film!

Please Note: Shout! Factory provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

‘Cursed’ follows two estranged siblings who find their lives thrown into turmoil after a car crash in L.A. ends with them being attacked by a vicious wolf-like creature. They soon begin to realize that they’ve been cursed by the mark of the beast and that regardless of how crazy it sounds, they’re dealing with a werewolf loose in Hollywood. Now they’ll have to find a way to discover who started the curse if they hope to stop it before it’s too late. Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, ‘Cursed’ was originally released in 2005 and features a notable cast that includes Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson, Jesse Eisenberg, Judy Greer, Scott Baio, Milo Ventimiglia, Shannon Elizabeth and Mya.

‘Cursed’ is a film with a behind the scenes legacy that ironically enough was truly cursed in its own right, with Dimension stepping in and demanding numerous changes and alterations to the point where the film was changed so drastically that manyof the original cast and characters (not to mention storyline) were scrapped just prior to completion of filming and a new film was crafted only to also be hastily and severely edited to a PG-13 rating prior to release. While we may never have the opportunity to see the initial vision of the film, we were at least provided  an Unrated Cut on DVD that featured the R-Rated take on the final product with most of the gore, cursing and adult jokes restored. While it’s naturally hard to ignore the lore and tales of what might have been, I’ve still always been a fan of the unrated cut for what it is and even while a bit heavier on the CGI than many fans might have liked, the unrated cut serves up a fun and enjoyable ride altogether that has plenty of charms. Now, thanks to Scream Factory we at least have the opportunity to own the unrated version in high definition on Blu-ray which is a treat in its own right and honestly even more than many fans expected to see come to fruition for this film.

Scream Factory’s new 2-disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release of ‘Cursed’ brings both the Theatrical and Unrated cuts of the Wes Craven directed film home on Blu-ray and also marks the first time that the Unrated Cut has ever been released on Blu-ray (just to clarify, the Unrated Cut is the same edition that was released on DVD, not a previously unseen cut) and each with pretty great new high definition video presentations from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative; each also provided its own disc for the best possible quality. The release features all of the previously released extras from the DVD in addition to a couple brand new extras created just for this new Blu-ray edition. The end result is a surprisingly solid release for the movie which fellow fans should thoroughly appreciate. If you’re a fan of the film as is and have been waiting for the unrated cut to hit Blu-ray, then this new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release will probably be a must own.

Overall, the 2-disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release of ‘Cursed’ from Scream Factory brings the gorier and more vulgar unrated cut of the film home on Blu-ray for the first time, in addition to featuring the PG-13 theatrical cut, both of which are granted quite gorgeous new high definition video presentations (and on separate discs for optimum quality) from 4K scans of the original camera negative and paired with solid multichannel DTS-HD MA soundtracks. Add to that a couple of brand new extras exclusive to the release and some previously released extras and it all comes together into a rewarding new Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release that fans of this “cursed” Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson outing should be thrilled with. If you’re a fan of ‘Cursed’ and have been hoping to see the unrated cut hit Blu-ray, this new Blu-ray release is highly recommended.

VIDEO:

The Scream Factory Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release of ‘Cursed’ features a full 1080p High Definition presentation from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative on both the Theatrical and Unrated Cuts with the film’s original 2.40:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. The video presentations on both discs/cuts look wonderful as a whole and deliver sharp, clean and richly detailed presentations from start to finish with no noticeable issues or troubles to be uncovered along the way. They both hold up impressively even during the various darkly lit and fast moving moments throughout and never allow anything that’s occurring onscreen to become negatively affected or problematic. Overall, these are pretty fantastic high definition video presentations that should thrill fans of the film who have been hoping to see the unrated cut finally arrive on Blu-ray.

AUDIO:

The Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release features a 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack for both versions of the film. These multichannel soundtracks provide clean, crisp and notably immersive audio presentations that shouldn’t disappoint in the slightest. They take advantage of all five available channels in order to consistently send action, creature and vehicle effects, along with music, bits of crowd chatter and plenty more throughout the various speakers at every fitting opportunity, while always making certain that any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously never become distorted or rendered inaudible in the process. Overall, these are great 5.1 DTS-HD MA soundtracks that sound solid every step of the way and deliver a more clean and sharp audio experience than the film has ever been granted before.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Scream Factory Collector’s Edition Blu-ray release of ‘Cursed’ features a nice helping of bonus material including a couple brand new extras created specifically for this release. The various extras are broken down by disc below.

Disc One (Theatrical Cut) includes the majority of extras. Included on the disc are 2 all-new interviews including ‘A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing with Derek Mears’ (running approximately 14 minutes in length) and ‘A Movie That Lives Up To Its Title with Editor Patrick Lussier’ (running approximately 18 minutes). We are also treated to some previously released extras in the way of Behind the Scenes Featurettes that feature interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and more. They include ‘Behind the Fangs: The Making of Cursed’ (running approximately 7 minutes), ‘The Cursed Effects’ (approximately 7 minutes), ‘Creature Editing 101’ (5 minutes) and ‘Becoming a Werewolf’ (8 minutes). The film’s ‘Theatrical Trailer’ (2 minutes) is also included.

Disc Two (Unrated Cut) doesn’t feature a great deal in the way of bonus content, but it does include ‘Select Scene Audio Commentary with Special Makeup Effects Supervisor Greg Nicotero and Actor Derek Mears’ on 4 key scenes. The four scenes featuring commentary are ‘Car Wreck’, ‘Parking Garage’, ‘Tinsel’ and ‘Final Fight’.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Unrated Cut Blu-Ray disc and resized. They will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on this Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

–

Disc Rating: 8.5/10

–

Wes Craven & Kevin Williamson’s ‘Cursed’ Will Be Available to Own on 2-Disc Collector’s Edition Blu-ray May 10, 2022 from Scream Factory!

–

You can purchase your copy of the ‘Cursed: Collector’s Edition’ by clicking on the Amazon icon below, or purchase it directly from Shout Factory HERE!

–

*Screen-Connections.com is an Amazon Associate that earns from qualifying purchases