The Faculty (1998) – 4K Ultra HD Disc Review
Format: 4K Ultra HD (Included in 4K + Blu-ray combo)
Release Date: December 17, 2024
️ Runtime: 104 minutes
️ Genres: Horror | Thriller | Teen | Mystery | Sci-Fi
Rating: R
Shout! Factory’s 4K release of The Faculty presents a clean and mostly impressive Dolby Vision image sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, approved by Robert Rodriguez. The film’s heavy nighttime settings are handled well with deep blacks, though some scenes teeter on the edge of crushing fine shadow details. Textures are nicely improved — facial details, gore effects, and the damp, grimy high school interiors show excellent clarity. Colors are richer and sharper than previous Blu-ray releases, with the 1990s wardrobe (bold primaries and earth tones) popping just enough without looking garish. Fine grain is present, organic, and gives the image an appropriately cinematic feel. Highlight control is excellent, avoiding overblown peaks, and the source is generally very clean with minimal visible damage. A solid, natural-looking upgrade for fans of this cult sci-fi horror flick.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track makes the most of the movie’s tense and atmospheric design. Dialogue is sharp and well prioritized, cleanly delivering lines despite occasional mumbled performances. The front soundstage is lively, with surrounds kicking in effectively during chaotic scenes — football field confrontations, pool attacks, and alien transformations all get nice immersive boosts. Scoring and 1990s soundtrack selections are crisply rendered. Low-end presence adds weight during major alien set-pieces, with solid bass extension that helps the action sequences feel more impactful. While not a wall-shaking Atmos experience, it’s a very satisfying, clean, and immersive track.
(All extras appear on the 4K disc.)
❗ Note: No theatrical trailer is included.
The extras are solid for what they are, but fans might miss a retrospective documentary or new cast interviews. At least the practical FX work gets some good attention.
The Faculty may not live up to its rich potential — Rodriguez’s direction is oddly sluggish and Williamson’s script less clever than Scream — but it remains a beloved slice of ’90s teen horror nostalgia. Shout! Factory’s 4K release offers a significant visual upgrade, lively audio, and a couple of enjoyable (if brief) special features.
RECOMMENDED for cult horror/sci-fi fans and ‘90s completists who want the best version available.
$29.99
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The Faculty (1998) – 4K Ultra HD Disc Review
Format: 4K Ultra HD (Included in 4K + Blu-ray combo)
Release Date: December 17, 2024
️ Runtime: 104 minutes
️ Genres: Horror | Thriller | Teen | Mystery | Sci-Fi
Rating: R
Shout! Factory’s 4K release of The Faculty presents a clean and mostly impressive Dolby Vision image sourced from a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, approved by Robert Rodriguez. The film’s heavy nighttime settings are handled well with deep blacks, though some scenes teeter on the edge of crushing fine shadow details. Textures are nicely improved — facial details, gore effects, and the damp, grimy high school interiors show excellent clarity. Colors are richer and sharper than previous Blu-ray releases, with the 1990s wardrobe (bold primaries and earth tones) popping just enough without looking garish. Fine grain is present, organic, and gives the image an appropriately cinematic feel. Highlight control is excellent, avoiding overblown peaks, and the source is generally very clean with minimal visible damage. A solid, natural-looking upgrade for fans of this cult sci-fi horror flick.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track makes the most of the movie’s tense and atmospheric design. Dialogue is sharp and well prioritized, cleanly delivering lines despite occasional mumbled performances. The front soundstage is lively, with surrounds kicking in effectively during chaotic scenes — football field confrontations, pool attacks, and alien transformations all get nice immersive boosts. Scoring and 1990s soundtrack selections are crisply rendered. Low-end presence adds weight during major alien set-pieces, with solid bass extension that helps the action sequences feel more impactful. While not a wall-shaking Atmos experience, it’s a very satisfying, clean, and immersive track.
(All extras appear on the 4K disc.)
❗ Note: No theatrical trailer is included.
The extras are solid for what they are, but fans might miss a retrospective documentary or new cast interviews. At least the practical FX work gets some good attention.
The Faculty may not live up to its rich potential — Rodriguez’s direction is oddly sluggish and Williamson’s script less clever than Scream — but it remains a beloved slice of ’90s teen horror nostalgia. Shout! Factory’s 4K release offers a significant visual upgrade, lively audio, and a couple of enjoyable (if brief) special features.
RECOMMENDED for cult horror/sci-fi fans and ‘90s completists who want the best version available.
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