2025 is feeling like *the year* for director Tarsem Singh and his fans. First, the announcement for his upcoming 4K UHD restoration of The Fall (2006) by Umbrella Entertainment (possible theatrical and home release vs. one or the other) and, now, a 4K UHD restoration of his sci-fi horror thriller The Cell (2000) via Arrow Video. Not only is Arrow offering a 4K UHD limited edition of the theatrical cut, it includes a two-minute longer 4K UHD director’s cut approved by Singh *and* an alternate cut in HD approved by cinematographer Paul Laufer (Frankie Starlight). But wait there’s more: the Arrow Video limited edition also includes a combined five new featurettes, as well as a host of archived materials that were previously available on other editions. So, whether you first entered the world of King Stargher in its original theatrical run, explored it on home video, or are just looking to get weird and wild now, you can pick from one of two limited edition restorations and enter the twisted world whenever you please.
At the same time that child psychologist Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez) is working with a group of scientists to test experimental virtual reality-based therapy on catatonic patients, the FBI are tracking a serial killer who’s begun shortening the time gaps between victims. Upon learning of not just a new victim but also a new abductee, FBI Agent Peter Novak (Vince Vaughn) is willing to do anything to capture their suspect and rescue the abductee before its too late. Luckily a lead places Carl Rudolph Stargher (Vincent D’Onofrio) in their sights, but not before he has a medical episode that renders him completely unresponsive. With nowhere else to turn, Novak reaches out to the experimental team in hopes of enlisting Deane’s help in exploring Stargher’s subconscious in order to determine the location of the abductee before its too late. But entering a child’s mind is one thing, whereas entering the shattered mind of a serial killer is another where the rules that should keep you safe and grounded no longer apply.
What follows is based solely on the 4K UHD edition presentation and will not include any information on the accompanying Blu-ray as the provided review copy from MVD Entertainment Group did not include the Blu-ray. Additionally, this review is based on a check disc edition of the 4K UHD, not a retail copy, so there will be no details related to the packaging or any other retail-based included materials.
THE CELL 4K UHD limited edition packshot. Photo courtesy of Arrow Video/MVD Entertainment Group.
What does this leave to discuss? The restoration and the bonus features on the 4K UHD disc.
In the intro to this, there’s a reference to a variety of folks coming to this release and, frankly, this reviewer ranges across most of those different types. I saw The Cell as a sophomore in undergrad as a fan of Lopez’s due to Out of Sight (1998) and Vaughn’s due to Swingers (1996) (though it would be years before I’d connect D’Onofrio to Men in Black (1997)) and walked away dazzled more by the concepts of writer Mark Protosevich’s (I Am Legend) script and the execution of them by director Singh and cinematographer Laufer. The film is a horror show, meant to creep and unsettle with the presentation of Stargher’s violence both outside and inside his mind. That The Cell borrows visual elements from artists like H.R. Giger or works of art like Dawn from Odd Nerdrum only makes the film more wondrously chaotic, the tether that so loosely holds Stargher to reality porous and feeble (unlike the violent King Stargher persona that’s malleable and strapping). Though slow to start, introducing the audience to the conceits of the story and the ways in which what’s real and what’s not blend together, it’s no less evocative, as we’re introduced to a Deane in a white dress riding a horse across a desert to a lone boy amid barren trees. It’s a wasteland except Deane is costumed like some kind of fantasy-based hero, as though she stepped out of The NeverEnding Story (itself a metanarrative about the significance of the mind and adolescent power), exactly what a young boy might find comforting amid a sandy nothingness as he hides from a boogeyman of his own creation. What is this world? Where are they? How did they get there? These questions drive so much of the virtual world Deane navigates, especially once inside the gnarled, grimy world of Stargher’s subconscious, yet, amid the psycho-sexual deviancy that one expects from a killer who drowns, disinfects, and then dresses as a doll his finds (in between using a pulley system to hang himself over them as he pleasures himself), there’s also a different Stargher, a young Stargher, one who had not yet kidnapped, killed, and molested. Here the script really grips you as it grapples with the notion that the abductee and the prior victims aren’t the only ones harmed and whether or not Stargher deserves any kind of affection or gentleness. The script doesn’t make a clear choice as it doesn’t investigate its violent conclusion, rather, it places the events before the audience to make them choose what it all means and why. Though images like the first introduction of King Stargher or Novak’s torture have lingered in my mind for nearly 25 years, the complicated narrative and the performances that made me ache in disquiet then continue to resonant now. That is to say that even with 25 extra years’ worth of life experience that includes becoming a parent, the ambiguity of the ending in terms of whether it’s right or wrong continues to hang in the air as potent as ever.
For the purpose of this restoration review, I opted for the director’s cut, curious what is added with the two-additional minutes and, frankly, I couldn’t tell you what was different. Sometimes choices are bold in director’s cuts, cutting in footage that changed the pace or intent of a film (Watchmen) or absolutely change the narrative foundation itself (Highlander 2: Renegade Cut), but, as far as I can tell, there’s nothing so incendiary here. What can be discussed with certainty is the technical prowess of the release which maintains a steady 70-80 Mbps through the duration of the film with a few spikes in the 90-110 Mbps range. Keeping in mind that standard HD Blu-rays max around 40 Mbps and 4K UHDs max around 120 Mbps, what the bitrate informs is that the quality of the presentation is strong with it nearly at its full potential several times through the viewing. Even when the bitrate drops toward 50, there’s no visual or sound distortion indicative of poor quality. One can surmise that because the 4K UHD disc contains four different audio commentaries (critic, screenwriter, director, and production team (two new, two previously available)), two new featurettes (one feature-length), and two cuts of the film, there’s a lot of data being taken up by the special features *yet* not so much that the data for the film don’t have the space they need to ensure a quality on-disc presentation. Having reviewed WB Home Entertainment’s recent 4K UHD of Se7en and Universal Pictures’s recent 4K UHD of Last Christmas, there are those distributors who happily put out 4K UHD discs with a bitrate more akin to the HD edition and expect audiences to be ok with it. In truth, given the different processes and techniques that Laufer puts the film through in order to achieve the unique look of the virtual world, there are more moments wherein one wouldn’t necessarily realize that they’re watching a 4K UHD disc if not for the increased detail and greater range of color in the already hyper-realized narrative.
Regarding the audio, the edition promises the original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio which means that there’s no real change between this and prior HD releases. What is worth knowing is that, unlike a theater which blasts you from all sides, you’re going to have to do some work in order to hear the dialogue and not get knocked off your feet by the sound design and score. In playing the film through my 5.1 Yamaha surround system, I found myself constantly turning the volume up during dialogue-heavy sequences and then lowering it as the sound picked up because it made a transition via a train sound “like a roaring dragon,” according to EoM Editor Crystal Davidson who was outside the EoM screening room at the time. To that end, I probably wouldn’t recommend watching this particular film during a period where noise might disturb lighter sleepers so that you can enjoy the full range of sound.
With Arrow’s limited-edition release essentially being a 25th anniversary edition (even without the official moniker), it comes to play with enough bonus materials (old and new) that it will convince owners that it is regardless of the lack of official title. While I can’t speak on the second disc that includes the Laufer cut of the film, a new interview, two new featurettes, an archived featurette, deleted/extended scenes, and other materials available on the 2015 Blu-ray, I can tell you that the materials included with the first disc (here, specifically the 4K UHD edition) are in-depth and detailed. For 90 minutes, you can opt to listen to Singh discuss the making of the film or, for 43 minutes, you can listen to Laufer. In both cases, these are newly-recorded and offer a chance to gain insight into the production like never before.
According to the available materials on the Arrow Video website, the Blu-ray disc that accompanies the two-disc 4K UHD edition also includes three brand new materials — an interview with Laufer specifically discussing his approved alternate cut, a visual essay from critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, and a visual essay from critic Abbey Bender. Additionally, if you opt for the HD version of the restoration, the only difference between the HD and 4K UHD limited edition is the absence of the Dolby Vision (reportedly HDR10 compatible) and enhanced detail (1080p vs. 2160p). Otherwise, the offerings are the same. In terms of the bonus features, while there’s no hands-on reference to pull from, compared to the prior released 2015 Blu-ray that includes a few of the special features labeled as “archived” here. The total included features on the Arrow Video edition certainly impress in size, scope, and depth.
As someone who digs the narrative ideas and execution of the visuals, the technical precision at play doesn’t disappoint or degrade with time. And, now, thanks to this edition, there’s even more to explore. With merely the check disc as my basis of review, this feels like an easy recommendation to make, if only for the three options of viewing, as well as the depth of information regarding the making of the film that’s newly-available. Of course, the price tag is hefty, so, if you’re on the fence, be advised that at the time of this writing the January 2025 Barnes & Noble 50% off Arrow Video sale is on-going and does include both editions of The Cell so you can pick up the two-disc set for the price of a newly-released 4K UHD of a more recent release. Win-win.
The Cell Arrow Video Two-Disc Special Features:
- Brand new 4K restorations of both the 107-minute Theatrical Cut and the 109-minute Director’ Cut by Arrow Films, approved by director Tarsem Singh
- Includes bonus disc containing a previously unseen version of the film with alternate aspect ratio and alternate grading created by director of photography Paul Laufer
- Original lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Illustrated collector’s book containing new writing on the film by critics Heather Drain, Marc Edward Heuck, Josh Hurtado, and Virat Nehru
- Limited edition packaging with reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Peter Savieri
DISC 1 – FEATURE & EXTRAS (4K ULTRA HD)
- 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray™ (2160p) presentation of both the Theatrical and Director’s cuts of the film in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- *New* audio commentary with film scholars Josh Nelson & Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- *New* audio commentary with screenwriter Mark Protosevich & film critic Kay Lynch
- Archive audio commentary with director Tarsem Singh
- Archive audio commentary with director of photography Paul Laufer, production designer Tom Foden, makeup supervisor Michèle Burke, costume designer April Napier, visual effects supervisor Kevin Tod Haug, and composer Howard Shore
- *New* Projection of the Mind’s Eye, a new feature-length interview with director Tarsem Singh (1:29:40)
- *New* Between Two Worlds, a new in-depth interview with director of photography Paul Laufer (43:14)
DISC 2 – ALTERNATE VERSION & EXTRAS (BLU-RAY)
- Previously unseen version of the Theatrical Cut of the film, presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio with alternate grading, from a 2K master created by director of photography Paul Laufer
- High Definition Blu-ray™ (1080p) presentation
- *New* Paul Laufer Illuminates, a new interview about the alternate master of The Cell presented on this disc
- *New* Art is Where You Find It, a new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- *New* The Costuming Auteur, a new visual essay by film critic Abbey Bender
- Style as Substance: Reflections on Tarsem, an archive featurette
- Eight deleted/extended scenes with optional audio commentary by director Tarsem Singh
- Six multi-angle archive visual effects vignettes
- Theatrical trailers
- Image gallery
Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from Arrow Video January 21st, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Arrow Video The Cell webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group The Cell webpage.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Recommendation
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