“All my memories are movies.”
– George Clooney as Jay Kelly in Jay Kelly (2025).
As a child born on the cusp of 1981, I reside firmly on line between Gen X and Millennial, meaning that I can remember a time before cell phones and internet, but also the integration of technology into just about every facet of society. It also means that I remember the times before Comedy Central and after; the times before music videos and after; the incorporation of Black culture into popular culture and the various ways it’s been twisted and co-opted since. In that vein, my worldview is very clearly shaped by movies like The Goonies (1985), Short Circuit (1986), and Raising Arizona (1987), but also movies like Disorderlies (1987), I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988), and House Party (1990). The latter, of course, being the feature film debut for director Reginald Hudlin (Boomerang; The Ladies Man) that starred then-breakout hip-hop duo Kid ‘n Play (Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin, respectively), Martin Lawrence (Bad Boys franchise), Tisha Campbell (Little Shop of Horrors), A.J. Johnson (Sister Act), Robin Harris (Do the Right Thing), and a cavalcade of other note-worthy supporting cast members. Joining The Criterion Collection with a director-approved 4K UHD restoration, House Party fans can not only experience Hudlin’s film in its best possible version, they can do so with supplemental materials which transform the experience from mere teen comedy to impetus for many classic films that followed.
L-R: Tisha Campbell as Sidney, Christopher “Play” Martin as Play, and A.J. Johnson as Sharane in HOUSE PARTY. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
With Play’s (Christopher Martin) parents out of town, it’s time to throw a house party. He’s got music thanks to Bilal (Martin Lawrence) and he’s inviting all his friends. Kid (Christopher Reid) sees it as his chance to make a solid impression on the girls and even gets permission from his dad, Pop (Robin Harris), to stay out on a school night until curfew *until* word comes down about a fight at school that day. Undeterred to miss his chance, Kid sneaks out and makes his way to Play’s, but with the dudes he got into a fight with on the prowl to finish what they started (and some racist on-duty cops), getting there and back undetected is going to take a lot of fast thinking and luck.
The following home restoration review is based on a retail copy of the 4K UHD edition provided by The Criterion Collection.
As this is a special edition, we’re going to work from the outside in so that you know what you’re getting into. Admittedly, if this film is special to you as it is me, chances are you’ve already pre-ordered it or plan to pick it up Day One. If that’s you, you’re not going to be disappointed. So, let’s get into it.
Robin Harris as Pop in HOUSE PARTY. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
First, the packaging is that of a standard issue 4K UHD Criterion: clear plastic case, liner, and two discs. The artwork on the liner is newly-designed by artist Gabe Tiberino and features a chalk drawing of Play and Kid during the dance sequence where they face off against love interests Sidney and Sharane (Campbell and Johnson, respectively) with the title of the film (and a house) directly above the depiction. The back of the liner is a deep purple with the film and release information in yellow text and the title split into blue and red for each word. The reverse of the liner has no imagery and is merely the purple from the back continued. The disc design is similarly minimal with both the 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs containing a purple house with red outline, yellow filled in on ¾ of the outside image and red for the remainder with the title of the film one more split in red and blue (though reversed from the back liner). Each disc is labeled in white text, so it’s easy to tell which is the 4K UHD disc and which is the Blu-ray. (More on this shortly, but, as always, the 4K UHD disc only includes the commentary track and SDH option, with all the supplemental on-disc materials on the Blu-ray.) As expected, there is a booklet with the edition, but rather than the typical standard booklet, it uses an accordion fold to showcase the release and remaster information (with usual stills) on one side and Contraband Camp Founder Michael Harriot’s new essay, “What’s Understood,” on the other. As is the way with Criterion titles, Harriot’s essay isn’t just a celebration of the film and its legacy to cinema, music, and Black culture, it interrogates the work as it exists then-as-now. Beyond the very personal place from which Harriot speaks, the essay brings up something that outsider fans (such as myself) are likely to miss — House Party takes place in an unnamed town. One can certainly notice, as Harriot explores, the very specific and detailed aspects that make House Party memorable and certainly make the film grounded in a way that sets the stage for similar Black stories like Friday (1995), but the absence of a specific location and what that implies adds a fascinating layer to an already rich film.
The supplemental materials go beyond the essay with a brand-new audio commentary track from writer/director Hudlin that’s included on both 4K UHD and Blu-ray discs and two brand-new featurettes on the Blu-ray disc. The first featurette, “House Party”: Storytelling from the Inside Out, is a 32-minute sit-down interview between Hudlin, older brother/producer Warrington Hudlin (House Party; Boomerang) and film scholar Racquel Gates. The interview covers everything from the Hudlin siblings’ background (Warrington at Yale, Reginald at Harvard, and both developing films for their graduate thesis), to Reginald’s inspirations from Risky Business (1983) and National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978), to the reason why Peter Deming (Hollywood Shuffle) was hired as cinematographer despite Warrington’s usual practice of only hiring a Black crew. (Frankly, the reason tickles me a great deal because of my own cinematic proclivities and being completely unaware of their connection until now and it deserves to be discovered through Reginald’s storytelling.) They, of course, also talk about the struggles of getting anyone to buy-in on their pitch, New Line Cinema’s initial reluctance with Kid ‘n Play, and the legacy of cinema that came about at New Line because of the success of House Party. One of the great things about Criterion releasing older titles like this is the chance for re-evaluation, and Gates asks about this with the Hudlins — their respective answers soften at least one aspect of the film which does not age well in the slightest. They also discuss the social messages that were included in the film, whether you notice it or not, and how different it was at the time for such approaches. In short, this is a rich segment for fans of the film to sit-back and absorb. Likewise, the 37-minute featurette simply titled “Actors Reunion” centers actors Reid, Martin, Campbell, Johnson, Daryl Mitchell (Galaxy Quest), and hip-hop/R&B group Full Force’s B-Fine, Bowlegged Lou, and The Legend Paul Anthony, who share a variety of stories from the making of the film. Recorded via a virtual gathering, we learn how Martin originally didn’t want to make the film and is grateful that he was outvoted by Reid and then-producer Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor, how Campbell and Johnson leveraged their pre-existing friendship to boost their auditions, and plenty more. More than anything, it’s just an absolute joy to watch these former collaborators and scene partners reminisce about the project that means so much to so many. For those curious, Criterion has included Hudlin’s 1983 16 mm short, House Party, so that fans can see where the story originated and where it branched off. Finally, the original theatrical trailer for the 1990 film is included, as well.
This brings us to the restoration itself the reason that you’re here. According to the liner notes, the film is presented in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, was supervised by Deming, and approved by Hudlin. The 4K restoration was created using the 35 mm original camera negative with the feature presented in Dolby Vision HDR on the 4K and SDR on the Blu-ray, while the audio of the original 4.0 surround soundtrack is a remaster from the LCRS 35 mm magnetic DME stems. In essence, the video and audio elements received a full workover for this edition, so this is going to be the premiere way to screen the film at home for the foreseeable future. From a technical perspective, the video elements maintain a low 80/high 70 Mbps bitrate, making the presentation twice the max bitrate of a Blu-ray. There is very little oscillation and are no massive dips or peaks, as can happen with other restorations. While one may not think of a reason why a film like House Party might benefit from 4K UHD with HDR given the very natural look of the film and the mostly grounded narrative, the enhancement of the image results in greater detail and a sharper image, as well as an improved range of color. This translates to noticing things like the material of Play’s yellow jacket or the purple in Sidney’s top, as well as the deep red of the ice pack Sidney’s Dad (J. Jay Saunders) holds to his face after getting accidentally trampled by Kid, or the orange in the hair of the DJ at the adult party’s (George Clinton). These small things help the already realized world feel all the more authentic and vibrant. Additionally, the frames are grime- and wear-free, so even when we notice a bit of grain, the image is pristine. Interestingly, the audio portion isn’t as enveloping as one might hope, especially considering how the soundtrack is as significant to the film as the dramedy elements, but that doesn’t prevent any enjoyment. The dialogue is clear and crisp, never being overtaken by score and song, though there is a noticeable jump in quality when Kid or Play perform that makes them standout above the traditional dialogue scenes.
L-R: Christopher “Play” Martin as Play, A.J. Johnson as Sharane, Tisha Campbell as Sidney, and Christopher “Kid” Reid as Kid in HOUSE PARTY. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
The beauty of having the chance to revisit a film, whether it’s a year old or 36, is the chance to see the film differently than one might have the first time. Whether it was screening House Party on Comedy Central or renting another Kid ‘n Play film, Class Act (1992), which featured The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s Karyn Parsons as the female lead, my lived experience at the time couldn’t recognize the discussion of the projects or even the jokes from the prison sequence. But the bully relationship, the best friend dynamic, and the quest to have someone reciprocate affection resonated deeply. To me, these were universal aspects and I globbed onto them. I didn’t have the ability to recognize Play’s frequent selfishness and, being a kid with a complex relationship with his parents, couldn’t see the love that flowed through the Pop/Kid relationship as I only recognized the belt. But viewing it now, House Party is more than a “one crazy day” teen comedy as it doesn’t lean on tropes or exaggerated situations in order to entertain, but leans into reality, finding mirth and heart where they live. Not only that, I can recognize the complexity of each of the characters from Kid’s nerd trying to break out onto the social scene, Play’s cool kid trying to keep up appearances, Sidney’s and Sharane’s combined strength as more than mere love interests, and even the trio of bullies whose desperation to beat up Kid speaks more to what is absent from them as foils for Kid, Play, and DJ pal, Bilal. It’s one thing to grow up on Keenen Ivory Wayans’s projects (In Living Color; I’m Gonna Git You Sucka; A Low Down Dirty Shame) and Robert Townsend projects (Hollywood Shuffle; The Meteor Man), but a kid isn’t going to understand the racial politics that are infused in each project or the way the world viewed them at the time. Reevaluation not only affords new audiences to be born, it empowers old audiences to consider a work through a different lens.
L-R: Christopher “Kid” Reid as Kid and Tisha Campbell as Sidney in HOUSE PARTY. Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection.
As mentioned, chances are that, if you’re a fan of this film or the trilogy headlined by Kid ‘n Play, you’ve already decided whether you’re going to pick this up. Now, while I do tend to advocate for sales, of which Criterion has many either through their site or via Barnes & Noble, this is a title where your excitement and early-purchase is entirely rewarded. Even if all you pick up is the Blu-ray edition, Criterion’s SD restorations often look stellar even minus the HDR, plus you’ll get all the same supplemental materials, which is, for my money, the element that really makes this edition worth the pick-up. To that end, I can heartily recommend this edition, whether it’s for a first-time watch or your millionth, as it’s going to entertain and delight you, all while incorporating materials that’ll make the viewing experience even richer.
House Party 4K UHD Director-Approved Special Features:
- *NEW* 4K digital restoration, supervised by director of photography Peter Deming and approved by writer-director Reginald Hudlin, with 4.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- *NEW* audio commentary featuring Hudlin
- *NEW* “House Party”: Storytelling from the Inside Out – a conversation featuring Hudlin, producer Warrington Hudlin, and film scholar Racquel Gates (31:52)
- *NEW* Actors Reunion – cast reunion featuring actors B-Fine, Bowlegged Lou, and the Legend Paul Anthony of Full Force; Tisha Campbell; AJ Johnson; Christopher “Play” Martin; Daryl “Chill” Mitchell; and Christopher “Kid” Reid (37:57)
- House Party (1983), the student short by Reginald Hudlin on which his feature is based (20:48)
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by author Michael Harriot
- *NEW* cover by Gabe Tiberino
Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray January 27th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official The Criterion Collection House Party webpage.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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