If you were to take The Shining (1980) and replace the psychosis with a completely different trip of mental anguish, then you’d get Eugeino Mira’s The Birthday (2004). It focuses on Norman (Corey Feldman) who’s hopelessly in love with his girlfriend, Alison (Erica Prior), decides the best time to make things official with her and take the next step is at her father’s (Jack Taylor) birthday party. However, before he can get down on one knee and pop the question, he continuously has unnerving and weird encounters with other guests at the party and the overly polite hotel staff which makes Norman spiral out of control. He starts losing it in a way that can only be described as if David Lynch (Lost Highway) directed They Live (1988), and the new nightmare Norman finds himself in not only puts his life and relationship in danger, but potentially the world. If you’re in the mood to get absolutely weird and see Corey Feldman (Dream a Little Dream) like never before, The Birthday is one of the most unhinged movies I’ve ever seen and it truly needs to be experienced to be believed.
The restoration done by Arrow here is a 4K restoration from the original camera negative presented in Dolby Vision with original DTS-HD 5.1 surround for audio, so the picture quality and audio output are phenomenal. Granted, there are going to be people disappointed this is not in Dolby Atmos, but there truly is no need for it. While having never seen the movie prior, it’s hard to say if the slightly muddled colors throughout the feature are intentional or not, but with it being restored directly from the negative and Arrow always being top of their game and providing quality, it’s very likely the director’s vision to not have loud vibrant colors overtake the movie itself. While it may not be considered a reference disc-quality transfer, the transfer is clean, crisp, and highlights the mood and terror that the movie wants to thrust upon its audience.
THE BIRTHDAY packshot. Photo courtesy of Arrow Video and MVD Entertainment Group.
While Arrow’s transfers are always top-notch, they also try their best to deliver the best in special features and, with The Birthday, this is no exception. While, unfortunately, there is only one new feature, which is entitled “The Shape of a Miracle,” a brand new interview with Eugenio Mira which was shot exclusively for the release, there are three archival features in the form of a commentary, an in-depth breakdown of a scene, and the 2024 Q&A of the movie with Corey Feldman and Eugenio Mira from Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. Considering this seems to be the first physical release on Blu-ray and 4K, the features are more than enough to supplement the wild ride that is Eugenio Mira’s The Birthday.
The Birthday Special Features:
4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS
- 4K restoration from the original negative
- 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
- Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Audio commentary by actor Corey Feldman and co-writer/director Eugenio Mira
- *NEW* The Shape of a Miracle, a brand new interview with Mira, shot exclusively for this release
- Pathology, an in-depth breakdown of a scene from the film by Mira, featuring archival behind-the-scenes footage, storyboards and rushes
- 2024 Q&A with Feldman and Mira from the film’s 20th anniversary screening at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas
- Original trailer
- 20th anniversary trailer
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
- Collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by Bryan Reesman
Available on 4K UHD and Blu-ray March 17th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official Arrow Video The Birthday webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group The Birthday webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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