Shaun of the Dead 20th Anniversary Steelbook (4K UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Universal
Release Date: December 3, 2024
Rating: R
Film: 4.5/5


Plot
Shaun (Simon Pegg) is a lovable loser spending his days working as a clerk in an electronics store and looking forward to a few after-hours pints at the local pub with his best friend and roommate Ed (Nick Frost). Life takes a turn for the worse when his girlfriend (Kate Ashfield) dumps him, his stepfather (Bill Nighy) berates him for ignoring his mother (Penelope Wilton), and—oh yeah—the dead return to stake their claim to the Earth. Instead of running scared, Shaun uses the opportunity to prove his manhood, and not even the undead can stand in his way.
 
My Thoughts
As longtime readers know, I’m not a fan of the horror genre, but Shaun of the Dead is one of my favorite films—go figure. It’s a spoof on Geore Romero’s horror classic Dawn of the Dead, but instead of the survivors hunkering down in a mall, Shaun and his pals head to the Winchester—his local pub—to make their last stand. There’s ample gore, which I usually avoid, but it’s in tune with the story, and there’s more than enough comedy and terrific editing and sound design to counteract any gross-out moments.

I’ve owned this movie on HD DVD (remember that format?) with a mediocre VC-1 encode as well as a higher bitrate Blu-ray release but this UHD is the best the film has looked on home video. Detail is outstanding in both long shots and close-ups and the somewhat darker interior scenes on the Blu-ray are much improved with the HDR color grading on the 4K. Color saturation is excellent, especially reds—Shawn’s red tie he wears throughout the film literally jumps off his white shirt—and it wouldn’t be a horror film without an overabundance of blood. Black levels are generally strong and deep and I found the shadow detail improved on this newly crafted 4K transfer.

I was never dissatisfied with the DTS-HD MA 5.1 track on the Blu-ray, but this Dolby Atmos track certainly ups the ante with an active surround presence, great imaging, and with plenty of LFE thrown in for good measure. The overhead speakers are put to decent use to put you right in the middle of the action with the sounds of grunting zombies moving in for the kill, and the dialog is always intelligible and firmly rooted in the center speaker.

Video 9.5/10 (AVC)

Audio 9/10 (Dolby Atmos)


Special Features:
·      Shaun of the Dead: 20 Bloody Years! (New)
·      Missing Bits
·      Outtakes
·      Raw Meat
·      TV Bits
·      Trailers
·      Audio Commentaries
·      Steelbook Packaging
·      Blu-ray + Digital Code




 
 Conclusion
I’m glad to see that Universal gave this the A-list treatment on 4K with a brand new 4K transfer coupled with an Atmos audio track. The Steelbook packaging is a nice touch as well—unfortunately, FedEx damaged mine in shipping ☹ While I’m generally not a fan of the genre, the comedic aspect of the film far outweighs any of the gore, and I love how it spoofs the horror genre with that wry humor from across the pond. No matter how you slice it, this is a great film, and the presentation is top-notch. Highly recommend.

Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
 Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
 ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Zidoo UHD8000 Media Player
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
 System Controller: URC MX-990
 M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
 M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
 Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[Craig Peer]

I think this is a new transfer which bests the " Cornetto Trilogy" UHD, so I double dipped again! 

[David Vaughn]

I think this is a new transfer which bests the " Cornetto Trilogy" UHD, so I double dipped again!

I'm hoping Hot Fuzz and The Worlds End are coming at some point too. All three movies are so much fun to watch. 

[SRW1000]

I think this is a new transfer which bests the " Cornetto Trilogy" UHD, so I double dipped again!

Man, I just bought that 4K set not too long ago.  Please let us know how much of an upgrade this new version is, if you can compare the.

[SRW1000]

I'm hoping Hot Fuzz and The Worlds End are coming at some point too. All three movies are so much fun to watch.

Agreed.  Hot Fuzz is my favorite of them, it just hits so perfectly on all levels.

Not everyone will have caught it, but the new packaging for this disc is an homage to EC horror comics of the 1950s.

Here's an example:

Shaun of the Dead 20th Anniversary Steelbook (4K UHD Blu-ray) review

[Craig Peer]

Man, I just bought that 4K set not too long ago.  Please let us know how much of an upgrade this new version is, if you can compare the.

I'll see if I can compare them after the new disc gets here, and after Xmas.

[David Vaughn]

Man, I just bought that 4K set not too long ago.  Please let us know how much of an upgrade this new version is, if you can compare the.

Unfortunately, I don't have the other disc to compare. I think the old disc was a 2K upconversion and this is true 4K...now, whether one can see the difference or not, that would be up for debate. 

[bmoney]

Absolutely love the three movies. Hot fuzz is a bonus with the great bass

In fact I just watched worlds end this past week