The Conjuring (2013, 4K UHD Blu-ray) Review

[SRW1000]

Studio:  Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment
Release Date:  8/26/2025
Rating:  R
Film Grade:  B+

The Story:  Prologue, 1968:  A group of three college students have asked paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren for help in dealing with a doll that exhibits frighteningly unnatural abilities.

Three years later, the Perron family moves into their new home – an old farmhouse in the town of Harrisville, RI.  It’s a big move for the family of seven, who soon discover that they’re not alone.  After a number of disturbing events, Carolyn seeks out the Warrens to help save her husband and daughters from the evil that lurks in the house.

My Take:  This is one of my top horror films from this current quarter century.  Taken from the Warren’s case files, it was the first of four films based on their version of events.  They’ve had many skeptics over the years, but the movie takes them at face value, while incorporating some liberties to heighten the drama and making them more accessible to general audiences.

I had known of the Warrens long before the first movie came out (probably going back to their appearance on that classic Leonard Nimoy TV show, In Search of) and was surprised at how reverently the films treated the couple.  One might expect a certain amount of skepticism, but the movie plunges the viewer straight into their world with zero reservations.

The script heightens the drama, but the underlying story is well-defined with elements of both mystery and fear.  Pacing varies from calm to frantic helping reproduce that rollercoaster feeling that horror movies are so well known for.  Couple that with top-notch production values and viewers are in for a treat.

Upon watching this movie again, I was struck by how prominent the themes of family and love are woven into the story.  It’s easy to get caught up in the predominantly supernatural aspects, but underlying all that are true representations of love.  Not the lustful romantic type that starts out intense and fiery, but the kind of love that builds and only becomes stronger over time.  This is exhibited in both the family and the Warrens.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga do an outstanding job of representing that kind of relationship.  A partnership built on trust, understanding, and commitment to each other and their perceived purpose in life.  There’s a real connection that comes through in their performance.  This isn’t unseen in other horror films, but it is uncommon enough, and portrayed well enough here, to be noteworthy.  The rest of the cast is well-rounded, with Lili Taylor giving a strong performance as the mother, just looking for answers and protection for her family.  Director James Wan has done a fine job bringing out sound performances from the cast; a great part of the reason why the series has been so successful.
 
Visuals:  It didn’t take long to find improvements in this new 4K release when comparing it to my old Blu-ray copy.  Early in the prologue there’s a shot of the interviewees against some windows.  On the Blu-ray, the outdoors are almost completely white and blown out, while you can clearly make out the windowpanes and outside trees and surrounding environment on the 4K disc.  Another example is during a flashback scene on the beach.  The Blu-ray looks more uniform and even bland, while the 4K is vibrant and life-like.  I always regarded the Blu-ray as a high-quality transfer, but the 4K is a clear improvement.

The camerawork itself is noteworthy as well, it’s active and also features some tricky shots that help keep the audience disoriented.  The movie features a ton of practical effects that help propel the story and heighten the drama.  This is a great looking film.

Audio:  There have been some recent 4K releases of older films where the bass has been rolled off when compared to earlier versions.  I’m thrilled to report that this disc doesn’t follow that trend.  While I would have liked to see an Atmos remaster, this mix has always been a fun audio treat, so I can’t fault the DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound too much.

I’m a sucker for well-placed knocks, slams, cracks, and creaks, and this move makes good use of them, typically following a quiet scene to maximize the jump scare.  The use of strong bass is used to great effect and reminded me that I really do need to track down a pesky rattle one of these days.  The soundtrack, by Joseph Bishara, features drawn out brassy horns, deep bass notes, and foreboding strings.  The combination of score and audio work is an outstanding match with the genre.

Special Features:  There are two new extras here that weren’t on the original Blu-ray. Both feature the cast and crew talking about the making of the film and what it’s meant for them.  All of these are worth investigating for those that are curious.

• Scariest of Them All (NEW) - The cast and creators of The Conjuring take a look back at some of the greatest scares of the series, uncovering what made these films so iconic.
• Reflections on the Conjuring (NEW) - More than a decade after the release of the original film, the cast and crew of The Conjuring reflect on their experiences creating one of the most legendary horror series in history.
• The Conjuring: Face-to-Face with Terror - Relive the real-life horror as the Perron family comes together to reflect back on the farmhouse they shared with diabolical spirits for nearly a decade.
• A Life in Demonology - The real demonologist and paranormal experts from The Conjuring take you inside their life’s work and into their personal occult cellar, where they keep haunted and unholy relics from their many cases.
• Scaring the “@$*%” Out of You - Director James Wan (Saw, Insidious) welcomes you into his world and gives an inside look at the at the scenes that scare the “@$*%” out of moviegoers time and time again.

Final Verdict:  Any horror fans that haven’t watched this yet owe themselves a treat.  Based on the Warren’s account of events, the movies blend the supernatural with an underlying theme about the importance of family bonds.

Highly recommended for horror fans.  Even my wife, who doesn’t particularly care for this type of films, had to admit that it’s a good movie.

While some of the secondary spinoffs have been disappointing, this is a strong starting point for the core series, with the second being equal, if not surpassing the first.  The third slips a bit but is still entertaining.  The fourth, and final entry will be hitting theaters later this year, and I hope it manages to go out with a bang.  The end will certainly leave the audience wishing for more.

Intriguing Facts:  Annabelle is one of the most distinctive horror icons from this century so far, with its distinctively devilish grin, but the real-life version is actually a Raggedy Ann doll.  It’s hit the news lately when a paranormal investigator named Dan Rivera died while touring with it.  It made the news again this month, when it was announced that comedian Matt Rife and business partner Elton Castee, had purchased the Warren’s home, with the intent of opening it for visitors and overnight stays.  In addition, they are leasing the Warren’s collection for at least the next five years, with the intent of opening a museum in a different location to showcase them.  The actual items are still owned by the Warren’s daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Tony Spera.  The Speras have no intention of ever selling the actual items.

My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup

[bmoney]

No thank you. I’m a chicken

[David Vaughn]

No thank you. I’m a chicken

Me too. 

[DLCPhoto]

This isn't my genre either, but based on the review, I was considering giving it a shot. After the last 2 posts, now I'm not so sure!! :o:o

[SRW1000]

Oh, guys, guys, don't be such scaredy cats.  This is definitely a soft "R" movie, and I'd say it's even borderline PG-13.

But it's really the solid story, production values, and acting that set it apart from the vast majority of horror films.  If my wife can watch it, you can too.  

[David Vaughn]

Oh, guys, guys, don't be such scaredy cats.  This is definitely a soft "R" movie, and I'd say it's even borderline PG-13.

But it's really the solid story, production values, and acting that set it apart from the vast majority of horror films.  If my wife can watch it, you can too. 

My wife just replied "Not a chance." So it's settled

[SRW1000]

My wife just replied "Not a chance." So it's settled

That's easy enough to solve.  Watch it alone. Preferably after midnight and while she's out so you can crank it up. 

You know, just to get the best effect.  

[Paul Heroy]

I do like some music that's inspired by this genre (various classical and black metal) so you might think I'd be interested but on the few occasions where I've tried horror, I usually find myself giggling or bored. 

I do kind of admire folks who can commit to a genre, especially this genre. 

[bmoney]

lol. I’m good. This type is way worse than the traditional slasher 

I’ll be up all night lol

[SRW1000]

I do like some music that's inspired by this genre (various classical and black metal) so you might think I'd be interested but on the few occasions where I've tried horror, I usually find myself giggling or bored.

I do kind of admire folks who can commit to a genre, especially this genre.

Black metal?  I would not have guessed that.

It's not exactly that musical style, more gothic, but have you ever heard Midnight Syndicate?  I consider their album 13th Hour (inspired by the works of H. P. Lovecraft) a minor masterpiece of that style.  It's an album where each musical track is part of an overall story.

I get, though, not everyone likes horror movies.  This one is a good representation of the genre that's accessible to the general public.

[Paul Heroy]

Scott, re: black metal (and extreme metal in general), the other surprising part about it is that I didn't get interested in it until my early 40s, much older than I think most do. (I'm 61 now.) I listen to a wide range of music though and even within metal, BM is only a small part. Prog metal is probably my most listened to metal subgenre recently. Then there's jazz... and funk, soul, Afrobeat, New Orleans brass bands / R&B, etc.

Never heard of Midnight Syndicate, I'm queueing up some now... they have a lot of records.

Edit: Holy crap, "Cold Embrace" from 13th Hour is going straight to my demo track list for bass. Need to fire that up during the day when I can do it with my 2 Hsu VTF-15Hs engaged! (Listening late night on Martin Logan Summit Xs on my 2 channel system - which is on the opposite side of the house from my presumably still sleeping wife, lol.)

[SRW1000]

Scott, re: black metal (and extreme metal in general), the other surprising part about it is that I didn't get interested in it until my early 40s, much older than I think most do. (I'm 61 now.) I listen to a wide range of music though and even within metal, BM is only a small part. Prog metal is probably my most listened to metal subgenre recently. Then there's jazz... and funk, soul, Afrobeat, New Orleans brass bands / R&B, etc.

Never heard of Midnight Syndicate, I'm queueing up some now... they have a lot of records.

Edit: Holy crap, "Cold Embrace" from 13th Hour is going straight to my demo track list for bass. Need to fire that up during the day when I can do it with my 2 Hsu VTF-15Hs engaged! (Listening late night on Martin Logan Summit Xs on my 2 channel system - which is on the opposite side of the house from my presumably still sleeping wife, lol.)

That's quite an eclectic selection of genres!

If you liked Cold Embrace, check out Return of the Ancient Ones. The first time I played that, I had to check around the room to see what the clinking glass was (it's actually part of the recording).  Your Hsus will get a chance to strut their stuff.

Also, put on a pair of headphones and listen to Last Breaths.

The whole thing is a great concept album.  While I like, and own, almost all of their stuff, The 13th Hour is top of the list.  The guys are very approachable, too.  I talked to them a couple of times at conventions, and they're happy to answer questions and talk about their work.