Matinee - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Collector's Edition

The ending of Joe Dante's Matinee seems to suggest that movies can save lives. Or at least, it would appear to be something to that effect as 1960s movie patrons run screaming from the latest creature feature in the nick of time before the theater balcony collapses. And to some extent, Dante and his production crew are correct, not quite in the literal sense as portrayed in this comedy-drama mainly centered around two young brothers, Gene (Simon Fenton) and Dennis (Jesse Lee) Loomis, living on a military base with their attentive, caring mother (Lucinda Jenney). But it can be figuratively true, which is really at the heart of this fictional coming-of-age tale about our love of movies, the childhood memories sometimes attached to certain movies and the wonderful escapist diversion they provide from our dark, grim reality and the true horror monsters of terrifying our lives. To paraphrase Stephen King, no matter how gruesome the nightmarish beasts of the screen are, they are nothing compared to the villains of real life.

Set in October 1962 during that frightening two-week U.S.-vs-Soviet Union standoff when the world felt on the brink of nuclear war, the script by Charles S. Haas (Gremlins 2: The New Batch) shows movies — no matter their low-production quality or schlocky story — as welcomed distractions from the real horrors that actually threaten lives. Gene is particularly fond of the B sci-fi horror features of Lawrence Woolsey (a memorable John Goodman), a filmmaker modeled after the legendary William Castle and on tour promoting his latest sensational shocker Mant!, the illegitimate inbred love child of 1954's Them! and The Fly with Vincent Price. Absurdly stupid as Woolsey's film sounds, it nonetheless offers Gene an escape from the stress of their father deployed during this harrowing time, the news media unintentionally installing public panic and the school's emergency drills while he and his friends simultaneously navigate through the challenges of adolescence. 

Simply put, the 1993 cult comedy favorite is a love letter to cinema and our love of them, and for that, Matinee is a sincere, unpretentious good time at the movies. (Movie Rating: 4/5)

For another take on the film, check out our review of the 2018 Collector's Edition Blu-ray HERE.

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray
Courtesy of Shout! Factory, Joe Dante's Matinee arrives on 4K Ultra HD as a "Collector's Edition." The Region Free, UHD100 disc is housed inside the usual black, eco-elite case with a cardboard slipcover and an accompanying Region A locked, BD50 copy on the opposing panel. At startup, the disc goes straight to an animated menu with full-motion clips and options along the bottom while music plays in the background.

The cult comedy delivers trashy shock and cheap thrills in the Ultra HD theaters, thanks to a beautiful, often eye-catching HEVC H.265 encode that was struck from a new remaster of the original 35mm camera negatives, which was approved by Joe Dante. 

Offering a notable step up over the previous Blu-ray release, the native 4K transfer boasts a significantly more vibrant and richly saturated palette, particularly in the primaries and the various neons, really bringing out the film's comedic aspects while also complementing the sunny, tropical location. Facial complexions are highly revealing, especially in close-ups, with a natural, peachy-rose tone in the entire cast that perfectly suits the hot, humid climate. The Dolby Vision HDR presentation shows an excellent, energetic contrast balance that delivers crisp, clean whites and sharp, radiant specular highlights, supplying a brilliant, narrow glow in the hottest spots and sparkling, realistic sheen along metallic surfaces. 

Blacks are also strong and accurately rendered for the most part, but levels drop a tad in a few spots here and there, making those moments slightly drab and flat. The video also comes with its fair share of a few blurry, softer sequences, but overall, fine lines and details are cleaner and well-defined while maintaining strong visibility within the shadows although the finer points can be obscured somewhat by the darkest, murkiest corners. Awash in a fine layer of natural grain, the 1.85:1 image is a noteworthy upgrade over its HD SDR predecessor. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 84/100 or 4/5)

The coming-of-age tale premieres in 4K home theaters with a fantastically enjoyable and satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack, and it's joined by the same pair of DTS-HD Master Audio tracks as the previous Blu-ray. Admittedly, the sound design is not exactly the type to put the system to the test, but the object-based mix comes with several amusing moments of jets or helicopters flying above the listener. However, a few times early into the movie, the hydraulic noise of school buses distractingly reverb into the top front heights, but other than that, the overheads add a welcomed, somewhat immersive layer with many instances of subtle atmospherics, song selections and Jerry Goldsmith's score expanding into the surrounds and height channels. Imaging feels broad and spacious with plenty of background activity moving across all three channels with ease while exhibiting an outstanding, detailed mid-range that maintains crystal-clear clarity and superb dialogue reproduction in the center. A hearty, surprisingly robust low-end provides some appreciable weight and presence to the visuals, which is especially true during the "Rumble-Rama" effects in the last quarter, making for a fun listen. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 82/100 or 4/5)

For this UHD edition, many of the same bonuses from the previous Blu-ray are ported over, but the Mant! movie and introduction are sadly missing, replaced with three new exclusive features.

UHD Disc

• NEW Audio Commentary with film critics Drew McWeeny and Eric Vespe providing insightful thoughts on the production, the plot's themes and Joe Dante's filmography.

Blu-ray Disc

• NEW Audio Commentary with film critics Drew McWeeny and Eric Vespe
• NEW Cold War Thing (HD, 13 min) is a recent interview with actor David Clennon
• NEW Florida Daydream (HD, 11 min) is a recent interview with actor Kellie Martin
• Paranoia in Ant Vision (HD, 33 min) 
• MANTastic! The Making of a Mant (HD, 25 min) 
• Master of the Matinee (HD, 21 min) 
• Lights! Camera! Reunion! (HD, 21 min) 
• Out of the Bunker (HD, 16 min) 
• Making a Monster Theatre (HD, 16 min) 
• The Leading Lady (HD, 12 min) 
• The Monster Mix (HD, 12 min) 
• Behind the Scenes Footage Courtesy of Joe Dante (1080i/60, 8 min) 
• Vintage Making of Featurette (1080i/60, 4 min) 
• Still Gallery (HD, 4 min) 
• Deleted and Extended Scenes Sourced from Joe Dante's Workprint (1080i/60, 2 min)

Set at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Joe Dante's Matinee is essentially a love letter and celebration of cinema and the movies' magical power, providing a cathartic respite and momentary escape from the real ugliness and horrors of reality. The coming-of-age tale also feels deeply personal and nostalgic as it follows a young man navigating through adolescence while the country goes experiences political turmoil. Shout! Factory celebrates the film's 30th anniversary on 4K Utlra HD with a gorgeous Dolby Vision HDR presentation and a highly satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack, offering fans an outstanding and much-appreciated upgrade over the previous Blu-ray release. Adding three exclusive bonuses to the already great assortment of supplements, this UHD edition comes Highly Recommended. 

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