While some might perceive the most anxiety inducing moment in a romantic relationship is getting engaged. But there’s something perhaps even more stressful. Moving in with your new partner can cause you to freak out. Sometimes you and your lover decide to seek out a brand-new space to call home. But mostly it seems to be one of you inviting the other to move in with them. Normally it’s the person with the biggest place and the lowest rent (or mortgage payment if you’re responsible adults). This can easily turn into a nightmare situation if you’re the one who packs up everything to find how things fit together in their place. You quickly discover certain quirks that can’t be ignored in the residence. There might be weird things you have to do with the HVAC to stay cool or the limits to the hot water tank when it comes to your normal shower time. There’s a chance their friends and family view your sofa as their new crash spot. You also live with the fear of stumbling into remnants of their previous relationship. They might have old photos or clothese of the last lover they invited to co-habitat hidden away in the corner of a closet or drawer. No matter how it makes you feel, you have to be gentle when wanting a purge because their name is on the lease (or mortgage). You can easily find yourself looking for a new apartment if they decide it’s better living single. Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak plays with those fears and doubles the nightmare with unwanted roommates in a strange estate.
Edith Cushing (Alice In Wonderland‘s Mia Wasikowska) isn’t quite scared of ghosts. When she was young, her mother died soon. Soon after, her ghost crept into the daughter’s room to warn her about Crimson Peak. Instead of being completely scared Edith began writing spooky stories. Years later, she finishes a novel and is eager to type it up to send to New York City in hopes of finding a publisher. While pecking away at the keys at her dad’s office, she encounters English Baronet Sir Thomas Sharpe (Loki‘s Tom Hiddleston). He’s in Buffalo, New York hoping that Edith’s dad will back his new machine to dig up and process the abundant clay on his estate in Cumberland. Very fast, the two take a shining to each other. But there are issues. Dad doesn’t want to put any money in the contraption. When he does a background check on the Baronet, he uncovers nasty information about the guy and his sister Lucille (The Eyes of Tammy Faye‘s Jessica Chastain). The dad is willing to pay the pair to get away from his daughter and back to England. Before they can cash the check, the father meets and untimely end in the bathroom. The now orphaned Edith accepts the offer of marriage from the Baronet and leaves Buffalo for his country estate Allerdale Hall. This enormous mansion sits in the middle of a massive clay deposit. The red soil rises up inside parts of the impressive and dilapidated mansion. Edith learns that there’s more things roaming the creepy hallways besides her husband and his sister. This isn’t exactly shaping up to be a royal life inside inside the Gothic manor.
Crimson Peak is an opulent ghost story. Thanks to the 4K UHD, you really see deeper into the details of Allerdale Hall. The manor has a level of beauty while completely falling apart. It’s like a fixer upper that has red clay oozing up from the floorboards so it might not be restored to its former glory. You can’t quite blame Edith for not immediately running back to Buffalo. Her desire to write spooky stories makes staying in the manor an act of love and research. She seems to be able to take the quirks of living with the Baronet in stride at first. The unwanted occupants don’t completely freak her out whether they are living or dead. The red ghosts lurking in the house are magnificent and disturbing with a few played by Doug Jones (Hellboy & Svengoolie Superfan). Eventually Edith learns that the most horrific thing in the house that does shock her to the core. This is a great mix of a Gothic Romance with frights and fights. Crimson Peak is one of my favorite films by Guillermo del Toro because of the supernatural beauty on the screen.
The Video is 1.85: 1 anamorphic. The 4K UHD transfer is splendid at getting you sucked into the period wardrobe and sets. Original DTS:X Master Audio sound. There’s also a Optional Descriptive Video Service (DVS) for the visually impaired. The subtitles are in English.
Audio commentary by co-writer and director Guillermo Del Toro gets into the characters, cast and crew.
The House is Alive: Constructing Crimson Peak (50:01) allows cast and crew talk about the story and making the film. There’s plenty of behind the scenes footage. Guillermo Del Toro gets into creating his decaying mansion at the center of the film.
Interview with Guillermo Del Toro (8:36) has him talking about the film in Spanish. He explains how it isn’t an outright horror film because of the melodramatic elements in the story. He feels this is the most beautiful movie he’s ever made. He admits that there are details in the house and wardrobe that play in the film. This means watching in 4K UHD should give you more clues.
Allerdale Hall features four shorts about The Gothic Corridor (4:07), The Scullery (4:25), The Red Clay Mines (5:19) and The Limbo Fog Set (5:43). The Del Toro and the cast reflect on how the elaborate sets affected their performances.
A Primer on Gothic Romance (5:37) has Del Toro and the cast discuss the difference between Gothic romance and horror. This is not to be confused with Gothic Horror.
The Light and Dark of Crimson Peak (7:54) gets into the color used in the film’s production. They talk about recreating 1901 Buffalo, New York. This was a time when people didn’t all dress in Bills jerseys. This contrasted with Allerdale’s barren colors and corrosion.
Hand Tailored Gothic (8:59) has Kate Hawley explain what she created as Costume Designer. There so many layers and details to her wardrobe. I don’t get how she didn’t get nominated for the Oscar (which was won by Mad Max: Fury Road that year).
A Living Thing (12:12) gets into how Del Toro created Allerdale Hall. They wanted the house to have its own soul.
Beware of Crimson Peak (7:52) allows Tom Hiddleston take us on a walking tour of Allerdale Hall. This was shot on the day before it was deconstructed.
Crimson Phantoms (7:03) explores the amazing ghosts that lurk in the mansion. De Toro wanted red ghosts. He takes us into the ghost shop. Doug Jones plays two of the ghosts.
Kim Newman on Crimson Peak and the Tradition of Gothic Romance (17:37) has him point out that Del Toro is a genre filmmaker that likes fantastique. He is not a realistic filmmaker.
Violence and Beauty in Guillermo Del Toro’s Gothic Fairy Tale Films (23:37) is Kat Ellinger’s video essay about the film. She gets into how the movie reflects how the film mixes the early novels with things like Hitchcock’s Rebecca. She compares the film to other movies made by Del Toro.
Deleted scenes (4:41) includes five moments snipped from the film.
Image gallery has 18 production stills and 17 Behind the Scenes photos.
Original trailers and TV spots includes The International Trailer (2:28), Theatrical Trailer (2:36) and two TV Spots (1:05).
Double-sided, foldout poster with original artwork and new
Four double-sided postcards suitable for framing.
Limited edition packaging designed by Crimson Peak concept artist Guy Davis
Limited edition 80-page, hard-bound book featuring writing by David Jenkins and Simon Abrams, an archival interview with Guillermo del Toro, and original conceptual design illustrations by artists Guy Davis and Oscar Chichoni.
Arrow Video presents Crimson Peak: Limited Edition. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Screenplay by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins. Starring Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Jim Beaver and Doug Jones. Running Time: 119 minutes. Rating: Rated R. Release Date: May 21, 2024.
