‘The Ugly’ Review (Unearthed Films)
Stars: Paolo Rotondo, Rebecca Hobbs, Roy Ward, Paul Glover, Chris Graham, Darien Takle | Written and Directed by Scott Reynolds
There’s been a recent surge in horror films reimagining classic children’s stories and characters. We’ve seen twisted takes on Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Popeye, The Grinch and plenty more besides. But long before this trend took hold, back in 1997, Scott Reynolds wrote and directed The Ugly, a horror film inspired by the classic fairy tale The Ugly Duckling. Now, Unearthed Films is bringing the film back to light with a deluxe Blu-ray release.
Confined to a mental institution, disturbed young serial killer Simon (The Rule of Jenny Pen’s Paolo Rotondo) is tormented by cruel orderlies and his own personal demons including ‘The Ugly’ which compels him to kill. Now at his request, Dr. Karen Schumaker (The Brokenwood Mysteries’ Rebecca Hobbs) arrives to discover whether Simon is fit to be released back into society. As the terrifying secrets within Simon’s mind are revealed, no one will be left unscathed by the horrors about to be unleashed.
For his directorial debut, Scott Reynolds delivers a haunting and unsettling tale with The Ugly. The story itself may not be the strongest you’ll ever come across, but that hardly matters when the film’s make-up effects are this impressive. Even by today’s standards, they hold up remarkably well – making it all the more astonishing when you remember this was a 1990s production.
Uneaerthed Films has transferred The Ugly to Blu-ray in 1080p, presented in 1.77:1 aspect ratio. The audio options are English 2.0 LPCM and English 4.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. There are also English SDH and English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing.
I have been reviewing Unearthed Films releases for a while now. And one thing is for sure, you can guarantee the best possible quality, and this Blu-ray release is no different. This transfer is taken from a new 4K scan from the 35mm interpositive, resulting in a very nice picture quality. And – like all their releases – Unearthed Films has included a decent collection of bonus features, including:
Special Features:
- NEW Commentary with actors Paolo Rotondo and Rebecca Hobbs, moderated by Nathaniel Thompson
- NEW Scott Reynolds short films ‘A Game with No Rules’ & ‘The M1nute’
- NEW The Ugly Visual Essay
- NEW Photo Gallery
- Trailers
Unearthed Films has dug deep into the archives to unearth two early short films from Scott Reynolds. They’re raw and a little rough around the edges, sure, but you can clearly see the foundations of a filmmaker finding his voice. As bonus features, they’re a welcome addition and a genuinely interesting glimpse at Reynolds’ early work.
**** 4/5
If you love 90s low-budget horror films, then this new release of The Ugly is for you. Head over to Amazon and pre-order your Blu-ray today.
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