Pearl (Limited Edition) 4K Ultra HD Review

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

A Technicolor Dream in a Monochrome World

Following the gritty, 70s-style grindhouse aesthetic of X, director Ti West performs a stunning cinematic about-face with Pearl, a prequel that delves into the origin story of its titular villain. This 2022 psychological slasher/horror film is not just a prequel but a bold, standalone movie that trades the grime of the past for the dazzling, and often deceptive, gloss of Hollywood’s Golden Age. With a star-making performance from Mia Goth, Pearl is a tragic and terrifying character study that will linger with you long after the curtain falls.

A Vivid Homage to Classic Cinema

Pearl makes it clear from the start that it is a very different film from its predecessor. Ti West expertly mimics the visual vocabulary of Hollywood’s Golden Age Technicolor extravaganzas. The movie is full of brilliant, rich colors, bringing to mind old favorites like The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins. With its lush greens, bright reds, and sun-drenched palette, it seems like a living storybook. In contrast to the desaturated realism of contemporary horror, this is an elevated, nearly dreamlike reality that reflects the protagonist’s cinematic fantasies. The music from composers Tyler Bates and Tim Williams swells with a melodramatic splendor that evokes the scores of the past while beautifully complementing the visuals, producing an intoxicating mood.

The Unraveling of a Starry-Eyed Dreamer

Mia Goth’s stunning portrayal of Pearl, a young woman who is stranded on her family’s remote Texas farm during the 1918 flu pandemic, is at the center of this magnificent nightmare. A troubled young woman seeks fame in a desperate attempt to break free from the monotony and doldrums of her small town rural life. The driving force behind the entire story is her strong desire to be a star, to dance on a stage, and to see her name up in lights.  Her veneer of sanity begins to crack as life on her parents’ farm becomes increasingly irritating. West and Goth, the screenwriters, carefully trace this fall, allowing the audience to empathize with Pearl’s confinement while also being repulsed by the violent tendencies that lie just beneath her alluring and naïve exterior.

More Than a Prequel: A Horror-Tinged Tragedy

Although officially a prequel to X, Pearl more than stands on its own. Although not essential, knowing the first film makes the experience more enjoyable. The terror here is more about a slow-burning, psychological dread than about abrupt scares. West masterfully incorporates traditional horror themes, such as isolation, a crumbling mansion, and an unknown danger, while viewing them through the prism of a Southern Gothic tragedy. One may be able to see in this the influences of Psycho, or even The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The real horror is witnessing a person succumb to the burden of their own aspirations and circumstances. As Pearl’s goals come into violent conflict with the brutal realities of her world, the picture creates an almost unbearable tension, culminating in consequences that are both shocking and, in the film’s warped logic, tragically unavoidable.

The Final Verdict

As a work of modern horror, Pearl is a daring film if at times somewhat too drawn out. It can take a while to get to its inevitable conclusion, but Goth carries the film where it lags. Her amazing skills are beautifully displayed in West’s visually in this visually stunning and at times disturbing film. The wrapping of a traditional Hollywood melodrama serves as a moving exploration of ambition, solitude, and the shady aspects of the American dream. Pearl is a must-see for movie buffs and horror fans alike, as it serves as a chilling reminder that shattered dreams often give rise to the scariest monsters.

The Video

Pearl was shot on the Sony CineAlta Venice in 4K resolution and comes to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray in a 2.39:1 HEVC 2160p (4K UHD) Dolby Vision encodement. The palette for the film has been made to mimic, as much as it can, the classic Technicolor films, and this is where the Dolby Vision grading really comes into play for this release. The primaries are very vibrant here, like the blue overalls Pearl wears on the farm or the red dress she auditions in. The yellow stalks of corn also standout beautifully. The specular highlights pop the most in the sunlight on the horizon during sundown or the glitzy, dreamlike graphics that flash during the audition dance sequence, or even in some of the candlelight. The digital imagery is given a filmlike patina that makes it look very organic and cinematic as well.  

The Audio

English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Atmos mixes are included for Pearl. Just as with the release of MaXXXine, the mixes are very similar, with the Atmos mix only having a subtly wider soundscape thanks to the atmospherics added to the height speakers. This is a mix that mostly leans on the lush score and atmospherics to surround you with subtle sound overhead.

The Supplements

Pearl is given a beautiful new package in a chunky box and new 120-page book along with new interviews, a video essay, audio commentary, and more.

Limited Edition Contents:

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Thinh Dinh
• 120-page book with new essays by Jenn Adams, Joel Harley, Mo Moshaty, Tori Potenza, Vannah Taylor and Nadine Whitney
• 6 collectors’ art cards 

Bonus Features:

• Audio Commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
• Bold Choices: An Interview with Director Ti West (1080p; 00:18:50)
• The Mother: An Interview with Actor Tandi Wright (1080p; 00:28:19)
• Absorb the Aesthetic: An Interview with Director of Photography Eliot Rockett (1080p; 00:12:53)
• Going Technicolor: An Interview with Production Designer Tom Hammock (1080p 00:19:02)
• Hollywood Goes West: A Video Essay by Joe Wallace (1080p; 00:10:31)
• Coming Out of Her Shell (1080p; 00:11:36)
• Time After Time (1080p; 00:03:59)

The Final Assessment

A satisfying and gripping slasher in the style of Golden Era Hollywood spectacle, Pearl is unusual horror, but one that should be experienced on this wonderful limited edition from Second Sight.

Pearl (Limited Edition) is out in the UK November 17, 2025 from Second Sight

Details

• Rating Certificate: 18
• Studios & Distributors: A24 | Little Lamb | Imagezone | Second Sight Films
• Director: Ti West
• Written By: Ti West | Mia Goth
• Run Time: 103 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Video Format: HEVC 2160p (4K UHD)
• HDR Format: Dolby Vision (HDR10 Compatible)
• Primary Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1
• Secondary Audio: English Dolby Atmos
• Subtitles: English SDH
• Street Date 17 November 2025