The Witch appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.66:1 on this Blu-Ray Disc. This became a good representation of the source.
Overall sharpness came across fine. A couple of shots looked a bit soft, but those didn’t create a notable concern. Instead, the flick delivered positive clarity and accuracy. No jaggies or shimmering occurred, and edge haloes remained absent. I also saw no print flaws.
To reflect the film’s setting and tone, Witch came with a virtually monochromatic palette. It opted for a drab teal orientation with virtually no other hues on display the majority of the time. These choices worked fine, and blacks seemed strong. Shadows also appeared smooth and concise. No one will use this as a showcase image, but it replicated the filmmakers’ intentions.
Given the movie’s subdued nature, I expected a low-key DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, and that was what I got. The audio concentrated on mild ambience much of the time. Effects occasionally cropped up around the spectrum, and the film’s spare score also utilized the various channels, but this was usually a restrained soundscape. Even elements like a rainstorm failed to do a lot with the mix.
Audio quality appeared positive. Music was full and rich, while effects seemed accurate and clear. The accents on display might impact intelligibility of dialogue, but the lines seemed natural. This became a suitable soundtrack for the story on display.
A few extras appear, and we get an audio commentary from writer/director Robert Eggers. During his running, screen-specific chat, he discusses story and characters, period details and attempts at historical accuracy, cast and performances, sets, location and production design, music and audio, effects, and related areas.
Eggers gives us a good chat. He touches on a nice variety of subjects and covers them in an engaging way, without too much fluff and with the occasional self-criticism as well. Eggers offers a nice collection of notes about the film.
Next comes a featurette called A Primal Folktale. It runs eight minutes, 28 seconds and includes notes from Eggers and actors Kate Dickie, Ralph Ineson, Ellie Grainger, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Harvey Scrimshaw. “Primal” looks at influences, story/characters, cast and performances, sets, costumes and attempts at historical accuracy, and other issues. “Primal” brings us a decent overview but it tends to be fairly promotional.
A Salem Panel Q&A goes for 27 minutes, 59 seconds and involves Eggers, Taylor-Joy, Salem historian Brunonia Barry and Salem historian/archivist Richard Trask. We learn about historical accuracy and attempts at realism, cast and performances, influences and design choices, sets and locations. Like “Primal”, the Q&A mixes useful comments with praise. It acts as a serviceable chat.
In addition, we find a Design Gallery. It delivers 17 screens of art and photos. This becomes a nice little collection.
The disc opens with ads for Green Room, The Adderall Diaries, Mojave, Tusk and Ex Machina. No trailer for The Witch appears here.
A psychological horror film, The Witch offers moderate pleasures. I appreciate its lack of cheap scares and sensationalism but wish the movie offered a more compelling tale. The Blu-ray brings us good visuals, adequate audio and a smattering of supplements. The Witch doesn’t excel as a movie, but it offers enough intrigue to be worth a look.