Cronos
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Synopsis
Guillermo del Toro made an auspicious and audacious feature debut with Cronos, a highly unorthodox tale about the seductiveness of the idea of immortality. Kindly antiques dealer Jesús Gris (Federico Luppi) happens upon an ancient golden device in the shape of a scarab, and soon finds himself the possessor and victim of its sinister, addictive powers, as well as the target of a mysterious American named Angel (a delightfully crude and deranged Ron Perlman). Featuring marvelous makeup effects and the haunting imagery for which del Toro has become world-renowned, Cronos is a dark, visually rich, and emotionally captivating fantasy.
Picture 8/10
The Criterion Collection upgrades Guillermo del Toro’s Cronos to 4K UHD, presenting the film with Dolby Vision on a triple-layer disc in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The 2160p/24hz ultra high-definition presentation comes from a new 4K restoration performed by Les Films du Camelia, in collaboration with the BFI National Archive, at L’Immagine Ritrovata, sourced from a scan of the 35mm original camera negative. The release also includes a Blu-ray featuring a 1080p presentation of the film alongside all video features.
Unfortunately, the Blu-ray disc is the same one from Criterion’s 2010 release, meaning it uses the older restoration with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. It’s a dated digital master that exhibits many of the typical shortcomings of its era—poor grain management and compression leading to a very digital-looking image, along with a lack of fine detail and questionable contrast. Thankfully, the new 4K restoration and presentation offer a substantial improvement over that older transfer by a considerable margin. The film now looks far sharper and more film-like than the previous high-def presentation ever did.
The opening credit sequence and a handful of early shots exhibit a softer, dupier quality, which I suspect means they were sourced from an interpositive. However, the rest of the film is razor-sharp, rendering fine details and textures with remarkable clarity. This includes the film’s grain structure, which is very fine and generally well-handled, though there are a couple of moments where it appears slightly buzzy.
Though the new scan and increased resolution alone justify the upgrade, the biggest improvement—consistent with many 4K releases—comes down to HDR and Dolby Vision. Cronos is a dark film with deep shadows, and this is where the format truly excels. The wider dynamic range and more refined contrast allow for greater depth and shadow detail, with bright light occasionally piercing through in a striking way. Highlights look excellent, particularly off the reflective surface of the Cronos Device and the slimy creature inside of it, which is now easier to discern. Black levels are generally deep and inky, though in those softer, dupier opening shots, they do appear somewhat crushed.
If there’s one aspect I’m uncertain about, it’s the color grading. Del Toro approved the colors for this edition, and they differ significantly from those on the Blu-ray, which he had previously approved alongside cinematographer Guillermo Navarro. The older presentation, despite its elevated reds, had a golden hue, while this new grading leans much cooler, sometimes even into teal territory. To be fair, the colder aesthetic suits the film, giving it an almost black-and-white quality that aligns with comments Del Toro makes in the commentary (if in passing) about the look he envisioned. Additionally, certain sequences were clearly dressed to appear blue, and the new grading enhances those moments. However, the shift also results in whites becoming almost nonexistent, while exterior sequences take on a yellowish-green tint reminiscent of L’Immagine Ritrovata’s typical grading style—something I find less appealing. That said, my experience with the film is limited to home video releases, so I can’t say with certainty whether it ever looked this way theatrically.
Color grading aside, this is still a significant upgrade over the previous high-def presentation. The restoration results in a far cleaner, sharper image, and the improvements in contrast and shadow detail make this the best Cronos has ever looked on home video.
Audio 8/10
As with the Blu-ray, Criterion includes two audio options, both presented in DTS-HD MA 2.0 surround sound, with only one notable difference: one features the opening narration in English, while the other has it in Spanish. Beyond that, both tracks are identical, featuring a mix of English and Spanish dialogue.
The audio appears to have undergone some restoration, and I noticed a slight improvement over the older track. The range feels a bit wider, and dialogue sounds a touch sharper. Music and sound effects are effectively mixed into the surrounds, though most of the audio still remains anchored to the front. It’s an effective presentation overall—nicely done.
Extras 8/10
With Criterion simply porting over the 2010 Blu-ray, all supplements from that edition have been carried over, starting with two audio commentaries (available on both the 4K disc and Blu-ray). The first features Guillermo del Toro, originally recorded for the Lionsgate DVD (Lionsgate’s logo theme even makes an appearance in the background), while the second includes producers Arthur H. Gorson, Alejandro Springall, and Bertha Navarro.
Of the two, del Toro’s track remains the highlight. He has an endless wealth of knowledge to share, keeping the commentary lively and engaging without a single dead spot. He covers everything from production challenges to effects work, casting, and technical details, but the real gems come from his deep dive into his research, including his extensive knowledge of alchemy and the supernatural. He references numerous books that inspired the script, points out film influences (including an Eyes Without a Face nod I had completely missed initially), and discusses how his religious upbringing shaped the film’s themes. His enthusiasm is infectious, still making this a very enjoyable track. (As a note, he mentions that "this DVD" includes photos of the book featured in the film—he’s referring to the Lionsgate DVD, but Criterion has thankfully carried those over.)
The producer commentary, by comparison, is more subdued. Springall and Navarro were recorded together in Spanish (with English subtitles), while Gorson was recorded separately in English. It focuses more on technical and financial aspects—raising money, working with del Toro, and the script—but lacks the richness of del Toro’s track and has noticeable lulls despite being edited together. If you’re only going to listen to one, del Toro’s is the way to go.
The remaining features are exclusive to the Blu-ray. Among the highlights is del Toro’s early short film, Geometria, made in 1987. Based on a short story by Frederic Brown, it’s a witty, Tales from the Crypt-esque story about a teenager going to extreme lengths to avoid retaking a geometry test. At only six minutes, it’s an impressive early effort with an Argento-inspired color scheme, and the punchline landed a solid laugh. It’s accompanied by a seven-minute interview with del Toro, where he discusses the short, the restoration work done for this release, and its influences (Inferno in particular). Still a fun inclusion.
Also still fun (if slightly indulgent) is Welcome to Bleak House, an 11-minute tour of del Toro’s extensive collection of memorabilia, housed not in his residence but in an entirely separate house. His collection spans everything from pop culture artifacts to alchemical tools, action figures (including a They Live figure I wouldn’t mind owning), and various models and sculptures. His screening room boasts over 7,000 DVDs and hundreds of laserdiscs, though, Criterion denies us a full view of the shelves. When we enter the room, the menu screen for Europa (of all things) is displayed on his screen. While the feature may seem like a vanity piece at first, it still manages to deliver a fascinating look into del Toro’s inspirations and creative process.
The disc then features a section for interviews. The first is an 18-minute one with del Toro, expanding on his commentary by delving deeper into the familial themes that run through all his films, his approach to presenting monsters, and his thoughts on what he calls “eye candy” versus “eye protein.” There’s some overlap with the commentary—particularly regarding how he chose to portray the film’s American villains—but del Toro is such an engaging speaker that it remains worthwhile.
The next interview features cinematographer Guillermo Navarro, running 13 minutes. He discusses his long collaboration with del Toro, their shared visual sensibilities, and the role of cinematography in storytelling. It’s a little on the dry side but offers valuable insight.
Ron Perlman also contributes a brief but entertaining interview (just over seven minutes), in which he recalls receiving del Toro’s letter inviting him to star in the film and how the decision was made for his character (and Claudio Brook’s) to speak English. He attributes much of his later career success to del Toro and delivers a spot-on impression of the director. It’s a shame he wasn’t involved more in the release, but his presence here is appreciated.
The next interview, also from the Lionsgate DVD, comes from a short segment featuring actor Federico Luppi. While not particularly deep, it offers some behind-the-scenes footage and Luppi’s thoughts on del Toro and the film. I suspect this was pulled from a larger making-of documentary that Lionsgate included, but if so, Criterion seems to have opted for only the most relevant material (I haven't looked at the features on Lionsgates' DVD, so can't confirm).
The disc also features a sizable stills gallery containing over 60 images with notes. These include detailed photos of the Cronos Device (including the oversized model used for close-ups), del Toro’s personal family photos, on-set production shots from both Cronos and Geometria, as well as images of the book/instruction manual from the film. Rounding it out are del Toro’s sketches and a storyboard for a deleted sequence.
The supplements conclude with a theatrical trailer, though it looks more like a VHS-era home video preview than a proper theatrical promo.
The included booklet is a reprint of the one from Criterion’s Blu-ray, featuring an essay by Maitland McDonagh on the film and del Toro. The real treasure, however, is the reproduction of del Toro’s personal notes for the cast and crew, including character descriptions, extensive bios, and an essay on alchemy and the gothic. It’s another invaluable peek into his meticulous creative process.
Overall, it’s still a fantastic selection of supplements. The producer commentary is the only real weak spot, but everything else is engaging and informative, providing a window into del Toro’s inspirations and working methods.
Closing
Color grading aside, the new 4K presentation offers a substantial upgrade over Criterion's Blu-ray, delivering a cleaner, more film-like image.
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