Dan Stevens has had one of the more unusual career trajectories as an actor. Like many, the British actor started out on the stage before making the jump to TV with roles in various BBC adaptations. However, his big break came playing Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey, becoming a familiar face to UK audiences. After leaving the show, his career took an altogether unexpected path when he started in The Guest. A role he had to bulk up for and play against type.
The Petersons are struggling to come to terms with the loss of their eldest son, Caleb, in Afghanistan. When David (Stevens) appears one day, a recently discharged soldier who served with him, mum Laura (Sheila Kelley) is eager to learn more. Her husband (Leland Orser) is less welcoming, but soon falls for his charm. Luke (Brendan Meyer), the youngest who is being bullied at school, sees his arrival as a godsend but his sister Anna (Maika Monroe) has a more complex mix of feelings. Not to mention a little suspicious.
The Guest is one of those films which works exceptionally well on first viewing but is an entirely different beast on re-watch. The less you know going in, the better, and Adam Wingard’s film works well as a thriller. Second-time round, this aspect holds up less well but you notice the arch, almost campy, atmosphere much more. It’s nicely made and Stevens is impressive as the lead but The Guest does suffer from trying to be too many things, at times.
Special features:
- Limited Edition of 5,000
- 4K / Blu-ray dual format release
- Brand new grade for both formats supervised by Director Adam Wingard
- UHD presented in Dolby Vision HDR
- New commentary by Director Adam Wingard and Writer Simon Barrett
- Archive commentary by Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett
- The Uninvited Guest: a new interview with Actor Dan Stevens
- A Perfect Stranger: a new interview with Actor Maika Monroe
- By Invitation Only: a new interview with Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett
- Producing The Guest: a new interview with Producers Keith Calder and Jess Wu Calder
- Light and Fog: a new interview with Director of Photography Robby Baumgartner
- Lightning Strikes: a new interview with Production Designer Tom Hammock
- The Sounds of The Guest: a new interview with Composer Steve Moore
- Deleted / Alternate Scenes, Outtake Gag with optional Director commentary
Limited Edition Contents:
- Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Adam Stothard
- Various Artists Soundtrack CD
- 160 page book with new essays by Tim Coleman, Zena Dixon, Craig Ian Mann and Zoë Rose Smith; Script-to-Screen featuring storyboards and script extracts, Behind-the-Scenes photos and Adam Wingard soundtrack notes
- 6 collectors’ art cards
The Guest limited edition 4K/Blu-ray is released by Second Sight on 25 October.
