It’s the moment that made audiences grip their armrests and whisper “nope” under their breath—the hide-and-clap scene. Easily one of the most terrifying sequences in The Conjuring, it turns a childhood game into a masterclass in dread. Carolyn Perron, blindfolded and searching for her daughter, follows the sound of clapping deeper into the house. She hears it again—two sharp claps—and reaches toward a wardrobe that shouldn’t be open. The camera lingers, the silence stretches, and then—CLAP CLAP—from inside the wardrobe. No music sting, no over-the-top effects. Just pure, analog terror. It’s the kind of scare that sticks with you, the kind that makes you rethink playing games in the dark.

Yes.  The Conjuring still knocks.

It’s strange to call The Conjuring a classic, but here we are. Over a decade after its release, James Wan’s haunted house thriller hasn’t lost a step—it’s still legitimately scary as hell. For those of us raised on The Haunting (1963), The Changeling (1980), and Amityville Horror (1979), this film felt like a long-overdue return to form; no found footage gimmicks, no overcooked CGI—just pure, analog dread.

Set in 1971 and based on the “secret” case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring follows the Perron family as they move into a sprawling Rhode Island farmhouse with a pond, acreage, and a whole lot of bad vibes. Clocks stop at 3:07 a.m., family photos get hurled off the walls, and the youngest daughter starts chatting with her new invisible friend. Even the dog refuses to come inside—and honestly, that should’ve been the end credits right there.

When things escalate (as they do), the Perrons call in the Warrens—played with quiet intensity by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. Wilson’s Ed is grounded and methodical, while Farmiga’s Lorraine is empathetic and haunted, both literally and emotionally. Their chemistry is rich, portraying the couple as a deeply connected unit rather than just exposition machines. Lili Taylor, as Carolyn Perron, delivers a raw, physical performance that anchors the film’s emotional stakes. Ron Livingston plays Roger Perron with just the right mix of disbelief and dad energy.

Wan’s direction is all about mood. He tones down the gore and paces the film with precision, letting the 1970s setting soak the screen in sepia-toned unease. The scares are familiar—something in the wardrobe, something in the basement—but they still work. You know it’s coming, and it still gets you. That’s Wan flexing his horror muscle, and it’s impressive.

For collectors, the 4K SteelBook release is a must. The transfer preserves the film’s grainy textures and shadowy palette, and the minimalist packaging feels appropriately haunted. It’s the kind of release that deserves shelf space next to The Exorcist, Rosemary’s Baby, and The Changeling—not just for its scares, but for its craftsmanship.

Sure, The Conjuring doesn’t reinvent the haunted house genre. But what’s here is excellent. It’s pointed, tight, and ready to spook and be spooked. Wan’s horror auteur status was solidified here—not with gore, but with atmosphere. It’s the haunted house movie we didn’t know we were waiting for, and now it’s the one we measure others against.

Don’t see it alone. Seriously.

4K Ultra HD + Digital 4K SteelBook

Home Video Distributor: Warner Bros.
Available on Blu-ray - August 26, 2025
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH; French; Spanish
Video: HDR10
Audio: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; French: Dolby Digital 5.1; Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; single-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.

VIDEO

The 4K UHD release of The Conjuring is exactly the kind of upgrade Gen X horror fans live for—like swapping your worn-out VHS for a pristine, remastered LaserDisc (but, you know, without the flipping).

The film’s 2160p transfer, presented in its original 2.40:1 aspect ratio, isn’t native 4K, but the upscale is sharp, moody, and drenched in shadowy detail. HDR10 deepens the blacks and gives candlelit scenes—especially that infamous hide-and-clap moment—a richer, more immersive glow. It’s not flashy, and that’s the point. This is a film built on atmosphere, and the 4K disc respects that.

The minimalist SteelBook packaging is a bonus: sleek, eerie, and worthy of shelf space next to your Changeling and Exorcist editions. For those of us who still remember adjusting tracking on haunted house tapes, this release feels like the definitive way to experience Wan’s analog nightmare.

AUDIO

The 4K UHD audio on The Conjuring doesn’t try to blow your speakers out—and thank goodness for that. Instead, it leans into what made the film scary in the first place: subtlety. Anchored by a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, the mix is clean, immersive, and deeply unsettling in all the right ways. You hear every creak of the floorboards, every whisper in the dark, and yes, every ghostly clap with pinpoint clarity. Dialogue remains crisp and centered, while the surround channels take on the heavy lifting when it comes to building tension.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

The Conjuring 4K SteelBook edition includes a strong lineup of special features that blend behind-the-scenes insight with fan-favorite extras. These features deepen the lore, spotlight the Warrens’ legacy, and offer a peek into James Wan’s horror craftsmanship.

• “Scariest of Them All” – Cast and crew reflect on what makes The Conjuring stand out in the haunted house genre.
• “Reflections on The Conjuring” – A retrospective look at the film’s impact over the past decade, including its influence on modern horror.
• “Face-to-Face with Fear” – Interviews with the cast about their personal reactions to the film’s most terrifying moments.
• “A Life in Demonology” – A deeper dive into Ed and Lorraine Warren’s real-life investigations and how they shaped the film’s narrative.
• “Scaring the @$% Out of You”* – A cheeky, behind-the-scenes featurette on Wan’s scare tactics and how the film was engineered to make audiences jump.

	Movie
	Video
	Audio
	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: R.
Runtime: 112 mins
Director: James Wan
Writer: Chad Hayes; Carey W. Hayes
Cast: Vera Farmiga; Patrick Wilson; Lili Taylor
Genre: Horror | Thriller
Tagline: Based on the true case files of the warrens.
Memorable Movie Quote: "The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow."
Theatrical Distributor: Warner Bros.
Official Site:
Release Date: July 19, 2013
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: August 26, 2025.
Synopsis: Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse.