Ti West’s Pearl has always stood apart from the rest of the X trilogy—at least for me. While X delivers retro-slasher grit and MaXXXine goes full neon fever dream, Pearl is the one that lodged itself under my skin and refused to leave. Maybe it’s Mia Goth’s fearless, feral performance. Maybe it’s the sickly-sweet Technicolor palette dripping with artifice. Or maybe it’s that I’m a total sucker for anything that echoes the cinematic magic of The Wizard of Oz. Whatever the case, Pearl is my favorite entry in the trilogy, and Second Sight Films’ new Limited Edition 4K UHD release only deepens that devotion.
Billed as the origin story of one of modern horror’s most iconic figures, Pearl takes us back to Texas in 1918, where a young woman dreams of stardom while trapped on a suffocating family farm. Beneath its quaint Americana aesthetic lurks a roiling psychological nightmare, one that bursts forth in bold reds, glistening greens, and the kind of pastoral melancholy that would make Judy Garland sit up and take notice. The release fully embraces these Wizard-of-Oz-meets-Texas-Chainsaw influences, presenting the film in HDR with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos—finally giving those lush, delirious visuals the prestige they demand.
The centerpiece, of course, remains Mia Goth. Critics have been shouting it from the rooftops since 2022—The Guardian even dubbed her “the Judy Garland of horror,” and they weren’t wrong. Her work here is pure, unfiltered cinematic electricity. Watching her unravel feels like watching a star be born and destroyed at the same time, and this new edition honors that performance with the reverence it deserves. The set includes a brand-new commentary from Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, plus fresh interviews with Goth’s collaborators, including director Ti West, cinematographer Eliot Rockett, production designer Tom Hammock, and actor Tandi Wright. For fans who crave behind-the-scenes insight into how a film this stylized comes together, these features are a goldmine.
Second Sight has gone all out with the physical extras too. The Limited Edition arrives in a gorgeous rigid slipcase adorned with new artwork by Thinh Dinh—art that captures the film’s strange mix of innocence and rot. Inside, a 120-page book collects new essays from writers Jenn Adams, Joel Harley, Mo Moshaty, Tori Potenza, Vannah Taylor, and Nadine Whitney, exploring everything from Pearl’s psychology to the film’s bold aesthetic choices. Six collectors’ art cards round out the package, making this release feel like a true celebration of the film’s legacy.
What makes this release so special—and why it feels like the definitive version—is how it highlights Pearl’s dual nature: a gorgeous, nostalgic homage to classic Hollywood musicals and a brutal, intimate character study that spirals into horror. Few films balance beauty and terror so deftly. Fewer still commit to their aesthetic as fiercely as Pearl does. And this edition lets you luxuriate in every saturated frame.
Whether you’re a devoted fan of the trilogy, a collector of boutique physical media, or simply someone who appreciates Ti West’s uncanny ability to make madness look mesmerizing, Second Sight’s Pearl Limited Edition is the release to own. For my money, it’s not just the best package this film has ever received—it’s the one it’s always deserved.
And if you happen to love The Wizard of Oz as much as I do? Well, let’s just say the yellow brick road has never looked so red.
Jessie Hobson