4K Ultra HD Review: THE UGLY STEPSISTER (2025)

THE UGLY STEPSISTER

Directed by:  Emilie Blichfeldt

Distributed by:  Second Sight Films

 THE UGLY STEPSISTER is a film I had been curious about for a while, and finally got the chance to check out thanks to Second Sight Films and their new 4K Ultra HD release of the film.   

 Set in the 19th Century, THE UGLY STEPSISTER is a reimaging of the Cinderella story, but with a very dark and brutal twist.  

Here is the basic plot from the Second Sight Film's website:

An impressionable and idealistic young woman dreams of marrying the kingdom’s prince but her beautiful stepsister becomes her greatest rival. Increasingly desperate she resorts to extreme measures in a quest for the physical perfection she believes will win the prince’s heart.

 This is a extremely well made film, from the acting to the wonderful practical effects.   The film focuses on ugly duckling sister, Elvira, and her desire (or more so her Mother's desire) to become beautiful so the Prince will choose her for his wife.    While Elvira's stepsister Agnes is the clear front-runner for the Prince's hand in marriage, a sexual encounter with the stable boy pretty much gets Agnes ostracized from the family.   This opens the way for Elvira to woo the Prince, but she must make some drastic changes first!  

 The changes Elvira does to herself and has done to her, are extremely hard to watch and very cringe inducing.  I looked away from the screen many times, something I rarely do with a horror film.   She uses the only techniques they had at the time, including voluntarily eating a tapeworm to help control her weight.   I looked online to see if this was a technique that was actually used back then, and apparently it was.  It is extremely unsafe, though, which you will see why in this film.  There is a good reason we don't use that form of weight loss these days!    Other modifications Elvira has done to her are a nose job, and the addition of fake lashes.   Adding fake eyelashes might sound like no big deal, but a close up of the eyelashes being sewn onto her eyelid caused my whole body to clinch up!  

 All these things pale in comparison, though, to the main modification Elvira does to herself, all in order to fit into the slipper that was lost at the ball.   You can use your imagination to figure out what she does, or if you can stomach it, just watch this film!  

  THE UGLY STEPSISTER is like a 19th Century version of HOSTEL, except all the body torture is completely voluntary.   This is body horror at it's finest, with graphic scenes disguised by the beautiful cinematography and costumes of what otherwise would look like a beautiful art film.  Kudos to Director Emilie Blichfeldt on an amazing first feature film, I look forward to her future projects. 

  THE UGLY STEPSISTER is available now on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, and a 4K Ultra HD limited edition, and contains the following Special Features:

• Presented in HDR with Dolby Vision

• New audio commentary with Director Emilie Blichfeldt and Filmmaker Patrik Syversen

• New audio commentary by Meagan Navarro

• This Is My Ball: a new interview with Emilie Blichfeldt

• Generational Trauma: a new interview with Actor Lea Myren

• Take Up Space: a new interview with Actor Thea Sofie Loch Næss

• Character and Gore: a new interview with Effects Artist Thomas Foldberg

• The Beauty of Ugly: The Effects of The Ugly Stepsister

• A Cinderella Story: Kat Hughes on The Ugly Stepsister

• Deleted Scene

• Short Films: How Do You Like My Hair? and Sara’s Intimate Confessions

CLICK HERE to purchase the Blu-ray

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K Ultra HD

CLICK HERE to purchase the 4K Ultra HD Limited Edition