The story of the 1997 horror movie Mimic isn’t just a story about a very specific kind of creepy film. It’s the story of Guillermo del Toro fighting against horrible opposition, and basically, losing. Nearly three decades ago, del Toro clashed with notorious producers BobWeinstein and (convicted sex offender) Harvey Weinstein over the tone and style of the movie, with Bob Weinstein even attempting to fire and replace the filmmaker. Del Toro did complete the movie and later created as close to a director’s cut as possible, with both now available in a new 4K UHD edition. But even if Mimic remains a difficult memory for del Toro, the movie is an early indicator of the obsessions and themes that would haunt the rest of his output.The film stars Mira Sorvino as Susan Tyler, an entomologist who creates a new insect – a hybrid of termite and mantis – to exterminate the cockroaches that have been spreading a plague throughout Manhattan that is especially fatal to children. The plan is successful, but although Susan’s “Judas breed” is programmed to self-destruct, it mutates instead – into human-sized monsters that are colonizing the subways and can mimic the shape of their human prey.How Mimic Was Initially Received Upon ReleaseDespite the praise he had garnered from critics for his 1992 debut feature, Cronos, del Toro did not fare as well with Mimic. Its Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus (which includes both contemporaneous reviews and more recent reappraisals) stands at a barely positive 67%, while it earned a far lower 37% from viewers – although both seemed to give del Toro and the film the benefit of the doubt as a compromised showcase for his then still-developing talents.One early fan was Roger Ebert, who correctly noted in his review at the time that del Toro’s “visual sense adds a certain texture that makes everything scarier and more effective,” although he found the story derivative. But even a thumbs-up from Mr. Ebert couldn’t bug moviegoers enough to see Mimic: it grossed a paltry $25.5 million against a budget of $30 million.Why It’s Important to See Mimic NowGuillermo del Toro at the premiere of Mimic in 1997. | New York Daily News Archive/New York Daily News/Getty ImagesAlthough it’s since become a cult classic (and is still one of his best films), Guillermo del Toro’s feature directorial debut, Cronos, never got more than a very limited release. Five years later, Mimic was his first true introduction to a wider audience, although it did not come without hardship. By all accounts, del Toro was at odds with Miramax studio heads Bob and Harvey Weinstein from the start, with Bob in particular opposing del Toro’s vision for the film and threatening to axe him until Mira Sorvino intervened on the director’s behalf.The Weinsteins did tinker with Mimic in post-production, and the result was a movie that retained a certain degree of del Toro’s visual flair (and his knack for creating truly nightmarish monsters), but simply did not cohere as an effective narrative. The pacing is slipshod, the atmosphere isn’t sustained, and the editing is choppy – quite the opposite from the deliberate, stately storytelling and painterly visuals that have defined so many of del Toro’s later gems like The Devil’s Backbone, Pan’s Labyrinth, and the recent Frankenstein.The director’s cut that del Toro got to assemble in 2011 is a marginal improvement, in that it better emphasizes the themes he was trying to state and the mood he wanted to create. It also uses color filters to achieve more of that textured, detailed, rich look that permeates his succeeding films. Both versions contain elements that would long linger in his work: a fascination with insects, grotesque creatures hiding in human form, children with enhanced sensibilities, the death of innocents, and winding, dark labyrinths filled with shadow and menace (in this case, the NYC subway system, used to chilling effect).Despite its personal touches, however, it remains del Toro’s least personal film – but is still necessary for fans of his work to watch. In a sense, the painful experience of making Mimic perhaps helped del Toro vow to never compromise his vision again – which led in turn to one of horror and dark fantasy’s most respected and acclaimed modern filmographies.What New Features/Upgrades Does The 4K Blu-ray Have?Mimic: The Director's Cut 3-Disc 4K SetKino Lorber - Both the theatrical cut and director’s cut of Mimic have surfaced on different home video releases, but Kino Lorber’s new, three-disc 4K UHD upgrade brings them both together in what should be a definitive edition. Del Toro has approved the 4K paint job on both versions, and fresh HD transfers of both have been provided for the standard Blu-ray disc that’s also included. The set has retained del Toro’s original commentary tracks for both, while also adding a new commentary from film experts Arne Venema and Stefan Hammond. Among the other features ported over from previous editions are deleted scenes, an introduction from the director, various featurettes, a gag reel, and animated storyboards.It’s not like Mimic is a missing piece in the del Toro puzzle (the film has never been particularly difficult to see), but it’s an overlooked one. It’s still not a great film – certainly not a match for the man’s later triumphs – yet it provides an early glimpse into the aesthetic that would become his trademark. And it also shows how he was willing to fight for his vision from the start – even if he didn’t exactly emerge victorious from this particular battle.****