UHD Titles Worth/Not Worth Upgrading [Archive]

[Finch]

A more recent comment on the US UHD of The Man Who Fell To Earth

[rrenault]

I'm presuming North American Lionsgate 4K releases generally share encodes with their European Studio Canal-released counterparts. It looks like the North American 4K UHD of Le Mépris will be coming from LG by the way.

[MichaelB]

Masters, yes. Encodes, not necessarily.

[dwk]

I think most of Lionsgate's StudioCanal UHDs have been direct ports of the European discs.

[nicolas]

I got my copy of the first part of Richard Lester’s The Three Musketeers today from Rarewaves.

I think this disc (BD-100) looks very beautiful with a solid color grade that feels totally in line with what I presume was captured on set. Nothing too digital (aka "pop", egregious color alterations or excessive brightness) but not anemic at all either. Colors aren't overly yellow, more in line with recent European remasters like The Conformist or even the Three Colors trilogy which adhere more to original prints than previous neutral-looking discs.

Grain is lovely in DV with beautiful detail and a very good encode with only minimal (!) highlight clipping once in a while. Minimal must be highlighted as there is still detail left in these shots and not totally smeared out. It really is minor and honestly a testament to Studiocanal's encoding which has improved so much as of recently.

Based on this, I will order Part 2 and give it a look as well. Also can't wait for Godard's masterpiece Contempt which will hopefully receive the same treatment.

[Finch]

I've added a caveat to the Bloodsport entry on the OP: the film was shot in 1.85:1 but Capelight opened it up slightly to 1.78:1.

The Three Musketeers (Studio Canal)

[nicolas]

I've added a caveat to the Bloodsport entry on the OP: the film was shot in 1.85:1 but Capelight opened it up slightly to 1.78:1.

The Three Musketeers (Studio Canal)

Thanks. I honestly would even go so far as strip this release of its “reference” status since there are other little qualms with the mastering. I only watched the film in DV but even that couldn’t help hiding some compression artifacts, including frozen grain similar to the recent Curzon discs in terms of how noticeable they were during playback.

[Finch]

Noted, and downgraded to Solid. Thanks!

[rrenault]

I've added a caveat to the Bloodsport entry on the OP: the film was shot in 1.85:1 but Capelight opened it up slightly to 1.78:1.

The Three Musketeers (Studio Canal)

Thanks. I honestly would even go so far as strip this release of its “reference” status since there are other little qualms with the mastering. I only watched the film in DV but even that couldn’t help hiding some compression artifacts, including frozen grain similar to the recent Curzon discs in terms of how noticeable they were during playback.

Speaking of Curzon, I was personally pretty happy with their presentation of The Double Life of Veronique (I haven't picked up their Three Colors release yet), and I'd be fine with it being in the reference column. I didn't really detect any distracting compression issues such as one does during those bitrate plummets on the weaker StudioCanal releases, not to mention the subtle DNR Criterion seem to apply to a lot of their UHD discs.

If Curzon's Véronique release has a failing, it's that the slipcover falsely describes the film as being set in the sixties, which it most certainly is not, the opening minute of the film aside.

[nicolas]

I've added a caveat to the Bloodsport entry on the OP: the film was shot in 1.85:1 but Capelight opened it up slightly to 1.78:1.

The Three Musketeers (Studio Canal)

Thanks. I honestly would even go so far as strip this release of its “reference” status since there are other little qualms with the mastering. I only watched the film in DV but even that couldn’t help hiding some compression artifacts, including frozen grain similar to the recent Curzon discs in terms of how noticeable they were during playback.

Speaking of Curzon, I was personally pretty happy with their presentation of The Double Life of Veronique (I haven't picked up their Three Colors release yet), and I'd be fine with it being in the reference column. I didn't really detect any distracting compression issues such as one does during those bitrate plummets on the weaker StudioCanal releases, not to mention the subtle DNR Criterion seem to apply to a lot of their UHD discs.

I’m very happy with these too. Technically they’re not 100% reference due to their occasional clipping (more or less noticeable depending on the cinematography) but definitely above the underwhelming Criterion which, as you said, have unfortunately been low-pass filtered AND badly encoded. If the Curzon remains the four films’ final 4K release, these should definitely be in the top-tier category.

[rrenault]

Well yes, I think that's pretty much what I meant. The Curzon Kieslowski discs aren't obvious non-reference titles such as say Blade Runner, Heat, or Criterion's presentation of Three Colors: Red.

[rrenault]

Based on this, I will order Part 2 and give it a look as well. Also can't wait for Godard's masterpiece Contempt which will hopefully receive the same treatment.

I'm also excited about the Contempt 4K, more so than I am about a theatrical run of the 4k restoration, oddly. I just went ahead and preordered it from fnac, since it looks like it won't be getting a competing Criterion 4K release. As long as it's not a piss-colored train wreck, I'm sure it'll be fine.

[Finch]

The top tier is not just reference discs but also allows for discs that may not be 100% perfect but are an enormous leap over their BD counterparts just the same.

[M Sanderson]

Another 4K UHD which deserves all possible praise - Plaion Pictures’ Rider on the Rain. Available as “Der aus dem Regen kam” in Germany.

I’ve now watched the entire film after previously only spot-checking and felt compelled to reiterate how phenomenal this film looks as presented by Plaion.

Their encode (watched in DV but applicable to HDR10 and SDR as well) and disc presentation rivals anything by Fidelity in Motion. Yes, it’s that good and beautiful. Some shots are honestly beyond belief - for a somewhat oddity of a film, for the period and stock / lens limitations and for the astounding quality of the restoration as done in France. I felt like getting to see a DCP on my TV (LG OLED 2022 83 inch).
I wish every 4K UHD would look like this. I may even say that this is my favorite 4K UHD I’ve seen so far image-wise - and I own roughly 700.

This is demo material for a shot-on-film joint. There are no opticals apart from the title- and end credits with only a handful of second-gen material moments spread throughout, likely for scenes they originally had to cut.

The film is odd in how it jumps in tone pretty wildly but Bronson clearly had fun doing this part, unlike some of his later works. Don’t expect action, much more a thriller / drama European style. It’s no masterpiece but a good watch made even more special by absolute reference quality video and very good audio.

All labels and authoring houses still struggling with getting across a perfect encode should take a good look at this disc. A two-hour movie on a BD-66 with a couple language options and a flawless encode. It’s all possible… if they want it.

Plaion/Koch can be really impressive. Surely the best German label, along with Subkultr. Their 4k of The Killers is mostly very impressive - almost the pride & joy of my collection. Quite the stunner.

Always impressed by their choice of titles as well.

Intrigued to get their Planet of the Vampires UHD.

[Finch]

neo nical loves the Branded to Kill 4k.

Sporting a new 4K restoration that won the award for "Best Restored Film" at the Venice Classics branch of the 2022 Venice Film Festival, Branded to Kill makes its worldwide home video debut in 4K UHD (The film has been previously released numerous times since the 90s). Suzuki's masterpiece had an interesting history in home video. Going from being one of the worst Criterion DVD transfers to now becoming one of the finest 4Ks for Japanese cinema in the home video market.

Released in native 4K without any HDR included, this transfer shows MORE image in the frame in comparison to the previous editions (Blu-ray is 2.35:1, 4K is 2.39:1). DVDBeaver has already uploaded some comparisons for the new 4K edition so readers should be able to notice the difference. It is also worth noting that the 4K restoration used the original camera negative whereas the older HD remaster used a fine-grain master positive. The transfer does a great job of creating depth into the image and the contrast is darker in this version while having better grayscales as well. The grain is consistent and never increases or decreases for different shots. Worth noting that because of the film's dark visuals, grain isn't easy to notice in many scenes, especially for those who have smaller TVs.

Great presentation and I really thought it didn't look too different from the older Blu-ray. I was wrong. The shadow in the older edition creates small dark halos around the edges of the characters in many scenes. The resolution obviously seems more noisier, and the contrast isn't very rich. Despite the massive improvements in colors and clarity, it's still not an easy sell for those who have owned the previous editions (Whether it's Criterion or Arrow). For the 4K edition, this film SHOULD be seen on the biggest screen possible to see the huge differences in grain structure.

[Rupert Pupkin]

and his the blu-ray on the combo the "old" Criterion blu-ray or did they use the new 4K restoration from the UHD ? (thus, a downscale 4K transfer on blu-ray)

[swo17]

It's always going to be the old Blu-ray unless that had gone OOP or something

[AxeYou]

I'm genuinely curious: Why would people want a remastered Blu-ray in a 4K package? Is it because they haven't made the leap to 4K equipment yet?

I for one would rather have the studios/labels include the old BD, because of how often they screw up the audio on every new release with additional "restoration," e.g. unnecessary noise reduction, new remix only... At least with the original BD in the package, one can easily extract the old track and remux it to the 4K.

If one has 4K-capable equipment and isn't sensitive to audio defects, I'd guess it won't matter either way.

[therewillbeblus]

Well, some people haven't upgraded to 4K yet or might not at all, but also want the remastered transfer and may pay a bit extra for it. If I didn't own Blow Out yet but wanted to get the new remaster and didn't have a 4K player, I'd be pretty annoyed at my options.

It's funny because the one situation I'd agree with you on is Le Cercle Rouge, not for audio reasons but for the vastly different video presentation - which is why I'm holding onto my SC blu, just to own a version of the film that emanates an entirely different aesthetic feel to it. If the upgrade included Criterion's OOP transfer, I'd have it all, and that would be amazing.

[Rayon Vert]

Well, some people haven't upgraded to 4K yet or might not at all, but also want the remastered transfer and may pay a bit extra for it.

That's me.

[Rupert Pupkin]

I'm genuinely curious: Why would people want a remastered Blu-ray in a 4K package? Is it because they haven't made the leap to 4K equipment yet?

I for one would rather have the studios/labels include the old BD, because of how often they screw up the audio on every new release with additional "restoration," e.g. unnecessary noise reduction, new remix only... At least with the original BD in the package, one can easily extract the old track and remux it to the 4K.

If one has 4K-capable equipment and isn't sensitive to audio defects, I'd guess it won't matter either way.

Just "me" answering not the "people"; since I buy a combo, I'm interesting in having an upgrade in both medias : blu-ray disk + UHD.
Because my parents still have a blu-ray; it's still an humble media (blu-ray); when you are going into UHD you need a bigger TV (and a bigger room); I use a video-projector for UHD.
It annoys me to get a combo Criterion with 2 different transfers in the same box with 2 different color grading (so that if you don't have yet a UHD set and you suddenly switch to UHD you will be surprise (in a good or bad way) with the sudden changes of color grading between the 2 medias).

Then, at first, keep in mind that Criterion was releasing 4K restoration only on blu-ray disks and you already could tell that looked better (The Graduate, Sex Lies And Videotape, All That Jazz (not sure it was a 4K restoration, but looks like it was);
same for other labels.
If they release a combo of "Branded To Kill" with a 4K restoration that bothers me that the disk will be the "old one"; even a downscaled on blu-ray a 4K restoration if it's well done can look way better. (but perhaps at the beginning Criterion was not at ease for downscaling some UHD transfer (he did not release) such as Monsieur Klein or La Piscine ?).

For instance it's a bit sad, and kind of "bad timing" that Cronenberg's "Crash" was released only on blu-ray (that's why I bought the Turbine release; I think that it was the first one to release the 4K restoration of Croneberg's movie).
And even on a blu-ray a scope movie like "Lost Highway" looks better than the previous blu-ray- same for other labels such as Arrow "True Romance".
Perhaps the "jump" of quality is more significant depending which movie you are watching (a color movie, etc...); with UHD you will be closer to "theatrical" experience at home : more natural grain, etc...

[AxeYou]

Thanks, therewillbeblus, Rayon, and Rupert! All very valid points.

[M Sanderson]

Anyone else hearing that there are no audio issues on the Shout Factory 4k of Full Circle (Haunting of Julia)? - the one apparent issue regarding the BFI release.

[nicolas]

Anyone else hearing that there are no audio issues on the Shout Factory 4k of Full Circle (Haunting of Julia)? - the one apparent issue regarding the BFI release.

I’m not sure where you heard that but if you’re referring to the Blu-ray.com review, the issue was conspicuously absent but it wouldn’t surprise me since the same reviewer uploaded a breakdown of Shout’s They Live 4K Steelbook just today and, you guessed it, made no mention of the color space error. If he overlooked that, he probably doesn’t have the slightest idea about the Full Circle audio too.

[swo17]

What's wrong with the BFI's audio?