Dean Norris

11 films on Best Blurays9 in 4K2 in HD

Dean Joseph Norris (born April 8, 1963 height 5' 7" (1,70 m)) is an American actor, best known for portraying DEA agent Hank Schrader on the AMC series Breaking Bad (2008–2013) and town selectman James "Big Jim" Rennie on the CBS series Under the Dome (2013–present). He has also appeared in films such as Lethal Weapon 2 (1989), Total Recall (1990), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Starship Troopers (1997), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and Evan Almighty (2007). Norris was born in South Bend, Indiana, to Jack, a furniture store owner, and Rosie Norris. He has four sisters. Norris graduated from Clay High School in 1981, where he says he got straight A's. He is a 1985 graduate of Harvard College, where he majored in social studies. He also attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Biography from TMDB

By format

List

Breaking Bad (2008)

TV series

Supporting role

Video format: 4K Streaming

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray

Also Streaming in 4K on Netflix and Stan

Safe (1995)

Supporting role · Director: Todd Haynes

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Excellent

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray caps & impressions

4.0

The Last Seduction (1994)

Supporting role · Director: John Dahl

Best Video:

Australia Imprint 4K Blu-ray

3.6

The One (2001)

Small role · Director: James Wong

Best Video:

UK 88 Films Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Commentary: 88 Films is at a very low volume level. The other BDs like the Sony do not have this problem.

The Cell (2000)

Small role · Director: Tarsem Singh

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

3.3

Total Recall (1990)

Small role · Director: Paul Verhoeven

4K · Solid

Best Video:

Italy Eagle Pictures 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

US LaserDisc 2.0, or Eagle Pictures 4K Blu-ray 5.1

3.8

Starship Troopers (1997)

Small role · Director: Paul Verhoeven

4K · Solid

Best Video:

2022 Sony 4K Blu-ray

3.8

The Firm (1993)

Small role · Director: Sydney Pollack

4K · Excellent

Best Video:

Paramount/Plaion Italy 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Paramount/Plaion Italy 4K Blu-ray > Paramount US. Overall good, superior compression to the US disc

Best Audio:

1994 Japan LaserDisc [PILF-1836]

3.5

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Small role · Directors: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris

Video format: 4K Streaming

Best English-Friendly:

Streaming

Best Video:

4K Streaming

Video Notes:

4K Streaming is a newly-done restoration superior to all past releases:
Kaleidescape > Movies Anywhere > Disney+

Best Audio:

Fox Blu-ray

Gattaca (1997)

Small role · Director: Andrew Niccol

4K · Excellent

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

3.8

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Small role · Director: James Cameron

4K · Worse Than BD

Best Video:

2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray

Sources: fanrestore.com (opens in a new tab) · originaltrilogy.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray (but it's missing the extra scenes in the Ultimate Edition)

2017 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray and subsequent 4K Blu-rays are notorius for being heavily denoised and smoothened. Alternatively, 35mm scans for the theatrical cut is also available.
For the Ultimate Edition with the T-1000 searching John's room and the happy future ending, the 2009 Skynet Blu-ray, which is the older pre-2017 transfer, but has DNR.

Best Audio:

Original Kodak/ORC CDS mix: Japan Pioneer DVD in DTS/ac3 5.1

Original Dolby Stereo SR: USA Widescreen LaserDisc and others.

Audio Notes:

Differences of mixes on various releases: see thread and more info here.

Additional Info:

2017 Blu-ray (which has the DNRed transfer), the 2009 Skynet Edition Blu-ray, and the 2000 Ultimate Edition DVD have exclusive extras. The 2003 Extreme Edition DVD has some exclusive easter eggs.

4.3

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