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Phantom (1922)
Phantom (1922) poster
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3.5

Phantom (1922)

Drama, Romance, Fantasy • 2h 5m

Overview

Lorenz Lubota is a city clerk with no direction in life. One day on his way to work he is run over by a woman driving a chariot and he is immediately infatuated with her.

Director: F. W. Murnau

Best English-Friendly Release

MoC or US Flicker Alley (unsure)

Best Video Release

- MoC included in boxset
- Germany new 2k restoration, no subs
- US Flicker Alley not sure which restoration

Format

1080p Blu-ray

External Links

Length

125 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

2 years ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release

MoC or US Flicker Alley (unsure)

Best Video Release

- MoC included in boxset
- Germany new 2k restoration, no subs
- US Flicker Alley not sure which restoration

Format
1080p Blu-ray
Length
125 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
2 years ago
Contributors

More from F. W. Murnau

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Nosferatu poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC and BFI differing restorations and scores

Best Video:

2006 Restoration: Eureka Blu-ray
1995 photochemical restoration: BFI Blu-ray that some may prefer

Best Audio:

Eureka with Murnau institute restoration featuring score based on original score, BFI uses Photoplay restoration with James Bernard score

Additional Info:

Both Eureka and BFI BDs are worthy of owning. Each restoration has unique positives and extras. The James Bernard score on the BFI is outstanding and the image tinting is different to how the Murnau institute official restoration was done. The Eureka MoC BD is stuffed with extras and remains one of the best-made BDs of all time. Whatever you do: AVOID THE Kino Lorber BD!!! It uses the same Murnau institute restoration but drops frames for the whole feature - thus it loses a significant portion of the film! This was never acknowledged or addressed. The Kino Lorber BD remains one of the worst BDs of all time for this reason.

Nosferatu poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC and BFI differing restorations and scores

Best Video:

2006 Restoration: Eureka Blu-ray
1995 photochemical restoration: BFI Blu-ray that some may prefer

Best Audio:

Eureka with Murnau institute restoration featuring score based on original score, BFI uses Photoplay restoration with James Bernard score

Additional Info:

Both Eureka and BFI BDs are worthy of owning. Each restoration has unique positives and extras. The James Bernard score on the BFI is outstanding and the image tinting is different to how the Murnau institute official restoration was done. The Eureka MoC BD is stuffed with extras and remains one of the best-made BDs of all time. Whatever you do: AVOID THE Kino Lorber BD!!! It uses the same Murnau institute restoration but drops frames for the whole feature - thus it loses a significant portion of the film! This was never acknowledged or addressed. The Kino Lorber BD remains one of the worst BDs of all time for this reason.

Tabu: A Story of the South Seas poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC > Kino Lorber (see slowpics for comparison). No information on Potemkine.

Additional Info:

MoC has higher bitrate than Kino Lorber, also the contrast is increased. But there is no noticeable reduction in visible film damage presented between the two offerings.

Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC > Kino Lorber (see slowpics for comparison). No information on Potemkine.

Additional Info:

MoC has higher bitrate than Kino Lorber, also the contrast is increased. But there is no noticeable reduction in visible film damage presented between the two offerings.

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

SFFP new 4K restoration

Best Video:

MoC audio is better, OOP but available in ebay https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=225532&page=3

Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

SFFP new 4K restoration

Best Video:

MoC audio is better, OOP but available in ebay https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=225532&page=3

Tartuffe poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC

Best Video:

MoC vs Kino Lorber no comparison, Kino Lorber is the same old restoration

Tartuffe poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC

Best Video:

MoC vs Kino Lorber no comparison, Kino Lorber is the same old restoration

The Haunted Castle poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC vs Kino Lorber Blu-ray, where Kino Lorber is supposedly a new restoration, different tint but darker and less shadow details http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_73/early_murnau_blu-ray.htm 

Best English-Friendly:

MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC vs Kino Lorber Blu-ray, where Kino Lorber is supposedly a new restoration, different tint but darker and less shadow details http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_reviews_73/early_murnau_blu-ray.htm 

Faust poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber AR is squished; MoC is correct. Unsure on France Potemkine

Faust poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber AR is squished; MoC is correct. Unsure on France Potemkine

City Girl poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC Blu-ray

City Girl poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC Blu-ray

More from Masters of Cinema

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Anatahan poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

OOP Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC slightly better than Kino Lorber http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_76/anatahan_blu-ray.htm

Anatahan poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

OOP Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC slightly better than Kino Lorber http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film6/blu-ray_reviews_76/anatahan_blu-ray.htm

Metropolis poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

1984 Giorgio Moroder restoration: MoC Blu-ray or Kino Lorber Blu-ray

2001 Murnau restoration: MoC 2-disc DVD set > Kino Lorber 1-disc Restored Authorized Edition DVD

2010 Murnau complete restoration: MoC Blu-ray > Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Metropolis poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

1984 Giorgio Moroder restoration: MoC Blu-ray or Kino Lorber Blu-ray

2001 Murnau restoration: MoC 2-disc DVD set > Kino Lorber 1-disc Restored Authorized Edition DVD

2010 Murnau complete restoration: MoC Blu-ray > Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Street of Shame poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray, see caps

MoC is sourced from an earlier scan, but still looks more detailed than the later 4K restoration released by Kadokawa in Japan, which has some black crush and DNR. French Capricci disc is sourced from the same scan as MoC but with much worse encoding and wrong levels.

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

Best English-Friendly:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

Eureka MoC Blu-ray, see caps

MoC is sourced from an earlier scan, but still looks more detailed than the later 4K restoration released by Kadokawa in Japan, which has some black crush and DNR. French Capricci disc is sourced from the same scan as MoC but with much worse encoding and wrong levels.

Best Audio:

1991 Daiei LaserDisc

The Crucified Lovers poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray (caps)

Kadokawa JP Blu-ray has incorrect levels and looks slightly washed out. Criterion has slightly worse encoding, but both are solid in that regard.

Best Audio:

Eureka MoC DVD

Additional Info:

MoC has a different translation from Criterion.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Blu-ray (caps)

Kadokawa JP Blu-ray has incorrect levels and looks slightly washed out. Criterion has slightly worse encoding, but both are solid in that regard.

Best Audio:

Eureka MoC DVD

Additional Info:

MoC has a different translation from Criterion.

The Old Dark House poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC 4K Blu-ray. Here are some screenshots that include the Cohen Blu-ray and the poor Germany 4K with terrible fake HDR. David’s DV grade is way more subtle and doesn’t blow out the highlights

Best Audio:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

MoC 4K Blu-ray. Here are some screenshots that include the Cohen Blu-ray and the poor Germany 4K with terrible fake HDR. David’s DV grade is way more subtle and doesn’t blow out the highlights

Best Audio:

MoC 4K Blu-ray

A New Leaf poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray > MoC > Olive Films. From nicolas:

The master is good but it’s not that big an upgrade from the Olive Films disc and Vinegar Syndrome’ encode has some blocky highlights. A shame that they didn’t hire David Mackenzie here.

Best Audio:

Olive Films Blu-ray / Masters of Cinema Blu-ray

Cinématographe has unnecessary noise gating not present on the previous releases.

A New Leaf poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Cinématographe 4K Blu-ray > MoC > Olive Films. From nicolas:

The master is good but it’s not that big an upgrade from the Olive Films disc and Vinegar Syndrome’ encode has some blocky highlights. A shame that they didn’t hire David Mackenzie here.

Best Audio:

Olive Films Blu-ray / Masters of Cinema Blu-ray

Cinématographe has unnecessary noise gating not present on the previous releases.

Salvador poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Twilight Time Blu-ray or MGM NTSC DVD for the original mono mix

  • Shout! Factory 4K only has a stereo downmix (which sounds muffled, as do the surround tracks)

  • Twilight Time Blu-ray has the mono track with seemingly the best fidelity, but its dynamic range has been heavily compressed

  • MoC UK Blu-ray has a proper dynamics and good fidelity, but bizzarely, everything is repeated after a few miliseconds, rendering echoey and metallic

  • MGM NTSC DVD has been denoised and has had a strong EQ applied and sounds muffled as a result, but it retains proper dynamics

  • Koch Media DE BD had poor dynamics and wrong pitch

  • Analog 1986 US LaserDisc sounds poor

Perhaps the digital JP LD would be better.

Salvador poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Twilight Time Blu-ray or MGM NTSC DVD for the original mono mix

  • Shout! Factory 4K only has a stereo downmix (which sounds muffled, as do the surround tracks)

  • Twilight Time Blu-ray has the mono track with seemingly the best fidelity, but its dynamic range has been heavily compressed

  • MoC UK Blu-ray has a proper dynamics and good fidelity, but bizzarely, everything is repeated after a few miliseconds, rendering echoey and metallic

  • MGM NTSC DVD has been denoised and has had a strong EQ applied and sounds muffled as a result, but it retains proper dynamics

  • Koch Media DE BD had poor dynamics and wrong pitch

  • Analog 1986 US LaserDisc sounds poor

Perhaps the digital JP LD would be better.

Danger: Diabolik poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original Italian/English dubs: UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray
Export English dub: Paramount LaserDisc

MoC ported the export dub from LaserDisc, but used a low quality transfer, with poor lossy encoding.

Additional Info:

MST3K version: Vol XXXIX DVD / episode 1013: series finale of the original show.

Best English-Friendly:

UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original Italian/English dubs: UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray
Export English dub: Paramount LaserDisc

MoC ported the export dub from LaserDisc, but used a low quality transfer, with poor lossy encoding.

Additional Info:

MST3K version: Vol XXXIX DVD / episode 1013: series finale of the original show.

Rocco and His Brothers poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray is significantly better than older Blu-ray however the HDR grade is questionable as it introduces black crushes, see nic's review and caps

For Blu-rays, Germany StudioCanal Blu-ray > MoC Blu-ray see caps

Best Audio:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

All disc sourced from the 4K restoration use the same solid audio track. Older DVD releases are from a higher generation source with less detail and more hiss.

Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray is significantly better than older Blu-ray however the HDR grade is questionable as it introduces black crushes, see nic's review and caps

For Blu-rays, Germany StudioCanal Blu-ray > MoC Blu-ray see caps

Best Audio:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

All disc sourced from the 4K restoration use the same solid audio track. Older DVD releases are from a higher generation source with less detail and more hiss.

Cruel Story of Youth poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray (caps)

Criterion is a very nice uptick in detail and resolution. The color grade is very similar, but leans more neutral, reducing the greenish/blueish hues seen on the MoC disc.

Best Audio:

Unrestored: Shochiku JP NTSC DVD
Restored: Masters of Cinema UK Blu-ray

The JP DVD track is unfiltered and sounds much more natural and detailed, but suffers from a strong CRT whine and an intermittent low-end hum. The track used on all later restorations is a bit muffled and has overemphasized bass.

Criterion applied additional EQ and roll-off to the restored track, but the audible difference is minimal.

Additional Info:

Criterion has a different translation to MoC, but both are solid and trade blows, see comparison.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray (caps)

Criterion is a very nice uptick in detail and resolution. The color grade is very similar, but leans more neutral, reducing the greenish/blueish hues seen on the MoC disc.

Best Audio:

Unrestored: Shochiku JP NTSC DVD
Restored: Masters of Cinema UK Blu-ray

The JP DVD track is unfiltered and sounds much more natural and detailed, but suffers from a strong CRT whine and an intermittent low-end hum. The track used on all later restorations is a bit muffled and has overemphasized bass.

Criterion applied additional EQ and roll-off to the restored track, but the audible difference is minimal.

Additional Info:

Criterion has a different translation to MoC, but both are solid and trade blows, see comparison.

More Drama on Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Upcoming Release:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray in October

Best Video:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Germany Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray is disappointing with AI upscaling

Best Audio:

Germany Concorde Blu-ray has lossless DTS-HD 5.1

Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Upcoming Release:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray in October

Best Video:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Germany Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray is disappointing with AI upscaling

Best Audio:

Germany Concorde Blu-ray has lossless DTS-HD 5.1

100 METERS poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Netflix Streaming

Best Audio:

Japan Pony Canyon Blu-ray for original 7.1 mix

Netflix Streaming for English dub

100 METERS poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Netflix Streaming

Best Audio:

Japan Pony Canyon Blu-ray for original 7.1 mix

Netflix Streaming for English dub

Drive poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Second Sight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Atmos on the Sony 4K Blu-ray maybe better?

Regarding the "original theatrical audio" 5.1 mixes:

The Sony UHD and the BD DTS-HD 5.1 mixes are the same but the UHD has been pushed slightly harder and has a lot of clipping. The UHD is 16 bit vs the BD's 24 bits.

The Second Sight UHD DTS-HD 5.1 is a downmix of its respective Atmos track. Definitely different from the Sony UHD/BD mix plus a little less dynamic. Whether or not that's representative of the theatrical Dolby Digital mix is anyone's guess.

So, if you want the best version of the original 5.1, the 2012 BD is the winner.

Best English-Friendly:

Second Sight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Atmos on the Sony 4K Blu-ray maybe better?

Regarding the "original theatrical audio" 5.1 mixes:

The Sony UHD and the BD DTS-HD 5.1 mixes are the same but the UHD has been pushed slightly harder and has a lot of clipping. The UHD is 16 bit vs the BD's 24 bits.

The Second Sight UHD DTS-HD 5.1 is a downmix of its respective Atmos track. Definitely different from the Sony UHD/BD mix plus a little less dynamic. Whether or not that's representative of the theatrical Dolby Digital mix is anyone's guess.

So, if you want the best version of the original 5.1, the 2012 BD is the winner.

The Corruptor poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Toy Robot 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

The Corruptor poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Toy Robot 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

The Skeleton Key poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

Secretary poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Video:

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Audio:

US LionsgateFrance Metropolitan, and Germany Blu-ray have a 7.1 track, Australia Imprint has stereo only.

Secretary poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Video:

France Metropolitan or Australia Imprint Blu-ray?

Best Audio:

US LionsgateFrance Metropolitan, and Germany Blu-ray have a 7.1 track, Australia Imprint has stereo only.

Madadayo poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Imprint AU Blu-ray

Madadayo poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Imprint AU Blu-ray

LBJ poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

LBJ poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

The Bucket List poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

The Bucket List poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Shock and Awe poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Shock and Awe poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Vertical Blu-ray

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