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Hard Target (1993)
Hard Target (1993) poster
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3.3

Hard Target (1993)

Action, Adventure, Crime, Thriller • 1h 37m

Overview

When a woman's father goes missing, she enlists a local to aid in her search. The pair soon discover that her father has died at the hands of a wealthy sportsman who hunts homeless men as a form of recreation.

Director: John Woo

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Universal UK 4K Blu-ray (caveat: missing extras included on the Kino Lorber US and Plaion Germany UHDs)

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Excellent
Universal:

UK edition

Superior Imports
Universal UK > Kino US:

better transfer & compression

Featured Lists

Perfect Release

Kino Lorber or Universal?

Length

97 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

3 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release

Universal UK 4K Blu-ray (caveat: missing extras included on the Kino Lorber US and Plaion Germany UHDs)

Best Audio Release
Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Excellent
Universal:

UK edition

Superior Imports
Universal UK > Kino US:

better transfer & compression

Featured Lists
Perfect Release

Kino Lorber or Universal?

Length
97 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
3 months ago
Contributors

Featured in Perfect Release

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray. caps by BR user Donald McDonald. The encode looks absolutely spotless even in the highlights and without Dolby Vision filling anything in.

Night Moves poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray. caps by BR user Donald McDonald. The encode looks absolutely spotless even in the highlights and without Dolby Vision filling anything in.

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Paramount 4K Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K announced for 2026

Best Video:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has slightly better compression than Criterion 4K Blu-ray.

The master in DV looks all but identical to the Criterion’s HDR grade. Detail-wise, FiM’s encode looks like it uncovered a tiny bit of extra high-frequency information that got filtered on the Criterion. See nicolas review

Best Audio:

1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1993 MGM LaserDisc/2002 R2 MGM DVD are the best. See blah-ray https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2018/01/raging-bull-1980.html

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

Best English-Friendly:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K announced for 2026

Best Video:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has slightly better compression than Criterion 4K Blu-ray.

The master in DV looks all but identical to the Criterion’s HDR grade. Detail-wise, FiM’s encode looks like it uncovered a tiny bit of extra high-frequency information that got filtered on the Criterion. See nicolas review

Best Audio:

1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1993 MGM LaserDisc/2002 R2 MGM DVD are the best. See blah-ray https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2018/01/raging-bull-1980.html

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

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Best English-Friendly:

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Audio:

4K Blu-ray DTS:X mix most closely approximates original surround mix

Additional Info:

Criterion DVD has additional features not found on the 4K Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Audio:

4K Blu-ray DTS:X mix most closely approximates original surround mix

Additional Info:

Criterion DVD has additional features not found on the 4K Blu-ray

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Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

WB 4K 5.1: a remix but has higher fidelity

Mono: 4K Blu-ray/1999 DVD

Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

WB 4K 5.1: a remix but has higher fidelity

Mono: 4K Blu-ray/1999 DVD

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Radiance 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Radiance 4K Blu-ray is superior to Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray, see mfunk9786 review:

Despite being at a considerably tighter bitrate than the Kino, the BD-66 from Radiance /Transmission is the release to own. Looks fantastic (FiM again), grain pattern is crisp, and the repeating scene error isn't on it, either. Really nice packaging that isn't as beefy as a Second Sight LE is another big plus.

Best English-Friendly:

Radiance 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Radiance 4K Blu-ray is superior to Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray, see mfunk9786 review:

Despite being at a considerably tighter bitrate than the Kino, the BD-66 from Radiance /Transmission is the release to own. Looks fantastic (FiM again), grain pattern is crisp, and the repeating scene error isn't on it, either. Really nice packaging that isn't as beefy as a Second Sight LE is another big plus.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Arrow includes the original theatrical sound mix in all its glory. All previous releases other than the 1996 AC-3 LaserDisc were tamed relative to the original theatrical DTS track.

The disc is authored by Duplitech, but doesn't exhibit any compression issues, though the image is pretty soft, that's likely just down to the stock used.

Old New Line Video LaserDiscs include an exclusive commentary track.

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Arrow includes the original theatrical sound mix in all its glory. All previous releases other than the 1996 AC-3 LaserDisc were tamed relative to the original theatrical DTS track.

The disc is authored by Duplitech, but doesn't exhibit any compression issues, though the image is pretty soft, that's likely just down to the stock used.

Old New Line Video LaserDiscs include an exclusive commentary track.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray with much better encoding than the Gaumont Blu-ray with the same 4K restoration see caps

Criterion Blu-ray uses an older restoration

L'Atalante poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray with much better encoding than the Gaumont Blu-ray with the same 4K restoration see caps

Criterion Blu-ray uses an older restoration

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Best Video:

MVD Blu-ray (2018 version with both cuts)

Best Audio:

Director's Cut: Scandinavia/UK MGM DVD DTS 5.1

Additional Info:

Germany Century³ Cinedition - Director's Cut Blu-ray has exclusive extras

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MVD Blu-ray (2018 version with both cuts)

Best Video:

MVD Blu-ray (2018 version with both cuts)

Best Audio:

Director's Cut: Scandinavia/UK MGM DVD DTS 5.1

Additional Info:

Germany Century³ Cinedition - Director's Cut Blu-ray has exclusive extras

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Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

Red Cliff II poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

Red Cliff poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

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UHD Blu-ray
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UHD Blu-ray
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Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
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Upcoming Release:

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UHD Blu-ray
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Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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review: Disk Kino

Best Audio:

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Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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review: Disk Kino

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray in August

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Imprint 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray, correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.

Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.

There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.

For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.

More info.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Imprint 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray, correct grade and archival extras missing from the Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion USA LaserDisc [CC1397L]: Original Cantonese mono.

Best Cantonese mono still was from Criterion LaserDisc, as the Shout one was boosted with clipping, with some filtering and losing dynamic range over the Criterion LD.

There’s no need for other Cantonese audio, as all 5.1 remixes are extremely bad and not worth including.

For English Dub the Shout offered the best, it was pure mono. All other 5.1 remixed of said dub are also terrible and offer no value, only less fidelity and more echo.

More info.

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UHD Blu-ray
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UHD Blu-ray
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Best Video:

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Additional Info:

Shout! Factory Blu-ray has exclusive extras the Kino Lorber/ Capelight release doesn't

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray no comparison available 

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1080p Blu-ray
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Upcoming Release:

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Best Video:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

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Best Audio:

MGM DVD mono

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Audio:

MGM DVD mono

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

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UHD Blu-ray
Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Video:

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Upcoming Release:

Criterion Box Set

Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray worse than Blu-ray with poor encoding (review)

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1080p Blu-ray
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Kino Lorber Blu-ray

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Kino Lorber Blu-ray

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Kino Lorber Blu-ray

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

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray or OOP MoC Blu-ray have different grading see caps

Additional Info:

Subjective, but the concertina score by Bernard Wrigley on the OOP MoC Blu-ray is generally regarded as very weak. For example, it frequently doesn't match the action. The Meg Morley score on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray is considered superior.

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

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray or OOP MoC Blu-ray have different grading see caps

Additional Info:

Subjective, but the concertina score by Bernard Wrigley on the OOP MoC Blu-ray is generally regarded as very weak. For example, it frequently doesn't match the action. The Meg Morley score on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray is considered superior.

Broken Lullaby poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2023 Indicator Blu-ray

Best Video:

2023 Indicator Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2021 Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Video comparisons: https://slow.pics/c/ryvPN8Uu

Audio comparisons: https://slow.pics/c/KEs7dwRg

Best English-Friendly:

2023 Indicator Blu-ray

Best Video:

2023 Indicator Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2021 Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Video comparisons: https://slow.pics/c/ryvPN8Uu

Audio comparisons: https://slow.pics/c/KEs7dwRg

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Best Video:

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Edit History

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Hard Target (1993) backdrop

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