Rad (1986)
Drama, Family • 1h 33m
Director: Hal Needham
Cast: Bill Allen, Lori Loughlin, Talia Shire, Ray Walston, Alfie Wise, Jack Weston, Laura Jacoby, H.B. Haggerty, Jamie Clarke, Marta Kober, Bart Conner, Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes, Kellie McQuiggin, Beverley Hendry, Shawna Burnett, Graeme Davies, Logan T. Wotton, Jeff Kress, Gordon Signer, Nancy MacDonald, Rick McNair, Pat Pearson, Maureen Thomas, Bill Berry, Georgie Collins, Darlene Bradley, Ashley Bristowe, G.A. Dahlseide, Norman Edwards, Jack Goth, Pat Kirst, Laird Mackintosh, Roberta Mauer-Phillips, Danny McDonogh, Tara McHugh, Barry Onody, Rod Padmos, Mary Siegel, Benita von Sass, Gerry Whelpton, Bev Wotton, Ken Squier
Upcoming
2026 Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray, 2025 Umbrella 4K Blu-ray
UHD tiers
About the film
A BMX racer, who lives in a small town with his mother and sister, is faced with a tough decision, qualify for Helltrack or take his SATs in order to attend college.
- Alternative Titles
- RAD
Director: Robert Altman
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.
YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.
Director: Jonathan Demme
Video format: UHD Blu-ray
Sources: vitalpassenger.com (opens in a new tab)
FiM are mistakenly credited, one of the four known instances of this for a Cinématographe title (the other three being Thieves Like Us, Who Killed Teddy Bear?, and The Gambler). 4K encode was done by Vital Passenger. https://vitalpassenger.com/our-work
Director: Jerry Schatzberg
Director: Lam Nai-choi
88 Films UK or Vinegar Syndrome US Blu-ray (preference)
Different color gradings, 88 Films disc is encoded by FiM but Vinegar Syndrome encode (by Marcus Johnson) is more than robust
Vinegar Syndrome potentially has better audio than 88 Films, due to VinSyn possibly having EQ'd the audio mix after Fortune Star scanned the track in a way that makes it sound too hot, whereas 88 left it alone without addressing that issue. However, no direct comparisons exist
Director: Trey Parker
UK Refuse Films or US Vinegar Syndrome Blu-ray
Both releases have two presentations: sourced from the original Betacam master tapes, and another that uses a filmout of the tapes.
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray see caps
For Blu-ray, UK Second Sight is better than Kino Lorber Blu-ray
Director: Joe Dante
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab) · YouTube (opens in a new tab)
Director: Abel Ferrara
Video format: UHD Blu-ray
Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray in July
More Drama on Blu-ray
Director: Roman Polanski
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379
Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)
Director: John Woo
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Arrow has a different grade and a better encode than the Shout! Factory, though the difference in either is not major. Imprint release, which leaves Shout! Factory's master and subtitles as is, is encoded by FiM. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24473097&postcount=56
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.
Imprint presumably used the Shout! Factory original mix and left it as is, though no official confirmation.
Director: Richard Brooks
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Vincent Sherman
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray
1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
Director: Compton Bennett
4K restoration from original technicolor negatives
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Every recommendation follows the same method — how these calls are made.