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The Hurt Locker (2008)
The Hurt Locker (2008) poster
Letterboxd

3.8

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Excellent
Lionsgate:

Only available as Best Buy exclusive

Featured Lists

TSPDT

2026: #948
2025: #960
2024: #1039

Length

131 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

2 months ago
Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Excellent
Lionsgate:

Only available as Best Buy exclusive

Featured Lists
TSPDT
2026: #948
2025: #960
2024: #1039
Length
131 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
2 months ago
Contributors

Featured in National Film Registry

See more →
Strangers on a Train poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1987 WB LaserDisc

Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1987 WB LaserDisc

Stop Making Sense poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

A24 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

A24 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

A24 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

A24 4K Blu-ray

The Sting poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1998 R1 Universal DVD

The Sting poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1998 R1 Universal DVD

The Sound of Music poster
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.

Love Finds Andy Hardy poster
DVD
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive DVD

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive Blu-ray in October

Best Video:

Warner Archive DVD

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive DVD

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive Blu-ray in October

Best Video:

Warner Archive DVD

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

2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Steelbook and Mediabook announced for 2026

Best Video:

2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Best Audio:

1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix

Comparison between the US and International mixes: https://vimeo.com/246332731

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

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

2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Steelbook and Mediabook announced for 2026

Best Video:

2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Best Audio:

1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix

Comparison between the US and International mixes: https://vimeo.com/246332731

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

The Prisoner of Zenda poster
DVD
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros DVD

Best Video:

Warner Bros DVD

Additional Info:

New restoration is completed

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros DVD

Best Video:

Warner Bros DVD

Additional Info:

New restoration is completed

Some Like It Hot poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Capelight/Kino Lorber which has heavy noise reduction and opening snare hit is missing, Capelight is slightly better encoded than Kino Lorber

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc [ML102699], but still a bit overly noise-managed.

1984 CBS/Fox Hi-Fi VHS maybe better?

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Capelight/Kino Lorber which has heavy noise reduction and opening snare hit is missing, Capelight is slightly better encoded than Kino Lorber

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc [ML102699], but still a bit overly noise-managed.

1984 CBS/Fox Hi-Fi VHS maybe better?

Singin' in the Rain poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 MGM LaserDisc

Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 MGM LaserDisc

The Silence of the Lambs poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Audio:

1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Audio:

1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

More from Kathryn Bigelow

See more →
Point Break poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK ICON 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK ICON 4K Blu-ray (caps)

UK 4K Blu-ray has a slightly better encode than US Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray and Germany StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

5.1 mix is flawed on Shout! Factory/ICON, a phasey upmix instead of the proper discrete surround. The UHD 2.0 tracks are downmixes of that track.
2008 Fox Blu-ray sounds great, very close to the original 70mm mix, only with split surround.
2001 DVD has the original mix as 4.1 and matrixed 2.0.

Imprint 4K has a 4.0 track. The StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has a different 5.1, unclear if it's the same as Fox BD.

Best English-Friendly:

UK ICON 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK ICON 4K Blu-ray (caps)

UK 4K Blu-ray has a slightly better encode than US Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray and Germany StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

5.1 mix is flawed on Shout! Factory/ICON, a phasey upmix instead of the proper discrete surround. The UHD 2.0 tracks are downmixes of that track.
2008 Fox Blu-ray sounds great, very close to the original 70mm mix, only with split surround.
2001 DVD has the original mix as 4.1 and matrixed 2.0.

Imprint 4K has a 4.0 track. The StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has a different 5.1, unclear if it's the same as Fox BD.

The Weight of Water poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray

Strange Days poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Plaion Ultrabit 20th Anni. Blu-ray

Additional Info:

UK Blu-ray is censored

Strange Days poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Plaion Ultrabit 20th Anni. Blu-ray

Additional Info:

UK Blu-ray is censored

K-19: The Widowmaker poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory

Near Dark poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Lionsgate Blu-ray

Best Video:

Lionsgate Blu-ray

Near Dark poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Lionsgate Blu-ray

Best Video:

Lionsgate Blu-ray

More from Lionsgate

See more →
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK Lionsgate Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK Lionsgate Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

UK Lionsgate Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK Lionsgate Blu-ray

Ghost in the Shell poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Bandai Japan 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Bandai JP 4K Blu-ray

All 4K releases are sourced from the same mediocre transfer provided by Bandai, with various amounts of tweaks. Japanese disc presents it with the least tinkering.

The best attempt at improving it comes from the German/French releases from KSM/All the Anime, both of which use the same master with HDR regrading (original grade is SDR in HDR container), tasteful regraining and sharpening, in an attempt to breathe some life into the middling transfer, making for an arguably more pleasing viewing experience.

All earlier releases are from an even worse transfer, with significant black crush, with the exception of a Japanese TV airing, which doesn't suffer from that issue, but instead is heavily sharpened and suffers from poor encoding.

Comparisons: JPN UHD, USA UHD, FRA/GER UHD, ITA UHD (tonemapped), JPN UHD, USA UHD, FRA/GER UHD, ITA UHD, ESP UHD (PQ), All 1080p BDs, HDTV, HDTV filtered

Best Audio:

Original matrixed stereo mix: Bandai JP 4K Blu-ray
Most discs include this track with comparable fidelity (which is excellent).

Dolby Atmos remix: Lionsgate US 4K / All the Anime FR 4K
6.1 remix (from Ghost in the Shell 2.0): KSM DE 4K / All the Anime FR 4K

All tracks on the Lionsgate US 4K replace the original ending song with the one heard on the English dub. As the Atmos track on the FR 4K is just a port, it also has this song replaced.

Additional Info:

Japanese 4K includes English dub and subtitles.
French/German 4Ks are not English friendly, with no dub or subtitles.
French disc includes the Atmos track, but the German disc does not.

Best English-Friendly:

Bandai Japan 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Bandai JP 4K Blu-ray

All 4K releases are sourced from the same mediocre transfer provided by Bandai, with various amounts of tweaks. Japanese disc presents it with the least tinkering.

The best attempt at improving it comes from the German/French releases from KSM/All the Anime, both of which use the same master with HDR regrading (original grade is SDR in HDR container), tasteful regraining and sharpening, in an attempt to breathe some life into the middling transfer, making for an arguably more pleasing viewing experience.

All earlier releases are from an even worse transfer, with significant black crush, with the exception of a Japanese TV airing, which doesn't suffer from that issue, but instead is heavily sharpened and suffers from poor encoding.

Comparisons: JPN UHD, USA UHD, FRA/GER UHD, ITA UHD (tonemapped), JPN UHD, USA UHD, FRA/GER UHD, ITA UHD, ESP UHD (PQ), All 1080p BDs, HDTV, HDTV filtered

Best Audio:

Original matrixed stereo mix: Bandai JP 4K Blu-ray
Most discs include this track with comparable fidelity (which is excellent).

Dolby Atmos remix: Lionsgate US 4K / All the Anime FR 4K
6.1 remix (from Ghost in the Shell 2.0): KSM DE 4K / All the Anime FR 4K

All tracks on the Lionsgate US 4K replace the original ending song with the one heard on the English dub. As the Atmos track on the FR 4K is just a port, it also has this song replaced.

Additional Info:

Japanese 4K includes English dub and subtitles.
French/German 4Ks are not English friendly, with no dub or subtitles.
French disc includes the Atmos track, but the German disc does not.

Gamer poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray in November

Best Video:

Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray in November

Best Video:

Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Japan Cut: Japan DVD

Best Video:

International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray, Upscaled from the 2K DI. Caps are here. While not as dramatic an upgrade as Jackie Brown, color reproduction and especially the reveal of additional highlight information that were completely blown-out on the old master make this a great upgrade regardless. See Uma Thurman’s face in the above cap. Japan Cut: Japan DVD

Additional Info:

Japan DVD has more extras compared to the HD/UHD releases

Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Japan Cut: Japan DVD

Best Video:

International Cut: Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray, Upscaled from the 2K DI. Caps are here. While not as dramatic an upgrade as Jackie Brown, color reproduction and especially the reveal of additional highlight information that were completely blown-out on the old master make this a great upgrade regardless. See Uma Thurman’s face in the above cap. Japan Cut: Japan DVD

Additional Info:

Japan DVD has more extras compared to the HD/UHD releases

The Blair Witch Project poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Second Sight UK Blu-ray for restored versions of both theatrical cut and festival cut

Upcoming Release:

Lionsgate Limited US Blu-ray available for pre-order

Best Audio:

Second Sight UK Blu-ray replacement disc

Best English-Friendly:

Second Sight UK Blu-ray for restored versions of both theatrical cut and festival cut

Upcoming Release:

Lionsgate Limited US Blu-ray available for pre-order

Best Audio:

Second Sight UK Blu-ray replacement disc

Michael poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray (similar encoding) - caps

Best Audio:

US Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Michael poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Lionsgate or International Universal 4K Blu-ray (similar encoding) - caps

Best Audio:

US Lionsgate 4K 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.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray 

Best Video:
  • 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.

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.

Best English-Friendly:

2015 Lionsgate Blu-ray 

Best Video:
  • 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.

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.

The Running Man poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount US 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

70mm 6-Track: Paramount US 4K Blu-ray

35mm matrixed Dolby Stereo: 1995 Live Home Video US LaserDisc

Although the provenance of Paramount's 5.1 track is not confirmed, the fidelity is outstanding and speaks for itself.
The 7.1 track on the Capelight/old Lionsgate release is just an upmix with nothing gained over the 5.1.
The original stereo mix is only present on older DVDs and LaserDiscs; all Blu-ray 2.0 tracks are downmixes.

Additional Info:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray has no extras, Capelight 4K Blu-ray has most of the extras, Olive Films Blu-ray has a exclusive commentary

Best English-Friendly:

Paramount US 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

70mm 6-Track: Paramount US 4K Blu-ray

35mm matrixed Dolby Stereo: 1995 Live Home Video US LaserDisc

Although the provenance of Paramount's 5.1 track is not confirmed, the fidelity is outstanding and speaks for itself.
The 7.1 track on the Capelight/old Lionsgate release is just an upmix with nothing gained over the 5.1.
The original stereo mix is only present on older DVDs and LaserDiscs; all Blu-ray 2.0 tracks are downmixes.

Additional Info:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray has no extras, Capelight 4K Blu-ray has most of the extras, Olive Films Blu-ray has a exclusive commentary

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The Hurt Locker (2008) backdrop