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The Killers (1964)
The Killers (1964) poster
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3.6

The Killers (1964)

Crime, Mystery • 1h 33m

Overview

A hit man and his partner try to find out why their latest victim, a former race-car driver, did not try to get away.

Director: Don Siegel

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Excellent
Koch:

German import

Criterion Forum

Review

Picture: 6, Audio: 5, Extras: 9

Length

93 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

a year ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Excellent
Koch:

German import

Criterion Forum
Review

Picture: 6, Audio: 5, Extras: 9

Length
93 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
a year ago
Contributors

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

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

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

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Invasion of the Body Snatchers poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.

Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.

  • Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information. 

Best Audio:

1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono

Additional Info:

Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.

Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray or 2018 Olive Films/BFI or 2012 Olive Films/Italy Sinister Films Blu-ray, all three are not ideal.

  • Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has frozen grain, sharpening, lots of debris, and handles lesser materials. The supposed non-Superscope version is false advertising. It merely reveals more picture information. 

Best Audio:

1992 Republic Pictures LaserDisc PCM Mono

Additional Info:

Criterion LaserDisc has exclusive commentary. Olive Films Signature Blu-ray and BFI Blu-ray each have exclusive extras. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has exclusive commentary.

Dirty Harry poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray despite extreme frozen grain in moments, overzealous HDR brightness in outdoor sequences, color timing shifts in some shots

Best Audio:

Original Mono Mix: 1990's LaserDisc stereo remix folded back to mono, original VHS and Beta Hifi, WB 4K Blu-ray mono

Dirty Harry poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray despite extreme frozen grain in moments, overzealous HDR brightness in outdoor sequences, color timing shifts in some shots

Best Audio:

Original Mono Mix: 1990's LaserDisc stereo remix folded back to mono, original VHS and Beta Hifi, WB 4K Blu-ray mono

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UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

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Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray's source is provided by Paramount has had DNR applied which affects the inherently soft looking film pretty strongly for at least a third of the running time

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Blue Velvet poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

 Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking

Best Audio:

1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD

Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110

Blue Velvet poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

 Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking

Best Audio:

1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD

Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110

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Paramount/Plaion Italy 4K Blu-ray

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

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

AUS Madman 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Decal Releasing USA 4K Blu-ray - October 2026

Best Video:

HDR: GER Plaion 4K Blu-ray
SDR: AUS Madman 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Italy/Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray for Atmos

Best English-Friendly:

AUS Madman 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Decal Releasing USA 4K Blu-ray - October 2026

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HDR: GER Plaion 4K Blu-ray
SDR: AUS Madman 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Italy/Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray for Atmos

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Stereo mix: Tartan DVD
5.1 mix: France The Jokers 4K Blu-ray
Atmos: Japan Amuse Soft Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Comparison between different extras: https://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=56142

Best English-Friendly:

Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Stereo mix: Tartan DVD
5.1 mix: France The Jokers 4K Blu-ray
Atmos: Japan Amuse Soft Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Comparison between different extras: https://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=56142

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

OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc

2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray

2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD

Film Whisperer's restoration is better

Upcoming Release:

Germany Plaion Blu-ray with uncensored cut and 4:3 version

Best Video:

OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc

2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray

2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD

Film Whisperer's restoration is better

Additional Info:

Censorship changes for Blu-ray: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=224122

Best English-Friendly:

OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc

2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray

2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD

Film Whisperer's restoration is better

Upcoming Release:

Germany Plaion Blu-ray with uncensored cut and 4:3 version

Best Video:

OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc

2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray

2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD

Film Whisperer's restoration is better

Additional Info:

Censorship changes for Blu-ray: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=224122

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1080p Blu-ray
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2018 Kino Lorber Blu-ray/2025 Germany Plaion Blu-ray

Best Video:

2018 Kino Lorber Blu-ray/2025 Germany Plaion Blu-ray. Eureka Blu-ray has worse encoding.

Best Audio:

1985 Key Video Hi-Fi VHS

Irma la Douce poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2018 Kino Lorber Blu-ray/2025 Germany Plaion Blu-ray

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2018 Kino Lorber Blu-ray/2025 Germany Plaion Blu-ray. Eureka Blu-ray has worse encoding.

Best Audio:

1985 Key Video Hi-Fi VHS

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

Original 5.1 from Jokers France 4K Blu-ray or Criterion US Blu-ray or older Blu-rays

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion US Blu-ray or Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Maybe Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray (FiM encode), Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray, or Pony Canyon Japan 4K Blu-ray. All other existing 4K Blu-rays have terrible compression: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=21423337&postcount=173

Best Audio:

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Criterion US Blu-ray or Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Maybe Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray (FiM encode), Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray, or Pony Canyon Japan 4K Blu-ray. All other existing 4K Blu-rays have terrible compression: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=21423337&postcount=173

The master is heavily DNR'd.

Best Audio:

Original 5.1 from Jokers France 4K Blu-ray or Criterion US Blu-ray or older Blu-rays

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion US Blu-ray or Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Maybe Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray (FiM encode), Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray, or Pony Canyon Japan 4K Blu-ray. All other existing 4K Blu-rays have terrible compression: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=21423337&postcount=173

The master is heavily DNR'd.

Best Audio:

Original 5.1 from Jokers France 4K Blu-ray or Criterion US Blu-ray or older Blu-rays

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UHD Blu-ray
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Criterion US Blu-ray or Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Maybe Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray (FiM encode), Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray, or Pony Canyon Japan 4K Blu-ray. All other existing 4K Blu-rays have terrible compression: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=21423337&postcount=173

The master is heavily DNR'd.

Best Audio:

Original 5.1 from Jokers France 4K Blu-ray or Criterion US Blu-ray or older Blu-rays

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion US Blu-ray or Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Maybe Umbrella Australia 4K Blu-ray (FiM encode), Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray, or Pony Canyon Japan 4K Blu-ray. All other existing 4K Blu-rays have terrible compression: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=21423337&postcount=173

The master is heavily DNR'd.

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Original 5.1 from Jokers France 4K Blu-ray or Criterion US Blu-ray or older Blu-rays

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5.1 remix: 2024 Sony Blu-ray

Additional Info:

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The digital track on the earlier LaserDisc is most likely the same as DVD, minus the lossy compression.

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5.1 remix: 2024 Sony Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The 5.1 track on the UHD is a remix originally included on the 2024 Blu-ray, but missing the LFE track. The UHD 2.0 track is a downmix of the faulty 5.1, severely lacking bass.

The digital track on the earlier LaserDisc is most likely the same as DVD, minus the lossy compression.

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Additional Info:

Indicator Blu-ray has more extras than Criterion Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

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Additional Info:

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Additional Info:

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Arrow Blu-ray has the most extras

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Best English-Friendly:

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Face/Off poster
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Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Thelma & Louise poster
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Capelight 4K Blu-ray

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Best English-Friendly:

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Best Audio:

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Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1990 MGM LaserDisc

Midnight Run poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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Midnight Run poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Upcoming Release:

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Best Video:

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There's also a France Carlotta boxset release (no ENG subs) but screenshots not available.

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Bela Tarr Curzon Collection or Arbelos Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray August

Best Video:

Curzon Blu-ray ~= Arbelos Blu-ray

There's also a France Carlotta boxset release (no ENG subs) but screenshots not available.

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