Best Blurays IconBest Blurays
Films
/
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) poster
Letterboxd

3.1

The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)

Adventure, Action, Drama • 2h 12m

Overview

Years have passed since the Three Musketeers, Aramis, Athos and Porthos, have fought together with their friend, D'Artagnan. But with the tyrannical King Louis using his power to wreak havoc in the kingdom while his twin brother, Philippe, remains imprisoned, the Musketeers reunite to abduct Louis and replace him with Philippe.

Director: Randall Wallace

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Excellent
Shout Factory

Featured Lists

Length

132 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

a year ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Excellent
Shout Factory
Featured Lists
Length
132 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
a year ago
Contributors

Featured in Perfect Release

See more →
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.

Mortal Kombat poster
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.

Die Hard poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

70mm Six-track mix: THX AC3 or DTS LaserDisc

Die Hard poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

70mm Six-track mix: THX AC3 or DTS LaserDisc

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

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

Zero for Conduct poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Taris poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Taris poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

À propos de Nice poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Curzon 4K Blu-ray

Trainspotting poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617)

Best Video:

Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617) > Criterion 2024 4K Blu-ray > Film4 4K Blu-ray

  • Criterion 2026 redid the encoding and none of the blocking issues any more, see disc info and nicolas' review

  • Criterion 2024 encode struggles with brighter areas of the image but still superior to Film4

Best Audio:

5.1: Universal EU Blu-ray - Criterion and Lionsgate are missing LFE, otherwise the same
Stereo: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Film4 4K Blu-ray is on a BD-66, both Criterion releases are on BD-100 discs. 

Criterion 2024 release bitrate: 94.67 mbps

Criterion 2026 release bitrate: 93.66 mbps

Film4 bitrate: 62.00 mbps

Trainspotting poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617)

Best Video:

Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617) > Criterion 2024 4K Blu-ray > Film4 4K Blu-ray

  • Criterion 2026 redid the encoding and none of the blocking issues any more, see disc info and nicolas' review

  • Criterion 2024 encode struggles with brighter areas of the image but still superior to Film4

Best Audio:

5.1: Universal EU Blu-ray - Criterion and Lionsgate are missing LFE, otherwise the same
Stereo: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Film4 4K Blu-ray is on a BD-66, both Criterion releases are on BD-100 discs. 

Criterion 2024 release bitrate: 94.67 mbps

Criterion 2026 release bitrate: 93.66 mbps

Film4 bitrate: 62.00 mbps

Boogie Nights poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Like previous releases, the 4K Blu-ray was scanned from an interpositive rather than the original camera negative at Paul Thomas Anderson’s request which may explain the softness.

Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Like previous releases, the 4K Blu-ray was scanned from an interpositive rather than the original camera negative at Paul Thomas Anderson’s request which may explain the softness.

Thief poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray is encoded by FiM encode is better than Criterion, see caps https://slow.pics/c/Z2RRQAAT

Criterion 4K Blu-ray vs Blu-ray: caps colors are more different and nuanced than anticipated even in the SDR-converted caps and the usual gain in highlight detail is also apparent. Encode looks excellent except for the brightest areas as usual.

Best Audio:

Arrow/Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Only imperceptible differences in bit-depth: 20 vs 24.

Additional Info:

Arrow and Criterion 4K Blu-rays have differing extras, Arrow LE has Theatrical cut Blu-ray from older HD master, most likely from a 2K scan of an interpositive.

Thief poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray is encoded by FiM encode is better than Criterion, see caps https://slow.pics/c/Z2RRQAAT

Criterion 4K Blu-ray vs Blu-ray: caps colors are more different and nuanced than anticipated even in the SDR-converted caps and the usual gain in highlight detail is also apparent. Encode looks excellent except for the brightest areas as usual.

Best Audio:

Arrow/Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Only imperceptible differences in bit-depth: 20 vs 24.

Additional Info:

Arrow and Criterion 4K Blu-rays have differing extras, Arrow LE has Theatrical cut Blu-ray from older HD master, most likely from a 2K scan of an interpositive.

More from Randall Wallace

See more →
We Were Soldiers poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray is disappointing

Best Video:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray is disappointing

More from Shout! Factory

See more →
What Dreams May Come poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

US end credits song: US Universal Blu-ray

International end credits song: International Universal Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The US uses the end credits score “Beside You” from composer Michael Kamen, while in other markets it is Simply Red “Besides You”.

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

US end credits song: US Universal Blu-ray

International end credits song: International Universal Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The US uses the end credits score “Beside You” from composer Michael Kamen, while in other markets it is Simply Red “Besides You”.

A Better Tomorrow II poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Bullet in the Head poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray

A Better Tomorrow poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > Disk Kino/WCL China import

review: Disk Kino

Best Audio:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has the original mono

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > Disk Kino/WCL China import

review: Disk Kino

Best Audio:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has the original mono

Species II poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Imprint 4K Blu-ray scheduled for August 2026 release

Species II poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Imprint 4K Blu-ray scheduled for August 2026 release

Them! poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray see caps

Them! poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray see caps

WarGames poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

5.1 mix: Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: MGM NTSC DVD

The 5.1 track sounds very good and is said to be sourced from the original 6-track mix used for 70mm blow-up releases, but there is no conclusive proof of that.

WarGames poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

5.1 mix: Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: MGM NTSC DVD

The 5.1 track sounds very good and is said to be sourced from the original 6-track mix used for 70mm blow-up releases, but there is no conclusive proof of that.

Day of the Dead poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Mono: 35mm scan, old Shout! Factory and Australia Umbrella Blu-ray sounds better than the rest of the discs, but has noise reduction

Stereo: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has a transfer of the 1986 Japan LaserDisc Stereo

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Mono: 35mm scan, old Shout! Factory and Australia Umbrella Blu-ray sounds better than the rest of the discs, but has noise reduction

Stereo: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray has a transfer of the 1986 Japan LaserDisc Stereo

Edit History

1 edit
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998) backdrop

Made with ❤️ 📀 by vanshady