District 9 (2009)
Science Fiction • 1h 52m
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast: Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, Nathalie Boltt, Sylvaine Strike, Elizabeth Mkandawie, John Sumner, William Allen Young, Nick Blake, Greg Melvill-Smith, Robert Hobbs, Vanessa Haywood, Morena Busa Sesatsa, Themba Nkosi, Mzwandile Nqoba, Barry Strydom, Jed Brophy, Louis Minnaar, Marian Hooman, Vittorio Leonardi, David Clatworthy, Michael Huff, David James, Tim Gordon, Anthony Bishop, Anthony Fridjhon, Eugene Khumbanyiwa, Melt Sieberhagen, Andre Odendaal, Louise Saint-Claire, Norman Anstey, Nick Boraine, Brandon Auret, Jacques Gombault, Justin Strydom, Simo Mogwaza, Matt Stern, David Dukas, Daniel Hadebe, Bongo Mbutuma, Johnny Selema, Mandla Gaduka, Johan van Schoor, Stella Steenkamp, Mampho Brescia, Morne Erasmus, Hlengiwe Madlala, Siyabonga Radebe, Alan Glauber, Nicolas Herbstein, Sibulele Gcilitshana, Mahendra Raghunath, Phillip Mathebula, Claudine Bennent, Michelle Ayden, Antony Sarak, Billy Somagaca, Ryan Whittal, John Jacob, Yashik Maharaj, Fernando Saraiva, Sharon Waugh, Theunis Nel, Sonni Chidiebere, Danny Datnow, Wisani Mbokota, Craig Jackson, Justin Duplessis, Rodney Downey, Den Antonakas, Mashabela Galane, Mfazwe Sekobane, Nicholas Ratlou, Saint Gregory Nwokedi, Donalson Rabisi, Zephania Sibanda, Gideon Thodane, Mdu Mthabela, David Mikhethi, Jeffries Simelane, Shafique Allan, Wendy Mbatha, Leigh Mashupye, Beauty Setai, Nkiyase Mondlana, Kuda Rusike, Morena Setatsa, Mpho Molao, Ntombi Nkuua, Absalom Dikane, Monthandazo Thomo, Norman Thabalala, Siphiwe Mbuko, Shiela Nene, Neill Blomkamp, Trevor Coppola, Kenneth Nkosi
Best English-friendly & video release
· updated 1 month agoGlitch fixed from Sony
The Sony 4K Blu-ray has a glitch around the 40 min mark where a shot is repeated; no word from Sony about a replacement at the time of writing, i.e. 8/1/8/22
UHD tiers
Overview
Thirty years ago, aliens arrive on Earth. Not to conquer or give aid, but to find refuge from their dying planet. Separated from humans in a South African area called District 9, the aliens are managed by Multi-National United, which is unconcerned with the aliens' welfare but will do anything to master their advanced technology. When a company field agent contracts a mysterious virus that begins to alter his DNA, there is only one place he can hide: District 9.
Theatrical Cut: Austria NSM Blu-ray
Director's Cut: France Metropolitan Blu-ray
Metropolitan got better picture (higher bitrate + better grain + more detail) than Lionsgate
Video format: UHD Blu-ray
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
BD caps & 4K impressions + release comparison EN audio but no EN subtitles
More Science Fiction on Blu-ray
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the WB release without the filtering Comparison between the Criterion and WB.
5.1: WB 4K Blu-ray, a remix but has higher fidelity
Mono: Criterion 4K Blu-ray (restored for the box set)
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the WB release without the filtering; WB 4K early pressing has errors of a shot, later pressings fixed. Comparison between Criterion and WB.
6-Track 70mm mix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray (restored for the box set), 1997 MGM LaserDisc, 1998 MGM DVD
35mm Mono Mix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Matrixed Stereo Remix: MGM Japan LaserDisc (1985) [G158F5509]
5.1 Remix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Steve De Jarnatt
2024 Kino Lorber Blu-ray
UK Transmission 4K Blu-ray in January 2027
Either the 2015 Kino Lorber Blu-ray or the Arrow Blu-ray
The 2024 Kino Lorber Blu-ray is botched.
Director: Luc Besson
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab) · fanrestore.com (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray vs 2017 Sony 4K Blu-ray (20th annivesary) vs 2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray (Luc Besson Box Set). The first two have totally different texture.
StudioCanal: More natural looking. Better defined grain. The white balance is rather yellow/orange. Some say it is closer to the original theatrical release.
2017 Sony: More vibrant and impactful. The white balance is rather neutral. While color noise and grain can look busy because it had been sharpened and had micro-contrast boosted.
2025 Sony: Supposedly an improved version of the 2017 release? Shows around 20mbps-higher overall video bitrate. caps
2007 Sony Blu-ray or LaserDisc AC3? (TBC) https://fanrestore.com/thread-7303.html
The Atmos on the Sony release is reportedly better than StudioCanal's.
Disc info of the box set discs. This film have recieved multiple encode/versions in different regions over the years. The 2017 Germany4K Blu-ray is encoded differently than the 2017 Sony but not better. Also, the same can be said to 2024 France Gaumont 4K Blu-ray while comparing to the 2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray omits all the extras from previous releases, being barebones.
Director: James Gunn
Commentary is only on Streaming
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Video format: UHD Blu-ray
Bandai 4K Blu-ray? vs 2008 Japan Bandai Blu-ray (BCXA-0085): same video but includes Bandai English dub and original mix
2026 Bandai 4K Blu-ray
Director: James Cameron
Sources: movie-censorship.com (opens in a new tab)
Fox Blu-ray for original cuts without the extra scene added in the re-release and AI upscaling
Newer Blu-ray/4K has the extra scene, but is poor and has excessive AI upscaling
An additional scene was added to the ending of the movie in the 2022 re-release: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=493908
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