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Leviathan (1989)
Leviathan (1989) poster
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2.9

Leviathan (1989)

Adventure, Horror, Thriller, Science Fiction • 1h 38m

Overview

Underwater deep-sea miners encounter a Soviet wreck and bring back a dangerous cargo to their base on the ocean floor with horrifying results. The crew of the mining base must fight to survive against a genetic mutation that hunts them down one by one.

Best Video Release

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray's HDR10 encode and audio tracks are poor, film looks fine in Dolby Vision

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Disappointing
Kino:

HDR10 encode and audio tracks are poor, film looks fine in Dolby Vision

Length

98 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

2 years ago

Contributors

Best Video Release

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray's HDR10 encode and audio tracks are poor, film looks fine in Dolby Vision

Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Disappointing
Kino:

HDR10 encode and audio tracks are poor, film looks fine in Dolby Vision

Length
98 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
2 years ago
Contributors

More from George P. Cosmatos

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Tombstone poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray for the 4K Theatrical Cut or 2002 Vista Series DVD for the Director's Cut, alleycat's DC restoration better

Best Video:

Theatrical Cut: Disney 4K Blu-ray caps

Director's Cut: 2002 Vista Series DVD, alleycat's DC restoration better

Best Audio:

Closest to original: 1994 Hollywood Pictures LaserDisc, other LDs are probably the same
Blu-rays only have 5.1 upmixes but probably fine

Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray for the 4K Theatrical Cut or 2002 Vista Series DVD for the Director's Cut, alleycat's DC restoration better

Best Video:

Theatrical Cut: Disney 4K Blu-ray caps

Director's Cut: 2002 Vista Series DVD, alleycat's DC restoration better

Best Audio:

Closest to original: 1994 Hollywood Pictures LaserDisc, other LDs are probably the same
Blu-rays only have 5.1 upmixes but probably fine

Rambo: First Blood Part II poster
UHD Blu-ray
Upcoming Release:

A new Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray with DV upcoming including with the rest of the films.

Best Video:

Eagle Pictures Italy > StudioCanal UK, better compression than StudioCanal

Upcoming Release:

A new Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray with DV upcoming including with the rest of the films.

Best Video:

Eagle Pictures Italy > StudioCanal UK, better compression than StudioCanal

Cobra poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray caps

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray: the 2.0 and 4.0 mixes are said to be particularly strong against the muted / dull 5.1

Cobra poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray caps

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray: the 2.0 and 4.0 mixes are said to be particularly strong against the muted / dull 5.1

More from Kino Lorber

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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?

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

Maximilian and Marie De Bourgogne poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray or Germany Blu-ray but no comparison available

Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray lacks English subtitles. Kino Lorber Blu-ray has English subtitles but is OOP 

Kino Lorber Blu-ray retains both the French and German dialogue in their native languages.

Germany Blu-ray dubs over the French dialogue in German.

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray or Germany Blu-ray but no comparison available

Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray lacks English subtitles. Kino Lorber Blu-ray has English subtitles but is OOP 

Kino Lorber Blu-ray retains both the French and German dialogue in their native languages.

Germany Blu-ray dubs over the French dialogue in German.

When Tomorrow Comes poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Indicator Blu-ray

Best Video:

Indicator Blu-ray is encoded by FiM and likely better than Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Indicator Blu-ray see comparison

Best English-Friendly:

Indicator Blu-ray

Best Video:

Indicator Blu-ray is encoded by FiM and likely better than Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Indicator Blu-ray see comparison

You and Me poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Indicator Blu-ray

Best Video:

Indicator Blu-ray is superior to Kino Lorber transfer see caps. 2K restoration

You and Me poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Indicator Blu-ray

Best Video:

Indicator Blu-ray is superior to Kino Lorber transfer see caps. 2K restoration

Kindergarten Cop poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Plaion German 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Plaion German 4K Blu-ray > US Kino Lorber see comparison and caps

Kino Lorber has an exceedingly poor encode, only slightly improved by the DV layer.

Best Audio:

Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Universal US Blu-ray
Dolby Atmos remix: Plaion DE 4K Blu-ray

Universal's BD uses the same transfer as the old LaserDisc and sounds a bit better than Plaion's, which has worse dynamics.

Plaion's Atmos remix is tastefully done and preserves the original mix's characteristics, the 5.1 track on Kino's release is overly aggressive and unbalanced.

Best English-Friendly:

Plaion German 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Plaion German 4K Blu-ray > US Kino Lorber see comparison and caps

Kino Lorber has an exceedingly poor encode, only slightly improved by the DV layer.

Best Audio:

Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Universal US Blu-ray
Dolby Atmos remix: Plaion DE 4K Blu-ray

Universal's BD uses the same transfer as the old LaserDisc and sounds a bit better than Plaion's, which has worse dynamics.

Plaion's Atmos remix is tastefully done and preserves the original mix's characteristics, the 5.1 track on Kino's release is overly aggressive and unbalanced.

The Ringer poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

Kino Lorber US Blu-ray - Brit Noir: Collection I set

Best Audio:

Network UK PAL DVD

Both DVD and BD use the same transfer. Blu-ray is more cleaned up (hiss, clicks, pops) but loses detail in quiet moments due to noise gating and sounds less natural throughout.

The Ringer poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

Kino Lorber US Blu-ray - Brit Noir: Collection I set

Best Audio:

Network UK PAL DVD

Both DVD and BD use the same transfer. Blu-ray is more cleaned up (hiss, clicks, pops) but loses detail in quiet moments due to noise gating and sounds less natural throughout.

12 Angry Men poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber US / Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

1.85:1: Kino Lorber 4K  / Capelight 4K

1.66:1: Criterion 4K but low pass filtered

Comparison between the 4Ks, Criterion on the AR choice

Best Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray

Other discs have unnecessary filtering and sound worse, the difference isn't substantial but audible

12 Angry Men poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber US / Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

1.85:1: Kino Lorber 4K  / Capelight 4K

1.66:1: Criterion 4K but low pass filtered

Comparison between the 4Ks, Criterion on the AR choice

Best Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray

Other discs have unnecessary filtering and sound worse, the difference isn't substantial but audible

Fallen Angels poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2010 US Kino Lorber or 2012 UK Artificial Eye

Best Video:

2017 JP Kadokawa Blu-ray has the best encoding out of all the older discs.


Kino Lorber and Artificial Eye Blu-ray use the same master, between the two the PQ on Kino's release is slightly better, but the difference is negligible.

The 4K restoration (Criterion, 4K etc) are cropped to 2.35:1, have revisionistic colour grading and other changes.

Caps: old master, old master vs 4K restoration

Wong Kar-Wai on the framing:

With Fallen Angels, I have changed the format to cinemascope, because it was originally what I had intended to release the film in. When we were cutting the film, we accidentally turned the Steenbeck on anamorphic instead of standard. I felt that the film looked much more interesting because it enhanced the distance of the characters on top of the extreme wide angle that we shot on. Back then, it was impossible to shoot a film in standard and release it in anamorphic. With this restoration, we have successfully fulfilled this wish.

Fallen Angels poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2010 US Kino Lorber or 2012 UK Artificial Eye

Best Video:

2017 JP Kadokawa Blu-ray has the best encoding out of all the older discs.


Kino Lorber and Artificial Eye Blu-ray use the same master, between the two the PQ on Kino's release is slightly better, but the difference is negligible.

The 4K restoration (Criterion, 4K etc) are cropped to 2.35:1, have revisionistic colour grading and other changes.

Caps: old master, old master vs 4K restoration

Wong Kar-Wai on the framing:

With Fallen Angels, I have changed the format to cinemascope, because it was originally what I had intended to release the film in. When we were cutting the film, we accidentally turned the Steenbeck on anamorphic instead of standard. I felt that the film looked much more interesting because it enhanced the distance of the characters on top of the extreme wide angle that we shot on. Back then, it was impossible to shoot a film in standard and release it in anamorphic. With this restoration, we have successfully fulfilled this wish.

Jazz on a Summer's Day poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

FRA Carlotta Blu-ray: FiM encode. At least slightly better than the Kino see caps

Additional Info:

Carlotta ports over all special features from the Kino release, except the booklet essay. All specials are in English.

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

FRA Carlotta Blu-ray: FiM encode. At least slightly better than the Kino see caps

Additional Info:

Carlotta ports over all special features from the Kino release, except the booklet essay. All specials are in English.

More Adventure on Blu-ray

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

2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save space)

Upcoming Release:

Universal 25th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Vision and Atmos

Best Video:

2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save space)

Best Audio:

Cinema DTS

Additional Info:

The old 2 disc DVD has extras missing from 4K Blu-ray

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

2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save space)

Upcoming Release:

Universal 25th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Vision and Atmos

Best Video:

2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save space)

Best Audio:

Cinema DTS

Additional Info:

The old 2 disc DVD has extras missing from 4K Blu-ray

Forbidden Planet poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

The Emperor's New Groove poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:
  • 2001 DVD for uncensored cut with rock and extras

Best Video:

Disney 4K Blu-ray, caps

Best Audio:

Disney Blu-ray; 4K Blu-ray only has an Atmos remix with a phasing issue

Best English-Friendly:
  • 2001 DVD for uncensored cut with rock and extras

Best Video:

Disney 4K Blu-ray, caps

Best Audio:

Disney Blu-ray; 4K Blu-ray only has an Atmos remix with a phasing issue

Popeye poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Paramount Blu-ray

Popeye was mixed for a failed Vistasonic system with 4 discrete tracks (L/C/R/S). That mix has never been released on home video in its original form.

The older 5.1 track appearing on older DVD/BD releases sounds excellent. It appears to be a slight upmix of the original mix, only splitting the surrounds and adding LFE. It sounds close to the old analog LaserDisc, which is likely the original mix in a matrixed form.

The 5.1 included on the UHD is a new remix which significantly differs from previous tracks. There are new foley effects all over the place. Music is jarringly spliced in from different sources. Unlike the old 5.1 which had clearly discrete surrounds, the channels surrounds overlap somewhat with the fronts here.

Details on the new mix from Paramount's former head of restoration: https://youtu.be/P-AmjqViJyE?t=788

The 2.0 tracks on all DVDs/BDs are just downmixes of their respective 5.1 mixes.

Samples

Popeye poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Paramount Blu-ray

Popeye was mixed for a failed Vistasonic system with 4 discrete tracks (L/C/R/S). That mix has never been released on home video in its original form.

The older 5.1 track appearing on older DVD/BD releases sounds excellent. It appears to be a slight upmix of the original mix, only splitting the surrounds and adding LFE. It sounds close to the old analog LaserDisc, which is likely the original mix in a matrixed form.

The 5.1 included on the UHD is a new remix which significantly differs from previous tracks. There are new foley effects all over the place. Music is jarringly spliced in from different sources. Unlike the old 5.1 which had clearly discrete surrounds, the channels surrounds overlap somewhat with the fronts here.

Details on the new mix from Paramount's former head of restoration: https://youtu.be/P-AmjqViJyE?t=788

The 2.0 tracks on all DVDs/BDs are just downmixes of their respective 5.1 mixes.

Samples

The Saint poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Audio:

Old Paramount Blu-ray

The 4K has lowered dynamic range.

The Saint poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Audio:

Old Paramount Blu-ray

The 4K has lowered dynamic range.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disney Blu-ray

Best Video:

Disney Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney Blu-ray

Cinema DTS-ES centre channel information unconfirmed

Best English-Friendly:

Disney Blu-ray

Best Video:

Disney Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney Blu-ray

Cinema DTS-ES centre channel information unconfirmed

Brother Bear poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disney Blu-ray

Best Video:

Disney Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Disney Blu-ray

Best Video:

Disney Blu-ray

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

DreamWorks/Universal Blu-ray

Best Video:

DreamWorks/Universal Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

DreamWorks/Universal Blu-ray

Best Video:

DreamWorks/Universal Blu-ray

Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount Blu-ray

Best Video:

Paramount Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Paramount Blu-ray

Best Video:

Paramount Blu-ray

Crocodile Dundee poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD

International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray

Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

US Paramount 4K Blu-ray, unsure whether it's the International cut released by Paramount or the Encore Cut

Best Video:

Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD

International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray

Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Australia Cut: Laserdisc

Additional Info:

The film exists in three versions:
- the original Australian cut (~104 minutes at 24fps/~100 minutes at 25fps);
- the American/international version (~98 minutes at 24fps/~94 minutes at 25fps) trimming some exposition in the Outback first half of the film and some shorter extensions of a few seconds in the New York section, altering some of the dialogue – including censoring a "fuck" to "screw" – but featuring one additional dialogue extension not in the Australian version (a comparison of the two cuts can be found at Movie Censorship);
- the Australian Encore Cut (~95 minutes at 24fps/~91 minutes at 25fps) which uses the international version source so it already has those alterations but also removes approximately three minutes consisting of parts of two scenes featuring Mick grabbing the crotch of a cross-dressing prostitute and a later sequence when he does the same thing at a party to a woman with a deep voice (a comparison of the international version and the Encore Cut can be found at Movie Censorship).

Best English-Friendly:

Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD

International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray

Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

US Paramount 4K Blu-ray, unsure whether it's the International cut released by Paramount or the Encore Cut

Best Video:

Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD

International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray

Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Australia Cut: Laserdisc

Additional Info:

The film exists in three versions:
- the original Australian cut (~104 minutes at 24fps/~100 minutes at 25fps);
- the American/international version (~98 minutes at 24fps/~94 minutes at 25fps) trimming some exposition in the Outback first half of the film and some shorter extensions of a few seconds in the New York section, altering some of the dialogue – including censoring a "fuck" to "screw" – but featuring one additional dialogue extension not in the Australian version (a comparison of the two cuts can be found at Movie Censorship);
- the Australian Encore Cut (~95 minutes at 24fps/~91 minutes at 25fps) which uses the international version source so it already has those alterations but also removes approximately three minutes consisting of parts of two scenes featuring Mick grabbing the crotch of a cross-dressing prostitute and a later sequence when he does the same thing at a party to a woman with a deep voice (a comparison of the international version and the Encore Cut can be found at Movie Censorship).

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Leviathan (1989) backdrop