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The Ring (2002)
The Ring (2002) poster
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3.3

The Ring (2002)

Horror, Mystery • 1h 55m

Overview

Rachel Keller is a journalist investigating a videotape that may have killed four teenagers. There is an urban legend about this tape: the viewer will die seven days after watching it. Rachel tracks down the video... and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the Ring so she can save herself and her son.

Director: Gore Verbinski

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray encoding is much better caps

Paramount 4K Blu-ray is disappointing capsule review

Best Audio Release

4K Blu-ray vs Cinema DTS vs D-Theater DVHS?

Additional Info

The D-Theater DVHS/DVD has a different color grading compared to the 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Excellent
Shout Factory:

Shout Factory 4K Blu-ray encoding is much better caps

Length

115 mins

Type

Movie

Alternative Titles

Ring

Last Updated

4 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray encoding is much better caps

Paramount 4K Blu-ray is disappointing capsule review

Best Audio Release

4K Blu-ray vs Cinema DTS vs D-Theater DVHS?

Additional Info

The D-Theater DVHS/DVD has a different color grading compared to the 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray

Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Excellent
Shout Factory:

Shout Factory 4K Blu-ray encoding is much better caps

Length
115 mins
Type
Movie
Alternative Titles
Ring
Last Updated
4 months ago
Contributors

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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:

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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.

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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

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The 4K has lowered dynamic range.

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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:

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International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray

Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

The film exists in three versions:
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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);
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Best English-Friendly:

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Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Video:

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Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

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The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325

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Best English-Friendly:

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Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Video:

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Uncut Director's Cut: Either the Germany Kinowelt DVD, the Japan DVD, the Scandinavian DVD, or the US LaserDisc. Fan preservation is likely better quality.

Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

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The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325

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Best Video:

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Additional Info:

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Best Video:

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Additional Info:

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Additional Info:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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5.1 on the 4K is a downmix of the Atmos remix.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Recovers quite a bit of highlight detail, looks less harsh and clipped in the video footage than the old BD.

Best Audio:

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Original 5.1 mix: old OOP Fox Blu-ray

5.1 on the 4K is a downmix of the Atmos remix.

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Best English-Friendly:

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Best Audio:

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It seems that the new mastering likely uses AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering, resulting in extended peaks despite losing real high end detail (most pronounced on sample 3).

Samples (WAC is mislabeled as UHD)

Additional Info:

Commentary is mono on the Blu-rays and panned stereo on NTSC DVD (different channels for each speaker).

The Bad Seed poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Audio:

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It seems that the new mastering likely uses AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering, resulting in extended peaks despite losing real high end detail (most pronounced on sample 3).

Samples (WAC is mislabeled as UHD)

Additional Info:

Commentary is mono on the Blu-rays and panned stereo on NTSC DVD (different channels for each speaker).

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Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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Best English-Friendly:

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1080p 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:

UK MoC Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

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Sony 4K Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Additional Info:

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Digital 4K appears to be fixed. Could the International WB 4K Blu-ray also be fixed?

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray caps by cinemaniac. Gorgeous upgrade

Additional Info:

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Best Video:

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Additional Info:

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The Ring (2002) backdrop