Serpico (1973)
Crime, Drama • 2h 10m
Overview
Frank Serpico is an idealistic New York City cop who refuses to take bribes, unlike the rest of the force. Frank's actions get him shunned by the other officers, and often placed in dangerous situations by his partners. When his superiors ignore his accusations of corruption, Frank decides to go public with the allegations. Although this causes the Knapp Commission to investigate his claims, Frank has also placed a target on himself.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Al Pacino, John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Biff McGuire, Barbara Eda-Young, Cornelia Sharpe, Tony Roberts, John Medici, Allan Rich, Norman Ornellas, Edward Grover, Albert Henderson, Hank Garrett, Damien Leake, Joseph Bova, Gene Gross, John Stewart, Woodie King Jr., James Tolkan, Ed Crowley, Bernard Barrow, Sal Carollo, Mildred Clinton, Nathan George, Gus Fleming, Richard Foronjy, Alan North, Lewis J. Stadlen, John McQuade, Ted Beniades, John Lehne, M. Emmet Walsh, George Ede, Charles White, F. Murray Abraham, P.J. Benjamin, Don Billett, Val Bisoglio, John Brandon, James Bulleit, Roy Cheverie, Sam Coppola, Marjorie Eliot, René Enríquez, Conard Fowkes, Frank Gio, Trent Gough, Paul E. Guskin, Nick Hardin, Judd Hirsch, Richard Kuss, Tony Lo Bianco, George Loros, Kenneth McMillan, Stephen Pearlman, Tim Pelt, William Pelt, Jay Rasumny, Franklin Scott, Tom Signorelli, Ben Slack, Jaime Sánchez, Tracey Walter, Mary Louise Weller, Judd Omen
Director: Sidney Lumet
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
Criterion Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray
Other discs have unnecessary filtering and sound worse, the difference isn't substantial but audible
Director: Sidney Lumet
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
Criterion Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray
Other discs have unnecessary filtering and sound worse, the difference isn't substantial but audible
StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray, original aspect ratio and much better encoding; caps
Paramount JP LaserDisc. Both UHDs only have 5.1 and a downmix. Paramount US Blu-ray sounds okay, close to the LaserDisc.
StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray, original aspect ratio and much better encoding; caps
Paramount JP LaserDisc. Both UHDs only have 5.1 and a downmix. Paramount US Blu-ray sounds okay, close to the LaserDisc.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Criterion 4K Blu-ray replacement disc for fixed audio (there were some dialogues missing)
While the video on the replacement disc is exactly the same as the original release, the Atmos with missing lines has been corrected as it was also corrected on the Criterion commentary. Criterion also included the 6-track which is almost identical to the PAL track; It’s 4.0 in a 5.1 container. This 6-track is slightly better than the PAL DVD track as the PAL has some flutter on some parts that Criterion doesn’t have.
The Atmos on the replacement is identical to the Imprint AUS Blu-ray track which also has all the lines. The compatibility track is also the same,
It is worth mentioning the Imprint only has the Atmos and no 6-track. The 5.1 surround is with LFE and split surrounds and it’s just a downmix of the Atmos. Ditto for the LPCM 2.0 on said Blu-ray.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Criterion 4K Blu-ray replacement disc for fixed audio (there were some dialogues missing)
While the video on the replacement disc is exactly the same as the original release, the Atmos with missing lines has been corrected as it was also corrected on the Criterion commentary. Criterion also included the 6-track which is almost identical to the PAL track; It’s 4.0 in a 5.1 container. This 6-track is slightly better than the PAL DVD track as the PAL has some flutter on some parts that Criterion doesn’t have.
The Atmos on the replacement is identical to the Imprint AUS Blu-ray track which also has all the lines. The compatibility track is also the same,
It is worth mentioning the Imprint only has the Atmos and no 6-track. The 5.1 surround is with LFE and split surrounds and it’s just a downmix of the Atmos. Ditto for the LPCM 2.0 on said Blu-ray.
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Sidney Lumet
While Olive Films Blu-ray is better encoded than BFI Blu-ray, it suffers from the Quicktime Gamma Bug see caps
Director: Sidney Lumet
While Olive Films Blu-ray is better encoded than BFI Blu-ray, it suffers from the Quicktime Gamma Bug see caps
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director: Ivan Reitman
Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray > US Kino Lorber see caps with comparisons
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray's HDR10 encode and audio tracks are poor, film looks fine in Dolby Vision
Director: Ivan Reitman
Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray > US Kino Lorber see caps with comparisons
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray's HDR10 encode and audio tracks are poor, film looks fine in Dolby Vision
Director: Wong Kar-Wai
2010 US Kino Lorber or 2012 UK Artificial Eye
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.
Director: Wong Kar-Wai
2010 US Kino Lorber or 2012 UK Artificial Eye
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.
Director: Bert Stern
Director: Bert Stern
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray (damage removed, improved color/HDR, and best audio) or Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray (best compression but no damage removal and LaserDisc audio from Arrow)
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray >
Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray Kino Lorber US Blu-ray, see caps
Arrow has done additional cleanup work removing nearly all the damage in the transfer. They have massaged the color timing and HDR to try and improve what they could. The Capelight may have better encoding but it does not have these improvements. The Arrow encoding is solid and in motion there are no issues whatsoever. The Kino release has the damage and other issues plus frequent noise due to the lesser encoding.
Some scenes in the Arrow transfer are better, some better in the Capelight.
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Image Entertainment LaserDisc
(Arrow is a port of the LD track, see spectrograms) This track has the best fidelity of any release but does have some channel bleeding baked in. The 2017 2.0 on the Arrow and Shout BDs was the Dolby Stereo original mix without channel bleeding but that had heavy noise reduction resulting in a very flat and underwhelming presentation. The surround winds up being lessened as well due to the processing. It's a tough choice between the two but the Image LD audio wins out because it hasn't been messed with and the impact is so unrestrained that no other version hits in the same way.
Capelight and old Arrow BD included the original stereo mix, but with excessive noise reduction rendering it much less detailed. Kino only included a painfully defective 2.0 track sourced from somewhere with limited fidelity, volume spikes and screechy high end which frequently ruins the music. The 5.1 remix on most modern release is a processed version that does not sound as good as it once did.
The best and most accurate of the 5.1 mixes is the original version from the 2003 Special Edition DVD in lossy AC3 form.
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray (damage removed, improved color/HDR, and best audio) or Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray (best compression but no damage removal and LaserDisc audio from Arrow)
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray >
Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray Kino Lorber US Blu-ray, see caps
Arrow has done additional cleanup work removing nearly all the damage in the transfer. They have massaged the color timing and HDR to try and improve what they could. The Capelight may have better encoding but it does not have these improvements. The Arrow encoding is solid and in motion there are no issues whatsoever. The Kino release has the damage and other issues plus frequent noise due to the lesser encoding.
Some scenes in the Arrow transfer are better, some better in the Capelight.
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Image Entertainment LaserDisc
(Arrow is a port of the LD track, see spectrograms) This track has the best fidelity of any release but does have some channel bleeding baked in. The 2017 2.0 on the Arrow and Shout BDs was the Dolby Stereo original mix without channel bleeding but that had heavy noise reduction resulting in a very flat and underwhelming presentation. The surround winds up being lessened as well due to the processing. It's a tough choice between the two but the Image LD audio wins out because it hasn't been messed with and the impact is so unrestrained that no other version hits in the same way.
Capelight and old Arrow BD included the original stereo mix, but with excessive noise reduction rendering it much less detailed. Kino only included a painfully defective 2.0 track sourced from somewhere with limited fidelity, volume spikes and screechy high end which frequently ruins the music. The 5.1 remix on most modern release is a processed version that does not sound as good as it once did.
The best and most accurate of the 5.1 mixes is the original version from the 2003 Special Edition DVD in lossy AC3 form.
Director: Simon Wincer
Kino Lorber Blu-ray
4K is defective with color space issues and poor encoding, disc replacement program for the 4K disc has been setup to correct the color space issue. The UHD has visible artifacts from the bad encoding. The HDR is overdone and the Paramount 4K master has grain management.
The new Kino Blu-ray has none of the UHD's problems and is superior to the UHD in every way though it still uses the same Paramount master.
DVD 5.1 or LaserDisc 5.1 AC3, LD PCM 2.0 for the matrix stereo version. The LD and DVD seem to be the theatrical audio mix untouched with plenty of low end. This low end like a number of 90's Paramount titles was mixed out or tamed on subsequent releases.
The Lionsgate BD and Paramount BD share the same lackluster HD master with DNR and image distortion. The Lionsgate is much better encoded but has a 7.1 remix which messed up the original mix design by lessening all the great Foley work in favor of the score. The Paramount BD had a 5.1 lossless version of the original mix but it's a new version where the bass has been tamed so the track has lost its punch. The Kino Lorber UHD and Blu-ray recycle this same lesser 5.1 mastering. The original mix can still be heard on LD and DVD. The 2.0 stereo on the Kino is matrixed but also does not sound as good as the 2.0 matrix audio on DVD or LD.
Kino has announced a replacement program for the defective UHD but it is highly likely all the other problems will go unaddressed. The Billy Zane interview on the Kino BD has technical issues in the editing and clip quality used.
Director: Simon Wincer
Kino Lorber Blu-ray
4K is defective with color space issues and poor encoding, disc replacement program for the 4K disc has been setup to correct the color space issue. The UHD has visible artifacts from the bad encoding. The HDR is overdone and the Paramount 4K master has grain management.
The new Kino Blu-ray has none of the UHD's problems and is superior to the UHD in every way though it still uses the same Paramount master.
DVD 5.1 or LaserDisc 5.1 AC3, LD PCM 2.0 for the matrix stereo version. The LD and DVD seem to be the theatrical audio mix untouched with plenty of low end. This low end like a number of 90's Paramount titles was mixed out or tamed on subsequent releases.
The Lionsgate BD and Paramount BD share the same lackluster HD master with DNR and image distortion. The Lionsgate is much better encoded but has a 7.1 remix which messed up the original mix design by lessening all the great Foley work in favor of the score. The Paramount BD had a 5.1 lossless version of the original mix but it's a new version where the bass has been tamed so the track has lost its punch. The Kino Lorber UHD and Blu-ray recycle this same lesser 5.1 mastering. The original mix can still be heard on LD and DVD. The 2.0 stereo on the Kino is matrixed but also does not sound as good as the 2.0 matrix audio on DVD or LD.
Kino has announced a replacement program for the defective UHD but it is highly likely all the other problems will go unaddressed. The Billy Zane interview on the Kino BD has technical issues in the editing and clip quality used.
Director: Maurice Cloche
Director: Maurice Cloche
Director: Michael Gordon
Director: Michael Gordon
Director: Alan Crosland
Director: Alan Crosland
Director: Melville Shavelson
Kino Lorber Blu-ray 6K master from Paramount
Director: Melville Shavelson
Kino Lorber Blu-ray 6K master from Paramount
More Crime on Blu-ray
Director: Dennis Hopper
2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray
2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray
Director: Dennis Hopper
2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray
2026 Radiance 4K Blu-ray
Director: Béla Tarr
Director: Béla Tarr
Director: Wes Craven
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
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.
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
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.
2011 Blu-ray/2021 4K Blu-ray
The 2011 Lionsgate Blu-ray is incredibly poor for every Original Trilogy film; older processed older DVD-era masters with heavy use of DNR, sharpening and edge enhancement with a really dull color grade. The 4K Blu-ray is miles better. The DTS-HD 5.1 across all three films appears to be the same on both the Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and they appear to be the untouched theatrical 5.1 mixes.
The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325
Director: Wes Craven
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
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.
Theatrical: Paramount 4K Blu-ray
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.
2011 Blu-ray/2021 4K Blu-ray
The 2011 Lionsgate Blu-ray is incredibly poor for every Original Trilogy film; older processed older DVD-era masters with heavy use of DNR, sharpening and edge enhancement with a really dull color grade. The 4K Blu-ray is miles better. The DTS-HD 5.1 across all three films appears to be the same on both the Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and they appear to be the untouched theatrical 5.1 mixes.
The Uncut version has more violence: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=256325
Directors: Sam Liu & Lauren Montgomery
Directors: Sam Liu & Lauren Montgomery
Director: Deran Sarafian
MVD 4K Blu-ray beautiful remaster but with frame rate skips (encoding error)
Director: Deran Sarafian
MVD 4K Blu-ray beautiful remaster but with frame rate skips (encoding error)
Director: Danny Boyle
Director: Danny Boyle
Director: Joel Coen
Poor Criterion 4K Blu-ray https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=21782879#post21782879
Theatrical cut only on LaserDisc or 2001 UK Universal DVD
Poor Criterion 4K Blu-ray https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=21782879#post21782879 Theatrical cut only on LaserDisc or 2001 UK Universal DVD
Director: Joel Coen
Poor Criterion 4K Blu-ray https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=21782879#post21782879
Theatrical cut only on LaserDisc or 2001 UK Universal DVD
Poor Criterion 4K Blu-ray https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=21782879#post21782879 Theatrical cut only on LaserDisc or 2001 UK Universal DVD
Director: Rob Cohen
Universal 4K Blu-ray 25th Anniversary Edition (with Dolby Vision), comparisons: #1, #2
The 2026 re-release corrects cropping and grading on some VFX shots, otherwise it's the same master with better encoding.
Original 5.1 mix: Universal Blu-ray
The old BD (2009 with many later identical re-releases) is very good, compared even to the theatrical DTS track, over which it has a slight edge thanks to discrete LFE (as theatrical DTS tracks derive LFE from other channels).
The 2018 4K includes a relatively tasteful DTS:X remix, the 2026 #4K includes a more revisionistic Dolby Atmos remix, with more added foley effects and a significant frequency roll-off. Neither of the remixes is as punchy as the original mix.
Director: Rob Cohen
Universal 4K Blu-ray 25th Anniversary Edition (with Dolby Vision), comparisons: #1, #2
The 2026 re-release corrects cropping and grading on some VFX shots, otherwise it's the same master with better encoding.
Original 5.1 mix: Universal Blu-ray
The old BD (2009 with many later identical re-releases) is very good, compared even to the theatrical DTS track, over which it has a slight edge thanks to discrete LFE (as theatrical DTS tracks derive LFE from other channels).
The 2018 4K includes a relatively tasteful DTS:X remix, the 2026 #4K includes a more revisionistic Dolby Atmos remix, with more added foley effects and a significant frequency roll-off. Neither of the remixes is as punchy as the original mix.
Director: Robert Towne
Director: Robert Towne
Director: Joel Coen
Arrow 4K Blu-ray scheduled for November 2026 release
All the same
Director: Joel Coen
Arrow 4K Blu-ray scheduled for November 2026 release
All the same
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