Excalibur (1981)
Adventure, Fantasy • 2h 21m
Overview
A surreal adaptation of Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" chronicling Arthur Pendragon's conception, his rise to the throne, the search by his Knights of the Round Table for the Holy Grail, and ultimately, his death.
Director: John Boorman
Cast: Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Paul Geoffrey, Cherie Lunghi, Robert Addie, Gabriel Byrne, Keith Buckley, Katrine Boorman, Corin Redgrave, Liam Neeson, Niall O'Brien, Patrick Stewart, Clive Swift, Ciarán Hinds, Liam O'Callaghan, Michael Muldoon, Charley Boorman, Brid Brennan, Garrett Keogh, Emmet Bergin, Eamon Kelly, Gerard Mannix Flynn, Barbara Byrne, Kay Maclaren, Joelle Hélary, Conor Lambert, Prudence Wright Holmes, Paul Markey
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
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.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
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.
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
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.
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
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.
Director: John McTiernan
Director: John McTiernan
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Director: Jean Vigo
Directors: Jean Vigo & Boris Kaufman
Directors: Jean Vigo & Boris Kaufman
Director: Danny Boyle
Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617)
Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617) > Criterion 2024 4K Blu-ray > Film4 4K Blu-ray
5.1: Universal EU Blu-ray - Criterion and Lionsgate are missing LFE, otherwise the same
Stereo: Criterion 4K Blu-ray
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
Director: Danny Boyle
Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617)
Criterion 2026 4K Blu-ray (UPC 715515334617) > Criterion 2024 4K Blu-ray > Film4 4K Blu-ray
5.1: Universal EU Blu-ray - Criterion and Lionsgate are missing LFE, otherwise the same
Stereo: Criterion 4K Blu-ray
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
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
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.
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
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.
Director: Michael Mann
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.
Arrow/Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Only imperceptible differences in bit-depth: 20 vs 24.
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.
Director: Michael Mann
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.
Arrow/Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Only imperceptible differences in bit-depth: 20 vs 24.
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.
Director: John Boorman
Director: John Boorman
Director: John Boorman
Director: John Boorman
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Director: Richard Fleischer
Arrow 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has solid encode but controversial colors by Hiventy
Director: Richard Fleischer
Arrow 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has solid encode but controversial colors by Hiventy
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Arrow 4K Blu-ray in June
Umbrella 4K Blu-ray (FiM encode but the mastering shows signs of DNR albeit only momentarily); all other BDs pretty bad.
Umbrella 4K Blu-ray, but whether in the correct speed/pitch is TBC.
Director: Ted Kotcheff
Arrow 4K Blu-ray in June
Umbrella 4K Blu-ray (FiM encode but the mastering shows signs of DNR albeit only momentarily); all other BDs pretty bad.
Umbrella 4K Blu-ray, but whether in the correct speed/pitch is TBC.
Director: Brian De Palma
Director: Brian De Palma
Arrow 4K Blu-ray see caps
Info: Arrow 4K Blu-ray is scanned from interpositive film, thus having a softer than the first title.
Original: Arrow 4K Blu-ray vs New Line LaserDisc
Arrow 4K Blu-ray see caps
Info: Arrow 4K Blu-ray is scanned from interpositive film, thus having a softer than the first title.
Original: Arrow 4K Blu-ray vs New Line LaserDisc
Arrow 4K Blu-ray see caps
Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or New Line LaserDisc for line absent on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray releases
Info: Arrow 4K Blu-ray is scanned from interpositive film, thus having a softer than the first title.
Arrow 4K Blu-ray see caps
Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or New Line LaserDisc for line absent on VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray releases
Info: Arrow 4K Blu-ray is scanned from interpositive film, thus having a softer than the first title.
Director: John Frankenheimer
Director: John Frankenheimer
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Director: Sergio Corbucci
Director: Fritz Kiersch
Director: Fritz Kiersch
Director: Robert Siodmak
Director: Robert Siodmak
Edit History
3/20/2026
Best Audio Release
From
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
To
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray's mono seems to be out of sync, suggested by comparisons. Issue is TBC officially)
From
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
To
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray's mono seems to be out of sync, suggested by comparisons. Issue is TBC officially)
3/14/2026
Additional Info
From
Arrow LE will have an exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
To
Arrow LE will have an exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
From
Arrow LE will have an exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
To
Arrow LE will have an exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
3/13/2026
Additional Info
From
Arrow LE will have a exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
To
Arrow LE will have an exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
From
Arrow LE will have a exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
To
Arrow LE will have an exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
3/6/2026
Best Audio Release
From
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
To
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
From
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
To
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
3/6/2026
Best Audio Release
From
To
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
From
To
(Arrow 4K Blu-ray seems to be out of sync, issue TBC officially)
2/19/2026
Additional Info
From
Arrow LE will only have the TV Cut which will not be on the standard edition
To
Arrow LE will have a exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
From
Arrow LE will only have the TV Cut which will not be on the standard edition
To
Arrow LE will have a exclusive 3rd disc which will not be on the standard edition
2/19/2026
Additional Info
Added
Arrow LE will only have the TV Cut which will not be on the standard edition
Added
Arrow LE will only have the TV Cut which will not be on the standard edition
2/15/2026
2/15/2026
Format
From
1080p Blu-ray
To
UHD Blu-ray
From
1080p Blu-ray
To
UHD Blu-ray
12/3/2025
1/2/2025
