Solaris (1972)
Солярис
Drama, Science Fiction, Mystery • 2h 45m
Overview
A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the planet is a type of brain which brings out repressed memories and obsessions.
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Cast: Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetsky, Mykola Hrynko, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Olga Barnet, Vitalik Kerdimun, Olga Kizilova, Tatyana Malykh, Aleksandr Misharin, Bagrat Oganesyan, Tamara Ogorodnikova, Sos Sargsyan, Yulian Semyonov, Vitaliy Statsinskiy, Vera Sumenova, Georgiy Teykh
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Theatrical Cut: UK Artificial Eye Blu-ray > Criterion
2023 "Director's" Cut: Unreleased
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream > Criterion Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray has best encoding
2023 "Director's" Cut: Unreleased
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream > Criterion Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: 2011/2018 RU Blu-ray
Passion According to Andrei Cut: ??
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Theatrical Cut: UK Artificial Eye Blu-ray > Criterion
2023 "Director's" Cut: Unreleased
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream > Criterion Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray has best encoding
2023 "Director's" Cut: Unreleased
Passion According to Andrei Cut: MosFilm Youtube Stream > Criterion Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: 2011/2018 RU Blu-ray
Passion According to Andrei Cut: ??
Directors: Marika Beiku & Andrei Tarkovsky & Aleksandr Gordon
Criterion The Killers set Blu-ray extras
Student film, available in Criterion The Killers set as extras or Streaming
Directors: Marika Beiku & Andrei Tarkovsky & Aleksandr Gordon
Criterion The Killers set Blu-ray extras
Student film, available in Criterion The Killers set as extras or Streaming
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray is best, but all releases of the 2K restoration have issues:
Criterion Blu-ray/Germany Filmjuwelen Blu-ray have yellow tint on sepia scenes
France Potemkine (Standalone) has raised blacks and poor encoding
France Potemkine (Boxset) has orange tint on sepia scenes and poor encoding
Netherlands Lumière has correct sepia scenes, good encode, but gamma is slightly off.
Italy General Video Recording has correct sepia scenes but gamma is off (more so than Netherlands Blu-ray and worse encode)
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Netherlands Lumière Blu-ray is best, but all releases of the 2K restoration have issues:
Criterion Blu-ray/Germany Filmjuwelen Blu-ray have yellow tint on sepia scenes
France Potemkine (Standalone) has raised blacks and poor encoding
France Potemkine (Boxset) has orange tint on sepia scenes and poor encoding
Netherlands Lumière has correct sepia scenes, good encode, but gamma is slightly off.
Italy General Video Recording has correct sepia scenes but gamma is off (more so than Netherlands Blu-ray and worse encode)
Youtube Mosfilm stream is better than Criterion bonus feature of Andrei Rublev
Youtube Mosfilm stream is better than Criterion bonus feature of Andrei Rublev
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Directors: Andrei Tarkovsky & Tonino Guerra
Kino Lorber Nostalghia Blu-ray
Documentary, included in Kino Lorber Nostalghia Blu-ray
Directors: Andrei Tarkovsky & Tonino Guerra
Kino Lorber Nostalghia Blu-ray
Documentary, included in Kino Lorber Nostalghia Blu-ray
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: Jean Renoir
The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray
The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
Director: Sidney Lumet
2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray
2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray
Director: John Waters
Director: John Waters
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking
1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD
Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray or Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray - subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking
1993 MGM LaserDisc/2000 Region 1 MGM DVD
Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: David Lynch
Criterion 4K Blu-ray is closer to the original DVDs than the 2015 Criterion release, not sure about whether the StudioCanal 4K is like the Criterion 4K/original DVD
Criterion 4K Blu-ray has FEL Dolby Vision, StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray has MEL
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Director: Ridley Scott
Capelight 4K Blu-ray has better encode than Criterion 4K Blu-ray
More Drama on Blu-ray
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
Director: Orson Welles
MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar
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: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR
Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray
BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.
The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.
Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.
Director: Vincent Ward
Director: Vincent Ward
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray > US Paramount 4K Blu-ray for the US Cut.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
Comparisons in SDR using L8 Trim from CM v4.0 (both UHDs can use CM v4.0): Remux vs USA UHD: https://slow.pics/c/mkrhVtpl
The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.
International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray > US Paramount 4K Blu-ray for the US Cut.
International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
Comparisons in SDR using L8 Trim from CM v4.0 (both UHDs can use CM v4.0): Remux vs USA UHD: https://slow.pics/c/mkrhVtpl
The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.
International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.
Director: John Ford
Director: John Ford
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Kino Lorber 4k resto
The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.
Director: Ernst Lubitsch
Kino Lorber 4k resto
The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray
Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?
Director: John Woo
Director: John Woo
Edit History
2/6/2025
Best English-Friendly Release
From
Criterion BD. Upcoming German BD will almost certainly be better
From
Criterion BD. Upcoming German BD will almost certainly be better
Best Video Release
From
FR Potemkine & NL Lumiere BDs are the new restoration but both have problems. Maybe upcoming German BD will be the best?
To
Germany Filmjuwelen is the best of the ones with the new restoration. Criterion/Artificial Eye are older restoration.
From
FR Potemkine & NL Lumiere BDs are the new restoration but both have problems. Maybe upcoming German BD will be the best?
To
Germany Filmjuwelen is the best of the ones with the new restoration. Criterion/Artificial Eye are older restoration.
Best Audio Release
From
Potemkine/Lumiere
To
Potemkine/Lumière/Filmjuwelen all probably the same and best.
From
Potemkine/Lumiere
To
Potemkine/Lumière/Filmjuwelen all probably the same and best.
12/15/2024
Best Video Release
From
Potemkine is new 2K restoration
To
FR Potemkine & NL Lumiere BDs are the new restoration but both have problems. Maybe upcoming German BD will be the best?
From
Potemkine is new 2K restoration
To
FR Potemkine & NL Lumiere BDs are the new restoration but both have problems. Maybe upcoming German BD will be the best?
Best Audio Release
From
Potemkine
To
Potemkine/Lumiere
From
Potemkine
To
Potemkine/Lumiere
