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The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
The Grapes of Wrath (1940) poster
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4.2

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Drama • 2h 9m

Overview

Tom Joad returns to his home after a jail sentence to find his family kicked out of their farm due to foreclosure. He catches up with them on his Uncle’s farm, and joins them the next day as they head for California and a new life... Hopefully.

Director: John Ford

Cast: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon, Russell Simpson, O.Z. Whitehead, John Qualen, Eddie Quillan, Zeffie Tilbury, Frank Sully, Frank Darien, Darryl Hickman, Shirley Mills, Roger Imhof, Grant Mitchell, Charles D. Brown, John Arledge, Ward Bond, Harry Tyler, William Pawley, Charles Tannen, Selmer Jackson, Charles Middleton, Eddy Waller, Paul Guilfoyle, Cliff Clark, Joe Sawyer, Frank Faylen, Adrian Morris, Hollis Jewell, Robert Homans, Irving Bacon, Kitty McHugh, Gino Corrado, Pat Flaherty, Francis Ford, Herbert Heywood, Mae Marsh, Dan White, Wally Albright, Erville Alderson, Robert J. Anderson, Arthur Aylesworth, Trevor Bardette, Joe Bordeaux, George P. Breakston, Buster Brodie, Delmar Costello, W.H. Davis, Emily Gerdes, Barney Gilmore, Edna Hall, Charles Herzinger, Harry Holden, David Kirkland, Lillian Lawrence, Scotty Mattraw, Frank Newburg, Walter Perry, Rose Plumer, Al Stewart, Charles Thurston, D.H. Turner, John Wallace, Charles West, Russ Clark, James Flavin, Philip Morris, Max Wagner, Harry Cording, Ralph Dunn, Bob Reeves, Lee Shumway, Paul Sutton, William Haade, Frank O'Connor, Harry Tenbrook, Tom Tyler, Thornton Edwards, Rex Lease, Ben Hall, Louis Mason, Walter McGrail, Walter Miller, George O'Hara, Ted Oliver, Inez Palange, Steve Pendleton, Jack Pennick, Dick Rich, Gloria Roy, Peggy Ryan, Georgia Simmons, Harry Strang, Glen Walters, Norman Willis, Bill Wolfe, Waclaw Rekwart, Josephine Allen, John Binns, Leon Brace, Henry Brahe, Scotty Brown, Hal Budlong, Nora Bush, Shirley Coates, Cal Cohen, Cecil Cook, Jim Corey, Jane Crowley, Helen Dean, John Dilson, Lillian Drew, Tex Cooper, Billy Elmer, William Gillis, Don Hawks, Jules Michelson, Richard Neill, Jack Perrin, Spencer Quinn, Brick Sullivan, William Sundholm, Pearl Varvalle, Eleanore Vogel, Harry Wallace, Jack Walters, Jim Welch, Bill Worth

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Format

1080p Blu-ray

Featured Lists

TSPDT

2026: #226
2025: #223
2024: #221
2023: #222
2022: #222

Length

129 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

2 years ago

Contributors

-

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Format
1080p Blu-ray
Featured Lists
TSPDT
2026: #226
2025: #223
2024: #221
2023: #222
2022: #222
Length
129 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
2 years ago
Contributors

-

Featured in National Film Registry

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1998 R1 Universal DVD

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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.

Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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.

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Warner Archive DVD

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive Blu-ray in October

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Warner Archive Blu-ray in October

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Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Steelbook and Mediabook announced for 2026

Best Video:

2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Best Audio:

1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix

Comparison between the US and International mixes: https://vimeo.com/246332731

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

The Terminator poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Steelbook and Mediabook announced for 2026

Best Video:

2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Best Audio:

1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix

Comparison between the US and International mixes: https://vimeo.com/246332731

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

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DVD
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros DVD

Best Video:

Warner Bros DVD

Additional Info:

New restoration is completed

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros DVD

Best Video:

Warner Bros DVD

Additional Info:

New restoration is completed

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UHD Blu-ray
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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?

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WB 4K Blu-ray

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WB 4K Blu-ray

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1991 MGM LaserDisc

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WB 4K Blu-ray

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The Silence of the Lambs poster
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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

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Indicator Blu-ray

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Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1988/1990 WB Hi-Fi VHS, crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas

The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.

Additional Info:

Even putting resolution aside, the Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray has the best video. The old Blu-ray master and earlier DVD both had massive issues with colour.

That said, picture on the 4K Blu-ray isn't perfect, with strange posterized magenta glints and some instances of DNRhttps://bsky.app/profile/dagscott.bsky.social/post/3leahavqi7k2l

The Searchers poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1988/1990 WB Hi-Fi VHS, crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas

The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.

Additional Info:

Even putting resolution aside, the Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray has the best video. The old Blu-ray master and earlier DVD both had massive issues with colour.

That said, picture on the 4K Blu-ray isn't perfect, with strange posterized magenta glints and some instances of DNRhttps://bsky.app/profile/dagscott.bsky.social/post/3leahavqi7k2l

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2022 Paramount Presents Blu-ray disc included in 4K Blu-ray set, same master, but less bitrate starved.

Best Audio:

1980s Paramount VHS

Additional Info:

The encode on the BD is preferable to the UHD. Same master, but less bitrate starved: https://x.com/SadHillDevan/status/1530057783885721607?s=20 and see caps

Best English-Friendly:

2022 Paramount Presents Blu-ray disc included in 4K Blu-ray set

Best Video:

2022 Paramount Presents Blu-ray disc included in 4K Blu-ray set, same master, but less bitrate starved.

Best Audio:

1980s Paramount VHS

Additional Info:

The encode on the BD is preferable to the UHD. Same master, but less bitrate starved: https://x.com/SadHillDevan/status/1530057783885721607?s=20 and see caps

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2023 Paramount Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2023 Paramount Blu-ray or Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Additional Info:

USA Paramount has the best video transfer with the least amount of artifacts: https://slow.pics/c/sjZ3mqF6

Olive Films Blu-ray and Eureka MoC Blu-ray are sourced from the same restoration and are both very good.

Apart from some mild attenuation, the audio is the same on all releases of the newest restoration and is relatively untampered with: https://slow.pics/c/bWF9EGuM

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2023 Paramount Blu-ray

Best Video:

2023 Paramount Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2023 Paramount Blu-ray or Eureka MoC Blu-ray

Additional Info:

USA Paramount has the best video transfer with the least amount of artifacts: https://slow.pics/c/sjZ3mqF6

Olive Films Blu-ray and Eureka MoC Blu-ray are sourced from the same restoration and are both very good.

Apart from some mild attenuation, the audio is the same on all releases of the newest restoration and is relatively untampered with: https://slow.pics/c/bWF9EGuM

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Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc

Additional Info:

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc

Additional Info:

The audio on the Warner Archive Blu-ray is appalling. It starts to cutoff at around 6kHz to have nothing above 10kHz. The LaserDisc is much more full-frequency.

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Best Video:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Fox Blu-ray mono mix

As noted at Blah-Ray, the mono mix on the Fox Blu-ray, although not perfect, sounds better than the 5.1 remix and at least as good as earlier LaserDiscs, which suffer from being murky.

Best English-Friendly:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Fox Blu-ray mono mix

As noted at Blah-Ray, the mono mix on the Fox Blu-ray, although not perfect, sounds better than the 5.1 remix and at least as good as earlier LaserDiscs, which suffer from being murky.

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Donovan's Reef poster
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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

Fox 3D Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Fox 3D Blu-ray has both the theatrical cut and the "Cretaceous Cut" which removes the dialogue and the framing device, essentially serving as a director's cut of the film. The "Cretaceous Cut" is not available on the 2D Blu-ray or on digital streaming.

Best English-Friendly:

Fox 3D Blu-ray has both the theatrical cut and the "Cretaceous Cut"

Best Video:

Fox 3D Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Fox 3D Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Fox 3D Blu-ray has both the theatrical cut and the "Cretaceous Cut" which removes the dialogue and the framing device, essentially serving as a director's cut of the film. The "Cretaceous Cut" is not available on the 2D Blu-ray or on digital streaming.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox 4K Blu-ray

Caveat: No Dolby Vision metadata from Streaming

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Fox 4K Blu-ray

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Best Audio:

Fox 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

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Caveat: No Dolby Vision metadata from Streaming

Best Video:

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Caveat: No Dolby Vision metadata from Streaming

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DVD
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Fox DVD

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Fox DVD

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1080p Blu-ray
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Fox Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray see caps

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

Best Audio:

Dolby Atmos Remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray
Original 5.1 mix: old OOP Fox Blu-ray

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

28 Days Later poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray see caps

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

Best Audio:

Dolby Atmos Remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray
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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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).

28 Weeks Later poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2D: 2011 Fox Blu-ray

3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray (exclusive with Sony 3D TV bundles in the US)

Best Video:

2D: 2011 Fox Blu-ray

3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2011 Fox Blu-ray

Additional Info:

All home video releases are open matte 16:9. No home release in the theatrical scope presentation.


The original theatrical 7.1 mix has not been given a home release.

Best English-Friendly:

2D: 2011 Fox Blu-ray

3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray (exclusive with Sony 3D TV bundles in the US)

Best Video:

2D: 2011 Fox Blu-ray

3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2011 Fox Blu-ray

Additional Info:

All home video releases are open matte 16:9. No home release in the theatrical scope presentation.


The original theatrical 7.1 mix has not been given a home release.

Edward Scissorhands poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Fox/Disney 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

-

Best Video:

Fox/Disney 4K Blu-ray, the compression is poor, but it still beats the previous Blu-ray. (Luminance plot)

Best Audio:

1991 Fox Video LaserDisc?

The 4K Blu-ray only has Atmos which is possibly the original mix, but the previous Blu-ray’s 4.0 sounds good too.

Additional Info:

More Chroma artifacts

Best English-Friendly:

Fox/Disney 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

-

Best Video:

Fox/Disney 4K Blu-ray, the compression is poor, but it still beats the previous Blu-ray. (Luminance plot)

Best Audio:

1991 Fox Video LaserDisc?

The 4K Blu-ray only has Atmos which is possibly the original mix, but the previous Blu-ray’s 4.0 sounds good too.

Additional Info:

More Chroma artifacts

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The Grapes of Wrath (1940) backdrop