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Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) poster
Letterboxd

3.3

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Drama • 1h 39m

Overview

The story of an old Jewish widow named Daisy Werthan and her relationship with her black chauffeur, Hoke. From an initial mere work relationship grew in 25 years a strong friendship between the two very different characters, in a time when those types of relationships were shunned.

Director: Bruce Beresford

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Pathé France Blu-ray is a different master and significantly better not only in compression or colors, but also aspect ratio than either US Blu-ray or Germany Blu-ray caps

Format

1080p Blu-ray

Featured Lists

Length

99 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

6 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release

Pathé France Blu-ray is a different master and significantly better not only in compression or colors, but also aspect ratio than either US Blu-ray or Germany Blu-ray caps

Format
1080p Blu-ray
Featured Lists
Length
99 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
6 months ago
Contributors

Featured in Oscar Best Pictures

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The Sound of Music poster
UHD Blu-ray
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.

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.

How Green Was My Valley poster
1080p Blu-ray
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.

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.

It Happened One Night poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1986 Columbia VHS

Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1986 Columbia VHS

In the Heat of the Night poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Wicked Vision Germany 4K Blu-ray or US Criterion 4K Blu-ray?

Best Video:

Wicked Vision Germany 4K Blu-ray or US Criterion 4K Blu-ray?

Best Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray probably better?

Best English-Friendly:

Wicked Vision Germany 4K Blu-ray or US Criterion 4K Blu-ray?

Best Video:

Wicked Vision Germany 4K Blu-ray or US Criterion 4K Blu-ray?

Best Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray probably better?

Grand Hotel poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Grand Hotel poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Gone with the Wind poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

4K Blu-ray upcoming in Fall 2026

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

WB Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

4K Blu-ray upcoming in Fall 2026

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

The Godfather Part II poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Video:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Audio:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K "restoration" is a desecration. It has completely revisionist color timing, harsh HDR, treatment of stock footage, bad encoding, selective DNR and grain management so bad that the entire screen frequently freezes up with only characters moving around in grain soup. It is so bad that the film's restorer Robert Harris publicly washed his hands of it saying essentially the 2007 restoration (with Willis and Coppola supervising) is how the film was intended and made. This is Paramount's modern version done their way. The new 1080p SDR Blu-rays in print are the crap 4K desecration master with the same problems still there just harder to spot and with crap encodes. Part II overall fares better than the first film but it has all the same problems. Randomly some shots are the worst in the trilogy looks mushy and manipulated to death.
The mono option is an unnecessarily processed version of the lossy mono from the 2008 Blu-ray. The 2008 Blu-ray of the 2007 Coppola Restoration while an imperfect outdated disc is LIGHT YEARS better than this 4K desecration. The only truly major issue is that it is very slightly redder than the 2007 finished master as seen on DCPs. The lossy mono on the 2008 Blu-ray is the best version of the original mix known to exist as it is better than the late 80's mastering for VHS and LaserDisc.
DFIC review of the hideous crap 4K Blu-rays: https://youtu.be/0uw6-Kcy_UA?si=ob1nDg0wTCvemjH0

Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Video:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Audio:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K "restoration" is a desecration. It has completely revisionist color timing, harsh HDR, treatment of stock footage, bad encoding, selective DNR and grain management so bad that the entire screen frequently freezes up with only characters moving around in grain soup. It is so bad that the film's restorer Robert Harris publicly washed his hands of it saying essentially the 2007 restoration (with Willis and Coppola supervising) is how the film was intended and made. This is Paramount's modern version done their way. The new 1080p SDR Blu-rays in print are the crap 4K desecration master with the same problems still there just harder to spot and with crap encodes. Part II overall fares better than the first film but it has all the same problems. Randomly some shots are the worst in the trilogy looks mushy and manipulated to death.
The mono option is an unnecessarily processed version of the lossy mono from the 2008 Blu-ray. The 2008 Blu-ray of the 2007 Coppola Restoration while an imperfect outdated disc is LIGHT YEARS better than this 4K desecration. The only truly major issue is that it is very slightly redder than the 2007 finished master as seen on DCPs. The lossy mono on the 2008 Blu-ray is the best version of the original mix known to exist as it is better than the late 80's mastering for VHS and LaserDisc.
DFIC review of the hideous crap 4K Blu-rays: https://youtu.be/0uw6-Kcy_UA?si=ob1nDg0wTCvemjH0

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

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Video:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Audio:

2008 Blu-ray lossy mono. (Britain release only has 5.1)

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K "restoration" is a desecration. It has completely revisionist color timing, harsh HDR, treatment of stock footage, bad encoding, selective DNR and grain management so bad that the entire screen frequently freezes up with only characters moving around in grain soup. It is so bad that the film's restorer Robert Harris publicly washed his hands of it saying essentially the 2007 restoration (with Willis and Coppola supervising) is how the film was intended and made. This is Paramount's modern version done their way. The new 1080p SDR Blu-rays in print are the crap 4K desecration master with the same problems still there just harder to spot and with crap encodes.
The mono option is an unnecessarily processed version of the lossy mono from the 2008 Blu-ray. The 2008 Blu-ray of the 2007 Coppola Restoration while an imperfect outdated disc is LIGHT YEARS better than this 4K desecration. The only truly major issue is that it is very slightly redder than the 2007 finished master as seen on DCPs. The lossy mono on the 2008 Blu-ray is the best version of the original mix known to exist as it is better than the late 80's mastering for VHS and LaserDisc.
DFIC review of the hideous crap 4K Blu-rays: https://youtu.be/0uw6-Kcy_UA?si=ob1nDg0wTCvemjH0

Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Video:

Paramount 2008 Blu-ray Coppola Restoration

Best Audio:

2008 Blu-ray lossy mono. (Britain release only has 5.1)

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K "restoration" is a desecration. It has completely revisionist color timing, harsh HDR, treatment of stock footage, bad encoding, selective DNR and grain management so bad that the entire screen frequently freezes up with only characters moving around in grain soup. It is so bad that the film's restorer Robert Harris publicly washed his hands of it saying essentially the 2007 restoration (with Willis and Coppola supervising) is how the film was intended and made. This is Paramount's modern version done their way. The new 1080p SDR Blu-rays in print are the crap 4K desecration master with the same problems still there just harder to spot and with crap encodes.
The mono option is an unnecessarily processed version of the lossy mono from the 2008 Blu-ray. The 2008 Blu-ray of the 2007 Coppola Restoration while an imperfect outdated disc is LIGHT YEARS better than this 4K desecration. The only truly major issue is that it is very slightly redder than the 2007 finished master as seen on DCPs. The lossy mono on the 2008 Blu-ray is the best version of the original mix known to exist as it is better than the late 80's mastering for VHS and LaserDisc.
DFIC review of the hideous crap 4K Blu-rays: https://youtu.be/0uw6-Kcy_UA?si=ob1nDg0wTCvemjH0

The French Connection poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2012 Fox remastered Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox remastered Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

2012 Fox remastered Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox remastered Blu-ray

Titanic poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version

35mm scan for original theatrical cut

Best Video:

Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version

35mm scan for original theatrical cut

4K Blu-ray is AI upscaled

Best Audio:

Cinema DTS

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-ray bonus disc, the 2012 Blu-ray bonus disc, and the 2005 3 disc DVD have exclusive extras.

Titanic poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version

35mm scan for original theatrical cut

Best Video:

Paramount/Fox Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray for the IMAX/Open Matte version

35mm scan for original theatrical cut

4K Blu-ray is AI upscaled

Best Audio:

Cinema DTS

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-ray bonus disc, the 2012 Blu-ray bonus disc, and the 2005 3 disc DVD have exclusive extras.

More from Pathé

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

UK Pathé Blu-ray for the uncut version

Best Video:

UK Pathé Blu-ray for the uncut version

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

UK Pathé Blu-ray for the uncut version

Best Video:

UK Pathé Blu-ray for the uncut version

Broken Embraces poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Sony Blu-ray or UK Pathé Blu-ray?

Best Video:

US Sony Blu-ray or UK Pathé Blu-ray?

Best English-Friendly:

US Sony Blu-ray or UK Pathé Blu-ray?

Best Video:

US Sony Blu-ray or UK Pathé Blu-ray?

La Tour poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Included as extras in Pathé Paris qui dort + Entr'acte Blu-ray

Best Video:

Included as extras in Pathé Paris qui dort + Entr'acte Blu-ray

La Tour poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Included as extras in Pathé Paris qui dort + Entr'acte Blu-ray

Best Video:

Included as extras in Pathé Paris qui dort + Entr'acte Blu-ray

The Crazy Ray poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

France Pathé Blu-ray, 4k resto. It has both original negative image cut (not tinted) and a first gen tinted cut owned by BFI but not English-friendly

The Crazy Ray poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

France Pathé Blu-ray, 4k resto. It has both original negative image cut (not tinted) and a first gen tinted cut owned by BFI but not English-friendly

Children of Paradise poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

New 2016 Pathé France 4K transfer Blu-ray

Best Video:

New 2016 Pathé France 4K transfer > Criterion/Second Sight with old transfer heavy DNR https://slow.pics/c/z8p3fR0G

Best English-Friendly:

New 2016 Pathé France 4K transfer Blu-ray

Best Video:

New 2016 Pathé France 4K transfer > Criterion/Second Sight with old transfer heavy DNR https://slow.pics/c/z8p3fR0G

Silence Is Golden poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Pathé France Blu-ray

Best Video:

Pathé France has 4k restoration in Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Pathé France Blu-ray

Best Video:

Pathé France has 4k restoration in Blu-ray

The Last Billionaire poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

France Pathé Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Pathé Blu-ray, 4k resto

Best English-Friendly:

France Pathé Blu-ray

Best Video:

France Pathé Blu-ray, 4k resto

Entr'acte poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

France Pathé Blu-ray, 4k resto

Entr'acte poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best Video:

France Pathé Blu-ray, 4k resto

Le Samouraï poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray & Pathé 4K Blu-ray have different gradings (preference). Opening scene on Criterion looks significantly worse, but similar elsewhere.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray & Pathé 4K Blu-ray have different gradings (preference). Opening scene on Criterion looks significantly worse, but similar elsewhere.

More Drama on Blu-ray

Man of Marble poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Polish Blu-ray

Best Video:

Polish Blu-ray (with English subtitles) or France Intersections Blu-ray (without English subtitles) no comparison available

Man of Marble poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Polish Blu-ray

Best Video:

Polish Blu-ray (with English subtitles) or France Intersections Blu-ray (without English subtitles) no comparison available

Dingo poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Umbrella Blu-ray

Best Video:

Australia Umbrella Blu-ray or French Intersections Blu-ray no comparison available

Dingo poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Umbrella Blu-ray

Best Video:

Australia Umbrella Blu-ray or French Intersections Blu-ray no comparison available

Touch of Evil poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar

Best Video:

MoC 4K Blu-ray and Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray are similar

The Rules of the Game poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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.

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray has the least tampered with audio of the DVD era, but it's possible the 1993 Criterion LaserDisc or the 1998 Japan LaserDisc are preferable.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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.

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray has the least tampered with audio of the DVD era, but it's possible the 1993 Criterion LaserDisc or the 1998 Japan LaserDisc are preferable.

The Hidden Fortress poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR

Best Audio:

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.

Additional Info:

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.

Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR

Best Audio:

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.

Additional Info:

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.

What Dreams May Come poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

US end credits song: US Universal Blu-ray

International end credits song: International Universal Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The US uses the end credits score “Beside You” from composer Michael Kamen, while in other markets it is Simply Red “Besides You”.

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

US end credits song: US Universal Blu-ray

International end credits song: International Universal Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The US uses the end credits score “Beside You” from composer Michael Kamen, while in other markets it is Simply Red “Besides You”.

12 Angry Men poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio

12 Angry Men poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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.

Additional Info:

International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.

Best English-Friendly:

International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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.

Additional Info:

International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.

Angel poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4k resto

Best Audio:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray 

Additional Info:

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.

Angel poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4k resto

Best Audio:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray 

Additional Info:

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.

Red Cliff II poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

Red Cliff II poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

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Driving Miss Daisy (1989) backdrop

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