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The Sugarland Express (1974)
The Sugarland Express (1974) poster

The Sugarland Express (1974)

Crime, Drama, Comedy • 1h 50m

Director: Steven Spielberg

Best English-friendly & video release

Video notes:

The new Universal 4K is AI upscaled https://slow.pics/c/5jD2BjKT and sharpened, see discussion on BR https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=377660&page=9

Updated 3 months ago


UHD tiers

Worse Than BD
Universal:

The new Universal 4K is AI upscaled https://slow.pics/c/5jD2BjKT and sharpened, see discussion on BR https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=377660&page=9


About the film

Married small-time crooks Lou-Jean and Clovis Poplin lose their baby to the state of Texas and resolve to do whatever it takes to get him back. Lou-Jean gets Clovis out of jail, and the two steal their son from his foster home, in addition to taking a highway patrolman hostage. As a massive dragnet starts to pursue them across Texas, the couple become unlikely folk heroes and even start to bond with the captive policeman.

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Director: John Ford

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Sources: ibb.co (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Warner Archive Blu-ray is 4K restoration from nitrate projection elements

Germany Filmjuwelen Blu-ray is AI upscaled https://ibb.co/album/mCJ7RQ

Director: Mark Pellington

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

88 Films is FiM encoded

Germany Filmjuwelen 4K Blu-ray is disappointing with AI upscaling

Director: Robert Flaherty

Video format: HD Streaming

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Internet Archive Streaming https://archive.org/details/twentyfourdollar-island_1928

Sources: archive.org (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Kino Lorber Silent Avant-Garde Blu-ray is even though a much better restoration, has the worst AI upscaling I've ever seen, it's almost like a cartoon https://slow.pics/c/dFdgCFgn?image-fit=contain

I would instead recommend the blurry, compressed, and cropped internet archive Streaming version https://archive.org/details/twentyfourdollar-island_1928

Director: James Cameron

4K · Disappointing
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Fox Blu-ray

Sources: movie-censorship.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Fox Blu-ray for original cuts without the extra scene added in the re-release and AI upscaling

Newer Blu-ray/4K has the extra scene, but is poor and has excessive AI upscaling

Additional Info:

An additional scene was added to the ending of the movie in the 2022 re-release: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=493908

Director: David Lynch

Director: James Cameron

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly:

2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 1997 Image DVD/2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Sources: vimeo.com (opens in a new tab) · facebook.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Steelbook and Mediabook announced for 2026

Best Video:

2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 1997 Image DVD/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

Audio Notes:

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.

TV series

Best English-Friendly & Video:

2006 UK DVD/2012 Australia DVD

Video Notes:
  • Recent Streaming versions (All 4 and Peacock) are AI upscaled

  • Peacock also removes the original ad break slides

  • The interviews and opening introductions also aren't de-interlaced properly into PAL 50fps

Director: Lam Nai-choi

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray See caps


DE Nameless 4K Blu-ray is an extremely poor AI upscale. See caps

Best Audio:

UK 88 Films Blu-ray

Director: Joe Alves

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly & Video:

2D version: 2016 Universal Blu-ray

3D version: Universal 3D Blu-ray

Sources: fanrestore.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

(caveat: 3D Blu-ray has misaligned eyes)

Nick_M's 3D version is better than Universal 3D Blu-ray

Director: James Cameron

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly & Video:

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

35mm scan for original theatrical cut

Video Notes:

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 Steven Spielberg

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Director: Steven Spielberg

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

Universal 4K

Video Notes:

Dolby Vision grading looks identical to a cinema DCP, which is the highest compliment that could be given. Encode is perfectly solid in motion.

Director: Steven Spielberg

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray Purist choice: Blu-ray

Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray new improved master with color grading and slight issues. Blu-ray is old master with original color grading

Best Audio:

Blu-ray 5.1

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K Blu-ray has a much better new scan that removes the original extremely dated color grading. This is an improvement on one hand but a definite revisionist change on the other. There is the expected grain management and slight HDR issues in addition to encoding quirks from Paramount. It is a giant improvement over the original Blu-ray but the color change and other issues means that the Blu-ray is one to keep for purists to have the as-is original iteration of the film's presentation. Audio wise the film has been remixed into Atmos but it merely seems like a slightly tweaked and frankly tamed version of the original 5.1. Of the two I prefer the Blu-ray 5.1. The original Blu-ray was Dolby TrueHD and the reissue Blu-ray in the four film Blu-ray collection boxset was DTS-HDMA.

DFIC extensive review: https://youtu.be/evsrJOTIjdA?si=wtdWGxZBfhPYTIeW

Director: Steven Spielberg

Best English-Friendly & Video:

US Paramount Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray Dec 15th

Video Notes:

US Paramount Blu-ray > International WB Blu-ray

Director: Steven Spielberg

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1995/1997 MCA LaserDisc

Director: Steven Spielberg

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly & Video:

35mm/70mm scan, Japan WOWOW Broadcast version, letterbox LaserDisc or DVD for purist version, Paramount 4K Blu-ray heavily revisionist

Sources: fanrestore.com (opens in a new tab) · YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1992 LaserDisc Dolby Surround, DVD 5.1 (70mm mix), 1991 Japan LaserDisc PCM (Dolby Stereo home version)

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K master is HEAVILY revisionist in that all of the effects and opticals were redone and tweaked with errors and issues. There has been grain management (moments of stagnating grain and haloing) and the encoding isn't great hence the typical Paramount noise in the image. (especially skies) The HDR is a bit bright in the highlights. The color timing and Atmos remix are thankfully taming the excessively overdone terrible Blu-ray in those areas but neither is fully accurate. The Atmos remix sounds lifeless and essentially tames the crazy LFE of the Blu-ray remix that never stopped while also spreading the sound around overhead. The music is absolutely lifeless here. If it weren't for the visual changes it might be possible to regrade the picture master and just live with the encoding noise. As it is, purists will want the LaserDisc, DVD or Japan WOWOW broadcast of the Laser Pacific master which is the same master used for the awful Blu-ray just without the hideous color grading applied.
The DVD was handled by Lowry Digital and is overscrubbed like crazy plus had all sorts of DVD era edge enhancement and other issues. It instigated the digital changes of the boulder rod and snake reflection removals. The ONLY widescreen versions of the film without ANY changes are the 1992 LaserDisc and the 1999 final release VHS.

Audio wise, Raiders is EXTREMELY complex. Like the Star Wars trilogy it had three specific release mixes with variations and differences plus a fourth mix that was not used. The mono mix had unique bits and has never been officially released though you can hear bits of it on the 2003 bonus DVD and in the Raiders in Concert live symphony performances. The Dolby Stereo is roughly what was used on all pre-widescreen editions on VHS, Beta and LaserDisc in the 80's. The best iteration of that is the 1991 Japan LaserDisc reissue with PCM digital sound. This iteration is more of a home version as it doesn't really have much surround. Yet it retains dynamic range unlike the 1985 home video remix of Star Wars' Dolby Stereo track. The 70mm Dolby six track magnetic audio was supposedly used in making the excellent sounding 5.1 made for the DVD release. Before the release the film was mixed in the very short lived VistaSonic process which was Paramount backed. This was dropped very last minute as the system had tons of playback issues and the film was apparently hastily remixed in Dolby formats. When the first letterboxed transfer showed up on the 1992 Paramount LaserDisc release all of a sudden the Dolby Surround encoded matrix track it contained is without question the best sounding mix of Raiders you can find anywhere. It is more aggressive than the Dolby Stereo, more punchy than the DVD 5.1 and even contains a unique different sound effect which indicates it is clearly a different mix. It is unknown if this is the abandoned VistaSonic mix or a new quiet Dolby Surround home mix akin to the 1993 Star Wars Definitive Collection remix. To this day, the LaserDisc Dolby surround is the best sounding version of Raiders you are likely ever to hear. Even though it isn't discrete.
The Blu-ray remix though supervised by Ben Burtt went overboard on making everything aggressive and modernized. The LFE is virtually nonstop even in dialogue scenes. It is a textbook case of revisionist audio desecration. The 4K Blu-ray Atmos merely tames the LFE and reduces impact even more by moving around more elements and adding more processing. Both of these remixes are a crime.

DFIC extensive review: https://youtu.be/evsrJOTIjdA

Director: Steven Spielberg

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly:

35mm scan, Blu-ray, DVD or LaserDisc

Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray heavily revisionist. Purist option: 35mm scan, Blu-ray, DVD or LaserDisc

Best Audio:

LaserDisc 2.0 matrix stereo, DVD 5.1, Blu-ray 5.1

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K master is HEAVILY revisionist in that all of the effects and opticals were redone and tweaked with errors and issues. There has been grain management (moments of stagnating grain and haloing) and the encoding isn't great hence the typical Paramount noise in the image. (especially skies) The HDR is a bit bright in the highlights. The Blu-ray is showing its age but does not have any of these digital alterations. It is from the scan done by Laser Pacific and is the highest quality unaltered master we have. The DVD was done by Lowry Digital and had much scrubbing and processing of grain in addition to edge enhancement. The letterbox LaserDisc was the first widescreen release and is very good for its time. There was also a rare SVHS release using the letterbox LaserDisc master.
The 4K Blu-ray audio is seemingly an Atmos remix of the 5.1 found on the Blu-ray which itself is very similar to the DVD 5.1. All are presumably based on the 70mm Dolby six track mix. The Atmos is more processed and moves the sound around more so it is inferior to the older 5.1 iterations. On release, Last Crusade had Dolby 70mm with stereo surrounds, Dolby Stereo SR for 35mm and was mixed in a THX sound theater to ensure the ultimate in technical quality in 1989. The DVD was supposedly made from the 70mm mix and the Blu-ray 5.1 seems to bring that into lossless. This is unconfirmed but each seems to be a healthy and accurate version of the original audio. However, the LaserDisc despite only having matrix PCM stereo is punchier and livelier as a listening experience. Despite not being discrete it arguably sounds better than the 5.1 versions. Some who remember seeing each of the original release versions claim to remember the 35mm Dolby DR as sounding better than the 70mm Dolby.  This is a case where both sound great and it's up to fans to decide which they prefer. Both are essential for any Indy collection and the LaserDisc is very cheap. The VHS hifi seems to be the same 2.0 matrix with format differences so it can also be compared against the DVD and Blu-ray 5.1 versions.

DFIC extensive review: https://youtu.be/evsrJOTIjdA?si=wtdWGxZBfhPYTIeW

Director: Steven Spielberg

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly:

35mm scan, Blu-ray, DVD or LaserDisc.

Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray heavily revisionist. Purist option: 35mm scan, Blu-ray, DVD or LaserDisc.

Best Audio:

Letterbox LaserDisc 2.0 matrix stereo, DVD 5.1, Blu-ray 5.1

Additional Info:

The Paramount 4K master is HEAVILY revisionist in that all of the effects and opticals were redone and tweaked with errors and issues. There has been grain management (moments of stagnating grain and haloing) and the encoding isn't great hence the typical Paramount noise in the image. (especially skies) The HDR is a bit bright in the highlights. The Blu-ray is showing its age but does not have any of these digital alterations. It is from the scan done by Laser Pacific and is the highest quality unaltered master we have. The DVD was done by Lowry Digital and had much scrubbing and processing of grain in addition to edge enhancement. The letterbox LaserDisc was the first widescreen release and is very good for its time.
The 4K Blu-ray audio is seemingly an Atmos remix of the 5.1 found on the Blu-ray which itself is very similar to the DVD 5.1. All are presumably based on the 70mm Dolby six track mix. The Atmos is more processed and moves the sound around more so it is inferior to the older 5.1 iterations. On release Temple of Doom had 70mm, 35mm Dolby Stereo and mono mixes. The mono was for 16mm and other outlets and is presumably close to if not a mixdown of the stereo. It is seemingly the last Lucasfilm title that had a mono mix made. The Dolby Stereo is one of the most aggressive matrix mixes ever made and is still a blast to this day on the letterbox LaserDisc release. It is more aggressive than any of the 5.1 discrete versions which is either due to studios taming the audio later or the 35mm mix being handled a bit differently to the 70mm mix. In terms of releases today, the LaserDisc still sounds better than DVD, Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray because of this factor.

DFIC extensive review: https://youtu.be/evsrJOTIjdA?si=wtdWGxZBfhPYTIeW

Director: Steven Spielberg

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal 4K Blu-ray Trilogy Steelbook 2025

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

But has more DNR than old 4K

But has more DNR than old 4K

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23286334&postcount=7340

Director: Steven Spielberg

4K · Disappointing
Best English-Friendly & Video:

"Director's Cut" (Theatrical cut with minor changes): Universal 4K Blu-ray

Theatrical Cut: VHS

TV Cut: Fan restoration

Best Audio:

1993 MCA LaserDisc (with EQ adjusted)

Director: Steven Spielberg

4K · Solid

More from Universal

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Director: Alicia MacDonald

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal Blu-ray

Director: Michael Cimino

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2020 Shout! Factory 4K

Video Notes:

2020 Shout! Factory 4K slightly better than StudioCanal in HDR10. Similar in DV

Best Audio:

35mm mix: 1991 Universal LaserDisc

70mm mix: StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

35mm mix: 1991 Universal LaserDisc marginally better than StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray is downmix.

70mm mix: StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray is remix.

Director: Doug Liman

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly & Video:

US Cut: US Universal HD-DVD

International Cut: International Universal HD-DVD

Video Notes:

The Universal Blu-ray is slightly filtered and DNR'd compared to the HD-DVD, and the Universal 4K Blu-ray, on top of being upscaled, adds additional DNR and is softer than both previous HD releases.

Best Audio:

Universal Blu-ray DTS-HD 5.1

Additional Info:

Versions:
- The International version contains a short additional scene (part of the "Farmhouse" extended scene from the special features). See additional detail below.
- The US version does not contain this scene during the film. Director Doug Liman confirms in his audio commentary that the scene was cut from the original US theatrical release "for time".
- "The Explosive Extended Edition" found on some DVD releases is not an alternate cut of the film, simply an access mode that plays "The Bookend Scenes" features via non-seamless branching.

Deck the Halls scene:
The U.S. release is 118:17 while the European/Australian/Japanese releases are 118:36. There is no difference between the two running times from the start, but at 81:21, the U.S. version cuts from a kitchen scene of Marie and Eamon washing dishes, to a scene of Eamon bringing blankets to Jason and Marie. On the European/Australian releases, at the same point, there is a scene of Jason, Marie, Eamon and his children eating dinner while "Deck the Halls" plays in the background. There is no dialogue, the characters just each exchange uncomfortable glances. The scene goes to 81:40, then picks up the same scene of Eamon bringing blankets. This scene is included as an extra ("Farmhouse" extended scene) albeit sans the holiday themed music. Many thanks to Rewind user Mark Bowen for comparing these releases and letting us know the difference.

Director: Brian De Palma

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Best Audio:

1993 Universal LaserDisc

Additional Info:

Carlito’s Way was released theatrically in both Dolby Stereo and DTS. The 2.0 on the Arrow UHD is the original stereo mix, unknown if the 5.1 mix on the  Arrow disc is the original DTS mix.

Director: H. C. Potter

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal Blu-ray

Director: David Butler

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal Blu-ray

Director: Marion Gering

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal Blu-ray

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal 4K Blu-ray or Lionsgate 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Both come from a 4K scan of a 35mm film out which was made from the original 2K DI but the Lionsgate release has visible dust and damage marks while the Universal release is cleaned up more thoroughly. Both releases suffer from DNR which seems to have been baked into the DI. The colour grade is basically the same for both releases but the Lionsgate has Dolby Vision whereas the Universal is HDR10 only. The compression on the Lionsgate UHD base layer is apparently fine so the FEL doesn't make much of a difference.

Best Audio:

Universal Blu-ray?

Audio Notes:

The Lionsgate UHD has Dolby Atmos whereas the Universal UHD has DTS:X. Kick-ass was originally released with a 5.1 track which may be on the Universal Blu-ray.

Additional Info:

The Lionsgate UHD is on a BD-100, the Universal UHD is on a BD-66.

The Universal UHD has no extras.

Director: Joel Coen

4K · Disappointing
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Director's Cut: Disappointing UK StudioCanal/US Criterion 4K Blu-ray
Theatrical Cut: LaserDisc or 2001 UK Universal DVD

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=21782879#post21782879 - comparison. StudioCanal is a massive improvement to the Criterion but still flawed in some areas (chroma noise)

Director: Leo McCarey

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Universal DVD

Upcoming Release:

Universal Blu-ray Nov 10th

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· last reviewed 3 months ago

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