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Isle of Dogs (2018)
Isle of Dogs (2018) poster
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4.1

Isle of Dogs (2018)

Adventure, Comedy, Animation • 1h 41m

Overview

In the future, an outbreak of canine flu leads the mayor of a Japanese city to banish all dogs to an island used as a garbage dump. The outcasts must soon embark on an epic journey when a 12-year-old boy arrives on the island to find his beloved pet.

Director: Wes Anderson

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Criterion 4K Blu-ray, 2K DI upscale, see Chris's review

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Solid
Criterion

External Links

Criterion Forum

Review

Picture: 9, Audio: 9, Extras: 7

Length

101 mins

Type

Movie

Alternative Titles

犬ヶ島 (Isle of Dogs)

Last Updated

10 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release

Criterion 4K Blu-ray, 2K DI upscale, see Chris's review

Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Solid
Criterion
Criterion Forum
Review

Picture: 9, Audio: 9, Extras: 7

Length
101 mins
Type
Movie
Alternative Titles
犬ヶ島 (Isle of Dogs)
Last Updated
10 months ago
Contributors

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Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray, surround levels are 3 dB too high, but the Fox Blu-ray has channel leakage

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray, 2K DI Upscale, see caps

4K Blu-ray is slightly cropped on all sides compared to Blu-ray, but "that appears to be a conscious choice as the compositions don’t seem to suffer. They also slightly expanded the black bars in order to hide the ringing on the borders."

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Criterion 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray, surround levels are 3 dB too high, but the Fox Blu-ray has channel leakage

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Additional Info:

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Italy CG Entertainment Blu-ray is 4K resto, but horrible colours.

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Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Wicked Vision 4K Blu-ray see caps

Additional Info:

2019 BFI Blu-ray is the older master but better encode + extra footage than Criterion Blu-ray

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Best Video:

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Kino Lorber and Artificial Eye Blu-ray use the same master, between the two the PQ on Kino's release is slightly better, but the difference is negligible.

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Best Video:

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Caps: old master, old master vs 4K restoration

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Best Audio:

Original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix: 2001 R1 Paramount US NTSC DVD/2008 R2 Optimum UK PAL or 1999 Pioneer JP LaserDisc

Restored stereo mix: Criterion / StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

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The other available tracks all have more significant flaws. The Italian and Japanese BDs use the same base mastering as the DVD, but with some patching in a few shots. HD-DVD is sourced from an inferior transfer, the same as the Momentum DVD.

The 5.1 remix, originally introduced on the 2002 DVD, and carried over without changes to the 2009 BD is a light and mostly faithful remix, with fairly minimal LFE and surround use, but still potentially worthwhile as the only discrete track.

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Best Video:

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StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray is HDR

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SC has a missing fade that Criterion reinstated.

Best Audio:

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Restored stereo mix: Criterion / StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

The film was originally mixed in Dolby Stereo (matrixed LCRS). For the 4K restoration, this mix has been transferred from the original magnetic elements and remastered with Lynch's supervision. Unfortunately, the fidelity suffered in the process, with many sections ending up significantly less detailed due to a noise reduction pass. This track has been altered compared to the original, with reverb added to some dialogue, different ambient sound effects, changed panning, and extended bass.

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The LD also has some ambiance buried too low in the mix, and some dialogue panned more to the centre than the DVD. There are no content changes I was able to find. Unfortunately, I don't know what accounts for those differences.

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Best Video:

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The master is heavily DNR'd.

Best Audio:

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UHD Blu-ray
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Criterion US Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Original digital master: Cannes 2006 Promo HD-DVD

4K remaster is cropped 2.35:1 from the original 2.55:1 presentation, and has significantly different color grading, as is the case with most WKW supervised restorations. Due to DNR the detail is sometimes lacklustre compared to the old master. CGI scenes appear to be rerendered. A sepia tinted scene was altered to be fully black and white.

Caps: Criterion US BD vs Cannes HD-DVD, HD-DVD vs KR BD vs DVDs vs US BD

Best Audio:

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Original 5.1: Cannes 2006 Promo HD-DVD

The remixed track has different front panning and little LFE use compared to the original.

HD-DVD is by far the best option for the original track, as DVDs and Korean BD suffer from noise gating, limiting and duplicated surrounds. Remixed tracks are all similar, but French disc has slightly better dynamics, particularly on the LFE channel.

Additional Info:

The 2006 HD-DVD is a promotional release made in only 100 copies, handed out to VIPs at Cannes Film Festival. See this blog post for details. The same master can be found on KR BD, though it suffers from interlacing, blended frames and a gamma bug, as well as older DVD releases.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion US Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Original digital master: Cannes 2006 Promo HD-DVD

4K remaster is cropped 2.35:1 from the original 2.55:1 presentation, and has significantly different color grading, as is the case with most WKW supervised restorations. Due to DNR the detail is sometimes lacklustre compared to the old master. CGI scenes appear to be rerendered. A sepia tinted scene was altered to be fully black and white.

Caps: Criterion US BD vs Cannes HD-DVD, HD-DVD vs KR BD vs DVDs vs US BD

Best Audio:

Remixed 5.1: The Jokers FR 4K Blu-ray
Original 5.1: Cannes 2006 Promo HD-DVD

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HD-DVD is by far the best option for the original track, as DVDs and Korean BD suffer from noise gating, limiting and duplicated surrounds. Remixed tracks are all similar, but French disc has slightly better dynamics, particularly on the LFE channel.

Additional Info:

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Best Audio:

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray > 4K Blu-ray

4K is disappointing with color space issues and poor encoding, disc replacement program for the 4K disc has been put out with the correct color space.

Best Audio:

DVD 5.1 or LaserDisc PCM 2.0

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Kino Lorber Blu-ray

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Kino Lorber Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Probably Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Probably Kino Lorber Blu-ray

While no comparison is available, this is indeed a new 4K restoration. However it has its problem like not scanned from best surviving prints due to some issues, or technicolor out of alignment but seems to be still better than older releases

Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Sony 4K Blu-ray

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Sony 4K Blu-ray

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Sony 4K Blu-ray

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Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray has the original colour grade

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UHD Blu-ray
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Upcoming Release:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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Special Edition: Cinema DTS or 1997 LaserDisc for the Special Edition.

Best English-Friendly:

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Special Edition: "4K97_V" or "D+97_V" on high seas.

Upcoming Release:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2D version: Disney 4K Blu-ray

3D version: Disney 3D Blu-ray or Disney+/Apple TV Vision Pro Streaming

Best Video:

2D version: Disney 4K Blu-ray

3D version: Disney 3D Blu-ray or Disney+/Apple TV Vision Pro Streaming

Best English-Friendly:

2D version: Disney 4K Blu-ray

3D version: Disney 3D Blu-ray or Disney+/Apple TV Vision Pro Streaming

Best Video:

2D version: Disney 4K Blu-ray

3D version: Disney 3D Blu-ray or Disney+/Apple TV Vision Pro Streaming

National Lampoon's Vacation poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original theatrical release featured the song "I'm So Excited", which was later replaced with "Little Boy Sweet". The former is included on 1983 VHS/LaserDisc releases, and was at one point available on Amazon and Vudu Streaming streams.

Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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Mulan poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2020 Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Digital re-render: 2020 Disney 4K Blu-ray, caveat: no Dolby Vision metadata from 4K Streaming

Original theatrical 35mm render: WOWOW HDTV broadcast

Best Audio:

1999 Disney DVD for original theatrical mix

Mulan poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2020 Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Digital re-render: 2020 Disney 4K Blu-ray, caveat: no Dolby Vision metadata from 4K Streaming

Original theatrical 35mm render: WOWOW HDTV broadcast

Best Audio:

1999 Disney DVD for original theatrical mix

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