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The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) poster

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

Adventure, Drama, Western • 2h 4m

Director: John Huston

WB Blu-ray

1080p Blu-ray

Best English-friendly release · updated 1 year ago

Overview

Two jobless Americans convince a prospector to travel to the mountains of Mexico with them in search of gold. But the hostile wilderness, local bandits, and greed all get in the way of their journey.

Release details

Best Video Release
Best Audio Release

1992 MGM VHS

Featured Lists
TSPDT
2026: #268
2025: #273
2024: #266
2023: #268
2022: #268
Length
124 mins
Type
Movie

Featured in National Film Registry

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Solid
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Universal 4K Blu-ray. Maybe Turbine Blu-ray instead for better audio?

Best Audio:
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Director: W.S. Van Dyke

1080p Blu-ray
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Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray, 4k scan

The Terminator (1984)

Director: James Cameron

Worse Than BD
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.

Taxi Driver (1976)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Excellent
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2024 Sony 4K Blu-ray Steelbook

Best Video:

2024 Sony 4K Blu-ray Steelbook fixes duplicate shot seen on the previous Columbia Classics release and has better encoding

Best Audio:

Original mono mix: 1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1991 Columbia LaserDisc
The 4K Blu-ray mono is only minimally worse (see blah-ray).

5.1 remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray

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Director: George Stevens

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

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Criterion Blu-ray, 2K restoration

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Best English-Friendly:

Criterion or Arrow Blu-ray

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Best Audio:

1989 MGM LaserDisc

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Director: Ridley Scott

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UHD Blu-ray
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2003 Directors Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray 

Best Video:

Theatrical Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray 

2003 Directors Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray  (additional scenes appear to be upscaled)

Best Audio:

Original Theatrical 70mm 6-Track Stereo: Fox 4K Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 4.1)

Original Theatrical 35mm Matrixed Dolby Stereo: 1999 DVD? (2.0 mix on the UHD is a downmix)

2003 Directors Cut: Fox 4K Blu-ray, Fox Blu-ray (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

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UHD Blu-ray
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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Encoding: inconsistent, smeared motion
DNR: inconsistent, frozen
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Best Audio:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray mono is different version of the Blu-ray mono from the same old 2000 DVD transfer.

Additional Info:

The 5.1 remix on the 4K Blu-ray is an appalling remix done by going wild with artificially generated stems from Park Road Post who were given the surviving mono to separate. The experience is jarring and fidelity to original mix in terms of level balance, directionality and impact is nonexistent. Not only does this sound painfully weird, but the Paramount mixers then did whatever they wanted in terms of LFE, sound pans and effect changes.
The original mono mix was not restored and still needs it badly. The 4K master is filled with frozen grain examples coming and going plus some HDR issues in addition to the usual Paramount problems. It is simultaneously better and worse than the Blu-ray master.

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WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
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2023 WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2023 WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

HBO MAX WEB-DL/2000 R1 MGM DVD

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

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Criterion Blu-ray 2k scan

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1993 MGM LaserDisc

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Director: John Huston

Excellent
UHD Blu-ray
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Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Best Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray from nic: "4.0 audio is brilliantly detailed, rich and spacious without audible filtering or processing"

The African Queen (1951)

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Excellent
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Eureka Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. Older DVD or LaserDisc probably even better

Additional Info:

All blu-ray releases so far is from the 2010 scan.

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Indicator Blu-ray

Casino Royale (1967)

Directors: Val Guest & Ken Hughes & John Huston & Joseph McGrath & Robert Parrish

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MGM Blu-ray 

Best Video:

MGM Blu-ray despite dated master

Best Audio:

Sony Columbia 1994 LaserDisc Mono

The Night of the Iguana (1964)

Director: John Huston

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

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1080p Blu-ray
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Warner Archive Blu-ray

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Excellent
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray see caps and comparison video

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical cut / Roadshow cut: 35mm scans

Restored cut: WB Blu-ray

Best Video:

Theatrical cut / Roadshow cut: 35mm scans

Restored cut: WB Blu-ray

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Disappointing
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical Cut: Old Warner Bros DVD or fan restoration

Revised Cut: 2012 Japan Blu-ray for less revisionist colors, 2022 Disney 4K Blu-ray is controversially regraded and too dark overall.

Best Video:

Theatrical Cut: Old Warner Bros DVD or fan restoration

Revised Cut: 2012 Japan Blu-ray for less revisionist colors, 2022 Disney 4K Blu-ray is controversially regraded and too dark overall.

Best Audio:

LaserDisc 2.0 (restores censored dialog). Comparison of 5.1 mixes
For the 5.1: LaserDisc AC3 vs US DVD AC3 vs Japan DVD DTS

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UHD Blu-ray
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WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

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UHD Blu-ray
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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray/ Germany Warner Bros Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Additional Info:

Germany Blu-ray has English audio 

Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

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1080p Blu-ray
Additional Info:

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Germany Blu-ray is part of a 3-film box set like the Criterion but by StudioCanal 

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· last reviewed 1 year ago

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