The Great Race (1965)
Comedy, Adventure, Action • 2h 40m
Overview
Professional daredevil and white-suited hero, The Great Leslie, convinces turn-of-the-century auto makers that a race from New York to Paris (westward across America, the Bering Straight and Russia) will help to promote automobile sales. Leslie's arch-rival, the mustached and black-attired Professor Fate vows to beat Leslie to the finish line in a car of Fate's own invention.
Director: Blake Edwards
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn, Arthur O'Connell, Vivian Vance, Dorothy Provine, Larry Storch, Ross Martin, George Macready, Marvin Kaplan, Hal Smith, Denver Pyle, William Bryant, Ken Wales, Hal Needham, Raoul Retzer, Leslie Sketchley, Kenner G. Kemp, Bert Stevens, Arthur Tovey, Chuck Hayward, George Boyce, Jerry Schumacher, Charles Fredericks, Max Wagner, Paul Bryar, Jack Gordon, Sol Gorss, Harry Harvey, Bob Herron, Chuck Hicks, Christopher Riordan, Charles Seel, Paul Smith, Tom Steele, Dale Van Sickel, Sam Harris, Richard Alexander, Leon Alton, Walter Bacon, Paul Baxley, Bill Catching, Joseph Crehan, George Ford, Mike Lally, Carl M. Leviness, Philo McCullough, Francis McDonald, King Mojave, Harvey Parry, Gil Perkins, Jack Perkins, Fred Rapport, Robert Robinson, Clark Ross, Sarah Selby, Alex Sharp, Johnny Silver, Carl Sklover, Tom Smith, Charles Sullivan, Lars Hensen
Director: Blake Edwards
Mono: Kino Lorber US Blu-ray possibly?
Director: Blake Edwards
Mono: Kino Lorber US Blu-ray possibly?
Director: Blake Edwards
88 Films 4K Blu-ray scheduled for August 24, 2026 release
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray fixes stretched ratio problem
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray fixes ratio issue due to new scan but has no original audio, only remixes. The MGM and Shout! Factory Blu-ray use the same HD master with stretched image and horrible muffled processed to death mono. The PCM mono on the MGM letterbox LaserDisc reissue is the only untouched original mix audio and sounds incredible.
Director: Blake Edwards
88 Films 4K Blu-ray scheduled for August 24, 2026 release
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray fixes stretched ratio problem
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray fixes ratio issue due to new scan but has no original audio, only remixes. The MGM and Shout! Factory Blu-ray use the same HD master with stretched image and horrible muffled processed to death mono. The PCM mono on the MGM letterbox LaserDisc reissue is the only untouched original mix audio and sounds incredible.
Shout! Factory uses MGM's HD master and mono mix which sounds similar to their 2004 DVD mono. They sound nearly identical aside from volume differences-except that the sound effects seem a bit flattened again on the DVD and this Blu-ray mono mastering seems to be EQ'd a bit differently.
Shout! Factory uses MGM's HD master and mono mix which sounds similar to their 2004 DVD mono. They sound nearly identical aside from volume differences-except that the sound effects seem a bit flattened again on the DVD and this Blu-ray mono mastering seems to be EQ'd a bit differently.
The original mono mix has bad pitch and sound quality issues on the Shout! Factory Blu-ray and is terrible sounding. The LaserDisc PCM mono is very good but sounds a tad muffled in comparison to the MGM 2004 DVD mono at first listen. Yet the DVD mono has the volume of the entire track normalized so that effects and music remain at consistent levels which they don't in the LaserDisc mono-meaning that the jokes and gags hit harder in the LaserDisc mono because the mix varies as it was intended. It may be that the same source was used and then EQ'd and processed for the DVD boxset as all the mono mixes were messed around with. For example, when the hunchback disguise goes off with the explosions, the DVD mono has everything at a mostly consistent level. On the LaserDisc the effects build and fall off in loudness so the intensity is entirely different because they were mixed that way for comedic effect. Another is the piano smashing-on the DVD mono it's at the same level as the rest of the scene. On the LaserDisc it's loud and aggressively so which again makes the gag hit so much harder.
Again, the remixes are existing MGM ones and not good. The 5.1 remix on the Shout! Factory Blu-ray does not have pitch issues but the stereo remix does.
The original mono mix has bad pitch and sound quality issues on the Shout! Factory Blu-ray and is terrible sounding. The LaserDisc PCM mono is very good but sounds a tad muffled in comparison to the MGM 2004 DVD mono at first listen. Yet the DVD mono has the volume of the entire track normalized so that effects and music remain at consistent levels which they don't in the LaserDisc mono-meaning that the jokes and gags hit harder in the LaserDisc mono because the mix varies as it was intended. It may be that the same source was used and then EQ'd and processed for the DVD boxset as all the mono mixes were messed around with. For example, when the hunchback disguise goes off with the explosions, the DVD mono has everything at a mostly consistent level. On the LaserDisc the effects build and fall off in loudness so the intensity is entirely different because they were mixed that way for comedic effect. Another is the piano smashing-on the DVD mono it's at the same level as the rest of the scene. On the LaserDisc it's loud and aggressively so which again makes the gag hit so much harder.
Again, the remixes are existing MGM ones and not good. The 5.1 remix on the Shout! Factory Blu-ray does not have pitch issues but the stereo remix does.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is from a new 4K master with some transfer issues, notably in the title sequence. The mono mix had errors and slight deletions introduced in the 2004 DVD remaster which were corrected on a 2006 DVD repressing. The Shout! Factory Blu-ray uses the 2006 corrected mono but those sections sound added in and in lower quality. The Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray reverts to the defective 2004 mono. All the DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray mono mixes sound poor when compared to the untouched uncut MGM LaserDisc mono PCM mix which is a direct perfect transfer and sounds excellent.
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is from a new 4K master with some transfer issues, notably in the title sequence. The mono mix had errors and slight deletions introduced in the 2004 DVD remaster which were corrected on a 2006 DVD repressing. The Shout! Factory Blu-ray uses the 2006 corrected mono but those sections sound added in and in lower quality. The Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray reverts to the defective 2004 mono. All the DVD, Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray mono mixes sound poor when compared to the untouched uncut MGM LaserDisc mono PCM mix which is a direct perfect transfer and sounds excellent.
Live Home Video 1996 remastered letterbox LaserDisc
The remastered LaserDisc PCM mono sounds the most untouched and natural of any version. In 2006, Universal made a new HD master used on all subsequent DVD and Blu-ray releases. The Universal 2.0 mono mix may be a new transfer, different source or remix made from stems as the music and effects are at different levels throughout the track when compared to older copies featuring the mono mix. Additionally there is extreme noise reduction with dialogue sounding too clean and hiss being almost gone. Comparing with the 1996 LaserDisc mono clearly shows in all of these moments that the original mono was mixed differently and to serve the jokes.
Live Home Video 1996 remastered letterbox LaserDisc
The remastered LaserDisc PCM mono sounds the most untouched and natural of any version. In 2006, Universal made a new HD master used on all subsequent DVD and Blu-ray releases. The Universal 2.0 mono mix may be a new transfer, different source or remix made from stems as the music and effects are at different levels throughout the track when compared to older copies featuring the mono mix. Additionally there is extreme noise reduction with dialogue sounding too clean and hiss being almost gone. Comparing with the 1996 LaserDisc mono clearly shows in all of these moments that the original mono was mixed differently and to serve the jokes.
Director: Blake Edwards
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray with audio issues
MGM Letterbox LaserDisc, 2004 DVD mono, or Shout! Factory Blu-ray mono
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray introduces pitch issues on the mono mix. LaserDisc mono is from worn element but sounds mostly natural with possibly some attempts at noise reduction. MGM 2004 DVD mono transfer is higher quality without the wear but may have some processing applied. Shout! Factory Blu-ray is the same MGM mono now in lossless but seems to be EQ'd a bit differently. LaserDisc, DVD or Blu-ray is a toss up but those are your three options. The Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is useless due to the pitch issues. The remixes are very poor.
Director: Blake Edwards
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray with audio issues
MGM Letterbox LaserDisc, 2004 DVD mono, or Shout! Factory Blu-ray mono
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray introduces pitch issues on the mono mix. LaserDisc mono is from worn element but sounds mostly natural with possibly some attempts at noise reduction. MGM 2004 DVD mono transfer is higher quality without the wear but may have some processing applied. Shout! Factory Blu-ray is the same MGM mono now in lossless but seems to be EQ'd a bit differently. LaserDisc, DVD or Blu-ray is a toss up but those are your three options. The Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray is useless due to the pitch issues. The remixes are very poor.
Director: Morton DaCosta
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray from 12K scan
Director: Morton DaCosta
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray from 12K scan
Director: David Lean
iTunes Streaming
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray coming October 6
iTunes Streaming
Director: David Lean
iTunes Streaming
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray coming October 6
iTunes Streaming
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Director: John Ford
Germany Filmjuwelen Blu-ray is AI upscaled https://ibb.co/album/mCJ7RQ
Director: John Ford
Germany Filmjuwelen Blu-ray is AI upscaled https://ibb.co/album/mCJ7RQ
Director: Edgar Selwyn
Director: Edgar Selwyn
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration
Director: James W. Horne
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from nitrate protection elements
Director: James W. Horne
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from nitrate protection elements
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from original technicolor negatives
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from original technicolor negatives
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Norman Taurog
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration
Director: Norman Taurog
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration
More Comedy on Blu-ray
Carlotta FR Blu-ray box set: 2K restoration of 4K scan. This 2K restoration’s detail level is quite good, although its highlights are somewhat blown out. On the other hand, the newer 4K restoration (on DCP only as of Aug 2026) exhibits severe black crush.
TBD. Carlotta sounds muffled.
Carlotta’s English subtitles omit quite a bit of dialog. This was improved upon in the subs accompanying the newer 4K restoration DCP.
Carlotta FR Blu-ray box set: 2K restoration of 4K scan. This 2K restoration’s detail level is quite good, although its highlights are somewhat blown out. On the other hand, the newer 4K restoration (on DCP only as of Aug 2026) exhibits severe black crush.
TBD. Carlotta sounds muffled.
Carlotta’s English subtitles omit quite a bit of dialog. This was improved upon in the subs accompanying the newer 4K restoration DCP.
Director: William Wyler
Italy Plaion 4K Blu-ray > Paramount 4K Blu-ray (marginally)
Director: William Wyler
Italy Plaion 4K Blu-ray > Paramount 4K Blu-ray (marginally)
Director: Albert Brooks
Director: Albert Brooks
Director: Robert Altman
Director: Robert Altman
UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray > US Shout! Factory
Arrow has a slightly better encode, edging out SF even with FEL, and has done some additional damage cleanup. Caps
UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray > US Shout! Factory
Arrow has a slightly better encode, edging out SF even with FEL, and has done some additional damage cleanup. Caps
Director: Rob Reiner
Turbine Germany 4K Blu-ray has a few exclusive extras
Director: Rob Reiner
Turbine Germany 4K Blu-ray has a few exclusive extras
Director: Baz Luhrmann
UK Visions Home Video 4K Blu-ray
UK Visions Home Video 4K Blu-ray caps & impressions
The Visions Home Video 4K Blu-ray 5.1 is worse than the previous 5.1, and original stereo is only on LaserDisc or some PAL DVDs (and sounds much better)
Director: Baz Luhrmann
UK Visions Home Video 4K Blu-ray
UK Visions Home Video 4K Blu-ray caps & impressions
The Visions Home Video 4K Blu-ray 5.1 is worse than the previous 5.1, and original stereo is only on LaserDisc or some PAL DVDs (and sounds much better)
Director: Pete Docter
Original credits: 2009 Blu-ray/2013 3D Blu-ray
Outtake credits: 2002 Collector's Edition DVD
Original credits: 2009 Blu-ray/2013 3D Blu-ray (preference: the 2009 Blu-ray has rendering errors not on the DVD release or the 3D version but does have the original Disney and Pixar logos caps. Fur textures are differently animated on the 3D version as well) 4K Blu-ray is an upscale.
Outtake credits: 2002 UK Collector's Edition DVD (US release has the outtakes only in the fullscreen version)
AC3 5.1, Cinema DTS, or half bitrate DTS DVD (only on the UK Collector's Edition)
Isolated score is on the DVD
Director: Pete Docter
Original credits: 2009 Blu-ray/2013 3D Blu-ray
Outtake credits: 2002 Collector's Edition DVD
Original credits: 2009 Blu-ray/2013 3D Blu-ray (preference: the 2009 Blu-ray has rendering errors not on the DVD release or the 3D version but does have the original Disney and Pixar logos caps. Fur textures are differently animated on the 3D version as well) 4K Blu-ray is an upscale.
Outtake credits: 2002 UK Collector's Edition DVD (US release has the outtakes only in the fullscreen version)
AC3 5.1, Cinema DTS, or half bitrate DTS DVD (only on the UK Collector's Edition)
Isolated score is on the DVD
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