Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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.

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.

2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray

3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray

2D version: Warner Archive Blu-ray

3D version: Warner Archive 3D Blu-ray

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Universal Region 2 PAL DVD (original Dolby Stereo), Region 1 NTSC is minimally worse

The DTS:X remix is very revisionist with a lot of sound effect changes

2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray

2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray

Majority of film (theatrical and extended cuts): 1991 Columbia US VHS (or possibly 1994 Columbia LaserDisc?)

32-second scene (extended cut): 1993 Criterion LaserDisc

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)

1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Kino Lorber 4k resto

Kino Lorber Blu-ray 

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.

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Capelight Blu-ray

Capelight Blu-ray, better encoded than MGM Blu-ray

MGM Blu-ray's stereo track.

MGM's 7.1 track is a remix with a few flaws and much worse fidelity. Capelight's stereo and 7.1 track are both from the remix.

The movie was originally premiered as a roadshow release, with a a 70mm 6-Track Stereo mix. This mix, unfortunately has not been released on home video.

The closest thing to that mix, is the stereo track included on the 2010 Blu-ray. It sounds great, with high fidelity and little filtering. It's lossy, but that doesn't matter very much.

Both the DVD 5.1 and the Blu-ray 7.1 tracks (identical on both discs) are a new remix, rather than a repackaging of the original mix. The 7.1 track sounds quite muffled, though not evenly so. The Capelight Blu-ray's lossless stereo track uses the same remix, but with higher fidelity than the surround tracks, sounding significantly less muffled. Compared to the original, this remix sounds wider and more "cleaned up". The remix contains a handful of errors, for example the intermission cue fades out, rather than ending correctly.

Comparison samples