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The White Ribbon (2009)
The White Ribbon (2009) poster
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4.2

The White Ribbon (2009)

Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte

Drama, Mystery • 2h 24m

Overview

An aged tailor recalls his life as the schoolteacher of a small village in Northern Germany that was struck by a series of strange events in the year leading up to WWI.

Director: Michael Haneke

Cast: Christian Friedel, Ernst Jacobi, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur, Fion Mutert, Ursina Lardi, Burghart Klaußner, Steffi Kühnert, Maria Dragus, Josef Bierbichler, Rainer Bock, Susanne Lothar, Roxane Duran, Eddy Grahl, Levin Henning, Leonard Proxauf, Gabriela Maria Schmeide, Janina Fautz, Detlev Buck, Birgit Minichmayr, Carmen-Maja Antoni, Michael Kranz, Thibault Sérié, Johanna Busse, Enno Trebs, Theo Trebs, Miljan Chatelain, Branko Samarovski, Klaus Manchen, Sebastian Hülk, Kai-Peter Malina, Kristina Kneppek, Stephanie Amarell, Bianca Mey, Aaron Denkel, Mika Ahrens, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Luzie Ahrens, Gary Bestla, Leonard Boes, Felix Boettcher, Sophie Czech, Paraschiva Dragus, Selina Ewald, Nora Gruler, Tim Guderjahn, Jonas Jennerjahn, Ole Joensson, Gerrit Langentepe, Lena Pankow, Sebastian Pauli, Franz Rewoldt, Kevin Schmolinski, Alexander Sedl, Nino Seide, Marvin Ray Spey, Malin Steffen, Lilli Trebs, Paul Wolf, Margarete Zimmermann, Christian Klischat, Michael Schenk, Hanuš Polak jr., Sara Schivazappa, Marisa Growaldt, Vincent Krüger, Rüdiger Hauffe, Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey, Florian Köhler, Sebastian Łach, Marcin Tyrol, Sebastian Badurek, Krzysztof Zarzecki, Sebastian Pawlak, Lilli Fichtner, Amelie Litwin, Paula Kalinski, Matthias Linke, Vladik Otaryan, Peter Mörike, Hans-Matthias Glassmann, Nikita Vaganov, Mercedes Jadea Diaz, Simon Pawlowsky

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Format

1080p Blu-ray

TSPDT

2026: #383
2025: #382
2024: #382
2023: #373
2022: #373

Length

144 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

2 years ago

Contributors

-

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Format
1080p Blu-ray
Featured Lists
TSPDT
2026: #383
2025: #382
2024: #382
2023: #373
2022: #373
Length
144 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
2 years ago
Contributors

-

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Uncensored version: old DVD

Upcoming Release:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray upcoming included in After Dark Neo-Noir Cinema Vol. 4

2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Censored US version: Shout! Factory or Twilight Time Blu-ray

Uncensored version: old DVD

Wild at Heart poster
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Best English-Friendly:

Censored US version: Shout! Factory or Twilight Time Blu-ray

Uncensored version: old DVD

Upcoming Release:

Australia Imprint Blu-ray upcoming included in After Dark Neo-Noir Cinema Vol. 4

2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Censored US version: Shout! Factory or Twilight Time Blu-ray

Uncensored version: old DVD

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2022 Paramount Blu-ray

Best Video:

2022 Paramount Blu-ray

2014 Criterion Blu-ray is from the same master and has only slightly worse compression. JP/DE/FR releases all have incorrect levels. Caps

Best Audio:

2022 Paramount Blu-ray

All Blu-ray releases are from the same mastering, superior to the one on older DVD releases which is sourced from a higher generation source. They all sound about the same, with the exception of Criterion, which sounds worse due to extraneous filtering.

Paramount's disc also includes a contemporary English dub, previously unreleased on home video.

Best English-Friendly:

2022 Paramount Blu-ray

Best Video:

2022 Paramount Blu-ray

2014 Criterion Blu-ray is from the same master and has only slightly worse compression. JP/DE/FR releases all have incorrect levels. Caps

Best Audio:

2022 Paramount Blu-ray

All Blu-ray releases are from the same mastering, superior to the one on older DVD releases which is sourced from a higher generation source. They all sound about the same, with the exception of Criterion, which sounds worse due to extraneous filtering.

Paramount's disc also includes a contemporary English dub, previously unreleased on home video.

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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

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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Best English-Friendly:

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Criterion 4K Blu-ray

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Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Criterion US 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion US 4K Blu-ray > Alamode Germany. HDR10 grade on the Germany disc was not approved by the filmmakers, Criterion's SDR only master is the most faithful representation and the Germany disc is not English-friendly

Best Audio:

German 4K Blu-Ray has Atmos track

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion US 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion US 4K Blu-ray > Alamode Germany. HDR10 grade on the Germany disc was not approved by the filmmakers, Criterion's SDR only master is the most faithful representation and the Germany disc is not English-friendly

Best Audio:

German 4K Blu-Ray has Atmos track

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Best English-Friendly:

Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, Volume 1 Blu-ray

Best Video:

Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, Volume 1 Blu-ray or potentially French Intersections Blu-ray but not English-friendly

Additional Info:

There are no comparisons, and all releases are likely the same transfer from 2K restoration. However, given that other releases in the Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, Volume 1 Blu-ray are superior to other Polish releases, likely the same conclusion applies here.

Man of Iron poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, Volume 1 Blu-ray

Best Video:

Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, Volume 1 Blu-ray or potentially French Intersections Blu-ray but not English-friendly

Additional Info:

There are no comparisons, and all releases are likely the same transfer from 2K restoration. However, given that other releases in the Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema, Volume 1 Blu-ray are superior to other Polish releases, likely the same conclusion applies here.

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1080p Blu-ray
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2025 Curzon UK Blu-ray (Haneke boxset)

Best Video:

2025 Curzon UK Blu-ray or 2013 TF1 FR Blu-ray (caps)

Curzon has a slightly better encode and preserves all the noise of the digital source, but ends up obscuring actual detail in some shots. Both are quite good, only caveat being that the TF1 disc is slightly cropped and has a black bar on top.

Best Audio:

2025 Curzon UK Blu-ray

2008 Artificial Eye UK and 2025 Umbrella AU discs have incorrect pitch. TF1 FR disc is missing 7 minutes of audio in the left channel. See spectrograms.

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2025 Curzon UK Blu-ray (Haneke boxset)

Best Video:

2025 Curzon UK Blu-ray or 2013 TF1 FR Blu-ray (caps)

Curzon has a slightly better encode and preserves all the noise of the digital source, but ends up obscuring actual detail in some shots. Both are quite good, only caveat being that the TF1 disc is slightly cropped and has a black bar on top.

Best Audio:

2025 Curzon UK Blu-ray

2008 Artificial Eye UK and 2025 Umbrella AU discs have incorrect pitch. TF1 FR disc is missing 7 minutes of audio in the left channel. See spectrograms.

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UK Curzon Blu-ray

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UK Curzon Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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UK Curzon Blu-ray

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UK Curzon Blu-ray

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Best Video:

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Best Video:

No comparisons available, UK Curzon Blu-ray boxset, Australia Umbrella Blu-ray boxset, US Strand Releasing OOP Blu-ray, or very old France TF1 Blu-ray

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Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

Old Sony DVD has an isolated score

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

Old Sony DVD has an isolated score

Labyrinth poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

Shout! Factory replacement 4K Blu-ray, Shout! Factory doesn't have the low-pass filter that's on the Sony US 4K Blu-ray from 2021 with Dolby Vision (or the worse HDR10 only release from 2016). Shout! Factory retains more high-frequency grain and detail.

Labyrinth poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory replacement 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Shout! Factory replacement 4K Blu-ray, Shout! Factory doesn't have the low-pass filter that's on the Sony US 4K Blu-ray from 2021 with Dolby Vision (or the worse HDR10 only release from 2016). Shout! Factory retains more high-frequency grain and detail.

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Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray vs 2017 Sony 4K Blu-ray (20th annivesary) vs 2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray (Luc Besson Box Set). The first two have totally different texture.

  • StudioCanal: More natural looking. Better defined grain. The white balance is rather yellow/orange. Some say it is closer to the original theatrical release.

  • 2017 Sony: More vibrant and impactful. The white balance is rather neutral. While color noise and grain can look busy because it had been sharpened and had micro-contrast boosted.

  • 2025 Sony: Supposedly an improved version of the 2017 release? Shows around 20mbps-higher overall video bitrate. caps

Best Audio:

2025 Sony US 4K Blu-ray has the original 5.1.

The Atmos on the Sony release is reportedly better than StudioCanal's.

Additional Info:

Disc info of the box set discs. This film have recieved multiple encode/versions in different regions over the years. The 2017 Germany4K Blu-ray is encoded differently than the 2017 Sony but not better. Also, the same can be said to 2024 France Gaumont 4K Blu-ray while comparing to the 2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray omits all the extras from previous releases, being barebones.

Best English-Friendly:

StudioCanal UK 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray vs 2017 Sony 4K Blu-ray (20th annivesary) vs 2025 Sony 4K Blu-ray (Luc Besson Box Set). The first two have totally different texture.

  • StudioCanal: More natural looking. Better defined grain. The white balance is rather yellow/orange. Some say it is closer to the original theatrical release.

  • 2017 Sony: More vibrant and impactful. The white balance is rather neutral. While color noise and grain can look busy because it had been sharpened and had micro-contrast boosted.

  • 2025 Sony: Supposedly an improved version of the 2017 release? Shows around 20mbps-higher overall video bitrate. caps

Best Audio:

2025 Sony US 4K Blu-ray has the original 5.1.

The Atmos on the Sony release is reportedly better than StudioCanal's.

Additional Info:

Disc info of the box set discs. This film have recieved multiple encode/versions in different regions over the years. The 2017 Germany4K Blu-ray is encoded differently than the 2017 Sony but not better. Also, the same can be said to 2024 France Gaumont 4K Blu-ray while comparing to the 2020 StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray omits all the extras from previous releases, being barebones.

Easy A poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray

Easy A poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray

Bye Bye Birdie poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray

While no comparison available, Twilight Time Blu-ray is OOP and reviewers say the transfer is likely the same

Bye Bye Birdie poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray

While no comparison available, Twilight Time Blu-ray is OOP and reviewers say the transfer is likely the same

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DVD
Best English-Friendly:

Sony DVD

Best Video:

Sony DVD

Best English-Friendly:

Sony DVD

Best Video:

Sony DVD

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Best Video:

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Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray in Columbia Classics vol 2

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray in Columbia Classics vol 2

Anyone but You poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray see comparison

The 4K Blu-ray is low-passed, Sony Pictures Core Streaming is heavily DNR

Anyone but You poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray see comparison

The 4K Blu-ray is low-passed, Sony Pictures Core Streaming is heavily DNR

Before Midnight poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray

Criterion Blu-ray uses the same transfer as Sony but the encoding is slightly worse than Sony and barely noticeable see caps

Best English-Friendly:

Sony Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony Blu-ray

Criterion Blu-ray uses the same transfer as Sony but the encoding is slightly worse than Sony and barely noticeable see caps

28 Days Later poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray see caps

Recovers quite a bit of highlight detail, looks less harsh and clipped in the video footage than the old BD.

Best Audio:

Dolby Atmos Remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray
Original 5.1 mix: old OOP Fox Blu-ray

5.1 on the 4K is a downmix of the Atmos remix.

28 Days Later poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray see caps

Recovers quite a bit of highlight detail, looks less harsh and clipped in the video footage than the old BD.

Best Audio:

Dolby Atmos Remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray
Original 5.1 mix: old OOP Fox Blu-ray

5.1 on the 4K is a downmix of the Atmos remix.

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The White Ribbon (2009) backdrop