The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Science Fiction, Thriller • 2h 11m
Overview
When virtually all of the residents of Piedmont, New Mexico, are found dead after the return to Earth of a space satellite, the head of the US Air Force's Project Scoop declares an emergency. A group of eminent scientists led by Dr. Jeremy Stone scramble to a secure laboratory and try to first isolate the life form while determining why two people from Piedmont - an old alcoholic and a six-month-old baby - survived. The scientists methodically study the alien life form unaware that it has already mutated and presents a far greater danger in the lab, which is equipped with a nuclear self-destruct device designed to prevent the escape of dangerous biological agents.
Director: Robert Wise
Cast: Arthur Hill, David Wayne, James Olson, Kate Reid, Paula Kelly, George Mitchell, Ramon Bieri, Peter Hobbs, Kermit Murdock, Richard O'Brien, Eric Christmas, Mark Jenkins, Peter Helm, Joe Di Reda, Carl Reindel, Ken Swofford, Frances Reid, Richard Bull, John Carter, Glenn Langan, Sandra de Bruin, Susan Brown, Bart La Rue, Walter Brooke, Jan Burrell, Dee Carroll, Michael Crichton, David McLean, Emory Parnell, Michael Pataki, Quinn K. Redeker, Garry Walberg, Len Wayland, Jason Johnson, Ivor Barry, Lance Fuller, Don Messick, Joan Swift, Alma Platt, Paul Ballantyne, Benjie Bancroft, Joe Billings, Patty Bodeen, Michael Bow, Duke Cigrang, Rhodie Cogan, Lisa Daniels, Bill Dunbar, Harold Dyrenforth, Walker Edmiston, Sandra Ego, Don Ellis, Judy Farrell, James W. Gavin, Sheila Jo Guthrie, Robert L. Hughes, Jamie Lamb, Johnny Lee, Theodore Lehmann, Tom McDonough, Cliff Medaugh, Victoria Paige Meyerink, Midori, Carl B. Morrison, Francisco Ortega, Georgia Schmidt, Reuben Singer, Gilchrist Stuart, Lorna Thayer, Gary Waynesmith, Russ Whiteman
Director: Joel Schumacher
US/UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray has both the original Dolby Stereo 2.0 mix in its best quailty and the original Dolby Stereo 4-track discrete stems in 4.0.
Director: Joel Schumacher
US/UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray has both the original Dolby Stereo 2.0 mix in its best quailty and the original Dolby Stereo 4-track discrete stems in 4.0.
Criterion 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release
1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
Criterion 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release
1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
70mm 6-Track: Paramount US 4K Blu-ray
35mm matrixed Dolby Stereo: 1995 Live Home Video US LaserDisc
Although the provenance of Paramount's 5.1 track is not confirmed, the fidelity is outstanding and speaks for itself.
The 7.1 track on the Capelight/old Lionsgate release is just an upmix with nothing gained over the 5.1.
The original stereo mix is only present on older DVDs and LaserDiscs; all Blu-ray 2.0 tracks are downmixes.
Paramount 4K Blu-ray has no extras, Capelight 4K Blu-ray has most of the extras, Olive Films Blu-ray has a exclusive commentary
70mm 6-Track: Paramount US 4K Blu-ray
35mm matrixed Dolby Stereo: 1995 Live Home Video US LaserDisc
Although the provenance of Paramount's 5.1 track is not confirmed, the fidelity is outstanding and speaks for itself.
The 7.1 track on the Capelight/old Lionsgate release is just an upmix with nothing gained over the 5.1.
The original stereo mix is only present on older DVDs and LaserDiscs; all Blu-ray 2.0 tracks are downmixes.
Paramount 4K Blu-ray has no extras, Capelight 4K Blu-ray has most of the extras, Olive Films Blu-ray has a exclusive commentary
Director: Ken Russell
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
Includes original quintaphonic (5.0) mix as well as a modernized 5.1 remix.
Director: Ken Russell
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
Includes original quintaphonic (5.0) mix as well as a modernized 5.1 remix.
Director: Arthur Penn
Criterion 4K Blu-ray. caps by BR user Donald McDonald. The encode looks absolutely spotless even in the highlights and without Dolby Vision filling anything in.
Criterion 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray
Criterion is entirely unfiltered and sounds significantly more detailed than previous tracks, see Blah-ray.
Director: Arthur Penn
Criterion 4K Blu-ray. caps by BR user Donald McDonald. The encode looks absolutely spotless even in the highlights and without Dolby Vision filling anything in.
Criterion 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray
Criterion is entirely unfiltered and sounds significantly more detailed than previous tracks, see Blah-ray.
Director: Charles Walters
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray is a remaster from the original VistaVision camera negaitve, FiM encode
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray
The original mono sounds good. The Atmos remix is a mixed bag, music performances are sourced from magnetic stereo recordings and sound great, but mono dialogue/effectshas undergone destructive noise reduction and unnecessary EQ, so the jumps in fidelity are incredibly jarring.
Director: Charles Walters
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray is a remaster from the original VistaVision camera negaitve, FiM encode
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray
The original mono sounds good. The Atmos remix is a mixed bag, music performances are sourced from magnetic stereo recordings and sound great, but mono dialogue/effectshas undergone destructive noise reduction and unnecessary EQ, so the jumps in fidelity are incredibly jarring.
Director: Mario Bava
Original Italian/English dubs: UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray
Export English dub: Paramount LaserDisc
MoC ported the export dub from LaserDisc, but used a low quality transfer, with poor lossy encoding.
MST3K version: Vol XXXIX DVD / episode 1013: series finale of the original show.
Director: Mario Bava
Original Italian/English dubs: UK Masters of Cinema 4K Blu-ray
Export English dub: Paramount LaserDisc
MoC ported the export dub from LaserDisc, but used a low quality transfer, with poor lossy encoding.
MST3K version: Vol XXXIX DVD / episode 1013: series finale of the original show.
Director: John Waters
Criterion 4K is in director's preferred aspect ratio of 1.66:1.
Director: John Waters
Criterion 4K is in director's preferred aspect ratio of 1.66:1.
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Arrow includes the original theatrical sound mix in all its glory. All previous releases other than the 1996 AC-3 LaserDisc were tamed relative to the original theatrical DTS track.
The disc is authored by Duplitech, but doesn't exhibit any compression issues, though the image is pretty soft, that's likely just down to the stock used.
Old New Line Video LaserDiscs include an exclusive commentary track.
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Arrow includes the original theatrical sound mix in all its glory. All previous releases other than the 1996 AC-3 LaserDisc were tamed relative to the original theatrical DTS track.
The disc is authored by Duplitech, but doesn't exhibit any compression issues, though the image is pretty soft, that's likely just down to the stock used.
Old New Line Video LaserDiscs include an exclusive commentary track.
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Disney 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/hE3HUCdj
Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.
All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Paramount The Director's Edition Complete Adventure 4K Blu-ray
Paramount The Director's Edition Complete Adventure 4K Blu-ray
Paramount The Director's Edition Complete Adventure 4K Blu-ray
Paramount The Director's Edition Complete Adventure 4K Blu-ray
Directors: Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise
Directors: Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: Robert Wise
Director: John Woo
UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray maybe better than US Shout! Factory?
Director: John Woo
UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray maybe better than US Shout! Factory?
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Directors: Jackie Chan & Benny Chan
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Directors: Jackie Chan & Benny Chan
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Arrow 4K Blu-ray from the Jackie Chan Boxset
Director: Takashi Miike
2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
Original matrixed DTS Stereo mix: 2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
5.0 surround remix: 2009 Shout! Factory US Blu-ray
Arrow includes three audio tracks, matrixed stereo, discrete 4.0, and a 5.0 surround remix. Unfortunately, only the first one is usable. The 4.0 desyncs partway through. The 5.0 has incorrect (lower) pitch. Fortunately, the matrixed stereo track sounds great, but it is still a major disappointment.
There has been no replacement disc announced. See nicwood's BR post.
Director: Takashi Miike
2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
Original matrixed DTS Stereo mix: 2026 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
5.0 surround remix: 2009 Shout! Factory US Blu-ray
Arrow includes three audio tracks, matrixed stereo, discrete 4.0, and a 5.0 surround remix. Unfortunately, only the first one is usable. The 4.0 desyncs partway through. The 5.0 has incorrect (lower) pitch. Fortunately, the matrixed stereo track sounds great, but it is still a major disappointment.
There has been no replacement disc announced. See nicwood's BR post.
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Director: Lo Wei
Director: Lo Wei
Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray > Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber US Blu-ray, see caps
Capelight and Arrow both have good compression, but Capelight has the edge. Kino is very poor.
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Image Entertainment LaserDisc
(Arrow is a port of the LD track, see spectrograms)
Capelight and old Arrow BD included the original stereo mix, but with excessive noise reduction rendering it much less detailed. Kino only included a downmix of the 5.1 remix.
Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray > Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber US Blu-ray, see caps
Capelight and Arrow both have good compression, but Capelight has the edge. Kino is very poor.
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Image Entertainment LaserDisc
(Arrow is a port of the LD track, see spectrograms)
Capelight and old Arrow BD included the original stereo mix, but with excessive noise reduction rendering it much less detailed. Kino only included a downmix of the 5.1 remix.
Director: Michael Mann
Arrow 4K Blu-ray is encoded by FiM encode is better than Criterion, see caps https://slow.pics/c/Z2RRQAAT
Criterion 4K Blu-ray vs Blu-ray: caps colors are more different and nuanced than anticipated even in the SDR-converted caps and the usual gain in highlight detail is also apparent. Encode looks excellent except for the brightest areas as usual.
5.1/5.0 mix (essentially a 4-track mix in 5.1 and 5.0 containers respectively)-Arrow/Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Only imperceptible differences in bit-depth: 20 vs 24.
2.0 mix- Arrow 4K Blu-ray (original stereo)
Director: Michael Mann
Arrow 4K Blu-ray is encoded by FiM encode is better than Criterion, see caps https://slow.pics/c/Z2RRQAAT
Criterion 4K Blu-ray vs Blu-ray: caps colors are more different and nuanced than anticipated even in the SDR-converted caps and the usual gain in highlight detail is also apparent. Encode looks excellent except for the brightest areas as usual.
5.1/5.0 mix (essentially a 4-track mix in 5.1 and 5.0 containers respectively)-Arrow/Criterion 4K Blu-ray. Only imperceptible differences in bit-depth: 20 vs 24.
2.0 mix- Arrow 4K Blu-ray (original stereo)
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