The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974)
Jeder für sich und Gott gegen alle
Drama, History • 1h 50m
Director: Werner Herzog
Cast: Bruno S., Walter Ladengast, Brigitte Mira, Willy Semmelrogge, Kidlat Tahimik, Hans Musäus, Michael Kroecher, Henry van Lyck, Enno Patalas, Volker Elis Pilgrim, Volker Prechtel, Gloria Doer, Helmut Döring, Andi Gottwald, Herbert Achternbusch, Wolfgang Bauer, Walter Steiner, Clemens Scheitz, Johannes Buzalski, Willy Meyer-Fürst, Florian Fricke, Alfred Edel, Franz Brumbach, Herbert Fritsch, Wilhelm Bayer, Peter Gebhart, Otto Heinzle, Dorothea Kraft, Dr. Walter Pflaum, Dr. Heinz Niemöller, Peter-Udo Schönborn, Markus Weller, Reinhard Hauff
Compare the discs
About the film
The film follows Kaspar Hauser (Bruno S.), who lived the first seventeen years of his life chained in a tiny cellar with only a toy horse to occupy his time, devoid of all human contact except for a man who wears a black overcoat and top hat who feeds him.
- TSPDT
- 2026: #5462025: #5242024: #5142023: #4992022: #499
- Alternative Titles
- Every Man for Himself and God Against All, The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser
Director: Werner Herzog
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > BFI 4K Blu-ray, see caps https://slow.pics/c/nPcxCNW4
Some find BFI better but with more DNR and AI upscaling like their horrible 1979 Nosferatu 4K Blu-ray, and Shout! Factory has more over-exposed grading https://slow.pics/c/WQKmBTLJ
2000 R2 Stonevision DVD
2000 R2 Stonevision DVD vs Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray?
Director: Werner Herzog
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Shout! Factory vs BFI?
Shout! Factory US vs BFI UK Herzog collection, no comparison
Sources: Reddit (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray > BFI 4K Blu-ray (BFI 4K Blu-ray is AI upscaled mess https://www.reddit.com/r/4kbluray/s/ngw1BMYw5k) comparison: https://slow.pics/c/39MblTy5
Director: John Woo
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Arrow has a different grade and a better encode than the Shout! Factory, though the difference in either is not major. Imprint release, which leaves Shout! Factory's master and subtitles as is, is encoded by FiM. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24473097&postcount=56
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.
Imprint presumably used the Shout! Factory original mix and left it as is, though no official confirmation.
Director: Michael Cimino
2020 Shout! Factory 4K
2020 Shout! Factory 4K slightly better than StudioCanal in HDR10. Similar in DV
35mm mix: 1991 Universal LaserDisc
70mm mix: StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray
35mm mix: 1991 Universal LaserDisc marginally better than StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray is downmix.
70mm mix: StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray is remix.
Director: Rob Reiner
Arrow 4K Blu-ray releasing December 14 2026
Like many of Capelight's other releases, the 4K Blu-ray is low-passed but still looks good.
30th Anniversary Shout! Factory BD has the original stereo mix
Director: Gary Ross
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray, but a shot was cut from the film
Warner Bros Blu-ray for the uncut version, but it's an older master.
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab) · YouTube (opens in a new tab)
Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray, but a shot was cut from the film. See comparison
Warner Bros Blu-ray for the uncut version, but it's an older master.
Director: John Woo
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
US Shout! Factory or UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Disk Kino/WCL China import
review: Disk Kino
Both have better encoding than Disk Kino, some shots are better on Shout! Factory, others on Arrow
Shout Factory still has the best video while Arrow did a questionable regrade. Arrow definitely has less grain in most shots, has a worse encode and is cm v2.9 compared to Shout’s cm v4.0.
Shout! Factory/Arrow 4K Blu-ray has the original mono
Director: Gus Van Sant
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
Shout! Factory and Carlotta use the same scan https://slow.pics/c/Wcn5YFlw, the Carlotta has two extra bonus features
Director: Michael Mann
More Drama on Blu-ray
Director: Robert Altman
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.
YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.
Director: Roman Polanski
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379
Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)
Director: Richard Brooks
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Vincent Sherman
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray
1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
Director: Compton Bennett
4K restoration from original technicolor negatives
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