Dream of a Rarebit Fiend (1906)
Fantasy, Comedy • 7m
Overview
A live-action film adaptation of the comic strip Dream of the Rarebit Fiend by American cartoonist Winsor McCay. This silent short film follows the established theme: the “Rarebit Fiend” gorges himself on rarebit and thus suffers spectacular hallucinatory dreams.
Director: Edwin S. Porter
Cast: John P. Brawn
Directors: Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise
Capelight's 5.1 is sourced from the original 6-track. The fidelity is comparable to the 4.0 from the 4-track available on previous BDs.
An alternate 5.1 mix was created for the 1999 MGM DVD / LaserDisc, It boasts better high end detail throughout, but the trade off is reduced bass.
See additional info for more detail.
West Side Story was produced as a 70mm Todd-AO presentation, with an accompanying 6-track audio mix in the following channel configuration: see diagram. 35mm presentations used a 4-track or a mono mixdown instead.
The original 6-track elements were thought to have been lost until they were recovered and restored in 2010. In 1981, for the film's 20th anniversary, a new 6-track mix was created by upmixing the available 4-track elements.
Capelight's release is sourced from original 6-track elements uncovered in 2010, but unfortunately it's not as detailed as it should be, owing to unnecessary noise reduction. It's by no means bad, but it could be better. As the Lc/Rc channels are mixed into into L/C/R, it's also essentially no different to a 4-track fold-down. This isn't exactly an issue as left/right center channels mix down to L/C/R very well, but a better way of handling this would be to use Atmos objects to position those channels where they should be, as Disney did on The Sound of Music.
The 4-track mix was included in a discrete form on MGM's previous BD, it trades blows with Capelight's 6-track-derived 5.1.
Interestingly, the 1999 MGM LaserDisc/DVD release includes a different 5.1 mix, which sounds a bit more detailed than the two other tracks. It's sound signature is on the brighter side, with a slight emphasis on the treble instead of bass like other releases. Although that accounts for some of the perceived detail, even after matching EQ there are spots where Capelight loses out. It's a slight upmix, with split surrounds and LFE. Whether it was derived from 4-track or 6-track elements is not clear, though it matters little, as the end result would have been very similar in either case. There are no booklet notes stating the source used, but it sounds very similar to the matrixed 1992 LD, which was attributed to the 6-track. Still, given that the original elements were thought to have been lost, I would assume that this refers to the 1981 mix.
Previous LaserDisc releases are similar to the discrete 1999 track. All LD releases are missing the intermission music and a brief whistling sequence.
The 7.1 upmix on MGM's Blu-ray offers little of value.
Directors: Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise
Capelight's 5.1 is sourced from the original 6-track. The fidelity is comparable to the 4.0 from the 4-track available on previous BDs.
An alternate 5.1 mix was created for the 1999 MGM DVD / LaserDisc, It boasts better high end detail throughout, but the trade off is reduced bass.
See additional info for more detail.
West Side Story was produced as a 70mm Todd-AO presentation, with an accompanying 6-track audio mix in the following channel configuration: see diagram. 35mm presentations used a 4-track or a mono mixdown instead.
The original 6-track elements were thought to have been lost until they were recovered and restored in 2010. In 1981, for the film's 20th anniversary, a new 6-track mix was created by upmixing the available 4-track elements.
Capelight's release is sourced from original 6-track elements uncovered in 2010, but unfortunately it's not as detailed as it should be, owing to unnecessary noise reduction. It's by no means bad, but it could be better. As the Lc/Rc channels are mixed into into L/C/R, it's also essentially no different to a 4-track fold-down. This isn't exactly an issue as left/right center channels mix down to L/C/R very well, but a better way of handling this would be to use Atmos objects to position those channels where they should be, as Disney did on The Sound of Music.
The 4-track mix was included in a discrete form on MGM's previous BD, it trades blows with Capelight's 6-track-derived 5.1.
Interestingly, the 1999 MGM LaserDisc/DVD release includes a different 5.1 mix, which sounds a bit more detailed than the two other tracks. It's sound signature is on the brighter side, with a slight emphasis on the treble instead of bass like other releases. Although that accounts for some of the perceived detail, even after matching EQ there are spots where Capelight loses out. It's a slight upmix, with split surrounds and LFE. Whether it was derived from 4-track or 6-track elements is not clear, though it matters little, as the end result would have been very similar in either case. There are no booklet notes stating the source used, but it sounds very similar to the matrixed 1992 LD, which was attributed to the 6-track. Still, given that the original elements were thought to have been lost, I would assume that this refers to the 1981 mix.
Previous LaserDisc releases are similar to the discrete 1999 track. All LD releases are missing the intermission music and a brief whistling sequence.
The 7.1 upmix on MGM's Blu-ray offers little of value.
Director: Martin Ritt
Director: Martin Ritt
Directors: Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson
2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save file space)
Universal 25th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Vision and Atmos
2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save file space)
The old 2 disc DVD has extras missing from 4K Blu-ray
Directors: Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson
2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save file space)
Universal 25th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray with Dolby Vision and Atmos
2011 Blu-ray (4K Blu-ray is upscaled; former PDI animator Jonathan Gibbs confirms the film was originally rendered at 1828 pixels wide to save file space)
The old 2 disc DVD has extras missing from 4K Blu-ray
Director: John Cassavetes
Director: John Cassavetes
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Director: John Ford
1988/1990 WB Hi-Fi VHS, crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas
The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.
Even putting resolution aside, the Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray has the best video. The old Blu-ray master and earlier DVD both had massive issues with colour.
That said, picture on the 4K Blu-ray isn't perfect, with strange posterized magenta glints and some instances of DNR: https://bsky.app/profile/dagscott.bsky.social/post/3leahavqi7k2l
Director: John Ford
1988/1990 WB Hi-Fi VHS, crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas
The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.
Even putting resolution aside, the Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray has the best video. The old Blu-ray master and earlier DVD both had massive issues with colour.
That said, picture on the 4K Blu-ray isn't perfect, with strange posterized magenta glints and some instances of DNR: https://bsky.app/profile/dagscott.bsky.social/post/3leahavqi7k2l
Director: Richard Linklater
Director: Richard Linklater
Director: Joel Coen
Arrow 4K Blu-ray scheduled for November 2026 release
All the same
Director: Joel Coen
Arrow 4K Blu-ray scheduled for November 2026 release
All the same
Director: John Mark Robinson
US Image Entertainment LaserDisc is pan-and-scan, but is the best quality release of the film. Widescreen version never released on home video.
US Image Entertainment LaserDisc has the original Dolby Stereo mix.
Director: John Mark Robinson
US Image Entertainment LaserDisc is pan-and-scan, but is the best quality release of the film. Widescreen version never released on home video.
US Image Entertainment LaserDisc has the original Dolby Stereo mix.
Grapevine DVD Rip Van 1921 extras or OOP Image Entertainment DVD
Grapevine DVD Rip Van 1921 extras or OOP Image Entertainment DVD
Grapevine DVD Rip Van 1921 extras or OOP Image Entertainment DVD
Grapevine DVD Rip Van 1921 extras or OOP Image Entertainment DVD
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Directors: Gus Meins & Charley Rogers
Original 1934 Theatrical Version: US Legend Films Blu-ray
1950 Reissue Version: OOP 1980s US VHS
Samuel Goldwyn 1991 Colorized Version: US Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or US GoodTimes DVD
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 2D: US Legend Films Blu-ray
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 3D: US Legend Films 3D Blu-ray
Original 1934 Theatrical Version: US Legend Films Blu-ray
1950 Reissue Version: OOP 1980s US VHS
Samuel Goldwyn 1991 Colorized Version: US Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or US GoodTimes DVD
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 2D: US Legend Films Blu-ray
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 3D: US Legend Films 3D Blu-ray
Directors: Gus Meins & Charley Rogers
Original 1934 Theatrical Version: US Legend Films Blu-ray
1950 Reissue Version: OOP 1980s US VHS
Samuel Goldwyn 1991 Colorized Version: US Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or US GoodTimes DVD
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 2D: US Legend Films Blu-ray
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 3D: US Legend Films 3D Blu-ray
Original 1934 Theatrical Version: US Legend Films Blu-ray
1950 Reissue Version: OOP 1980s US VHS
Samuel Goldwyn 1991 Colorized Version: US Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or US GoodTimes DVD
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 2D: US Legend Films Blu-ray
Legend Films 2006 Colorized Version - 3D: US Legend Films 3D Blu-ray
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray (damage removed, improved color/HDR, and best audio) or Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray (best compression but no damage removal and LaserDisc audio from Arrow)
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray >
Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray Kino Lorber US Blu-ray, see caps
Arrow has done additional cleanup work removing nearly all the damage in the transfer. They have massaged the color timing and HDR to try and improve what they could. The Capelight may have better encoding but it does not have these improvements. The Arrow encoding is solid and in motion there are no issues whatsoever. The Kino release has the damage and other issues plus frequent noise due to the lesser encoding.
Some scenes in the Arrow transfer are better, some better in the Capelight.
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Image Entertainment LaserDisc
(Arrow is a port of the LD track, see spectrograms) This track has the best fidelity of any release but does have some channel bleeding baked in. The 2017 2.0 on the Arrow and Shout BDs was the Dolby Stereo original mix without channel bleeding but that had heavy noise reduction resulting in a very flat and underwhelming presentation. The surround winds up being lessened as well due to the processing. It's a tough choice between the two but the Image LD audio wins out because it hasn't been messed with and the impact is so unrestrained that no other version hits in the same way.
Capelight and old Arrow BD included the original stereo mix, but with excessive noise reduction rendering it much less detailed. Kino only included a painfully defective 2.0 track sourced from somewhere with limited fidelity, volume spikes and screechy high end which frequently ruins the music. The 5.1 remix on most modern release is a processed version that does not sound as good as it once did.
The best and most accurate of the 5.1 mixes is the original version from the 2003 Special Edition DVD in lossy AC3 form.
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray (damage removed, improved color/HDR, and best audio) or Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray (best compression but no damage removal and LaserDisc audio from Arrow)
Arrow UK 4K Blu-ray >
Capelight DE 4K Blu-ray Kino Lorber US Blu-ray, see caps
Arrow has done additional cleanup work removing nearly all the damage in the transfer. They have massaged the color timing and HDR to try and improve what they could. The Capelight may have better encoding but it does not have these improvements. The Arrow encoding is solid and in motion there are no issues whatsoever. The Kino release has the damage and other issues plus frequent noise due to the lesser encoding.
Some scenes in the Arrow transfer are better, some better in the Capelight.
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Image Entertainment LaserDisc
(Arrow is a port of the LD track, see spectrograms) This track has the best fidelity of any release but does have some channel bleeding baked in. The 2017 2.0 on the Arrow and Shout BDs was the Dolby Stereo original mix without channel bleeding but that had heavy noise reduction resulting in a very flat and underwhelming presentation. The surround winds up being lessened as well due to the processing. It's a tough choice between the two but the Image LD audio wins out because it hasn't been messed with and the impact is so unrestrained that no other version hits in the same way.
Capelight and old Arrow BD included the original stereo mix, but with excessive noise reduction rendering it much less detailed. Kino only included a painfully defective 2.0 track sourced from somewhere with limited fidelity, volume spikes and screechy high end which frequently ruins the music. The 5.1 remix on most modern release is a processed version that does not sound as good as it once did.
The best and most accurate of the 5.1 mixes is the original version from the 2003 Special Edition DVD in lossy AC3 form.
Director: Vincent J. Donehue
1990 Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or 1999 GoodTimes DVD
1990 Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or 1999 GoodTimes DVD
Director: Vincent J. Donehue
1990 Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or 1999 GoodTimes DVD
1990 Image Entertainment/GoodTimes LaserDisc or 1999 GoodTimes DVD
Director: James Cameron
2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix
Comparison between the US and International mixes: https://vimeo.com/246332731
The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.
Director: James Cameron
2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix
1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix
Comparison between the US and International mixes: https://vimeo.com/246332731
The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.
Director: Charlie Chaplin
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
1954 version: Criterion Blu-ray
Cut info: https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=31209
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
Director: Charlie Chaplin
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
1954 version: Criterion Blu-ray
Cut info: https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=31209
1936 version: Image Entertainment DVD
Director: Charlie Chaplin
Theatrical: Image Entertainment LaserDisc International: Criterion Blu-ray
Theatrical: Image Entertainment LaserDisc
2000 Image Entertainment DVD
Director: Charlie Chaplin
Theatrical: Image Entertainment LaserDisc International: Criterion Blu-ray
Theatrical: Image Entertainment LaserDisc
2000 Image Entertainment DVD
Directors: Colin Chilvers & Will Vinton & Jerry Kramer & Jim Blashfield
OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc
2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray
2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD
Film Whisperer's restoration is better
OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc
2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray
2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD
Film Whisperer's restoration is better
Censorship changes for Blu-ray: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=224122
Directors: Colin Chilvers & Will Vinton & Jerry Kramer & Jim Blashfield
OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc
2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray
2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD
Film Whisperer's restoration is better
OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc
2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray
2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD
Film Whisperer's restoration is better
Censorship changes for Blu-ray: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=224122
More Fantasy on Blu-ray
2001 DVD for uncensored cut with rock and extras
Disney Blu-ray; 4K Blu-ray only has an Atmos remix with a phasing issue
2001 DVD for uncensored cut with rock and extras
Disney Blu-ray; 4K Blu-ray only has an Atmos remix with a phasing issue
Director: George Pal
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Warner Bros NTSC DVD
The old DVD's track has significantly better detail compared to BD, especially on the score. The BD has some extra detail on dialogue, but also exhibits strange artifacting (e.g. sample 3, 0:20) which suggests possible AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering. In contrast, DVD appears to be completely unfiltered and sounds good throughout. Samples
As the BD is significantly rolled off, a lot of the detail (real or fabricated) is buried in the mix and not audible during normal playback.
Director: George Pal
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Warner Bros NTSC DVD
The old DVD's track has significantly better detail compared to BD, especially on the score. The BD has some extra detail on dialogue, but also exhibits strange artifacting (e.g. sample 3, 0:20) which suggests possible AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering. In contrast, DVD appears to be completely unfiltered and sounds good throughout. Samples
As the BD is significantly rolled off, a lot of the detail (real or fabricated) is buried in the mix and not audible during normal playback.
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Director: Ingmar Bergman
3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray (exclusive with Sony 3D TV bundles in the US)
3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray
All home video releases are open matte 16:9. No home release in the theatrical scope presentation.
The original theatrical 7.1 mix has not been given a home release.
3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray (exclusive with Sony 3D TV bundles in the US)
3D: 2011 Fox 3D Blu-ray
All home video releases are open matte 16:9. No home release in the theatrical scope presentation.
The original theatrical 7.1 mix has not been given a home release.
Director: Henry Selick
2D Version: Laika/Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
3D Version: 2011 3D Blu-ray
2D Version: Laika/Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
3D Version: 2011 3D Blu-ray caps
Director: Henry Selick
2D Version: Laika/Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
3D Version: 2011 3D Blu-ray
2D Version: Laika/Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
3D Version: 2011 3D Blu-ray caps
Director: Jim Henson
Shout! Factory replacement 4K Blu-ray
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.
Embassy Home Entertainment JPN LaserDisc or 1999 Sony US DVD 2.0
Director: Jim Henson
Shout! Factory replacement 4K Blu-ray
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.
Embassy Home Entertainment JPN LaserDisc or 1999 Sony US DVD 2.0
US Toy Robot and UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray
US Toy Robot and UK 88 Films 4K Blu-ray
Director: Simon McQuoid
Director: Simon McQuoid
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