7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964)
Fantasy, Family, Western, Comedy • 1h 40m
Overview
An old Chinese man rides into the town of Abalone, Arizona and changes it forever, as the citizens see themselves reflected in the mirror of Lao's mysterious circus of mythical beasts.
Director: George Pal
Cast: Tony Randall, Barbara Eden, Arthur O'Connell, John Ericson, Noah Beery Jr., Lee Patrick, Minerva Urecal, John Qualen, Frank Kreig, Peggy Rea, Eddie Little Sky, Royal Dano, Argentina Brunetti, John Doucette, Dal McKennon, Frank Cady, Chubby Johnson, Douglas Fowley, Kevin Tate, Betsy Hale, George Cisar, George J. Lewis
Puppetoon Productions Blu-ray is 4K scan of OCN while has some degree of DNR is still a significant upgrade over previous release
Puppetoon Productions Blu-ray is 4K scan of OCN while has some degree of DNR is still a significant upgrade over previous release
Director: George Pal
Director: George Pal
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Warner Bros 2011 Blu-ray
The older track sounds significantly more natural. The WAC BD uses a new mastering which sounds much worse. A lot of the dialogue sounds off, sort of echoey, garbled or even artifacted. Its overzealous click removal also erased some sounds. Its only positive is a new EQ that brings out the bass more making some of the score more effective.
It seems that the new mastering likely uses AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering, resulting in extended peaks despite losing real high end detail (most pronounced on sample 3).
Samples (WAC is mislabeled as UHD)
Commentary is mono on the Blu-rays and panned stereo on NTSC DVD (different channels for each speaker).
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Warner Bros 2011 Blu-ray
The older track sounds significantly more natural. The WAC BD uses a new mastering which sounds much worse. A lot of the dialogue sounds off, sort of echoey, garbled or even artifacted. Its overzealous click removal also erased some sounds. Its only positive is a new EQ that brings out the bass more making some of the score more effective.
It seems that the new mastering likely uses AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering, resulting in extended peaks despite losing real high end detail (most pronounced on sample 3).
Samples (WAC is mislabeled as UHD)
Commentary is mono on the Blu-rays and panned stereo on NTSC DVD (different channels for each speaker).
Director: Morton DaCosta
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray from 12K scan
Warner Bros NTSC DVD
For the most part, the mono track available on the BD and UHD is fine, but there's an 8 minutes long segment which sounds terrible with artificially expanded frequency range causing very audible artifacting. The 5.1 remix doesn't have that issue. Sample
Director: Morton DaCosta
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray from 12K scan
Warner Bros NTSC DVD
For the most part, the mono track available on the BD and UHD is fine, but there's an 8 minutes long segment which sounds terrible with artificially expanded frequency range causing very audible artifacting. The 5.1 remix doesn't have that issue. Sample
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: Terence Young
Director: Terence Young
Director: David Lean
iTunes Streaming
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray coming October 6
iTunes Streaming
Director: David Lean
iTunes Streaming
Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray coming October 6
iTunes Streaming
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Director: John Ford
Germany Filmjuwelen Blu-ray is AI upscaled https://ibb.co/album/mCJ7RQ
Director: John Ford
Germany Filmjuwelen Blu-ray is AI upscaled https://ibb.co/album/mCJ7RQ
Director: Edgar Selwyn
Director: Edgar Selwyn
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration
Director: James W. Horne
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from nitrate protection elements
Director: James W. Horne
Warner Archive Blu-ray 4K restoration from nitrate protection elements
More Fantasy on 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 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 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 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 space)
The old 2 disc DVD has extras missing from 4K 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: 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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