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National Treasure (2004)
National Treasure (2004) poster
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National Treasure (2004)

Adventure, Action, Mystery • 2h 11m

Director: Jon Turteltaub

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IMDbThe Movie Database (TMDB)

4K Streaming on Disney+ or Disney Blu-ray

4K Streaming

Best English-friendly release · updated yesterday

Upcoming

Disney 4K Blu-ray Steelbook

Overview

Modern treasure hunters, led by archaeologist Ben Gates, search for a chest of riches rumored to have been stashed away by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin during the Revolutionary War. The chest's whereabouts may lie in secret clues embedded in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and Gates is in a race to find the gold before his enemies do.

Release details

Best Video Release
Best Audio Release

US Disney Blu-ray LPCM 5.1

Length
131 mins
Type
Movie
Alternative Titles
National Treasure 1, El tesoro perdido 1

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Director: Chris Columbus

Solid
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kaleidescape 4K Streaming

Disney 4K Blu-ray has encoding issues with bitrates dipping into 40mbps, and Kaleidescape has better encoding than Disney see caps 
Old Fox Blu-ray master is stretched and sharpened

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2014 "Hayao Miyazaki Collection" Studio Ghibli Japan Blu-ray or US Disney Blu-ray

Best Video:

2014 "Hayao Miyazaki Collection" Studio Ghibli Japan Blu-ray
Comparisons: https://slow.pics/c/6JWnlfit

Best Audio:

All sources are within margin of error. Comparisons: Japanese, English
Alternate Streamline English dub is available only on 1994 Fox LD.

Additional Info:

US GKIDS Blu-ray has more bonuses than the US Disney Blu-ray

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Excellent
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Japan Studio Ghibli RM4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japan Studio Ghibli 4K Blu-ray

UK StudioCanal Blu-ray for the English dub

Additional Info:

4K Blu-ray includes the original 5.1 mix in its unaltered form, all other releases after the LaserDisc had its dynamic range lowered.

US Disney Blu-ray has dubtitles.

For the English dub, the UK StudioCanal Blu-ray is the least limited mix.

Director: Jon Turteltaub

4K Streaming
Best English-Friendly:

4K Streaming on Disney+ or Disney Blu-ray

Best Video:

4K Streaming on Disney+ or Disney Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney Blu-ray TrueHD 5.1

Director: Simon West

4K Streaming
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: Disney+ has Streaming in 4K without DNR, Disney Blu-ray is a bad master with DNR

Extended: Disney DVD

Upcoming Release:

2026 Disney 4K Blu-ray Steelbook

Best Video:

Theatrical: Disney+ has Streaming in 4K without DNR, Disney Blu-ray is a bad master with DNR

Extended: Disney DVD

Directors: Bill Roberts & Paul Satterfield & Wilfred Jackson & Ben Sharpsteen & James Algar & T. Hee & Hamilton Luske & Samuel Armstrong & Jim Handley & Norman Ferguson & David Hand & Ford Beebe Jr.

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Censored: 2010 Disney Blu-ray
Uncensored: 35mm Scan

Best Video:

Censored: 2010 Disney Blu-ray see caps
Uncensored: 35mm Scan

Best Audio:
  • 1991 CAV LaserDisc includes an approximation of the original Fantasound mix in Dolby Surround using the surviving magnetic mixdown, using Stokowski's original mixing notes as a reference. Original aggressive pans and dynamic range are left in tact.

  • The 2000 DVD uses this same mix in discrete 5.0, but with some unnecessary dynamic range compression + a redub of all Deems Taylor audio with Corey Burton.

  • The 7.1 mix on the 2010 Blu-ray sounds poor, having been hit with excessive noise reduction, dynamic range compression, original aggressive pans no longer in tact, and the channel usage no longer resembles Stokowski's original intended sound design. 

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2014 Japan "Hayao Miyazaki Collection" Studio Ghibli Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

4K restoration shown in IMAX cinemas

Best Video:

2014 Japan "Hayao Miyazaki Collection" Studio Ghibli Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Japanese audio: 2014 Japan "Hayao Miyazaki Collection" Studio Ghibli Blu-ray/US GKIDS Blu-ray

English dub (Disney): 1998 US Disney VHS has better sounding vocals despite altered music and sound effects, the US Disney LaserDisc has limited audio

Releases from 2010 onward have the original music and sound effects, but distorted vocals

English dub (Streamline): 1996 Japan LaserDisc, available in Ghibli Aa Ippai Collection boxset

Additional Info:

2012 US Disney Blu-ray has dubtitles. US GKIDS Blu-ray has bonuses that are absent on the US Disney Blu-ray

Director: Joel Schumacher

HD Streaming
Best English-Friendly:

Disney+ is Streaming in HD with OAR

Or Disney/Touchstone DVD

Best Video:

Disney+ is Streaming in HD with OAR

Or Disney/Touchstone DVD

Best Audio:

Disney/Touchstone DVD DTS 5.1

Director: Peter Weir

Solid
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney 4K Blu-ray has neutered audio compared to OG home video release

Cinema DTS or DVD DTS 5.1 is better and has more bass.

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray lack the bonus features found in the old Collector's Edition DVD release. The France Blu-ray has all extras plus an isolated score.

Director: Michael Mann

Disappointing
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical Cut: Old Warner Bros DVD or fan restoration

Revised Cut: 2012 Japan Blu-ray for less revisionist colors, 2022 Disney 4K Blu-ray is controversially regraded and too dark overall.

Best Video:

Theatrical Cut: Old Warner Bros DVD or fan restoration

Revised Cut: 2012 Japan Blu-ray for less revisionist colors, 2022 Disney 4K Blu-ray is controversially regraded and too dark overall.

Best Audio:

LaserDisc 2.0 (restores censored dialog). Comparison of 5.1 mixes
For the 5.1: LaserDisc AC3 vs US DVD AC3 vs Japan DVD DTS

More Adventure on Blu-ray

Director: Fred M. Wilcox

Solid
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray see comparison video 

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray  used what was also originally screened theatrically: The Perspecta Stereo 3.0 and a mono option. The Perspecta track sounds best with better dynamic range and was set as default with the mono as optional. The previous releases stereo were downmixes of a now lost original 4-track, and it sounds very thin as a result. See comparison

Director: Peter Faiman

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD

International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray

Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray, censored but good encoding

Upcoming Release:

US Paramount 4K Blu-ray, is the International US Cut and not the Encore Cut

Best Video:

Australia Cut: Australia Fox DVD

International Cut: Paramount Blu-ray

Encore Cut: Germany Winkler Film 4K Blu-ray, censored but good encoding

Best Audio:

Australia Cut: Laserdisc

Additional Info:

The film exists in three versions:
- the original Australian cut (~104 minutes at 24fps/~100 minutes at 25fps);
- the American/international version (~98 minutes at 24fps/~94 minutes at 25fps) trimming some exposition in the Outback first half of the film and some shorter extensions of a few seconds in the New York section, altering some of the dialogue – including censoring a "fuck" to "screw" – but featuring one additional dialogue extension not in the Australian version (a comparison of the two cuts can be found at Movie Censorship);
- the Australian Encore Cut (~95 minutes at 24fps/~91 minutes at 25fps) which uses the international version source so it already has those alterations but also removes approximately three minutes consisting of parts of two scenes featuring Mick grabbing the crotch of a cross-dressing prostitute and a later sequence when he does the same thing at a party to a woman with a deep voice (a comparison of the international version and the Encore Cut can be found at Movie Censorship).

Director: M. Night Shyamalan

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2D version: Paramount Blu-ray

3D version: Paramount 3D Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray on October 26 2026

Best Video:

2D version: Paramount Blu-ray

3D version: Paramount 3D Blu-ray

Director: Robert Rodriguez

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2D: Spain Emon Blu-ray
3D: US LionsgateGermany StudioCanal, or Netherlands Entertainment One 3D Blu-ray?

Best Video:

2D: Spain Emon Blu-ray
3D: US LionsgateGermany StudioCanal, or Netherlands Entertainment One 3D Blu-ray?

Best Audio:

US Lionsgate Blu-ray

Director: Robert Rodriguez

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Lionsgate Blu-ray

Best Video:

Lionsgate Blu-ray

Director: Marcell Jankovics

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Arbelos Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Arbelos Blu-ray, encoded by FiM

Director: David Yates

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Director: David Yates

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Directors: Aaron Horvath & Michael Jelenic

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Universal 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

2D version: Universal 4K Blu-ray

3D version: Turbine Germany 3D Blu-ray

Best Audio:

-

Director: John Lasseter

Disappointing
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Original theatrical render: 35mm scans or 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset

Digital render: 2010 3D Blu-ray

Best Video:

Original theatrical render: 35mm scans or 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset

Digital render: 2010 3D Blu-ray (every version since the 2000 DVD release, including the 2010 2D Blu-ray, has animation errors. The majority of those were corrected for the 3D rerelease.) The 4K Blu-ray is merely upscaled from the 2K render.

Best Audio:

Stereo Mix: 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset

5.1 AC3 Mix: 1996 Disney Deluxe Edition CAV LaserDisc boxset

5.1 DTS Mix: 1997 Disney DTS LaserDisc level corrected

Additional Info:

The 1997 DTS LaserDisc is a virtually untouched transfer of the theatrical 5.1 mix and should theoretically sound the best being that DTS has higher bitrates than AC3. However, the original pressing of the DTS LaserDisc has an error where the right channel is 8.5db lower than the rest. This is an easy fix in a program like Audacity, and if you can find a corrected transfer, like the ones on various fan projects online, it should be the best sounding version of the film.

The AC3 audio on Side 2 of the CLV LaserDisc has the LFE channel muted. This was left intact for the CAV release.

The 2000 and 2005 UK DVD has an error where one of the shots is brightened up way too high (when the rest of the toys hold onto Slinky as he clings onto Woody during the moving truck rescue). Plus the end credits are interlaced (the PSP UMD video is the only way to get that version of the credits without interlacing).

The 4K Blu-ray has a further remixed Atmos track.

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· last reviewed yesterday

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