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Portrait of Jason (1967)
Portrait of Jason (1967) poster

Portrait of Jason (1967)

Documentary • 1h 45m

Director: Shirley Clarke

Cast: Jason Holliday, Shirley Clarke, Carl Lee

Best English-friendly & video release

 · updated 1 year ago
Video notes:

Milestone US has Blu-ray, new 2k scan

Overview

Interview with Jason Holliday aka Aaron Payne. House-boy, would-be cabaret performer, and self-proclaimed hustler giving one man's gin-soaked, pill-popped view of what it was like to be black and gay in 1960s United States. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with Milestone Films in 2013.

Release details

Featured Lists
National Film Registry

Year of Induction: 2015

TSPDT
2026: #654
2025: #632
2024: #626
2023: #633
2022: #633
Length
105 mins
Type
Movie

Featured in National Film Registry

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Director: Arthur Penn

Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB Blu-ray

Video Notes:

4K transfer

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly, Video & Audio:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the Universal release without the filtering.

Audio Notes:

DTS:X mix on Universal 4K Blu-ray most closely approximates original surround mix

Additional Info:

Criterion DVD and Universal 4K Blu-ray has additional features not found on the Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the WB release without the filtering, 1.85 ratio restored for US Cut; both US and International Cuts are 4K.

Best Audio:

US Cut: 1999 WB DVD/Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

No Blu-ray or DVD release until the Criterion 4K Blu-ray has presented the US in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The International Cut has never been presented in it's OAR of 1.66:1 in any home video releases.

The packaging on the back of the WB 4K Blu-ray incorrectly states it as 1.85:1 when the movie is actually 1.78:1 as is the original Blu-ray. 

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray 

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the Sony release without the filtering; Comparison between Sony and Criterion.

Best Audio:

Mono: 1994 LaserDisc (marginally, unfiltered) or Criterion 4K Blu-ray (filtered)
5.1 Remix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the WB release without the filtering Comparison between the Criterion and WB.

Best Audio:

5.1: WB 4K Blu-ray, a remix but has higher fidelity

Mono: Criterion 4K Blu-ray (restored for the box set)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Included in the Complete Kubrick box set with FiM encode of the same master from the WB release without the filtering; WB 4K early pressing has errors of a shot, later pressings fixed. Comparison between Criterion and WB.

Best Audio:

6-Track 70mm mix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray (restored for the box set), 1997 MGM LaserDisc, 1998 MGM DVD
35mm Mono Mix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Matrixed Stereo Remix: MGM Japan LaserDisc (1985) [G158F5509]
5.1 Remix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Steve James

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray and UK Dogwoof Blu-ray probably similar

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Director: Victor Fleming

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

2D: Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

3D: Warner Bros 3D Blu-ray or Apple Vision Pro

Best Audio:

1989 MGM LaserDisc

Audio Notes:

(caveat: "there's" in first "there's no place like home" utterance in final Kansas scene truncated)

Director: Vincente Minnelli

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Archive Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 MGM LaserDisc

Director: Morton DaCosta

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Warner Bros Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray Nov 24th

More from Shirley Clarke

See more →

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

Director: Shirley Clarke

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone The Magic Box Blu-ray

More from Milestone

See more →

Directors: Jeffrey Friedman & Rob Epstein

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Blu-ray

Directors: Rob Epstein & Nancy Adair & Peter Adair & Lucy Massie Phenix & Veronica Selver & Andrew Brown

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone DVD

Director: Ayoka Chenzira

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Alma's Rainbow Blu-ray

Director: Winsor McCay

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Winsor McCay: The Master Edition DVD

Video Notes:

Also available on Library of Congress Streaming

Director: Billy Woodberry

Best English-Friendly:

Milestone Blu-ray

Best Video:

Milestone Blu-ray 2K restoration

Directors: Winsor McCay & J. Stuart Blackton

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Winsor McCay: The Master Edition DVD

Directors: Lois Weber & Phillips Smalley

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Blu-ray

Director: Winsor McCay

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Winsor McCay: The Master Edition DVD

Director: Norbert A. Myles

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Blu-ray

Director: Lionel Rogosin

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Milestone Blu-ray

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· last reviewed 1 year ago

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