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Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959) poster
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4.2

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Crime, Drama, Mystery • 2h 40m

Overview

Semi-retired Michigan lawyer Paul Biegler takes the case of Army Lt. Manion, who murdered a local innkeeper after his wife claimed that he raped her. Over the course of an extensive trial, Biegler parries with District Attorney Lodwick and out-of-town prosecutor Claude Dancer to set his client free, but his case rests on the victim's mysterious business partner, who's hiding a dark secret.

Director: Otto Preminger

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Sony 4K Blu-ray Columbia Classics Vol 2

Best Audio Release

1986 RCA/Columbia LaserDisc

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Featured Lists

National Film Registry

Year of Induction: 2012

TSPDT

2026: #939
2025: #919
2024: #922
2023: #904
2022: #904

Criterion Forum

Review

Picture: 8, Audio: 7, Extras: 7

Length

160 mins

Type

Movie

Last Updated

7 months ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release

Sony 4K Blu-ray Columbia Classics Vol 2

Best Audio Release

1986 RCA/Columbia LaserDisc

Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Featured Lists
National Film Registry

Year of Induction: 2012

TSPDT
2026: #939
2025: #919
2024: #922
2023: #904
2022: #904
Criterion Forum
Review

Picture: 8, Audio: 7, Extras: 7

Length
160 mins
Type
Movie
Last Updated
7 months ago
Contributors

Featured in National Film Registry

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Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

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Upcoming Release:

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2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Best Audio:

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Comparison between the US and International mixes: https://vimeo.com/246332731

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

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Upcoming Release:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

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Best Audio:

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Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Capelight/Kino Lorber which has heavy noise reduction and opening snare hit is missing, Capelight is slightly better encoded than Kino Lorber

Best Audio:

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Upcoming Release:

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Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

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Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray scheduled for October 2026 release

Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

Criterion Blu-ray has exclusive extras

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

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Best Audio:

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Original 5.1 mix: old OOP Fox Blu-ray

5.1 on the 4K is a downmix of the Atmos remix.

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Anatomy of a Murder (1959) backdrop