Spartacus (1960)
History, War, Drama, Adventure • 3h 17m
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, Tony Curtis, Nina Foch, John Ireland, Herbert Lom, John Dall, Woody Strode, Harold J. Stone, Charles McGraw, Joanna Barnes, Peter Brocco, Paul Lambert, Robert J. Wilke, Nick Dennis, John Hoyt, Frederick Worlock, Paul Baxley, Louie Elias, Brad Harris, Hubie Kerns, Gordon Mitchell, Regis Parton, Victor Paul, Jack Perkins, Wally Rose, Aaron Saxon, Tom Steele, Jerry Summers, Shari Lee Bernath, Bill Blackburn, David Bond, Polly Burson, Carol Daniels, Lila Finn, Harold Goodwin, Sol Gorss, Betty Harford, Harry Harvey Jr., Wayne Heffley, Lars Hensen, Charles Horvath, Shep Houghton, Pete Kellett, Joan McKellen, Eddie Parker, Gil Perkins, Chuck Roberson, Frosty Royce, Autumn Russell, Kay Stewart, Helen Thurston, Louise Vincent, Joe Canutt, Bill Catching, Chuck Courtney, Chuck Hayward, Robert F. Hoy, Valley Keene, Cliff Lyons, Bill Raisch, Buddy Van Horn, Jack Williams, Paul E. Burns, Wayne Burson, Dick Crockett, John Daheim, Carey Loftin, Harvey Parry, Ronnie Rondell Jr., Don Turner, Peter Virgo, Fred Zendar, Ted de Corsia, Terence de Marney, Johnny Duncan, Roy Engel, Paul Keast, Kenner G. Kemp, Paul Kruger, Otto Malde, Scott Seaton, Richard Farnsworth, Logan Field, John Stephenson, Robert Fuller, Jeanne Gerson, Seamon Glass, Preston Peterson, George Robotham, James Griffith, Jack Grinnage, Anthony Jochim, Joe Haworth, Vinton Hayworth, Loren Janes, Jil Jarmyn, Aron Kincaid, Dayton Lummis, Bob Morgan, Tracy Olsen, Leonard Penn, Vic Perrin, Larry Thor, Dale Van Sickel, Carleton Young, Duke Fishman, Robert Stevenson, John Barton, Jerry Brown, John Benson, Arthur Batanides, Rudy Germane
Best English-friendly, video & audio release · updated 3 days ago
DTS:X mix most closely approximates original surround mix
Upcoming
Criterion Box Set coming on October 20th with FiM encode
UHD tiers
Overview
The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.
Criterion Box Set coming October 20th with FiM encode, work done to un-Nolan the 4K master, the first ever appearance of the 35mm mono track on physical media and a new restoration/remastering of the 70mm 6-track mix.
(early pressing has errors of a shot, later pressings fixed)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Criterion Box Set coming October 20th with FiM encode, new restoration of mono mix which should be better than what was on the WB 4K Blu-ray and 1999 DVD and revised colour timing to make the film look more like it did in 1971.
WB 4K 5.1: a remix but has higher fidelity
Mono: 4K Blu-ray/1999 DVD
Director: Stanley Kubrick
US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray
International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray
Criterion Box Set coming October 20th with FiM encode, both the US and the International Cut, new restoration/remastering of the mono mix which should be better than the 1999 WB DVD, revised colour timing to make the film look more like it did in 1980 and for the first time ever on physical media, the film will be in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
No Blu-ray or DVD release has presented the movie in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 for the US cut or 1.66:1 for the International cut.
The packaging on the back of the 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
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Flicker Alley 4K confirmed for 2027 https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24404584&postcount=1
MoC audio is better https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=225532&page=3
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Criterion Box Set coming October 20th with FiM encode, new restoration/remastering of the mono mix which should be better than the 1999 WB DVD, revised colour timing to make the film look more like it did in 1987 and for the first time ever on physical media, the film will be in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1.
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Criterion Box Set coming October 20th with FiM encode
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Criterion Box Set
Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray worse than Blu-ray with poor encoding (review)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · archive.org (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab) · +1 more
UK Warner Bros Steelbook 4K Blu-ray is slightly worse in encoding compared to FiM but otherwise excellent see caps
Uncensored: Cinema DTS
Censored: Criterion
Comparison
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
> International WB 4K Blu-ray see caps. While WB has better highlights, Criterion resolves grains better and is believed to have a more accurate color grading.
For Criterion 4K Blu-ray: The better resolution and the subtly adjusted grading paired with HDR makes for a more rounded, fine-tuned experience. The encoding is a leap forward from the Blu-ray as darker shots are no longer a macroblocking mess on the 4K.
Source:
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
UK MoC 4K Blu-ray better encoding
Original mix: 1999 R1 MGM DVD
Restored remix: UK MoC 4K Blu-ray
From cbc: "I'm personally quite fond of the restored track on Eureka's 4K Blu-ray. It does have spots with objectively worse fidelity, but for the most part, it sounds a lot more natural and less shrill, particularly dialogue. It seems to be a new mixdown of stems. Technically a remix, so not everyone's cup of tea, but it's not revisionist like most new movie mixes tend to be"
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
4k resto included in Kino Lorber Fear and Desire, better than Blu-ray https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039
Director: Stanley Kubrick
2024 Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
4k resto included in Kino Lorber Fear and Desire, worse on 4k than Blu-ray https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039
See caps: The Seafarers 2012 Blu-ray vs 2024 Blu-ray vs 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/AQhszlGn
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Eureka UK are considering doing a 4K and actively exploring the possibility: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24363810&postcount=264
Wonderful underlying remaster by Criterion and Resillion, but NexSpec encode has clipped highlights with the occasional blockiness. The Criterion Blu-Ray, sourced from their 4K remaster, ironically makes for a more consistent and overall pleasing experience.
Director: Luis Buñuel
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
For Blu-ray Criterion Demy Set > StudioCanal
Director: Kenji Mizoguchi
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
See chris's review
1991 Daiei LaserDisc
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
(same as all tracks since the DVD)
Criterion 4K Blu-ray see caps
Phenomenal disc, and perhaps the single greatest testament to NexSpec's positive 180 this year. Highlights are beautifully handled and grain structure is fully intact in areas where NexSpec's (and Pixelogic's) encodes would frequently fall apart in 2025 and before then. Criterion BD encode also looks to be robust from linked caps, save for this one frame: https://slow.pics/c/cMjMefmi
Kino BD has original stereo mix.
Director: Terry Jones
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
The Criterion BD, which is sold separately, has a clunky encode unlike the Criterion UHD, even if it plays better in motion than the caps would suggest. Still, provided you're equipped to play 4K discs, UHD or bust for this one. https://slow.pics/c/hmDYlKgE
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tyyux,vanshady,axeyou,cbc,mikeainslie,Negativescans· last reviewed 3 days ago
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