Criterion

Criterion 4K Blu-ray (review)

> Carlotta, with debatable color gradings from master.

See nicolas review https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=842821#p842821

"Carlotta’s encodes were terrible with heavy blocking in the highlights and pervasive chroma noise. Criterion / NexSpec did much better and only occasionally struggles with skies. Grain is finely detailed and it doesn’t look filtered. Grading is debatable and particularly whether all three subsequent films (shot years apart by two cinematographers, one of them being the legendary Néstor Almendros) have roughly the same visual identity. Still, colors are adequately balanced with variations in the (yellowish) hues, there are no tints, black levels and shadow detail is excellent."

> 2021 Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray. Carlotta has bad compression and elevated gamma levels, while Criterion shows more shadow details. See caps1 and caps2

Criterion actually handed the flawed MK2 master over to Prasad Corporation for "additional restoration" instead of working on it in-house.

Criterion 4K Blu-ray is another SDR grade inside an HDR container, with average brightness on HDR BL of 83 nits and 100-nit static DV. See fkid post

Subtle difference in encoding to the Criterion in encoding, trading blows in different shots, with Plaion taking a slight edge with less highlight blocking

Criterion's 2.0 sounds muffled due to noise reduction and EQ.
Plaion's 2.0 lacks bass and has a very bright EQ, more resembling the 5.1 remix. Plaion’s 2.0 doesn't have any filtering unlike the Criterion, see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23831289&postcount=110

1.85:1: Kino Lorber 4K  / Capelight 4K

1.66:1: Criterion 4K but low pass filtered

Comparison between the 4Ks, Criterion on the AR choice

Other discs have unnecessary filtering and sound worse, the difference isn't substantial but audible

> Disney 4K Blu-ray: HDR10 same as the Disney disc, but Criterion's new Dolby Vision layer improves presentation in some aspects, and has very good extras

Original DTS-ES 6.1 mix: Both are equal. ES rear centre channel maintained on both releases, but is unflagged on the Criterion 4K Blu-ray.

Dolby Atmos remix: Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Disney 4K Blu-ray.

Criterion 4K Blu-ray (caps)

Criterion is a very nice uptick in detail and resolution. The color grade is very similar, but leans more neutral, reducing the greenish/blueish hues seen on the MoC disc.

The JP DVD track is unfiltered and sounds much more natural and detailed, but suffers from a strong CRT whine and an intermittent low-end hum. The track used on all later restorations is a bit muffled and has overemphasized bass.

Criterion applied additional EQ and roll-off to the restored track, but the audible difference is minimal.

Criterion has a different translation to MoC, but both are solid and trade blows, see comparison.

(preference)

> StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray. The HDR grading has messed up highlights, so some may prefer the 2020 remastered StudioCanal Blu-ray

Criterion's subtitles seem to be better than StudioCanal's which omits too much IMO.

France L'Atelier d'images 4K Blu-ray best, but forced France subs

R1 DVD for the original Dolby Stereo. Criterion 4K Blu-ray upmix is fine, Sony Blu-ray has phasing issues