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Criterion

Criterion

699 films on Best Blurays

Based in United StatesFounded 1984criterion.com ↗

Based in New York, Criterion has released classic and contemporary films since 1984, giving each title a spine number and adding commentaries, essays and supplements. Many discs use new restorations it supervises, and 4K UHD releases began in November 2021. North American Blu-rays are Region A locked, with a smaller Region B UK line since 2016; Janus Films is a sister company, and Steven Rales has owned both since 2024.

Aliases: cc, criterion

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Director: Bertrand Tavernier

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly & Audio:

Criterion Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Audio Notes:

Includes the original matrixed Dolby Stereo mix and an alternate 5.1 mix. The original mix is a lot more balanced overall, but the 5.1 greatly expands the soundstage and makes the live music much more immersive. Review

French 4K only inclues the original stereo.

Best Video:

Tamasa Diffusion FR 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

French 4K doesn't include English subtitles for the French lines spoken in the film.

Director: Neil Jordan

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Sources: avforums.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

UK Arrow 4K Blu-ray see AVForum review

The slight darkening of the colour palette with the new WCG/HDR grades suddenly seems to add another layer of detail and immersion into the picture. Now, those dark night times punctured solely by neon or those dreary overcast half-light early mornings or dusks feel more alive with authenticity. Skin tones are gorgeous, the subtlety in colour detail of Hoskins’ atrocious leather jacket/Hawaiian shirt combo is sublime and those all-important blacks go deep. But it’s the now huge variations in colours that stand out – the reds of the Peep Show as Genesis’ classic In Too Deep plays now have a much richer, darker saturation to them than the previous 1080p SDR grade, helping them stand out so much more than those more neutral, toned down colours of the Brighton seaside against the morning skies. It’s a gorgeous colour reproduction from top to bottom.

Detailing is also tightened up significantly – again, the 2K picture was good, but this improves on that with keener lines, sharper edges and a greater sense of delineation in those finest of fine details that add an extra little touch of depth to the picture. Add to this another beautiful grain presentation – with organic looks and movement throughout - and it’s an image where its edges match the brilliance of its colouring.

... and the encode – courtesy of Fidelity in Motion – is absolutely rock solid. Hope were not high for this over the very good 2K edition, but I am very pleased to say that those hopes were well and truly exceeded: Mona Lisa on 4K looks absolutely stellar

Best Audio:

US Criterion Blu-ray

Director: Jim Jarmusch

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray or Soda Pictures vs others?

Best Video:

No comparison but Criterion Blu-ray is 2k transfer

Director: Claude Berri

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Claude Berri

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Richard Pryor

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Director: Stanley Kubrick

4K · Solid
Best English-Friendly & Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

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.

Best Audio:

1999 WB R1 DVD

Director: Rob Reiner

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion US 4K Blu-ray

Sources: blah-ray.blogspot.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

> Turbine Germany 4K Blu-ray

Additional Info:

Turbine Germany 4K Blu-ray has a few exclusive extras

Director: Stanley Kwan Kam-Pang

Best English-Friendly & Video:

US Criterion Blu-ray

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

Video Notes:

US Criterion Blu-ray : See caps. Criterion and 88 Films share a regraded and brighter master; Carlotta didn't follow the regrade and its image is very dark.

Audio Notes:

Mono spectrograms

Director: John Sayles

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion or UK 88 Films Blu-ray

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

Video Notes:

Criterion or UK 88 Films Blu-ray are from director-approved 4K restoration with minimal differences see caps

Additional Info:

Both Criterion and 88 Films have the same audio

Director: James L. Brooks

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4k resto

Best Audio:

1999 Fox DVD

Audio Notes:

1999 Fox DVD slightly better

Director: Bernardo Bertolucci

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly:

Theatrical: Arrow 4K Blu-ray or Criterion 4K Blu-ray (preference)

TV: Arrow Blu-ray

Best Video:

Theatrical: Arrow 4K Blu-ray and Criterion 4K Blu-ray have different gradings (preference)

TV: Arrow Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Audio Notes:

(unsure about Criterion, which lacks the 5.1 on the Arrow)

Director: John Huston

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

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray see nic's review "fantastic restoration, beautifully graded with tasteful HDR and solid encoding"

Audio Notes:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray from nic: "4.0 audio is brilliantly detailed, rich and spacious without audible filtering or processing"

Director: Federico Fellini

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Essential Fellini Blu-ray

Director: Idrissa Ouedraogo

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Criterion World Cinema Project Vol 5 Blu-ray, 4K restoration

Director: Luis Valdez

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Eureka Blu-ray

Director: Kira Muratova

Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Criterion Blu-ray is "new 4K digital restorations"

Director: Abbas Kiarostami

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion Koker Trilogy

Director: Katsuhiro Otomo

Video format: 1080p Blu-ray

4K · Superior Imports
Best English-Friendly:

Japan 4K Blu-ray

Sources: vimeo.com (opens in a new tab) · YouTube (opens in a new tab) · Imgur (opens in a new tab)

English-Friendly Notes:

Japan 4K Blu-ray beats the other 4Ks and includes English subtitles

Best Video:

Dynit IT Blu-ray

Video Notes:

All 4K releases are upscales of the same master with a substantial amount of DNR.

Best Audio:

1988 Pioneer JP LaserDisc for the original 1988 home video audio
2001 Dynit IT Blu-ray for the 2001 remix
2009 Bandai Visual JP Blu-ray / 2011 MHE UK Blu-ray for the Hypersonic remix

1992 Criterion US LaserDisc for the 1988 Streamline English dub

2013 FUNimation US Blu-ray the 2001 Animaze English dub

Audio Notes:

Due to budgetary constraints, the original theatrical mix was mono. It was replaced with Dolby Surround for all subsequent releases and was never re-released.

LaserDisc is the best souning version of the original home video mix, as all later releases attentuate bass significantly and lower dynamic range. Comparison

The Japanese audio was remixed in 5.1 twice, first time in 2001 for the DVD release, and second time in 2009 for the BD release ("Hypersonic" remix). While the 2001 remix remains mostly faithful to the 1988 mix, the 2009 Hypersonic remix is highly revisionistic. However, its fidelity is outstanding, and despite many changes made, it's a worthwhile alternative experience for fans of the film. The 4K release includes the Hypersonic mix, but with a tonne of unnecessary noise reduction and unbalanced levels.

Comparison between mixes, list of changes between mixes

Director: John Waters

4K · Excellent
Best English-Friendly & Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Stereo: Criterion 4K Blu-ray

5.1: Warner Bros Blu-ray

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