Paramount

The Paramount 4K "restoration" is a desecration. It has completely revisionist color timing, harsh HDR, treatment of stock footage, bad encoding, selective DNR and grain management so bad that the entire screen frequently freezes up with only characters moving around in grain soup. It is so bad that the film's restorer Robert Harris publicly washed his hands of it saying essentially the 2007 restoration (with Willis and Coppola supervising) is how the film was intended and made. This is Paramount's modern version done their way. The new 1080p SDR Blu-rays in print are the crap 4K desecration master with the same problems still there just harder to spot and with crap encodes. Part II overall fares better than the first film but it has all the same problems. Randomly some shots are the worst in the trilogy looks mushy and manipulated to death.
The mono option is an unnecessarily processed version of the lossy mono from the 2008 Blu-ray. The 2008 Blu-ray of the 2007 Coppola Restoration while an imperfect outdated disc is LIGHT YEARS better than this 4K desecration. The only truly major issue is that it is very slightly redder than the 2007 finished master as seen on DCPs. The lossy mono on the 2008 Blu-ray is the best version of the original mix known to exist as it is better than the late 80's mastering for VHS and LaserDisc.
DFIC review of the hideous crap 4K Blu-rays: https://youtu.be/0uw6-Kcy_UA?si=ob1nDg0wTCvemjH0

1998 Paramount LaserDisc or 2004 R2 Paramount DVD

1992 LaserDisc Dolby Surround, DVD 5.1 (70mm mix), 1991 Japan LaserDisc PCM (Dolby Stereo home version)

The Paramount 4K master is HEAVILY revisionist in that all of the effects and opticals were redone and tweaked with errors and issues. There has been grain management (moments of stagnating grain and haloing) and the encoding isn't great hence the typical Paramount noise in the image. (especially skies) The HDR is a bit bright in the highlights. The color timing and Atmos remix are thankfully taming the excessively overdone terrible Blu-ray in those areas but neither is fully accurate. The Atmos remix sounds lifeless and essentially tames the crazy LFE of the Blu-ray remix that never stopped while also spreading the sound around overhead. The music is absolutely lifeless here. If it weren't for the visual changes it might be possible to regrade the picture master and just live with the encoding noise. As it is, purists will want the LaserDisc, DVD or Japan WOWOW broadcast of the Laser Pacific master which is the same master used for the awful Blu-ray just without the hideous color grading applied.
The DVD was handled by Lowry Digital and is overscrubbed like crazy plus had all sorts of DVD era edge enhancement and other issues. It instigated the digital changes of the boulder rod and snake reflection removals. The ONLY widescreen versions of the film without ANY changes are the 1992 LaserDisc and the 1999 final release VHS.

Audio wise, Raiders is EXTREMELY complex. Like the Star Wars trilogy it had three specific release mixes with variations and differences plus a fourth mix that was not used. The mono mix had unique bits and has never been officially released though you can hear bits of it on the 2003 bonus DVD and in the Raiders in Concert live symphony performances. The Dolby Stereo is roughly what was used on all pre-widescreen editions on VHS, Beta and LaserDisc in the 80's. The best iteration of that is the 1991 Japan LaserDisc reissue with PCM digital sound. This iteration is more of a home version as it doesn't really have much surround. Yet it retains dynamic range unlike the 1985 home video remix of Star Wars' Dolby Stereo track. The 70mm Dolby six track magnetic audio was supposedly used in making the excellent sounding 5.1 made for the DVD release. Before the release the film was mixed in the very short lived VistaSonic process which was Paramount backed. This was dropped very last minute as the system had tons of playback issues and the film was apparently hastily remixed in Dolby formats. When the first letterboxed transfer showed up on the 1992 Paramount LaserDisc release all of a sudden the Dolby Surround encoded matrix track it contained is without question the best sounding mix of Raiders you can find anywhere. It is more aggressive than the Dolby Stereo, more punchy than the DVD 5.1 and even contains a unique different sound effect which indicates it is clearly a different mix. It is unknown if this is the abandoned VistaSonic mix or a new quiet Dolby Surround home mix akin to the 1993 Star Wars Definitive Collection remix. To this day, the LaserDisc Dolby surround is the best sounding version of Raiders you are likely ever to hear. Even though it isn't discrete.
The Blu-ray remix though supervised by Ben Burtt went overboard on making everything aggressive and modernized. The LFE is virtually nonstop even in dialogue scenes. It is a textbook case of revisionist audio desecration. The 4K Blu-ray Atmos merely tames the LFE and reduces impact even more by moving around more elements and adding more processing. Both of these remixes are a crime.

DFIC extensive review: https://youtu.be/evsrJOTIjdA

Paramount 4K Blu-ray heavily revisionist. Purist option: 35mm scan, Blu-ray, DVD or LaserDisc

LaserDisc 2.0 matrix stereo, DVD 5.1, Blu-ray 5.1

The Paramount 4K master is HEAVILY revisionist in that all of the effects and opticals were redone and tweaked with errors and issues. There has been grain management (moments of stagnating grain and haloing) and the encoding isn't great hence the typical Paramount noise in the image. (especially skies) The HDR is a bit bright in the highlights. The Blu-ray is showing its age but does not have any of these digital alterations. It is from the scan done by Laser Pacific and is the highest quality unaltered master we have. The DVD was done by Lowry Digital and had much scrubbing and processing of grain in addition to edge enhancement. The letterbox LaserDisc was the first widescreen release and is very good for its time. There was also a rare SVHS release using the letterbox LaserDisc master.
The 4K Blu-ray audio is seemingly an Atmos remix of the 5.1 found on the Blu-ray which itself is very similar to the DVD 5.1. All are presumably based on the 70mm Dolby six track mix. The Atmos is more processed and moves the sound around more so it is inferior to the older 5.1 iterations. On release, Last Crusade had Dolby 70mm with stereo surrounds, Dolby Stereo SR for 35mm and was mixed in a THX sound theater to ensure the ultimate in technical quality in 1989. The DVD was supposedly made from the 70mm mix and the Blu-ray 5.1 seems to bring that into lossless. This is unconfirmed but each seems to be a healthy and accurate version of the original audio. However, the LaserDisc despite only having matrix PCM stereo is punchier and livelier as a listening experience. Despite not being discrete it arguably sounds better than the 5.1 versions. Some who remember seeing each of the original release versions claim to remember the 35mm Dolby DR as sounding better than the 70mm Dolby.  This is a case where both sound great and it's up to fans to decide which they prefer. Both are essential for any Indy collection and the LaserDisc is very cheap. The VHS hifi seems to be the same 2.0 matrix with format differences so it can also be compared against the DVD and Blu-ray 5.1 versions.

DFIC extensive review: https://youtu.be/evsrJOTIjdA?si=wtdWGxZBfhPYTIeW

Paramount 4K Blu-ray but it has terrible encoding

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Paramount 4K Blu-ray is disappointing review

Paramount 4K Blu-ray has DNR applied but it is still much better than the bad Blu-ray

Paramount 4K Blu-ray heavily revisionist. Purist option: 35mm scan, Blu-ray, DVD or LaserDisc.

Letterbox LaserDisc 2.0 matrix stereo, DVD 5.1, Blu-ray 5.1

The Paramount 4K master is HEAVILY revisionist in that all of the effects and opticals were redone and tweaked with errors and issues. There has been grain management (moments of stagnating grain and haloing) and the encoding isn't great hence the typical Paramount noise in the image. (especially skies) The HDR is a bit bright in the highlights. The Blu-ray is showing its age but does not have any of these digital alterations. It is from the scan done by Laser Pacific and is the highest quality unaltered master we have. The DVD was done by Lowry Digital and had much scrubbing and processing of grain in addition to edge enhancement. The letterbox LaserDisc was the first widescreen release and is very good for its time.
The 4K Blu-ray audio is seemingly an Atmos remix of the 5.1 found on the Blu-ray which itself is very similar to the DVD 5.1. All are presumably based on the 70mm Dolby six track mix. The Atmos is more processed and moves the sound around more so it is inferior to the older 5.1 iterations. On release Temple of Doom had 70mm, 35mm Dolby Stereo and mono mixes. The mono was for 16mm and other outlets and is presumably close to if not a mixdown of the stereo. It is seemingly the last Lucasfilm title that had a mono mix made. The Dolby Stereo is one of the most aggressive matrix mixes ever made and is still a blast to this day on the letterbox LaserDisc release. It is more aggressive than any of the 5.1 discrete versions which is either due to studios taming the audio later or the 35mm mix being handled a bit differently to the 70mm mix. In terms of releases today, the LaserDisc still sounds better than DVD, Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray because of this factor.

DFIC extensive review: https://youtu.be/evsrJOTIjdA?si=wtdWGxZBfhPYTIeW

2024 Paramount "Presents" 4K

Although there are reviews that called it disappointing. It is also regarded as a vast improvement over all previous versions by many others as well.

This is a problematic release, because while scenes like the aerial shots at the beginning looked pristine and shows new detail, many others are suspiciously identical across all three Blu-ray releases (the 2012, 2020 and this 2024).

Some defects on this are unfixed from the 2020 Blu-ray for some reason. (See this review and its discussion.)

1996 Paramount Hi-Fi VHS

Old Paramount Blu-ray better than new 4K Blu-ray: smeary grain/detail, poor contrast

4K Blu-ray and New Blu-ray

4K Blu-ray and New Blu-ray has lossless TrueHD, Old Blu-ray just has lossy Dolby Digital

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Paramount 4K Blu-ray is disappointing review

Germany Plaion 4K Blu-ray possibly better?

Paramount 4K Blu-ray despite issues

Laserdisc Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 matrix Dolby Surround, VHS hifi 2.0 Dolby Surround, Cinema DTS

The film was remixed for the first DVD to remove a great deal of the bass and tame the LFE channel. Every version since uses this revised mix. Only the Laserdisc and release prints have the original theatrical 5.1 discrete mix. The 2.0 matrix version also has the low end intact on LD and VHS. Just demo the main title or the aquarium restaurant glass explosion and you’ll note the difference immediately.

The first DVD while porting the LD and vhs master is where the audio remix happened. The remix still sounds good but it was an unnecessary compromise to place on one of the great mixes of all time. The UHD also uses the remix.

The Paramount UHD is ok though it has some frozen grain and some HDR issues as expected of a screwy Paramount master.