An independent UK distributor run by founder Chris Holden since 1994, Second Sight releases classic, cult and recent films on Blu-ray and 4K UHD for the UK market. Its limited editions come in rigid boxes with books and art cards, often built around new restorations and commissioned extras. The catalogue runs from Picnic at Hanging Rock and Mean Streets to Cronenberg horror and modern titles such as Drive.
Second Sight
Best 4K release by tier:
- Excellent22
- Solid7
- Disappointing1
How we pick the best Second Sight releases
30 in 4K
Best video release on UHD Blu-ray or 4K streaming
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Best Video, Audio & English-Friendly:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray has better encoding than Magnolia Pictures Comparisons
Director: George A. Romero
Best English-Friendly:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Best Video:
2020 Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Best Audio:
Theatrical: 2017 Midnight Factory Blu-ray or 2013 Japan Happinet Blu-ray
European: 5.1 remix on 2016 Midnight Factory and 2021 ESC 4K Blu-ray
Audio Notes:
Theatrical: 2017 Midnight Factory Blu-ray or 2013 Japan Happinet Blu-ray
European: 5.1 remix on 2016 Midnight Factory and 2021 ESC 4K Blu-ray much more detailed than all mono mixes
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Best Video & English-Friendly:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Best Audio:
Atmos on the Sony 4K Blu-ray maybe better?
Regarding the "original theatrical audio" 5.1 mixes:
The Sony UHD and the BD DTS-HD 5.1 mixes are the same but the UHD has been pushed slightly harder and has a lot of clipping. The UHD is 16 bit vs the BD's 24 bits.
The Second Sight UHD DTS-HD 5.1 is a downmix of its respective Atmos track. Definitely different from the Sony UHD/BD mix plus a little less dynamic. Whether or not that's representative of the theatrical Dolby Digital mix is anyone's guess.
So, if you want the best version of the original 5.1, the 2012 BD is the winner.
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Best Video & English-Friendly:
UK Second Sight Trilogy Boxset 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
US Magnolia Pictures 4K Blu-ray uses the same source but with worse encoding
Best Video & English-Friendly:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray/France Carlotta 4K Blu-ray (preference)
Video Notes:
(Carlotta 4K Blu-ray has some better shots than Second Sight 4K Blu-ray and is more accurate to the theatrical grade: https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=18250&d2=18597&s1=210919&s2=219265&i=4&l=0&a=1)
Best Audio:
LaserDisc/VHS likely will have less filtered and correct audio. MPI 4K Blu-ray’s mono appears to be correct content-wise.
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Best Video & English-Friendly:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray has better encoding than Magnolia Pictures
Second Sight vs Nordisk Denmark Import - caps
Director: Ti West
Best Video & English-Friendly:
UK Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
UK Second Sight 4K Blu-ray > A24/Plaion Germany 4K Blu-ray
Best Video & English-Friendly:
UK Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
UK Second Sight 4K Blu-ray is FiM encoded and superior to French Severin or German 4K Blu-ray: see comparison
Director: Robert Harmon
Best Video & English-Friendly:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray
Video Notes:
Second Sight 4K Blu-ray (review)
8 in HD
Best video release on Blu-ray or HD streaming · by Letterboxd rating
TV series
TV series
Best Video & English-Friendly:
Second Sight Blu-ray
Video Notes:
But Ritrovata yellow across all BDs
Director: Jean-Jacques Beineix
Best Video & English-Friendly:
Second Sight Blu-ray
Video Notes:
Second Sight Blu-ray > Criterion Blu-ray see https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=20064984&postcount=23
1 with a weaker 4K
Best 4K release rated Disappointing or Worse Than BD · by Letterboxd rating
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