Warner Bros

> Criterion Blu-ray > StudioCanal Blu-ray. Maybe 1998 LaserDisc better? See Blah-Ray

> StudioCanal https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=6600&d2=6586&c=2691

Criterion is new master

The WB Blu-ray audio is similar to the LaserDisc. The Criterion Blu-ray is noticeably more muffled.

For the most part, the mono track available on the BD and UHD is fine, but there's an 8 minutes long segment which sounds terrible with artificially expanded frequency range causing very audible artifacting. The 5.1 remix doesn't have that issue. Sample

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray is more filtered than Warner Bros Blu-ray, although differences may not be audible.
(While the LaserDisc 2.0 is reportedly better clarity in dialogue?)

DV Plot. For those curious, the sculpture is still the altered one found on the re-issued DVDs, and previous Blu-ray.

5.1 audio on the Shout (either be 1080p or 2160p) was 16-bit, with more roll-off than the Warners one, the Warners was very similar to the NTSC and in terms of balance of the mix, while the Shout seems to be tinkered with, with the score at the beginning and at the end sounding worse on Shout.

Audio Comparisons: Slow.pics

For the regular commentary found on the NTSC DVD "Original Version" (there's no difference including the other NTSC DVD), Shout or Warners; the Shout commentary was just a bloated lossy transcode with some EQ. The best one was from either of the two DVDs.

Commentary Comparisons: Slow.pics

Now there's another commentary; it's basically the same commentary but has some parts different than the others, it can be found on EUR PAL DVD with subs for said commentary. The subs for it doesn't sync for the commentary #1 and vice-versa. Samples

https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2021/12/the-leopard-man-1943.html

Director's cut: 2007 WB Blu-ray; Arrow is a lossy transcode with dynamics compression.
2007 BD's AC-3 track with dynamic range compression enabled is nearly identical to Arrow's, see comparison

Theatrical cut is fine.

Both cuts are excellent in 4K. See caps

Warner Bros 2002 DVD has the best sounding mono

Hammer & Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray are confirmed by Randy Miller to be identical down to the encode, the only difference being different studio logos.

(no audible difference)

WB Blu-ray has 24 bit DTS-HD MA

> US WB Blu-ray

The EU disc from Universal has neutered bass.

4K Blu-ray Atmos track is much more compressed in all channels.

DE Turbine is similar in quality, US Warner Bros is worse (caps: EU vs US, EU vs DE)

The 4K discs have different color timing to the older master, see caps.

The 2012 DE Turbine disc is the master as the 2008 US Warner Bros, only with some sharpening and a layer of added grain.

Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Shout! Factory see caps

The DV FEL layer noticeably restores high-frequency detail that’s missing from the base layer. See caps. issue: the 4K disc is missing chyron in some beginning shots. TBC officially.

WB Home Video US LaserDisc [23000] for the OG stereo

(caveat: missing extras present on the Germany NSM Blu-ray mediabook)

Warner Bros Blu-ray audio is 24 bit compared to Sony's 16 bit

> Warner Bros Blu-ray

The older track sounds significantly more natural. The WAC BD uses a new mastering which sounds much worse. A lot of the dialogue sounds off, sort of echoey, garbled or even artifacted. Its overzealous click removal also erased some sounds. Its only positive is a new EQ that brings out the bass more making some of the score more effective.

It seems that the new mastering likely uses AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering, resulting in extended peaks despite losing real high end detail (most pronounced on sample 3).

Samples (WAC is mislabeled as UHD)

Commentary is mono on the Blu-rays and panned stereo on NTSC DVD (different channels for each speaker).

The old DVD's track has significantly better detail compared to BD, especially on the score. The BD has some extra detail on dialogue, but also exhibits strange artifacting (e.g. sample 3, 0:20) which suggests possible AI "enhancement" or some other form of aggressive filtering. In contrast, DVD appears to be completely unfiltered and sounds good throughout. Samples

As the BD is significantly rolled off, a lot of the detail (real or fabricated) is buried in the mix and not audible during normal playback.

4K restoration from Original Camera Negative

Crystal clear, albeit with some distortion in louder areas

The 4K Blu-ray reuses the same poor mastering used on the 2006 WB Blu-ray, only with a completely unnecessary bass cut and extra noise reduction.

Even putting resolution aside, the Warner Archive 4K Blu-ray has the best video. The old Blu-ray master and earlier DVD both had massive issues with colour.

That said, picture on the 4K Blu-ray isn't perfect, with strange posterized magenta glints and some instances of DNR: https://bsky.app/profile/dagscott.bsky.social/post/3leahavqi7k2l

Sony Blu-ray only has 5.1, not Atmos

> WB US 4K Blu-ray

UK/Germany Warner Bros Blu-ray has the Atmos mix

> US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (Taiwan 4K Blu-ray is not low passed as the US 4K Blu-ray and has better grain and fine detail retention)

Original mono mix was never released after VHS/LD. Warner's DVD and Blu-ray had a 3.0 remix in a 5.1 container. Criterion has new stereo and 5.1 remixes. Stereo is director's current preference.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=23879243&postcount=51