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Capelight

Capelight

43 Films

Capelight

43 Included Films

Capelight Pictures, an independent label in Germany

Aliases: capelight

Type: Label/Studio/Platform

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight Blu-ray

Best Video:

While there are no screen cap comparisons, Germany Capelight Blu-ray has more versions than Universal:

From BR forum:
The original film is 155 min but in the Universal restoration, only 133min was available (survived), and for Capelight it has

  • Germany 1930 dub (103 mins)

  • Germany 1952 dub (127 mins)

  • International version (133 mins)

  • New extended version (141 mins) with never before released footage from one of the Germany versions (+ 8 mins)

  • Germany TV versions in SD (tinted, silent)

Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight Blu-ray

Best Video:

While there are no screen cap comparisons, Germany Capelight Blu-ray has more versions than Universal:

From BR forum:
The original film is 155 min but in the Universal restoration, only 133min was available (survived), and for Capelight it has

  • Germany 1930 dub (103 mins)

  • Germany 1952 dub (127 mins)

  • International version (133 mins)

  • New extended version (141 mins) with never before released footage from one of the Germany versions (+ 8 mins)

  • Germany TV versions in SD (tinted, silent)

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion/Capelight. MoC uses older master

Best Audio:

Theatrical Cut: France Wild Side Blu-ray

Pre-release Cut: ?

Red River poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion/Capelight. MoC uses older master

Best Audio:

Theatrical Cut: France Wild Side Blu-ray

Pre-release Cut: ?

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2001 R1 MGM DVD

Best English-Friendly:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2001 R1 MGM DVD

12 Angry Men poster
Letterboxd
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio

12 Angry Men poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

2026 Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray is the best. Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray has heavily filtered audio

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Capelight/Kino Lorber which has heavy noise reduction and opening snare hit is missing, Capelight is slightly better encoded than Kino Lorber

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc [ML102699], but still a bit overly noise-managed.

1984 CBS/Fox Hi-Fi VHS maybe better?

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Capelight/Kino Lorber which has heavy noise reduction and opening snare hit is missing, Capelight is slightly better encoded than Kino Lorber

Best Audio:

1992 MGM LaserDisc [ML102699], but still a bit overly noise-managed.

1984 CBS/Fox Hi-Fi VHS maybe better?

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray (transfer of the 1989 MGM LaserDisc, without problems plaguing Kino Lorber's release)

Additional Info:

Arrow UHD is an update of the original 4K scan done for their BD. It is also visually far superior to the Kino version and adds Dolby Vision HDR. The Arrow UHD uses a new LD mono capture and has none of the issues or processing found in the Kino UHD which also used an LD mono capture and somehow mucked it up. Short of a brand new scan, the Arrow UHD is as good as it possibly can be.

Best English-Friendly:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray (transfer of the 1989 MGM LaserDisc, without problems plaguing Kino Lorber's release)

Additional Info:

Arrow UHD is an update of the original 4K scan done for their BD. It is also visually far superior to the Kino version and adds Dolby Vision HDR. The Arrow UHD uses a new LD mono capture and has none of the issues or processing found in the Kino UHD which also used an LD mono capture and somehow mucked it up. Short of a brand new scan, the Arrow UHD is as good as it possibly can be.

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray or maybe 2020 Capelight Blu-ray?

Best Video:

Criterion > BFI & 2012 Capelight, not sure about 2020 Capelight

Best Audio:

2012 Capelight Blu-ray?

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion Blu-ray or maybe 2020 Capelight Blu-ray?

Best Video:

Criterion > BFI & 2012 Capelight, not sure about 2020 Capelight

Best Audio:

2012 Capelight Blu-ray?

Judgment at Nuremberg poster
Letterboxd
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK BFI Blu-ray is very similar to Germany Capelight Blu-ray but Capelight is slightly more sharpened see caps

Both Kino Lorber and Twilight Time OOP Blu-ray suffer from Quicktime Gamma Bug see caps

Best English-Friendly:

UK BFI Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK BFI Blu-ray is very similar to Germany Capelight Blu-ray but Capelight is slightly more sharpened see caps

Both Kino Lorber and Twilight Time OOP Blu-ray suffer from Quicktime Gamma Bug see caps

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Altitude/Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Altitude UK / Capelight Germany 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

UK/Germany 4K Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Altitude/Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Altitude UK / Capelight Germany 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

UK/Germany 4K Blu-ray

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

MGM Blu-ray or Capelight Blu-ray

Best Video:

MGM Blu-ray or Capelight Blu-ray is essentially the same https://slow.pics/c/njLdEKX2

Additional Info:

4K restoration premiere in 2026

Best English-Friendly:

MGM Blu-ray or Capelight Blu-ray

Best Video:

MGM Blu-ray or Capelight Blu-ray is essentially the same https://slow.pics/c/njLdEKX2

Additional Info:

4K restoration premiere in 2026

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang poster
Letterboxd
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Capelight Blu-ray

Best Video:

Capelight Blu-ray, better encoded than MGM Blu-ray

Best Audio:

MGM Blu-ray's stereo track.

MGM's 7.1 track is a remix with a few flaws and much worse fidelity. Capelight's stereo and 7.1 track are both from the remix.

Additional Info:

The movie was originally premiered as a roadshow release, with a a 70mm 6-Track Stereo mix. This mix, unfortunately has not been released on home video.

The closest thing to that mix, is the stereo track included on the 2010 Blu-ray. It sounds great, with high fidelity and little filtering. It's lossy, but that doesn't matter very much.

Both the DVD 5.1 and the Blu-ray 7.1 tracks (identical on both discs) are a new remix, rather than a repackaging of the original mix. The 7.1 track sounds quite muffled, though not evenly so. The Capelight Blu-ray's lossless stereo track uses the same remix, but with higher fidelity than the surround tracks, sounding significantly less muffled. Compared to the original, this remix sounds wider and more "cleaned up". The remix contains a handful of errors, for example the intermission cue fades out, rather than ending correctly.

Comparison samples

Best English-Friendly:

Capelight Blu-ray

Best Video:

Capelight Blu-ray, better encoded than MGM Blu-ray

Best Audio:

MGM Blu-ray's stereo track.

MGM's 7.1 track is a remix with a few flaws and much worse fidelity. Capelight's stereo and 7.1 track are both from the remix.

Additional Info:

The movie was originally premiered as a roadshow release, with a a 70mm 6-Track Stereo mix. This mix, unfortunately has not been released on home video.

The closest thing to that mix, is the stereo track included on the 2010 Blu-ray. It sounds great, with high fidelity and little filtering. It's lossy, but that doesn't matter very much.

Both the DVD 5.1 and the Blu-ray 7.1 tracks (identical on both discs) are a new remix, rather than a repackaging of the original mix. The 7.1 track sounds quite muffled, though not evenly so. The Capelight Blu-ray's lossless stereo track uses the same remix, but with higher fidelity than the surround tracks, sounding significantly less muffled. Compared to the original, this remix sounds wider and more "cleaned up". The remix contains a handful of errors, for example the intermission cue fades out, rather than ending correctly.

Comparison samples

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber caps. Capelight has better encoding than the Kino.

Recommended upgrade for viewers who aren't DV compatible due to Capelight properly encoding the HDR10 base layer instead of Kino, who require a huge DV layer to "fill in" picture information from a more compressed / compromised

Best English-Friendly:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber caps. Capelight has better encoding than the Kino.

Recommended upgrade for viewers who aren't DV compatible due to Capelight properly encoding the HDR10 base layer instead of Kino, who require a huge DV layer to "fill in" picture information from a more compressed / compromised

UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

Blu-ray better than Capelight Germany 4K Blu-ray, heavy DNR on the 4K Blu-ray

Bilitis poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best Video:

Blu-ray better than Capelight Germany 4K Blu-ray, heavy DNR on the 4K Blu-ray

1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion has the original stereo

Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Criterion has the original stereo

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K announced for 2026

Best Video:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has slightly better compression than Criterion 4K Blu-ray.

The master in DV looks all but identical to the Criterion’s HDR grade. Detail-wise, FiM’s encode looks like it uncovered a tiny bit of extra high-frequency information that got filtered on the Criterion. See nicolas review

Best Audio:

1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1993 MGM LaserDisc/2002 R2 MGM DVD are the best. See blah-ray https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2018/01/raging-bull-1980.html

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

Best English-Friendly:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K announced for 2026

Best Video:

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has slightly better compression than Criterion 4K Blu-ray.

The master in DV looks all but identical to the Criterion’s HDR grade. Detail-wise, FiM’s encode looks like it uncovered a tiny bit of extra high-frequency information that got filtered on the Criterion. See nicolas review

Best Audio:

1990 Criterion LaserDisc/1993 MGM LaserDisc/2002 R2 MGM DVD are the best. See blah-ray https://blah-ray.blogspot.com/2018/01/raging-bull-1980.html

Imprint Australia 4K Blu-ray has better audio than Criterion 4K Blu-ray, from nicolas:

I believe that what’s on Imprint’s 4K is one of the good mixes MGM and Criterion released during the LaserDisc days. Music is powerful and detailed, dialogues have excellent fidelity and ambient sounds have perceptible depth. I compared the "new" 2.0 with the anemic 5.1 as well as the Criterion 4K mix and could clearly hear the improvements.

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

5.1 mix: Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: MGM NTSC DVD

The 5.1 track sounds very good and is said to be sourced from the original 6-track mix used for 70mm blow-up releases, but there is no conclusive proof of that.

WarGames poster
UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

5.1 mix: Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray
Original matrixed Dolby Stereo: MGM NTSC DVD

The 5.1 track sounds very good and is said to be sourced from the original 6-track mix used for 70mm blow-up releases, but there is no conclusive proof of that.

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Steelbook and Mediabook announced for 2026

Best Video:

2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Best Audio:

1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

Best English-Friendly:

2013 MGM Blu-ray, or 4K Blu-ray if you MUST have the mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Upcoming Release:

Capelight 4K Steelbook and Mediabook announced for 2026

Best Video:

2013 MGM Blu-ray for non AI transfer, 2001 MGM DVD for a purist version with original colors and the international mono mix

Best Audio:

1991 Image Entertainment LaserDisc for the US mono mix, 2001 MGM DVD for the International mono mix

Additional Info:

The 4K Blu-Ray and the 2001 MGM DVD have exclusive extras.

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray Germany or UK import

Best Video:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray Germany or UK import

Best Audio:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray
Original stereo mix: European MGM Blu-ray

Best English-Friendly:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray Germany or UK import

Best Video:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray Germany or UK import

Best Audio:

Capelight 4K Blu-ray
Original stereo mix: European MGM Blu-ray

UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

70mm 6-Track: Paramount 4K Blu-ray

35mm: 1995 Live Home Video LaserDisc

Additional Info:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray has no extras, Capelight 4K Blu-ray has most of the extras, Olive Films Blu-ray has a exclusive commentary

Best English-Friendly:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

70mm 6-Track: Paramount 4K Blu-ray

35mm: 1995 Live Home Video LaserDisc

Additional Info:

Paramount 4K Blu-ray has no extras, Capelight 4K Blu-ray has most of the extras, Olive Films Blu-ray has a exclusive commentary

43 films

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