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LaserDisc

LaserDisc

245 films on Best Blurays

Type: Format

Page 9 of 13

Films where LaserDisc is in a pick or an upcoming release.

Director: Paul Michael Glaser

4K · Solid
Best Video:

Paramount US 4K Blu-ray

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

Best Audio:

70mm 6-Track: Paramount US 4K Blu-ray

35mm matrixed Dolby Stereo: 1995 Live Home Video US LaserDisc

Audio Notes:

Although the provenance of Paramount's 5.1 track is not confirmed, the fidelity is outstanding and speaks for itself.
The 7.1 track on the Capelight/old Lionsgate release is just an upmix with nothing gained over the 5.1.
The original stereo mix is only present on older DVDs and LaserDiscs; all Blu-ray 2.0 tracks are downmixes.

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

Director: Ron Howard

4K · Solid
Best Video:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1988 LaserDisc for the original Dolby Stereo

Audio Notes:

5.1 is the same on all Blu-rays

Director: Robert Zemeckis

4K · Excellent
Best Video:

Censored: Disney 4K Blu-ray
Uncensored: 35mm scan

Best Audio:

Touchstone Home Video US LaserDisc [940 CS]

Audio Notes:

Touchstone Home Video US LaserDisc [940 CS] has the original stereo

Director: John McTiernan

4K · Excellent
Best Video:

Fox 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

70mm Six-track mix: THX AC3 or DTS LaserDisc

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)

Best Video:

Dynit IT Blu-ray

Video Notes:

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

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

Directors: Colin Chilvers & Will Vinton & Jerry Kramer & Jim Blashfield

Best Video:

OG Version: 1989 US Image Entertainment LaserDisc

2005 Edited Version - Re-Edited and Censored: UK Warner Bros Blu-ray

2005 Edited Version - Uncensored: UK Warner Bros DVD

Sources: movie-censorship.com (opens in a new tab)

Upcoming Release:

Germany Plaion Blu-ray with uncensored cut and 4:3 version

Video Notes:

Film Whisperer's restoration is better

Additional Info:

Censorship changes for Blu-ray: https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=224122

Director: Richard Donner

4K · Solid
Best Audio:

1989 Paramount Home Video LaserDisc [LV 32054]

Director: Barry Levinson

4K · Solid
Best Video:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray or Australia Via Vision?

Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)

Video Notes:

Germany Capelight 4K Blu-ray or Australia Via Vision? > US MVD

Best Audio:

MGM/UA Home Video US LaserDisc [ML104742]

Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa

Best English-Friendly:

Juzo Itami home video re-cut: Kineko Video fan translation of the LaserDisc

Kiyoshi Kurosawa original theatrical: Unavailable on home video in any form

Best Video:

Juzo Itami home video re-cut: Japan LaserDisc

Kiyoshi Kurosawa original theatrical: Unavailable on home video in any form

Additional Info:

The original Kiyoshi Kurosawa cut, which was the version given a theatrical release, has not seen a home release in any form, as the film was later recut for the home video and TV releases by the film's producer, Juzo Itami.

Director: Joe Dante

4K · Solid

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

Best Audio:

MCA 1989 LaserDisc or Universal 1999 NTSC DVD

Director: Michael Lehmann

4K · Excellent
Best Video:

Arrow 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1996 Lumivision LaserDisc

Director: Steven Spielberg

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Worse Than BD
Best English-Friendly:

35mm scan, Blu-ray, DVD or LaserDisc

Sources: YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Best Video:

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

Best Audio:

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

Additional Info:

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

Director: Peter Weir

Video format: 4K Streaming

Best Video:

Theatrical: Disney+ Streaming has a new 4K restoration

Extended: Disney LaserDisc

Upcoming Release:

Disney 4K Blu-ray announced for September 29, 2026

Best Audio:

Theatrical: Japan Disney DVD has the original 70mm 6-track mix in 4.0, all other releases save for Disney+ only have a 5.1 remix. Disney+ Streaming has a new Dolby Atmos remix that nonetheless is truer to the original 6-track mix than the past 5.1 remix.

Extended: Disney LaserDisc

Director: John Glen

Best English-Friendly:

MGM Blu-ray 

Best Video:

MGM Blu-ray despite Lowry master issues

Best Audio:

Dolby SR US PG-13 cut Theatrical mix: 1993 MGM LaserDisc

Uncut version: 1990 Japan Pan and Scan LaserDisc

Audio Notes:

MGM 5.1 remix noticeably reduces elements of original mix

Director: John G. Avildsen

4K · Excellent
Best Video:

Sony 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Original Stereo mix: Columbia Pictures LaserDisc, Sony 4K Blu-ray 

5.1 remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray, Sony Blu-ray 

Dolby Atmos remix: Sony 4K Blu-ray 

Director: Tim Burton

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

WB 4K Blu-ray but with notable color timing issues

Best Audio:

Dolby Stereo mix: WB LaserDisc PCM

Original Mix in 5.1 Discrete: 1997 WB DVD, 1.33:1 version for this track uncut

Original mix in 2005 5.1 new transfer: 2005 WB DVD in Dolby and DTS, 2008 WB Blu-ray for TrueHD.

Additional Info:

Original mix on VHS, LaserDisc and DVD is significantly warmer and more impactful sounding. These nuances are lost on the 2005 remaster audio found on DVD and Blu-ray which due have a tinge of extra clarity in contrast.

The Atmos mix is excruciatingly bad as it removes original sound effects and wrecks the original sound design. Music is prioritized and dominates in a bad way. The sound library effects used to create a specific sound signature as part of the mix of time period production design is completely lost. Fidelity is also lowered due to noise reduction and processing.

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Best Video:

2014 Japan "Hayao Miyazaki Collection" Studio Ghibli Blu-ray

Upcoming Release:

Japan Studio Ghibli 4K Blu-ray announced for a November 25, 2026 release

Best Audio:

Japanese audio: 2014 Japan "Hayao Miyazaki Collection" Studio Ghibli Blu-ray/US GKIDS Blu-ray

English dub (Disney): 1998 US Disney VHS has better sounding vocals despite altered music and sound effects, the US Disney LaserDisc has limited audio, and 2003 DVD is a fake 5.1 upmix

Releases from 2010 onward have the original music and sound effects, but distorted vocals

English dub (Streamline): 1996 Japan remastered LaserDisc, available in Ghibli Ga Ippai Collection boxset

Additional Info:

2012 US Disney Blu-ray has dubtitles. US GKIDS Blu-ray has bonuses that are absent on the US Disney Blu-ray

Director: John Flynn

4K · Solid
Video Notes:

Eagle Pictures Italy 4K Blu-ray > StudioCanal 4K Blu-ray: better compression than StudioCanal

Best Audio:

1989 Image Entertainment LaserDisc

Director: James Cameron

Video format: UHD Blu-ray

4K · Disappointing
Best Video:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Video Notes:

Disney 4K Blu-ray's artificial smoothening of facial textures making actors look unnatural, grain reduction and other changes to make the film look less like a product of its time

Old WEB-DL or HDTV rip for non AI version

Best Audio:

LaserDisc

Director: Mike Jittlov

Best Video & Audio:

Japan LaserDisc

Upcoming Release:

4K restoration planned by director Mike Jittlov

Audio Notes:

Japan LaserDisc is in Dolby Stereo

Additional Info:

Japan LaserDisc is an extended cut approximately 7 minutes longer than the theatrical cut on the US LaserDisc

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