First of all and for the sake of transparency, know that in my opinion the primary goal of a good UHD transfer and soundtrack is to respect the original intentions for the image and soundtrack. This remark is very important for you to understand that the silver grain is not in any way an image defect but a artistic will. Moreover, but you must already know if you have been following me for a long time, it is the VO that I listen to preferably and therefore the one that I note in the end. So don't be surprised to find in the different rankings of editions offering only a VF lossy.
Truce of chatter, here is the ranking of the best 4K Ultra HD editions released in 2022... In France, but not that!
Contents
Top French releases
Top Gun: Maverick
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 and 1.90 IMAX – DI 4K
Captured in 6K and resulting from an intermediate 4K master, the vertiginous images of the chef op的 Claudio Miranda shine with a thousand lights on this UHD Dolby Legendary vision transfer where, IMAX capture requires during six passages (one of which is the breath-taking final), alternate formats 2.39 and 1.90. The definition is irreproachable here (the clarity of scenery and scenery is increased), the plans that are surgically accurate are even more detailed than in HD (faces, fuselage of aircraft, uniform bars), the colorimetric palette in California style (except the cold last straight line) is warmer (the carnation) and better saturated (the blue of the ocean, the orange hues of the sky), the contrasts increase in firmness (dense blacks and whites – snow – more immaculate) and the light sources, in addition to avoiding the overexposures of its counterpart CSD (the clouds and rocky surfaces are more designed), display with much more intensity (sunrises and sunsets, the projectors of the Lockheed Martin SR-72 hangar, the interior lighting of the aircraft carrier, etc.).
• Sound tracks : English and French Dolby Atmos
As close as possible to the turbines, these audio tracks encoded both in Dolby Atmos (a first for Paramount editor) will nail you on the spot! Powerful, visceral and particularly well distributed, they send out pâté from the opening on the aircraft carrier until the end generic. The voices are clear (the dubbing of the VF is perfectly incorporated into the mixing), the dynamics fly as soon as it can (the aircraft scenes and the sequence of the sailboat), the basses show great authority (the infra-graves are insane during the thrusts of the engines), the spatialisation deploys with as precision as well as generosity its pyrotechnic effects (the trajectories of the vehicles, the missiles) and its environmental atmospheres (the wind, the waves) on all the canals (which include, among other things, the radio messages of the pilots and the overflights of light hunters who use the full of verticality), and the score composed by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe benefits from a deviating magnitude. While she must be content with a « small » Dolby Digital 5.1 on the Blu-ray, the 3D VF of this 4K edition is as good a driver as the VO, if it is that it has a little more difficulty to let go during the sudden accelerations of the soundtrack.
Dune (2021)
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Playing shadows and light, the majestic photograph with the cold beauty of Greig Fraser (Rogue One, The Batman) emulates a silver recording even though the film was shot digitally. To do this, images from Arri Alexa LF and Mini LF (4.5K and IMAX certified cameras) were transferred on 35 mm film before being recovered in 4K. Unique, this approach allows access to an admirable pictorial rendering where the homogeneity of granularity does not degrade the precision of the definition. And as of course, only the UHD Dolby Vision transfer is able to return this artistic choice as faithfully as possible. Increased fineness of textures (sand particles, Leto beard, Fremen distillery, Arrakeen infrastructure), meticulousness of contrast values (thanks to better carved shadows, low light sequences – like the rite of passage – gain in readability), enhanced richness of the colorimetric palette (light yellow) « gold » of the desert, the blue eyes of the pioneer Dune people, the double tint of the energy shields, the broken white armors of the Sardaukars) and accentuation of lighting (globally moderate with the exception of the « revelations » by Paul where the brightness becomes overwhelming) better dressed, allow the 4K Ultra HD to escape from the otherwise more matte and overexposed look (especially on reflective surfaces) of the Blu-ray.
• Sound tracks : English and French Dolby Atmos, English and French Dolby Digital 5.1
Barded with atmospheres and expressive as possible, this Dolby Atmos mixing (in VO as in VF) which continuously exploits all the channels allocated to it imposes itself as a very « large piece » acoustics. The soundscape is full of relief with ambiences (sand movements, wind blowing) and/or effects (the activity of the harvester, explosive shell guns) which simmer from everywhere (the rear scene is regularly taken by storm), dynamic sends the decibels badly (cf. the flash attack of the Harkonnen House on Arrakis), the dialogues that remain balanced in all circumstances are delivered with great clarity, the loudspeakers are shown on many occasions (Paul's visions, the ornithoptères, the Coriolis storm at the Mad Max: Fury Road, the spaceships), Hans Zimmer's shamanic score has a staggering amplitude and the LFE channel, which tirelessly pilsons the bottom of the spectrum (the Voice of Bene Gesserit, the approach of worms, Liet Kynes' hammerer), mixes ardently with the festivities.
Ambulance (2022)
‹ German edition test >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Captured in 6K and 8K (RED cameras) before designing an intermediate master in 4K, this flashing image (which undeniably carries the director's foot) hits the retina in UHD Dolby Vision... Because already incredible in Blu-ray, its visual features are here enhanced! The definition is strengthened (more complex backgrounds), details are revealed with increased sharpness (see precision of faces, clothes and bodywork), colorimetric palette « Californian » (chaudium and saturated in sum) increases in vivacity (yellow vests, red ambulance, blue sky), the ardently pushed contrasts are even more frank (denser blacks and purer whites) and the light sources, better capped (goodbye overexposure), show increased intensity (explosions, sun, gyrophares, interior lighting).
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, French (Parisian) Dolby Digital 5.1
Here's some thrills for this Dolby Atmos track that should serve as a matrix for all the action movies that aspire to a 3D soundtrack! Reaching the optimal combustion of each element of the mixing without any difficulty, it delivers, not without a singular clarity, a constantly energizing spatialisation to the integration around (road traffic, urban atmospheres) and/or aerial (helicopters, sound alarms of intervention vehicles, ricochets of bullets) exemplary, perfectly restored voices, a dynamic to the exceptional extent (fire shots), admirably balanced ultra-physical basses (carambolages) and ubiquitous enveloping music as possible. Equally active and inside despite less precision, the VF(F) comes out rather well (especially with the activation of a DSP of virtualization) in the face of the immoderation of the work that it sounds.
Dying can wait
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Resulting from a 35 mm, 65 mm and IMAX capture then finalized in real 4K, this stunning UHD Dolby Vision transfer stopped magnifying Linus Sandgren's superb photography (The Land). Clearly superior to its HD counterpart, the image that is much better defined (cf. the increased sharpness of the backgrounds) displays a slightly finer silver texture, much more intimate details (the tomb of Vesper Lynd, close-up on the faces, the texture of the clothing), a clearly more sustained colorimetric palette (starting with blues and greens), much more harmonious contrasts where whites gain in purity (the snowy nature during the opening sequence) and blacks in precision (the exploration of underground passages), and light sources with a tenfold fervour (exterior sunshine and interior lighting). Up to Her Majesty's favorite secret agent class, this Ultra HD Blu-ray is perfect!
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, French Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Richly spatialized and eminently musical, the VO encoded in Dolby Atmos rivals, not without some British phlegm, with tenors of the genre. The mix is carefully balanced, the dialogues are perfectly clear, the dynamics turn full throttle, the effects as well as the atmosphere are particularly well placed in the acoustic space (the Aston Martin under the shots in Matera, the evening of the organization SPECTRE in Cuba, the manhunt in a forest in Norway), the surround scene follows the continuous action, the basses are striking, the aerial stratum immerses fully (the sound of a bell, the overflight of helicopters, debris falls, an announcement in the loudspeakers and j-en pass) and the score signed Hans Zimmer, which admirably paces this 25th mission by taking out the saga of the musical torpor in which it was plunged for a long time (the « leitmotiv Bondien », very present, being gripped by the heavy sounds peculiar to his composer), spreads everywhere with an emeritus magnitude. More discreet and less striking, the VF proposed in Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 and however effective it is enough to satisfy the followers of Molière's language.
Phantom SOS: Heritage
‹ German edition test >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.40 – DI 4K
Clinic in its cleanliness but provided with a pleasant atmosphere « old school », the ultra-picked image of this UHD Dolby Vision transfer pays for a pretty rural setting whose beauty is becoming more refined vis-à-vis the Blu-ray. The contribution of sharpness (house furniture « in ruins ») due to DI 4K is visible, the planes are even more detailed (faces, clothing, equipment, landscapes), the photograph dominated by brown is more balanced while enriching with brighter primaries (spectral appearances), the contrasts that are firmer accentuate the depth of blacks (literally abyssal) and the shine of whites (cf. clouds), and the light sources whose brightness is beyond doubt (the sun, proton flows) are magnificently exacerbated.
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, French (Parisian) DTS-HD MA 5.1
Energized by virevolent effects, dynamics at its peak, grumbling basses and a score « Revised » With taste, these thrilling and not devoid of nuances sound tracks (the careful diffusion of voices and environmental atmospheres) embark us in a multichannel whirlpool of all the moments... Especially the VO encoded in Dolby Atmos where aerial interventions (the movements of ghosts, protons, etc.) are not lacking.
Candyman (2021)
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p – HDR10 / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 10 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 2K
More dazzled by its sense of the frame than by its ambient brightness (voluntarily measured to stick to the atmosphere of the places), this digital image captures in this transfer UHD HDR10 the master canvas of which it could hope. With an invariable definition and unshakable compression, it displays much more precise details (the intimacy of faces, the buildings of the city), meticulously reinforced contrasts to deeper blacks and purified whites (the theatre of shadows fully exploits this improvement), openly richer colours (the primary ones are brighter) and enhanced light sources (the ceiling lights, a flashlight, the gyrophares).
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos? Clearly yes during scenes including real shots since scaling there is coarse with artifacts from everywhere... Not to mention a numerical reduction of noise (DNR) in the pack and a reinforcement of the contours (edge enhancement) extremely aggressive for an artificial rendering as possible. The detours are approximate (sometimes with double contours), the draft backgrounds, the smoothed and/or too accentuated details (at times in the same frame), the waxy or cracked faces and too many elements (including the actors) are abnormally detached from the others (in and outside the GDR premises). That's awful! Not really during full CGI scenes where the AI gives the impression of being in its element (the synthetic images lend themselves particularly well to clinical accuracy). The increased sharpness of the details (the faces of the Na'vis, accessories, clothing), the accuracy of the contours (the vegetal landscape) and the accentuation of the relief rarely betrays the use of an ascending conversion into automatic mode. It's bluffing! If this is « façade » too heterogeneous to convince, the luxuriant colorimetric palette by nature sees some of its shades enhanced (blue skin, the multiple shades of exotic flowers, green vegetation), the more assertive contrasts spread firmed blacks (the shadows are better designed) and brighter whites (the sacred seeds), and the light sources display less intensity than in the past (the mushrooms and
Designed with the utmost care, this Dolby Atmos soundtrack as balanced as investment shows a wrap of every moment. The dynamic is deployed forcefully (Boogeyman's appearances, shots), the score that is oppressive to the possible extends with a lot of width, the effects like the atmospheres pass through all the canals (including height with the disturbing presence in an elevator, the buzzing of bees, the rain that violently strikes a covered corridor and passing by), the LFE channel summons authoritarian bass and the voices, sometimes out-of-field or echo, are always clear. Less precise than his consoeur but still well distributed at his level (so horizontal plane) and rather power, the VF lossy does not demerit.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 2K
Captured in 4.5K before being supervised in 2K during the creation of the intermediate master, the images of this superproduction find in this UHD Dolby Vision transfer an ally of weight... Although the absence of the IMAX Enchanted label (present on Bravia Core) will have caused ink to flow to some technophiles. It is a problem to pass by since beyond the promise of mercantile, this 3rd opus of the Home saga was shot digitally without the use of IMAX cameras. It is therefore an open matte version 1.90 that is proposed on the streaming platform and not the 2.39 format validated by the Ops leader. What is more, to offer the « best visual experience » instigators of this programme « correct » photography (colours are changed and a house DNR is applied) for an additional restitution (more realistic according to IMAX technicians) that replaces original artistic choices. In short, Sony editor made the right choice by leaving this gadget (limited to HDR10) away from physical support. Let's go back to our spiders! If the contribution on the side of the definition (no drop in diet) and the (naturally raised) pitch remains moderate (more precise textures on the costumes and decors), it is by looking at the WCG and HDR technologies that the difference with the excellent Blu-ray increases significantly. For information, the CGIs have all been reworked for this video release with a key, a much less cheap rendering on the screen (Lizard and Man Sable now look like something). The palette
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, French DTS-HD MA 5.1
Captured in 4.5K before being supervised in 2K during the creation of the intermediate master, the images of this superproduction find in this UHD Dolby Vision transfer an ally of weight... Although the absence of the IMAX Enchanted label (present on Bravia Core) will have caused ink to flow to some technophiles. It is a problem to pass by since beyond the promise of mercantile, this 3rd opus of the Home saga was shot digitally without the use of IMAX cameras. It is therefore an open matte version 1.90 that is proposed on the streaming platform and not the 2.39 format validated by the Ops leader. What is more, to offer the « best visual experience » instigators of this programme « correct » photography (colours are changed and a house DNR is applied) for an additional restitution (more realistic according to IMAX technicians) that replaces original artistic choices. In short, Sony editor made the right choice by leaving this gadget (limited to HDR10) away from physical support. Let's go back to our spiders! If the contribution on the side of the definition (no drop in diet) and the (naturally raised) pitch remains moderate (more precise textures on the costumes and decors), it is by looking at the WCG and HDR technologies that the difference with the excellent Blu-ray increases significantly. For information, the CGIs have all been reworked for this video release with a key, a much less cheap rendering on the screen (Lizard and Man Sable now look like something). The palette
The Batman
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Captured in 4.5K and 6K before being scanned in 4K for the DI, the experimental image (from the digital to the vintage aspect) that is owed to the Op-Chief Greig Fraser (Rogue One, Dune) is perfectly returned (up to its « imperfections » by this UHD Dolby Vision transfer that raises the visual experience of its HD counterpart. The compression does not show any weakness, the silver grain gains stability, the definition makes a flawless (the blurred areas are due to the use of anamorphic lenses) and the details to the sweetness all in all voluntary (do not expect a contemporary sharpness) appear with a little more clarity (the faces, costumes of the « Caped Crusader » and Catwoman, the streets of the Corrupt City). Almost permanent obscurity obliges (whites are rare), the contribution of WCG and HDR technologies is to be sought from the point of view of accuracy and not of demonstration since the colours are generally desaturated (greyish shades bloom) and the luminous peaks contained. The colorimetric palette is therefore barely warmer even though it is true that the red/orange tones express themselves more generously, the contrasts are more demanding with blacks (not necessarily abyssaux) less crushed than in CSD and the light sources, never extraneous and better crapped (as soon as there are flames), develop a small additional radiation (sunrises and sunsets, urban lighting, vehicle headlights).
• Sound tracks : English and French Dolby Atmos, English and French Dolby Digital 5.1
Both for VO fans and VF fans, this Dolby Atmos soundtrack with exemplary distribution and relevant power is a long funeral walk to darkness... Supported by deep basses which, remarkably used (the techno music of the Iceberg Lounge, the blows carried, the turbine of the Batmobile, the carambolage), cover the acoustic space of a particularly oppressive atmosphere, it lets itself go to a feverish dynamic (the race-continuation), uses to profusion of its effects and/or atmospheres, at the back as well as in the heights (the Bat-Grappin, the rain, the wingsuit flight), and moves at the rhythm of a rolling score signed Michael Giacchino.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
‹ American edition test >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.40 – DI 4K
While it is plunged into almost total darkness, the image of this UHD Dolby Vision transfer (which presents a solid upgrade compared to its HD counterpart) is nonetheless monstrously fantastic. Natively 4K, it delivers clearer details (the texture of the skin, the wall coverings) and benefits from an increased definition (see Raccoon City's aerial plans) avoiding any trace of softness. Of course, the best compression reinforces this impression. Enriched with WCG and HDR technologies, it has healthier colours (the carnation) where the primaries are better off (the reds are dreadful), stunning contrasts where the shadows (better defined) are crossed by more (the flashlights) or less (a lighter) blinding, and higher luminances more realistic (the urban lighting of the city left behind, the reflections on the metal and/or wet surfaces, the interior lamps) where the cleavage increases greatly in precision (the flame at the exit of the guns).
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, English DTS-HD MA 5.1, French (Quebec) Dolby Digital 5.1
This particularly immersive Dolby Amos soundtrack (all speakers are on the side) and heavily loaded in bass (gunshots, explosions) fully participates in the fear emanating from the places « visited ». The dynamics are enraged, Mark Korven's score as well as the hits at the end of the 90s are broad and enveloping, the dialogues are perfectly clear, the directionality of the effects/ambiences is very effective (with an optimal presence of the rear scene) and the aerial channels are exploited in near permanence (rain, explosions, attack of the Licker, gnashing and/or moaning emanating from the manor floor). Far less wide and deprived of the verticality of the sound (unless activated a DSP virtualization), the VFQ is less likely to spend the night!
355
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p – HDR10 / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 10 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Elegant and beautiful, this superb UHD HDR10 transfer restores with a manic care the attractive photograph of the Ops chef Tim Maurice-Jones. Even more precise than in 1080p where the piqué is sharp as possible, the image abounds in details (your eyes will be able to walk in the decors or enjoy the beautiful wardrobe of heroines) and colors (a more nuanced palette with reinforced primary) while offering the services of more chiselled contrasts (between blinding blacks and whites) and other brighter light sources (shangai night lights). Moreover, they pierce through windows. « hidden » in his CSD counterpart.
• Sound tracks : English and French DTS-HD MA 7.1
Apart from the absence of Dolby Atmos mixing operated in the dark rooms, which can be emulated by activating a DSP of virtualization (cf. thunder rumbling), this soundtrack « furious » to the generous acoustic environment deploys crazy energy and exhilarating spatialization... In VO as in VF! The frontal opening is striking, the dialogues are solidly exuded by the power station, the rear scene does not hold in place (Citadine atmospheres you want, multiple pyrotechnic effects), the basses (metro, explosions) do not lack strength and the music is constantly enveloping.
Vesper Chronicles (special mention)
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p – HDR10 / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 10 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Living as the world dies, the fascinating photograph of Feliksas Abrukauskas is perfectly restored by this UHD HDR10 transfer, which shows every moment of care. For sad and muddy, the universe depicts, if it has nothing demonstrative, ssaffold with a constant firmness. The slight compressive traces of his counterpart 1080p are of ancient history, the definition hardly fluctuates, the fine details have been revised upwards (faces, costumes and decors), the colorimetric palette in brown tones gives rise to denser primaries (the organs of the lab, flora), the contrasts have been reinforced (the less lit scenes are more legible) and the light sources become brighter (the brightness of the solar radiation, the glow of the interior lights, the cottony whiteness of the clouds, the luminescence of the greenhouse plants).
• Sound tracks : English DTS-HD MA 7.1, French DTS-HD MA 5.1
Sublimated by Dan Levy's ethereal score, this soundtrack impresses with the realism of its spatialization. In fact, both at the front and at the rear (more developed on the VO), the slightest noise (whether forested, organic, human and/or biomechanical) is rendered with a surprising thoroughness. The dynamics are not lacking in ease (the threat of blob), the voices are clear (French dubbing is neat), the location is very detailed (flying gear, the trap of red herbs) and the bass are as deep as subtle.
Top Foreign Exclusives
Lamb
‹ American edition test >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Weared by a beautiful photograph, this UHD Dolby Vision transfer from a DI 4K is much more striking than its HD counterpart. The increased resolution jumps to the eye (see the clarity of the elements in the background), the details show a greater finesse (the freckles, furs, vegetation, wrinkles), the colorimetric palette natively cold uses more nuanced hues (blues and greys) while raising greens (pasture) and yellows (flowers, marking on beasts), the contrasts perfect both on the side of blacks (shadows) and on the side of whites (wool) for dark scenes with improved readability, and the light sources display more natural radiation (the light of the sun behind clouds, lighting of the stable, light through windows).
• Sound tracks : Icelandic DTS-HD MA 5.1
Incredibly immersive, this soundtrack that gives rise to a feeling of malaise is particularly well designed... Because it is covered with subtle noises (farm life, the presence of animals) and environmental atmospheres (rain, wind, river) that it exploits meticulously both at the front and the back, it waits for the opportune moment to release its dynamic (robust), its basses (shaking), its musical score (well ventilated on the various channels) and its dialogues (easy to follow).
Bloody Milkshake
‹ German edition test >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Digitally captured in 4.5K, this image with an intermediate 4K master is delivered to us in Dolby Vision UHD via a flattering transfer. Already a little darker than its HD counterpart thanks to more precise contrasts that give relief to the many dark interiors (and from energy to whites), it still has other assets to promote... The sharpness is marked (the wounds on the bodies and faces, the details in the background), the saturation of the colors is accentuated (the oranges, the reds, the purples), the lumen of the light sources is intensified (the lighting of the dinner and bowling) and the solidity of the supported encoding (some artifacts around the finest textures on the Blu-ray).
• Sound tracks : English and German Dolby Atmos
Little worn on the verticality of the sound (storm during the intro and the terminal of an elevator) if this is to raise its music « techno western »This Dolby Atmos mix is distinguished by the vigour of its dynamics, the uncomplexed spatialization of its effects (especially during shootings) and the extreme power of its basses (especially with the sequence in the underground parking lot).
Evil Dead (2013)
‹ American edition test >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 2K
While the Blu-ray released by Metropolitan in December 2013 could already boast of faithfully reproducing the filthy aspect of photography (without resorting to any form of granularity) with a sumptuous definition, a sharp twist, bloody colours, high-level contrasts and abyssal blacks, the present UHD Dolby Vision transfer goes even further and is therefore a true visual marvel. The image is clearer (wooded textures such as the gore effects gain in clarity), the more macabre colorimetric palette (the shades that are generally more morose share the poster with more inflamed primaries), the more assertive contrasts (blacks more devour the places) and the brighter light sources (the ethereal glow of the sun through the trees and windows, the radiation of artificial lighting, the heat of flames).
• Sound tracks Far behind the mirror, the old Blu-ray encoded in MPEG-2 (published in April 2008 by us via MGM) is not equipped to achieve the same speed as the present UHD Dolby Vision transfer (the perfection of which is hampered by a stealthy vertical line) resulting from a new 4K scan of the original 35 mm negative (in Super 35 format). For your information, the HD disk included in the edition will embed the enhanced transfer. Particularly robust thanks to an exemplary encoding, the image delivers a silver patina of beautiful finesse and details of fantastic precision (pores of the skin, weaving of clothes, paved streets). With great clarity and profiting from a leap of definition far from being annoyed, it delimits in fact the least corners of the wide frame (cf. the sharpness of the background) with an obvious superiority vis-à-vis its counterpart 1080p, whose softness of the pique is more than a distant memory. Avoiding primary (more luxuriant when they appear) as much as possible, the almost monochromatic colorimetric palette balances the steel shades of the signed photograph
A nightmare soundtrack rich in screaming and other demonic whispers that delivers clear voices, noises « sharp » and/or little stew, immersive atmospheres, a deluge of surrounding effects and well-feeling infra-graves. An acoustic delusion of every moment that should be « Owned » by a DSP virtualization... If only for the omnipresence of rain or the company of flies when discovering the corpses of cats hanged in the cellar.
Copshop
‹ Test of Scandinavian edition >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p – HDR10 / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 10 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 2K
Even more vivid and detailed than its HD counterpart, this UHD HDR10 transfer from a DI 2K is just fantastic. Immaculate and with a great sharpness, the image has a sharper piqué than in 1080p (faces, decorations), orange and « teal blue » sharper contrasts (a point which is of importance since a large part of the plot takes place in places plunged in the dark) with corrected blacks (they are generally crushed on the Blu-ray) and considerably accentuated light sources (inner lighting, flames).
• Sound tracks : English DTS-HD MA 5.1
Very animated without being subtle, this soundtrack DTS-HD MA 5.1 delivers an impacting dynamic, effects/ambiences « Balanced » From all sides (balls fuse and debris fly everywhere), very deep bass (this is notable when Clinton Shorter's score sounds) and dialogues, filled with « punchlines »,demonstrated clarity. In the absence of a 3D mix, enabling a virtualization DSP allows to capture many height information (safety alarm, water curtains).
Nightmare Alley
‹ American edition test >
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p – HDR10 / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 10 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 1.85 – DI 4K
Playing the contrast between shadows and light, both day and night, this striking image (out of a DI 4K) enhanced by a UHD10 high seam UHD transfer, is greatly improved compared to its counterpart 1080p CSD. The smallest details of the frame enjoy a greater clarity (faces, fabrics, decorations), the voluntary minimalist colorimetric palette (brown tones) grabs bolder primaries (Dr. Ritter's lips, the red colour on Molly's outfits, the brightness of lightnings) while accentuating the earthy heat of the fair and the city's monochrome coldness, the blacks display with increased depth (they are ink without ever crushing the elements immersed in the darkness), the whites are illustrated by a raised purity (the snow, the organza dress of the « ghost ») and the light sources, going and coming within the same plane, reveal themselves with a new vitality (multiple interior lighting, flames, the light of the lamps).
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, French (Parisian) Dolby Digital 5.1
Designed with the utmost care and immersive, this wonderful soundtrack literally gives life to the freak carnival animated by Guillermo del Toro. More enveloping by its nature, the VO Dolby Atmos makes use of all channels with transparency (to follow the action even out-of-field), benefits from attractive verticality (cf. the public above the « Idiot » of the show), using well shaken bass (fire and drum, electric surges), delivers a subtle score (which is owed to Nathan Johnson) perfectly introduced into the sound space and makes clear dialogues. Less precise on the spatialization side but with such a solid dynamic, the VF(F) also ensures the show.
Top works of heritage
The Wolf Pact
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.35 – DI 4K
Based on the telecinema made at the time of the DVD, the image of the previous Blu-ray was only a bad one. « Inflation » of the master SD and had high definition only the word. None of this today since all of it « reconstituted » In 4K from the original negatives (which it was necessary to sort and scan because not mounted), the present restoration carried out under the supervision of Christophe Gans and Sébastien Prangère (one of the assemblers with David Wu) is quite sublime. The negative has been cleaned, the color graduation drastically reworked (with at the key a better integration of the Beast), the harmonized composite plans and a considerable mass of recovered details. Thanks to this, the image is finally up to the expectations of its designers (the director and his op-director Dan Laustsen)... This was not even the case in dark rooms since digital calibration was only in its early days. By confronting him with his terrible counterpart « HD » in 2008, the present UHD Dolby Vision transfer imposes itself as an immense improvement. The silver grain (a 35 mm capture) displays with a nice finesse, we win a portion of the image (a light zoom back), the gap at the level of the definition is incredible (it is now possible to enjoy the background), the pique is otherwise more sharp (the sketches of the knight of Fronsac, the fur of wolves, the textures of the costumes), the colorimetric palette benefits from a huge cure of youth (the greenish drift left room for much more nuanced hues) with primary t
• Sound tracks French Dolby Atmos
Based on the telecinema made at the time of the DVD, the image of the previous Blu-ray was only a bad one. « Inflation » of the master SD and had high definition only the word. None of this today since all of it « reconstituted » In 4K from the original negatives (which it was necessary to sort and scan because not mounted), the present restoration carried out under the supervision of Christophe Gans and Sébastien Prangère (one of the assemblers with David Wu) is quite sublime. The negative has been cleaned, the color graduation drastically reworked (with at the key a better integration of the Beast), the harmonized composite plans and a considerable mass of recovered details. Thanks to this, the image is finally up to the expectations of its designers (the director and his op-director Dan Laustsen)... This was not even the case in dark rooms since digital calibration was only in its early days. By confronting him with his terrible counterpart « HD » in 2008, the present UHD Dolby Vision transfer is a huge improvement. The silver grain (a 35 mm capture) displays with a nice finesse, we win a portion of the image (a light zoom back), the gap at the level of the definition is incredible (it is now possible to enjoy the background), the pique is otherwise more sharp (the sketches of the knight of Fronsac, the fur of wolves, the textures of the costumes), the colorimetric palette benefits from a huge cure of youth (the greenish drift left room for much more nuanced hues) with primary t Jurassic ParkHaving stopped exploiting all available channels, this new Atmos soundtrack (reworked for the occasion by Cyril Holtz, the sound editor of the film) is as striking as it is immersive. Very dynamic and using the need for physical bass (the steps of the Beast evoke those of the T-Rex of
Remember... last summer
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.39 – DI 4K
Based on the telecinema made at the time of the DVD, the image of the previous Blu-ray was only a bad one. « Inflation » of the master SD and had high definition only the word. None of this today since all of it « reconstituted » In 4K from the original negatives (which it was necessary to sort and scan because not mounted), the present restoration carried out under the supervision of Christophe Gans and Sébastien Prangère (one of the assemblers with David Wu) is quite sublime. The negative has been cleaned, the color graduation drastically reworked (with at the key a better integration of the Beast), the harmonized composite plans and a considerable mass of recovered details. Thanks to this, the image is finally up to the expectations of its designers (the director and his op-director Dan Laustsen)... This was not even the case in dark rooms since digital calibration was only in its early days. By confronting him with his terrible counterpart « HD » in 2008, the present UHD Dolby Vision transfer imposes itself as an immense improvement. The silver grain (a 35 mm capture) displays with a nice finesse, we win a portion of the image (a light zoom back), the gap at the level of the definition is incredible (it is now possible to enjoy the background), the pique is otherwise more sharp (the sketches of the knight of Fronsac, the fur of wolves, the textures of the costumes), the colorimetric palette benefits from a huge cure of youth (the greenish drift left room for much more nuanced hues) with primary t
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, English and French DTS-HD MA 5.1
More terrifying than the film itself, the Dolby Atmos blend reserved for the VO is as bold as possible. There is no lack of momentum, immersion is constant with an active surround scene (suspicious noises emanating from the rear of Julie's vehicle, the audience during the parade) and a parsimonic verticality (gulls above the docks), sharp effects related to « The Hook » and the environmental atmospheres (wind, waves) are delivered realistically, the music takes advantage of a new dimension, the voices are of great clarity and the LFE channel supports everything with great depth. Even if less open to the front and more shaky in atmospheres, the sound tracks (VO and VF) encoded in DTS-HD MA 5.1 remain immersive and striking.
Horizon Event
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 2.34 – DI 4K
From a recent 4K scan of the original negative (commanded last year by the American publisher Shout! Factory), this UHD Dolby Vision transfer messy with its HD SDR counterpart dating back to 2009. The knuckles are ancient history, the silver grain (a 35 mm capture) is much better solved, the vertical stretch of the images has been corrected and even if fluctuating (a limitation due to the source), the details are now more refined (the close-ups on the faces as the wide frames of the inside of the ship are beautifully textured) and no longer have to suffer from any artificial accentuation. And although photography rarely uses intense colors, with a few exceptions (such as the green of the computer duct or the red/orange of the flames), the WCG revives some lost heat (the carnation) while enriching all the shades (the gray scale). As for the HDR, in addition to adjusting the contrasts with healthy whites (they are no longer burned) and blacks at controlled depth (and not blocked), it raises the vivacity of light sources (the spots of the gravitational nucleus) and grants to the darkness a better coverage of the places.
• Sound tracks : English and French Dolby TrueHD 5.1
With its heavy and constant bass (the snoring of the phantom ship's motor), its technological partition locked, its sometimes crazy surrounds (the presence of Lieutenant Peters' son, the deflagration of explosions) and its unbridled dynamic likely to fly at the slightest jump scare, this multichannel soundtrack really does not lack muscle... Especially the VO Dolby TrueHD, more fierce than the little VF (who still struggles actively) whose dialogues can be slightly stifled. Remixing point however, where it is urgent to activate a virtualization DSP to enjoy the height effects (such as lightning and floating objects) that the mixing keeps in its bowels.
The Godfather
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 1.85 – DI 4K
Supervised by Coppola in person from the restoration done in 2007 by Robert Harris, this new presentation (a 4K scan in 16-bit) arrives at us in an absolutely magnificent UHD Dolby Vision transfer. Maintaining a certain sweetness inherent in the source and preserving its film grain (a 35 mm capture), this glorious image is generally well defined and carefully recalibrated and is more refined than in the past. Presented in 1.85 and no longer in 1.78 full frame format (with a slight loss of frame key), it has a greater cleanliness (the film dusts are rare), a less coarse silver texture, greatly improved details (cf. the increased finesse of close-ups, clothes and backgrounds in the background), a fundamentally more realistic colorimetric palette (the shades are less golden) where the heat has been revised downwards and the carnation assaine, contrasts seriously corrected (off-white burned and black clogged) and revivified light sources (the many reflections, the light of the day that pierces the windows, the interior lights or the lights, a neon sign) that manage to recover elements in the high luminances.
• Sound tracks : English Dolby TrueHD 5.1, English Dolby Digital 2.0 (original restored band), French (2008) Dolby Digital 5.1, French (1972) Dolby Digital 2.0
Approved by legend Walter Murch in 2007, the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix already in action on the previous Blu-ray returns here. Little worn on the surround scene (discreet atmospheres of this one) and marked by a preponderant front, this felted and balanced soundtrack surrounds a properly robust dynamic, dialogues of beautiful clarity and a score (the unforgettable score of Nino Rota) well detailed. Less well spatialized and decredible by a new unnatural dubbing (the voices of 2008 are too clean), the VF Dolby Digital 5.1 based on the same restoration as the 2007 VO suffers from its compression. The VF Dolby Digital 2.0 mono has at least the merit of presenting the dubbing of the era.
Robocop (1987)
‹ British edition test ultra-ample, integration of precise dialogues and titanium bass (from first notes by the way). Even if less extensive and striking, the VF DTS-HD MA 5.1 ensures the spectacle since very fishing and generous on all channels.
• Video format : 3840×2160 / 24p - Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – YCbCr 4:2:0 / 12 bit – HEVC encoding – Format 1.85 – DI 4K
Approved by Paul Verhoeven and presented in Dolby Vision, this 4K restoration from a previous scan of the original negatives (dated 2013) seems to be the definitive upgrade of a more beautiful Robocop than ever! Revealing a previously unknown level of detail (the pores of the skin, the vast greasy urban landscape) and sprinkled with organic granularity with controlled density (a hint of DNR had to be applied), it maintains a constant clarity well supported by an encoding holding on. Obviously, the image is « Boosted » (without revisionism) by WCG and HDR technologies, so that the colors display with more vibrance (the red light of the nightclub, the blue-violet shades of the titan alloy of the title hero) where the contrasts, which take advantage of a subtle boost, deliver denser shadows and brighter lights (the neon signs, the reflections on metal surfaces).
• Sound tracks : English Dolby Atmos, English DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DTS-HD MA 4.0, English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Vintage in its sounds (the sound of weapons) but modern in its processing, this new Dolby Atmos track (a first in this publisher) which preserves the integrity of the source (faithful to its frontal design) does not abuse its « Toy » 3D... The verticality of the sound is limited to raising rare atmospheres and the (generally enterprising) score of Basil Poledouris. More powerful than its counterpart DTS-HD MA 5.1 (cf. explosions) and less artificial (more in restraint in short), it is quite wide (at the front) and of great purity with measured rear activity (the music of the club, the crowd, the resonance of the shots), precise dialogues and better supported bass (the first steps of the ED-209), even though always moderate. For purists, the disc also features a 2.0 mixing as well as a 4.0 soundtrack (the natural enlargement of its stereo consœur), both carefully balanced and of certain authenticity.
Subscribe
Connection
0 Remarks
oldest
