Bullets 'n' Babes

From my understanding there are three main components to 4k UHD releases:-

1. Resolution (duh)
2. HDR
3. Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X tracks

Older films sourced from celluloid will benefit the most from 4k (eg most films made prior to the early 2000's), since celluloid like 35mm is higher resolution than even 4k from my understanding. A lot of modern films are mastered in 2k (eg most Marvel Cinematic Universe films, if not all), so you're not losing out much on by choosing to stick to 1080p BDs for those. These modern films are often mastered in 2k because CGI special effects are cheaper and more time efficient to render at 2k.

That being said, a reason to get UHD BD release of a 2k master film would be for HDR. HDR (8-bit) = 1.06 billion colours vs. SDR (10-bit) = 16 million colours. HDR brings a much greater colour range. In the best case scenario (i.e. depending on the quality of the HDR authoring for the particular content + your viewing hardware), you'll get deeper blacks and more vivid colours.

The third factor for UHD releases is that the space on discs is more than not used for Atmos/DTS:X tracks. Atmos/DTS:X adds additional channels above you. The general idea is that you're completely surrounded by discrete channels. Disney in particular usually make Atmos tracks exclusive to their 4K UHD disc releases (i.e. not on the 1080p BDs).

As far as I know, almost every UHD release is region free (which is excellent!).

I haven't gone 4K yet, but I plan to. No so much for the K's, but for some films getting new and much improved masters only available on 4K disc, e.g. Predator the grain intact (the 1080 BD that comes with it is the infamous Madame Tussaud edition... I hate it when they do that).

No way technical reason HDR can't be on blu-ray but it's not . Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are rare too sadly.

Christopher Nolan films are an exception for the Modern films point. He shoots in film.

Eva, have you also got into DTS:X / Atmos?

HungFist wrote: ↑13 Dec 2020, 14:37 I haven't gone 4K yet, but I plan to. No so much for the K's, but for some films getting new and much improved masters only available on 4K disc, e.g. Predator the grain intact (the 1080 BD that comes with it is the infamous Madame Tussaud edition... I hate it when they do that).

I still think the original blu-ray is good, the one without any extras.

bradavon wrote: ↑17 Dec 2020, 18:46 Eva, have you also got into DTS:X / Atmos?

No, I'm quite happy with 7.1.

If I really wanted Atmos/DTS:X to be sure thing I'd want to get ceiling mounting speakers, something that's unfeasible at the moment. You can get speakers which are designed to fire upwards and then bounce the output off the ceiling, but how effective those are in practice I have no idea.

Criterion finally cracked and is going to start releasing 4k discs. Citizen Kane incoming.
https://web.archive.org/web/20210817074 ... holland-dr
Must have been feeling the burn from Kino Lorber, bringing the heat with the likes of Silence of the Lambs, Sergio Leone Dollars trilogy, Mad Max 1 & 2.

I'm definitely keen on Citizen Kane and Mulholland Dr.

The Criterion Collection has announced plans to release a six-film slate of classics on 4K Blu-rays for the first time, including a rerelease of Orson Welles’ American epic Citizen Kane.

Besides the perennial film buff favorite, Criterion is also releasing the following films as part of its initial collection of ultra high-definition Blu-rays:

Menace II Society directed by Allen and Albert Hughes
The Piano directed by Jane Campion
Mulholland Dr. directed by David Lynch
The Red Shoes directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
A Hard Day’s Night directed by Richard Lester

I'd love it if Criterion could release Toho's new 4K restoration of King Kong vs. Godzilla.

Why is it that many UHD discs don't have a scene selection menu, e.g. Arrow's Oldboy?