Best Blu-ray Source for the 1000 Greatest Films

[hearthesilence]

I know I was in the minority about this, but I had mixed feelings about the additional content presented in the reconstruction of Greed. Everything related to the main story was great, but I wasn't so sure about the two parallel stories that were more or less omitted in the theatrical release. The darker one I think I was fine with, the one with the puritanically chaste vision of the "ideal" couple was gag-inducing - absolutely hated it. It's possible I found the concept of both parallel stories a bit too schematic as well. However, this was at least a decade ago, so I'll have to watch it again to see if I'm less averse to those parts.

[vanshady]

I'm starting to catalogue directors by directors, and I'm going to post each one here to collect more feedback. I also added a index page because of the number of pages are going to blow up

[vanshady]

Frank Capra:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Paramount 4K
It Happened One Night: Sony 4K in Columbia Collection Vol 3
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: Sony 4K in Columbia Collection Vol 1 or import
Arsenic and Old Lace: CC 4k transfer
You Can’t Take It with You: Sony 4k transfer
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town: Sony 4k transfer
Meet John Doe: US ClassicFlix has new BD release https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Meet-Joh ... ay/338869/
Lost Horizon: Sony 4k transfer
The Bitter Tea of General Yen: Sony BD
Lady for a Day: US BD OOP
Pocketful of Miracles: BFI significantly better than Kino even though same resto http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film5/blu-ray_ ... lu-ray.htm
The Miracle Woman: DVD only
Prelude to War: DVD only
State of the Union: UK Indicator looks great, not sure about US Paramount and FR releases http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film11/blu-ray ... lu-ray.htm
Platinum Blonde: DVD only
American Madness: Sony BD
Forbidden: DVD only
Ladies of Leisure: DVD only
A Hole in the Head: US Olive Films BD
Why We Fight [Series]: US Periscope BD OOP https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Why-We-F ... ray/87823/
Know Your Enemy: Japan: DVD only
Broadway Bill: DVD only
The Strong Man: DVD only
Here Comes the Groom: DVD only

There are more literally propaganda, documentaries or more obscure films that are only available in DVD

[vanshady]

John Cassavetes:
Criterion John Cassavetes: Five Films boxset is very similar to BFI counterparts, both HD restorations. Not sure about FR releases.
Note: according to a source in beaver, A Woman Under the Influence. Faces, Shadows have great new restorations by Ross Lipman at UCLA, but not released in discs

• A Woman Under the Influence: No difference
• Shadows: No difference
• Faces: No difference
• The Killing of a Chinese Bookie: CC darker, more contrast than BFI? See https://caps-a-holic.com/c_list.php?c=5347
• Opening Night: CC is warmer and more lifelike than BFI, not sure if more accurate http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview ... review.htm

--- Below are not included in the CC set or BFI ---

• Love Streams: Criterion 2k transfer
• Husbands: Criterion 4k transfer
• Gloria: Kino uses same old Sony master
• Minnie and Moskowitz: DVD only
• Too Late Blues: MoC significantly better than Olives
• A Child is Waiting: Kino has BD
• Big Trouble: Mill Creek Entertainment has BD in Peter Falk 4-Film Comedy Collection, although this is not a real Cassavetes

[vanshady]

Stanley Kubrick:
This website has streaming info https://andrei-tarkovsky.com/films.html

Belolw are sorted in release order

• Day of the Fight (short): 4k resto included in Kino Fear and Desire, better than BD viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039
• Flying Padre (short): 4k resto included in Kino Fear and Desire, better than BD viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039
• Fear and Desire: Kino UHD worse than BD viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039
• The Seafarers (short): 4k resto included in Kino Fear and Desire, worse on 4k than BD viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039
• Killer's Kiss: Kino UHD
• The Killing | Video: Kino UHD | Audio: DVD Mono
• Paths of Glory | Video: UK MoC UHD better encoding | Audio: MGM DVD
• Spartacus: Universal UHD
• Lolita: WB BD, not sure about imports
• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb | Video: Sony UHD | Audio: 1994 LD (marginally)
• 2001: A Space Odyssey | Video: WB UHD (early pressing has errors of a shot, later pressings fixed) | Audio: 1997 MGM LD, 1998 MGM DVD
• A Clockwork Orange | Video: WB UHD | Audio: WB 4K 5.1: remix but higher fidelity
• Barry Lyndon: maybe 4k from warner in the future
• The Shining | Video: WB UHD | Audio: 1999 Warner DVD
• Full Metal Jacket | Video: WB UHD | Audio: 1999 Warner R1 DVD
• Eyes Wide Shut: WB 4K confirmed! https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=372285

[Captain Paranoia]

Does anyone know who's able to edit the document?, if not, could I offer some suggestions for superior Blu-Ray releases?

[vanshady]

Does anyone know who's able to edit the document?, if not, could I offer some suggestions for superior Blu-Ray releases?

You can comment on the sheet or here, I’ll update

[M-A]

I noticed a lot of the releases listed in the Best Bluray Label (if definitive and EN subs) column aren't actually English friendly. Maybe we should simplify the column to instead be Best English-Friendly release?

[vanshady]

Good point, I agree