7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.2 |
When Marty, the owner of a Texas backwoods bar, hires a man to kill his cheating wife and her boyfriend, he opens a door into the criminal world that he'll never be able to shut. The sleazy hit man decides instead to shoot Marty, thereby collecting his unearned fee and eliminating the only person who could implicate him — or so he thinks.
Starring: Dan Hedaya, Frances McDormand, John Getz (I), M. Emmet Walsh, Samm-Art WilliamsDrama | 100% |
Crime | 33% |
Film-Noir | 30% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Joel and Ethan Coen's "Blood Simple" (1984) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include recent programs with actors Frances McDormand and M. Emmet Walsh; recent program with Joel and Ethan Coen and cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld; recent interviews interviews with composer Carter Burwell and sound editor Skip Lievsay; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
"The world is full of complainers. But the fact is, nothing comes with a guarantee. Something can always go wrong."
Criterion's release of Blood Simple is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "looked".
Please note that all screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.
The native 4K presentation can be viewed with Dolby Vision and HDR grades. I viewed the entire film with Dolby Vision grade and did not perform any comparisons with the HDR grade. However, I did compare the native 4K and 1080p presentations.
Blood Simple was restored in 4K and released on Blu-ray in 2016. We have listed and reviewed Criterion's Blu-ray release here. So, how does Blood Simple look in native 4K?
Outstanding. However, I have to immediately point out that after performing numerous comparisons with the 1080p presentation, I did not see a dramatic gap in quality. On the contrary, I think that the 1080p presentation easily produces similarly and often equally impressive visuals. The superiority of the native 4K presentation, which is undeniable, becomes easy to appreciate on a large screen. This is when the better dynamic range of and expanded color gamut begin to make a difference -- a lot of darker visuals reveal superior nuances, better depth, and even sharpness. Also, the Dolby Vision grade makes the neon lights and the other rich and unique colors that pop up throughout the film look really impressive. Fluidity is excellent. However, on the 1080p presentation, fluidity is very impressive, too. Image stability is excellent. All in all, Blood Simple looks sensational in native 4K. However, the people that will appreciate the strength of the presentation the most will be the ones that view their films on large screens.
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
This is the same 5.1 track that appeared on the previous Blu-ray release of Blood Simple. It is outstanding. Blood Simple has a very active, very original soundtrack and the 5.1 track reproduces its native qualities perfectly. While revisiting the film in native 4K, I did not encounter any issues to report in our review.
The finest American neo-noir films from the 1980s and 1990s are slowly beginning to get the attention they deserve. They are newly restored in 2K or 4K before they transition to Blu-ray, and some are getting stunning 4K Blu-ray releases. The Hot Spot, Blue Velvet, One False Move, Breakdown and To Live and Die in L.A. have wonderful releases now. Red Rock West is on the way, too. I hope that someone is already making plans for stunning 4K makeovers and future releases of Body Heat, Romeo Is Bleeding, The Last Seduction, Bound, and Keys to Tulsa. This 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack of Blood Simple, one of the best in the entire bunch, is a total winner and is very easy to recommend to folks that have a soft spot for these special genre films. It is also very easy to recommend to someone that is itching to begin exploring the great American neo-noir renaissance of the 1980s and 1990s. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
1984
1984
DVD Packaging | Director's Cut
1984
Director's Cut
1984
1990
1944
Collector's Edition
1996
4K Restoration
1973
1946
Warner Archive Collection
1944
1997
2014
1995
2013
2016
1955
Limited Edition to 3000
1950
2006
1959
1944
2011
Warner Archive Collection
1947
1998
2002