7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks.
Starring: Charles Bronson, Hope Lange, Vincent Gardenia, Steven Keats, William RedfieldThriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Action | 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 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Michael Winner's "Death Wish" (1974) arrives on 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new audio commentary recorded by author and film historian Paul Talbot; exclusive new program with actor John Herzfeld; and vintage promotional materials for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Kino Lorber's release of Death Wish is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Bu-ray release is Region-Free. The Blu-ray release is Region-A "locked".
Please note that some of the screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and are downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including its actual color values.
Screencaptures #1-25 are from Death Wish Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #28-34 are from Death Wish 4K Blu-ray.
The film has been fully remastered in 4K. The 4K makeover can be seen with HDR or Dolby Vision. I viewed the entire film with Dolby Vision and only sampled a few areas with HDR.
The only other release of Death Wish that I have in my library is this reissue from 2017, which I think offers a very solid presentation of the film. I revisited the film in 4K over the weekend and thought that it looked fine but far from impressive. I did various comparisons with my Blu-ray release -- as well as the 1080p presentation from this release -- and to be honest I found several areas to look less convincing now. Why? In some darker areas, finer nuances and shadow detail appear flattened a bit, with light black crush making its presence felt as well, though the overall quality of the darker visuals here is slightly better than that of the 4K makeover of Escape from Alcatraz. During select outdoor sequences depth is occasionally a tad better, but elsewhere on my system, the previous release performs better. If I upscale the previous release to 4K, I prefer how some of the visuals look even if I focus on areas where Dolby Vision should be making a noticeable difference. Why is that? Some of the darker nuances look thicker and flattened, but for some reason, the grading is quite inconsistent as well. I do not know why but some parts of the film look quite anemic now (see screencaptures #18 and 22). Also, I spotted a very light yellowish hue of the kind that I have previously seen on Fox's remaster of Porky's. (See it emerging in screencaptures #4 and 10). I was able to spot it in native 4K and 1080p, though Dolby Vision tones it down a bit. There are no traces of problematic digital corrections. However, I feel that grain exposure could have been more pronounced and convincing. Image stability is very good. All in all, if the previous release is upscaled to 4K, I feel that it looks just as good and in some areas possibly even better than the native 4K presentation that is offered on this combo release. In a direct 1080p to 1080p comparison -- old release vs. new release -- I would pick the previous release as well.
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track and did not encounter any technical anomalies to report in our review. The dialog is clear, clean, and easy to follow. In some areas, external sounds and noise do affect clarity a bit, but this is how the original sound design was created. Herbie Hancock's soundtrack enhances the suspense quite well, though some of its more erratic themes could sound a bit uneven.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
If you already have one of the previous Blu-ray releases of Death Wish you are probably wondering whether this new 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack is worth picking up, correct? The answer is yes, but because it has a predictably excellent new audio commentary by Paul Talbot, author of the Bronson's Loose! books, and a very good new program with actor John Herzfeld. What about the technical presentation of Death Wish? Despite some inconsistencies, I would describe it as good, but it is not the visual stunner it could have been. I think that the previous Blu-ray releases were done very well and when upscaled to 4K offer a very solid presentation of Death Wish. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
1985
Limited Edition to 3000
1973
Slipcover in Original Pressing
1982
1994
Unrated Director`s Cut
1980
Day of the Woman
1978
1987
2016
2K Restoration
1979
Collector's Edition
1976
2017
The Dirty Harry Collection
1976
The Dirty Harry Collection
1983
1986
1981
1984
1985
1980
Collector's Edition
1983
1990