6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The granddaughter of an infamous doctor experiments with hormone and shock therapies at her asylum for the insane.
Starring: Fox Harris, Laura Albert (I), Jennifer Balgobin, John DurbinHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1, 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
4K Ultra HD
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 0.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Stephen Sayadian's "Dr. Caligari" (1989) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Mondo Macabro. The supplemental features on the release include new program with the director; new program with Madeleine Reynal and Laura Albert; restored original theatrical trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
If you have seen our review of Mondo Macabro's Blu-ray release of Dr Caligari, you already know how I feel about the 4K restoration of the film. It is an all-around winner that looks sensational in 1080p.
Please note that all screencaptures that appear with this article were taken from the 4K Blu-ray disc and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the native 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.
The 4K Blu-ray release -- which does not come with a standard Blu-ray disc -- looks equally impressive. In fact, after testing it earlier tonight, I think that it is very easy to place among the best looking 4K Blu-ray releases. Yes, it is true that the entire Dr. Caligari was shot in a controlled environment, which makes it a lot easier to consistently get great looking footage, but this is not the main reason the 4K restoration and its presentation on 4K Blu-ray (and Blu-ray) is so impressive. The basic qualities of the 4K makeover are outstanding, meaning that all of the native filmic qualities of Dr. Caligari are properly retained. It sounds very simple, but it is not. Color reproduction in particular is so convincingly handled that even when I was viewing the 1080p presentation, I felt that the dynamic range of the visuals was already at or around native 4K level(s). In other words, when the 4K makeover is of exceptionally high-quality, the 1080p and 4K presentations look equally impressive.
So, is there a big difference in quality between the Blu-ray release and the 4K Blu-ray release of Dr. Caligari? The native 4K presentation has not been graded with HDR or Dolby Vision, but I do not think that it would have looked notably different if it were. Why? Because color reproduction is already terrific. Also, darker areas reveal superb ranges of nuances. On my system, I could not spot any meaningful discrepancies in the density levels of the visuals. Fluidity is fantastic, too. If you upscale the Blu-ray to 4K, I think that you will effectively match the quality of the native 4K presentation. This may not be the case if you project on a very large screen, but on a TV set, regardless of its size, you will more than likely experience an almost identical quality. Obviously, the entire film still looks spotless.
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I did not encounter any technical anomalies to report while testing the 4K Blu-ray release, which is why I am resubmittig my comments from the review of the Blu-ray release.
Dr. Caligari was made with a tiny budget and its production limitations easily show. Indeed, while all dialog and recitations are very clear and easy to follow, dynamic contrasts are underwhelming. But, to be entirely honest, they are not needed either. The ones that the music score manages to produce along the way are more than adequate. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report in our review.
Some of my all-time favorite films, like Underground
and Belle de jour, can quite easily be described as strange. I enjoy surreal films too, like La Grande Bouffe and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. I had never seen Dr. Caligari before and hoped that it would be that kind of different film, a little crazy, witty, and visually impressive. Well, I must admit that I was quite disappointed by it. It feels very random and at times even pretentious, so I was barely able to reach its finale.
This 4K Blu-ray release offers a predictably excellent technical presentation of the 4K restoration of Dr. Caligari. It does not come with a Dolby Vision or HDR grade, but I honestly do not think that such a grade would have made a meaningful difference because the quality of the 4K makeover and its presentation are superb. So, if you are a fan of Dr. Caligari and feel that you absolutely must have it on 4K Blu-ray, Mondo Macabro has a gift for you.
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