Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Election 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 6, 2024

Paramount has released the popular 1999 film 'Election,' Directed by Alexander Payne and starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Doby Vision video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless audio. The original Paramount Blu-ray (as well as a few subsequent re-issues by Paramount and Warner Brothers) featured a 5.0 lossless soundtrack, and the 2017 Criterion disc featured a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. In addition to a legacy commentary track which was included on both of those releases, this release also includes a few new retrospective featurettes. Note that the remainder of the ample extras from the Criterion disc are not included here.

Election has had two primary releases (and a couple of re-issues as noted above) and the film has also, therefore, been fully reviewed twice. As such, i see no need to re-review the film a third time. It received positive reviews from both Ken Brown and Dr. Svet Atanasov, and I would also give the film a similarly positive review. Note that Ken scored the movie at a 4.5 and Svet awarded it with a 3.5, so I will merely split the difference and award the movie a 4. But, at this point, most everyone is here for the audio and video presentations, so there is where I will focus my energy. But do please click through the links below for full film reviews:

• Election (Paramount release, Ken Brown)
• Election (Criterion Collection, Dr. Svet Atanasov)

Election 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the included, remastered 1080p Blu-ray disc.

The new Blu-ray release of Election provides a nice boost for the image from the 2009 Blu-ray. I cannot compare it with the Criterion disc, but I would wager that it compares favorably after reading Dr. Atanasov's excellent review. The new Paramount release delivers a pleasantly filmic image, yielding stable grain, nicely detailed textures, and stout color. The image has a true, filmic appearance, and the result are pleasant details that naturally capture expressive facial elements, high yield clothing depth and detail, and excellent definition to things like school lockers or the heavy textured details around McAllister's basement (see around the 19-minute mark). The gains in film-quality clarity and general object and texture finesse are quite evident. Colors are rich and robust, especially seen around school, on clothing, and the like. Saturation is a step up from the old Blu-ray for sure. Additionally, black levels are largely true and white balance is solid. There are no encode or print flaws of note.

The 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD included in this set is certainly distinguishable from the Blu-ray at a glance. The grain field is thicker, the image is sharper, and the colors are deeper, all by a good amount. This is a gain over the Blu-ray to be sure, as good as the Blu-ray is, offering a much more stout and natural image that picks up where the Blu-ray left off, pushing the film elements to a much higher place in all of those areas of concern. Viewers will appreciate tangible gains in textural clarity and natural sharpness, allowing for even the most insignificant of details to enjoy a noticeable boost to definition and depth. There's not a shot, scene, or sequence in which the overall definition is not moderately or even substantially higher than the Blu-ray. The same is true of colors. The Dolby Vision grading adds vividness to clothes, pop to colors around the gym, and health and vitality to skin tones. Black levels are deeper, though they can teeter on crush at times. White balance is very good (look at Paul Metzler's T-shirt at the 45-15 mark). Like the Blu-ray, there are no source flaws or encode issues to report. Fans will be pleased with both images, but Paramount has certainly done a great job with the UHD in particular.

Election 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount originally released Election to Blu-ray in 2009 with a Dolby TrueHD 5.0 lossless soundtrack. Criterion subsequently released the film in 2017 with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. So, this is three major releases for the film, and now three different soundtracks. This new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track is on both the Blu-ray and the UHD. I cannot compare with the Criterion disc, but the added subwoofer channel does make a monumental difference to the Election listening experience. This is obviously not a bass-heavy film; there are no serious action elements to speak of. However, the track does make nice use of the subwoofer in order to add some satisfying depth to the score, which is itself fairly light, but certainly supported by the nicely balanced support element. But beyond the added depth to music, there is not much to say that wasn't covered in the 5.0 track review. That same music is nicely wide and suitably clear, well supportive of the screen content. Atmospherics around the school are healthy, involved, and immersive, especially densely packed hallways and gyms on the heavier end and minor classroom ambience on the lighter end. Dialogue is the name of the game here in terms of the main sonic component, and the presentation is good and healthy, centered, clear, and well prioritized throughout.

Election 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This new UHD release of Election contains extras only on the Blu-ray disc. Even the legacy commentary track does not carry over to the UHD. This release does ship with a digital copy code. It is also the 46th in the "Paramount Presents" line and includes the slipcover with fold-open poster artwork.

• NEW! Who Cares About This Stupid Election! (1080p): A three-part retrospective supplement:
  
  
  • Not Another High School Movie (8:40): A retrospective with Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor who explore their collaborations, project origins, story and themes, undertaking the project, differences between the film and the book, voiceovers in the film, the film's legacy, and more.
  • Pick Flick: Casting 101 (10:46): As the title suggests, and also again with Payne and Taylor, this piece explores the casting process and the qualities that the actors brought to the film.
  • That's Why It's Destiny (11:50): Payne and Taylor talk up some additional material, such as shooting in the Midwest, school locations, crafting specific scenes, cinematography, the film's place in Payne's canon, editing, the film's ending, changes between the film and the book, and much more.
• Audio Commentary: Director Alexander Payne discusses the film.

Election 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Election holds up now even a quarter-century sine its original theatrical release, and Paramount has breathed new life into the film with this "Paramount Presents" bundle that offers both a new Blu-ray and a new UHD. Both pictures look tremendous, but the UHD is really the way to go. The new 5.1 track is everything the film needs, and the new extras are icing on the cake. Highly recommended.