Psycho 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Psycho 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Universal has released Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film 'Psycho' to the UHD format. This new presentation includes a 2160p/HDR video output as well as a DTS:X soundtrack. The UHD disc recycles the existing 2010 Blu-ray's supplements, which are also included on the bundled remastered Blu-ray, which has also been released separately. At time of publication, this UHD disc is only available individually in collectible SteelBook packaging or as part of a four-film Hitchcock UHD boxed set which also includes 'Rear Window,' 'Vertigo,' and 'The Birds.' Also note that this release includes two cuts of the film: 'Psycho' (1:48:51) as most widely seen and edited, and 'Psycho' Uncut (1:49:04), the 1960 theatrical release as Hitchcock intended the film to be seen.

Psycho 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

Psycho earns a rather substantial overhaul for its UHD release. Universal's 2160p/HDR UHD presentation, released simultaneously with a remastered Blu-ray, shows significant adds to sharpness and grayscale rendition compared even to the new 1080p image, no slouch in its own right and a good update to the original 2010 VC-1 disc. The UHD showcases the film elements with improved sharpness and clarity beyond the Blu-ray's reach. There is practically no limit to the textural might, the image delivering significant boosts to skin and clothing details, never mind various location and set dressing components, including furnishings in the Bates home and motel as well as other assorted locations seen primarily through the first act. The grain structure is more aggressive here than on the remastered Blu-ray but it is also very flattering and complimentary. The Blu-ray's grain has a lighter and more finessed look, but added to the superior textures and improved grayscale, it's only a boon for the 2160 resolution output.

Equally vital to this bolstered (yet very fine and filmic) presentation of Psycho is the HDR grading, which boosts the grayscale by quite a bit. There's obviously a much broader range here through that spectrum. Depth is greatly improved upon, whether at the extreme end of black level balance -- which is rich and deep and perfectly defined for consistency and shadow detail -- or through the midrange which is where the transfer really shines. There's so much more tonal nuance here compared to even the remastered Blu-ray, allowing for fine variances in skin, clothes, and various objects to present with much more expressiveness even as they're devoid of color. Whites are, of course, a high point, enjoying greatly boosted intensity and clarity in every example. The picture is flat-out gorgeous overall. The downsides are minor: light aliasing is visible at times (a curtain at the 50:38 mark for example), a few leftover speckles remain, and a fairly aggressive and large splotch can be seen running vertically on the left-hand side at the 1:27:11 mark (also visible on the remastered Blu-ray). But these are minor inconveniences in what is, overall, a superior UHD experience and a brand new, yet seemingly entirely faithful, rendition of Psycho that unquestionably looks better than ever for home consumption and probably bests the theatrical run prints, too, particularly with that fine-tuned HDR output.

Note that for the purpose of this review, the film was screened in its entirety via the Uncut version. Also note that the disc never played properly on the menu screen. It always displayed pixelation and missing content, undoubtedly a result of the unavoidable fingerprinting caused by removing the disc from the boxed set packaging.

Psycho 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Don't expect the DTS:X configuration to suddenly and drastically transform the Psycho listening experience. It's predominantly front-heavy but very rich for clarity. Bernard Herrmann's score has never sounded so wonderful, every intensely piecing note driving through speakers like a knife stabbing into the theater. Front side stretch is wide and reach is seamless. Surround wrap is subtle but effective. The track opens up at a couple of points, both dealing with water. The surrounds and overheads pick up some saturating rain in chapter seven when Marion arrives at the Bates Motel. Later, during the infamous shower scene, the sound of running water from the shower head offers one of the film's most fully immersive examples of surround engagement. A few scattered additional effects and ambience filter through beyond the front but those are the most obvious examples of surround intensity the film has to offer. Dialogue is the primary mover here and it presents with perfectly good clarity, front-center placement, and prioritization.

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

Psycho's UHD brings with it all of the supplemental content from the 2010 Blu-ray (coverage has been included for a few extras that were not covered in the 2010 release). For coverage of the carryover content, please click here. As it is included in the Hitchcock UHD set, this release ships with the remastered Blu-ray copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy voucher.

• The Making of Psycho
• Psycho Sound
• In the Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy
• Hitchcock/Truffaut
• Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho
• The Shower Scene: With and Without Music
• The Shower Scene: Storyboards by Saul Bass
• The Psycho Archives
• Posters and Psycho Ads
• Lobby Cards
• Behind-the-Scenes Photographs (1080p upscaled, 8:00): A series of stills from the set, presented in 4x3 within a smaller box inside a static promotional image.
• Production Photographs (1080p upscaled, 8:30): In the same format as above, here showing the cast posing for publicity.
• Psycho Theatrical Trailers (1080p upscaled, 6:31 total runtime): Hitchcock tours the set and pitches the movie.
• Psycho Re-Release Trailer (1080p upscaled, 1:52 total runtime): Hitchcock advertises the movie's uncut version, followed by a few lightning quit advertisements, most of which are not very different one from another.
• Audio Commentary: Stephen Rebello.

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

Psycho is probably the most readily identifiable film in the Hitchcock canon and it is also one of the most famous films in cinema history. It's well deserving of royal UHD treatment, which Universal has bestowed upon this timeless classic. First-class 2160p/HDR visuals are accompanied by a new and highly satisfying DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. No new extras are included but there's plenty of legacy content for both new and returning users to sift through. Very highly recommended.