Roman Holiday 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Roman Holiday 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the treasured 1953 film 'Roman Holiday,' directed by William Wyler and starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. Audio and supplements remain unchanged from the film's initial Blu-ray release from 2020, which was part of the prestigious 'Paramount Presents' line.

Roman Holiday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

Paramount releases Roman Holiday to the UHD format with a quality 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD presentation. It's not the finest black-and- white UHD on the market, but it makes a case as a worthy upgrade over the previously issued Blu-ray, which was itself a very good presentation. This image is often faithfully filmic. Grain density fluctuations are present, and there are sporadic examples when grain appears less organic here and clumpier and more processed there, but the for the most part the image yields a healthy, natural texture that carries the essential filmic elements with satisfying precision that recreates the essential film elements nicely. Detail is very good and a clear step forward from the Blu-ray, offering oftentimes wonderful clarity to clothes, faces, and environments, all of which demonstrate a natural command of essential qualities while also bringing to light the finer nuanced elements as well. These includes fine pores, precision fabric qualities, and the like, which add up to a wonderfully dense and detailed image.

The Dolby Vision grading is the main highlight, however. The image offers very good, though not always great, grayscale gradation. The contrast within the range is not as pronounced and nuanced as seen on the finest black-and-white UHD releases (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington comes to mind) but this is certainly a boost over the Blu-ray for tonal finesse. The extremes are where viewers will note the highlights. The whites are punchier and more vivid, whether considering the lettering of the opening titles or various white shirts and clothes seen throughout the film. What was creamy and flat on the Blu-ray is brighter and more organic here. Black level depth is superior as well, whether black clothes or shadowy corners. The Blu-ray is certainly effective in these areas, but the UHD adds a noticeable boost to depth and accuracy that offers a more complete and satisfying picture. There are no immediately obvious examples of print deterioration or encode problems, either. This is a worthy UHD release of a classic film.

Roman Holiday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Rather than re-encode the audio for Dolby Atmos or any other more "modern" mix, Paramount has simply repurposed the original 2.0 mono soundtrack from the 2020 Blu-ray release. For convenience, the original review text is repurposed below.

Roman Holiday's Dolby TrueHD 2.0 lossless soundtrack keeps things relatively simple. The track exhibits no frequent wants for an expanded soundtrack, offering enough expressiveness as-is to satisfy its meager sound design elements. The track keeps things largely within the confines of a simple front-center imaged area. Dialogue is obviously the most readily apparent sonic element, here naturally placing in that middle area with perfectly acceptable clarity and prioritization. A few random sound effects don't stray far, either, from the middle imaged spacing, such as basic city din in various exteriors or clanking typewriters and other era specific office effects as heard in chapter seven. Some wailing police sirens in chapter eight represent just about the most ambitious sonic output. They drift into and out of the stage with appropriate volume but not much feel for spatial engagement, unsurprising given the limited output (and it's really the only time the track desperately wants for that channel expansion). Music pushes a little farther to the edges while holding fast to good, basic fidelity. The track lacks verve, but it's not lacking in faithfulness to the source. Listeners should be well pleased with this one.

Roman Holiday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Paramount releases Roman Holiday to the UHD format with no new supplements and no extras on the UHD disc itself. All supplements are found on the included Blu-ray disc, which as noted above is identical to the 2020 release. See below for a list of what's included and please click here for full coverage. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover and a digital copy voucher.

• Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on Roman Holiday
• Behind the Gates: Costumes
• Rome with a Princess
• Audrey Hepburn: The Paramount Years
• Dalton Trumbo: From A-List to Blacklist
• Paramount in the '50s
• Remembering Audrey
• Theatrical Trailers
• Galleries

Roman Holiday 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Beautifully filmed, great acting, a cherished story, numerous Oscar nominations, and several wins have created an endearing, and enduring, legacy for Roman Holiday, a long cherished film that is as technically beautiful and soothing to the soul today as it was many decades ago upon release. Paramount's new UHD is just as charming. Great video, solid audio, and a healthy compliment of extra content make this one to own. Very highly recommended as an essential add to any serious home film library.