Shadow of a Doubt 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Shadow of a Doubt 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Universal has released the 1943 Alfred Hitchcock film 'Shadow of a Doubt' to the UHD format. The disc is currently available individually (this release) and as part of a larger five-film UHD boxed set along with Saboteur, The Trouble with Harry, Marnie, and Family Plot. New specifications include 2160p/HDR video. No new audio track is included. No new extras are included, either, but the UHD disc does house all of the legacy supplements.

Shadow of a Doubt 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

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

There are a few image qualities and characteristics to note just within the film's opening seconds. First, a good bit of clean-up work has been performed for the opening title sequence. Gone are the numerous vertical lines and various stray fibers. The picture appears, now, almost immaculately clean and restored. Some stray lines remain (see the two-minute mark for example, a shot of some kids playing ball in the street), as does the occasional pop and speckle, but this certainly the result of a very thorough clean-up, and it looks beautiful. Universal is to be commended for its work on this release, still slightly imperfect though it may be. The resolution boost is certainly evident for this title. The newfound level of razor-crispness and film fidelity cannot be overstated. The picture is incredibly, but organically, sharp, boasting vivid definition to the usual stable of desirable qualities, ranging from faces and clothes to home interiors and city exteriors. The transfer leaves no textural stone unturned, resulting in one of the more complexly intimidate, yet beautifully natural, filmic presentations of a classic black-and-white film on the market today. The grain is sharp but natural, flattering and faithful, a beautiful complimentary piece to making this an extremely handsome presentation that is not to be missed.

The HDR grading accentuates the black and white characteristics as well, resulting in an impressively brilliant, stable, and nuanced appearance. At the ends, of course, are where much of the magic happens with spectacularly deep yet accessible blacks and whites that are vivid and pleasing with impeccable brilliance and accuracy, besting the Blu-ray's creamier appearance. The middle ground grayscale is wonderful, too, finding much more intense brightness, subtle gradation excellence, and the like to striking end result, again lifting spectacularly over the previous Blu-ray. In short, fans are going to be thrilled with this presentation in all areas of concern.

Shadow of a Doubt 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack offers a satisfying listening experience. Musical clarity is lacking but the absence of lifelike definition is inherent to the production. Sound effects lack depth and lifelike immersion but satisfy the film's basic tone and tenor nicely enough. Dialogue images well to the middle and generally finds good, balanced clarity. This does appear to be the same track used for the previously issued Blu-ray; for a full review please click here.

Shadow of a Doubt 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

While no new supplements have been added for this release, the UHD disc itself does carry over the four legacy extras, which are outlined below (please click here for full review coverage). As it ships individually, the legacy Blu-ray disc is included. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code has been included with purchase. This release features an embossed slipcover.

• Beyond Doubt: The Making of Hitchcock's Favorite Film (1080p, 4x3, 34:49).
• Production Drawings by Art Director Robert Boyle (1080p, 4x3, 6:10).
• Production Photographs (1080p, 4x3, 8:30).
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 4x3, 1:22).

Shadow of a Doubt 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Universal has done nothing but up the video presentation for this release, but frankly that's plenty. The presentation is absolutely gorgeous, and fans are going to be delighted, to put it mildly, with the end result. The audio track is fine; there was no need to remix to multichannel. It would have been nice to see a few new extras thrown in for good measure, but what is here is fine. Very highly recommended, either individually or as part of the larger five-film collection.