Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Singin' in the Rain 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"Dignity. Always dignity."

Reviewed by Randy Miller III April 22, 2022

Last released on home video a full decade ago as a standard Blu-ray and Ultimate Collector's Edition Blu-ray, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen's iconic musical drama Singin' in the Rain has finally made its debut on 4K UHD courtesy of Warner Bros., impressing long-time fans and newcomers alike with a pitch-perfect technical presentation that brings its vibrant Technicolor visuals and memorable songs back to life. Although some of the exhaustive legacy bonus features are still exclusive to the UCE, this is otherwise a very strong disc that celebrates the film's 70th birthday in style.

For a synopsis and appreciation of the film, please see either of Kenneth Brown's Blu-ray reviews linked above. I fully agree with the sentiment that Singin' in the Rain is an endlessly appealing production full of excellent performances and sits in the upper tier of classic Hollywood musicals, as much worth watching today as it was back in 1952. And if for whatever reason you're brand-new to the film, Warner Bros.' outstanding 4K restoration -- now fully equipped with the original mono audio as a lossless secondary option -- makes this as good a time as any to jump on board.

Singin' in the Rain 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots have been downsampled to 1920x1080 SDR from the 4K disc's original 2160p HDR image; while they offer a basic representation of the inherent differences in color, framing, and fine detail from previous editions, they should in no way be considered 100% accurate to their true 4K source.

Although Warner Bros.' 2012 Blu-ray editions offered a very good image for their time, there's no question that the 4K source used for this new 2160p transfer of Singin' in the Rain offers a more robust, film-like and nuanced presentation of this Technicolor beauty. As such, fine detail and textures are more evident in close-ups and wide shots alike, with better-handled black levels that allow for stronger shadow detail and no perceivable amounts of crush, banding, or posterization. Much like Warner Archive's stunning work on their multitude of Technicolor releases, it's clearly careful treatment that seems true to the source and, despite a mixture of source elements on board (reportedly, only one reel of the three-strip Technicolor negative still survives, as most of these elements were lost in the 1978 Eastman House fire), the fruit of their labor is a largely seamless and wholly impressive picture that die-hard fans will be impressed with. Much of this appeal comes from the tasteful use of HDR, which brings many of Singin' in the Rain's more vivid colors to life in new and unexpected ways: the costume design and handful of colorful montages -- especially the third-act "Broadway Melody" sequence -- are easy standouts, of course, but darker scenes benefit as well with subtle hues standing out much more strongly against the darkness. The result, at times, is simply stunning.

Perhaps my only quibble is with the overall color temperature: it's a bit cooler with pinker skin tones than its older Blu-ray counterpart, and this may take a slight period of adjustment. I'm of the opinion that they're slightly more accurate than earlier versions (especially since DVD and earlier Blu-ray masters were often artificially "warmed up") but it still looks a little too cool to my eyes during a few key stretches. Either way. this is resoundingly a top-tier restoration and, considering the state of its source material, as close to a best-case scenario as we were likely to get.

Please note that there is a somewhat jarring edit right after the 82-minute mark during the dreamlike "Broadway Melody" sequence featuring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. This edit is inherent to the source material and a byproduct of combining two separate takes of their performance, and has been present on all releases of the film.

Singin' in the Rain 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Although the 4K UHD disc's default option is a tasteful 5.1 remix of the original audio elements (which is covered in either of the linked Blu-ray reviews), this disc also resurrects Singin' in the Rain's original mono theatrical mix, which is offered as a split DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track. This solidifies the recent long-overdue turnaround of Warner Bros.' catalog releases in the audio department, as the studio has been known for years to either (a) omit theatrical mixes entirely or (b) present them as lossy, DVD-quality Dolby Digital tracks. Thankfully that's not the case here, nor is this a simple mix-down of the newer 5.1 track. While obviously not as fully robust and dynamic as its more modern-sounding counterpart, this is a terrific presentation that features clear dialogue and a somewhat richer dynamic range in direct comparison -- perhaps not in the areas of nuance and fine detail, but rather in overall balance and volume level. Either way, it's great that we get both options here and, though I wouldn't blame newcomers for going straight for the 5.1 remix, there's something about the original mono track that makes it a very welcome inclusion indeed.

Please note that since the included Blu-ray is a recycled 2012 disc, it doesn't include the original audio option. Both discs, however, do include an assortment of optional subtitles for the main feature and all applicable extras.

Singin' in the Rain 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release ships in a dual-hubbed keepcase with new cover art and a matching slipcover. Two inserts are inside, including a Digital Copy redemption code. Most of the on-disc extras can be found on the included 2012 Blu-ray, which means that those from the Ultimate Collector's Edition's DVD-era extras are missing in action.

4K UHD DISC

• Audio Commentary - Recorded separately, this vintage commentary features Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Cyd Charisse, Kathleen Freeman, co-director Stanley Donen, screenwriters Betty Comden and Adolph Green, filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, and author Rudy Behlmer.

• Musical Numbers - Instant access to Singin' in the Rain's main song breaks, which are listed below. Essentially, this is a stripped-down version of the included Blu-ray's excellent "Jukebox" feature.

• Fit As a Fiddle
• All I Do Is Dream of You
• Make 'Em Laugh
• I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'
• Wedding of the Painted Doll
• The Should I?
• Beautiful Girl
• You Were Meant for Me
• Moses
• Good Morning
• Singin' in the Rain
• Broadway Melody / Rhythm / Ballet
• Singin' in the Rain (Reprise)
• You Are My Lucky Star

BLU-RAY DISC

The following legacy extras are detailed in Kenneth Brown's 2012 Blu-ray review.

• Audio Commentary - Identical to the 4K disc.

• Singin' in the Rain: Raining on a New Generation (50:48)

• Jukebox

• Theatrical Trailer (4:07)

Singin' in the Rain 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen's iconic musical drama Singin' in the Rain is a genre classic and sitting pretty at 70 years young, every bit as enjoyable now as ever. Warner Bros. celebrates the occasion in style with an outstanding new 4K presentation that also resurrects its original mono audio, giving casual fans and purists the best possible experience to date. Save for the lack of a newly-mastered Blu-ray and a missing disc's worth of extras included with the Ultimate Collector's Edition, it's a top-tier release that will hopefully lead to many more vintage catalog titles in 4K.