8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Francis recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep. When Alan asks Cesare about his future, Cesare answers that he will die before dawn. The next morning Alan is found dead. Francis suspects Cesare of being the murderer, and starts spying on him and Dr. Caligari. The following night Cesare is going to stab Jane in her bed, but softens when he sees the beautiful woman, and instead of committing another murder, he abducts her. Francis pursues the fleeing Dr. Caligari, and sees him disappear into a madhouse, where he is sure he will find the truth behind all these mysterious events...
Starring: Conrad Veidt, Werner Krauss, Friedrich Feher, Lil Dagover, Hans Heinrich von TwardowskiForeign | 100% |
Horror | 51% |
Psychological thriller | 20% |
Surreal | 17% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Music: Dolby Digital 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Robert Wiene's "Das Cabinet Des Dr. Caligari" a.k.a. "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include Rudiger Suchsland's documentary film "Caligari: How Horror Came to the Cinema"; restoration comparisons; and new audio commentary by composer Jeff Beal. With German intertitles and optional English subtitles. Region-Free.
Kino Lorber's release of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".
Please note that all screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.
The combo pack offers a native 4K presentation of the excellent 4K restoration of the film that Kino Lorber introduced with this Blu-ray release in 2014. In native 4K, the 4K restoration cannot be viewed with Dolby Vision or HDR grades.
I already have a 4K Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration in my library and know how good the entire film looks in native 4K. So, earlier today, while revisiting it with this release, I did not feel the need to do any direct comparisons with the 1080p presentation of it on the Blu-ray release.
What should you expect to see on your system if you choose to upgrade your Blu-ray release? First, the native 4K presentation does not exacerbate the inherited imperfections -- they look as they do on the 1080p presentation. There are minor but easy to appreciate improvements in terms of delineation and depth. I would say that close-ups tend to reveal the best improvements in quality, which usually affect delineation, but there are other areas that benefit from the increased resolution too. Because there are plenty of density fluctuations, the improvements that affect depth are not as consistent. Still, on my system, a lot of the darker footage with the greenish tint where the most atmospheric shadows are looked really good. However, the all-around best looking material is the one with the yellow tint. I think that it is because it has the healthiest footage, but the tint also helps details appear sharper, and in native 4K this is something that is easy to appreciate. The fluidity of the visuals is very good, or at least given the age and condition of the film. Ultimately, I still think that the combo pack should be on the radar of folks who have big TVs, or like to project. The 4K restoration already looks terrific on Blu-ray, so a big screen makes it easier to appreciate the minor and big upgrades that the native 4K presentation offers.
On the 4K Blu-ray, you will find the following tracks: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0, for a music score composed by Jeff Beal, and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, for the orchestral score that was created in 2014. DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 descriptive track is included as well.
On the Blu-ray, you will find the following tracks: Dolby Digital 2.0, for the alternate score composed by DJ Spooky, DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0, for a music score composed by Jeff Beal, and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, for the orchestral score that was created in 2014. DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 descriptive track is included as well.
I like the orchestral score quite a lot, so it is great to have it on the 4K Blu-ray. However, it would not have been a bad idea to transfer the DJ Spooky score, as a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, which is very modern and very interesting. Obviously, these are studio recordings, so they all sound great.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
Even though Kino Lorber's Blu-ray release offers a fantastic presentation of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, this new combo pack release is incredibly easy to recommend. The film is phenomenal, so to be able to see the beautiful 4K restoration that was prepared for it in native resolution is a treat. However, if you enjoy the electronic score DJ Spooky created for the film a decade ago, keep the original Blu-ray release in your library. On this release, it is presented only with a lossy track. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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