8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Before settling down to a respectable life, career criminal Johnny Clay teams with a group of pitiful two-bit crooks to pull off one final, elaborate heist at a racetrack.
Starring: Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Ted de CorsiaDrama | 100% |
Film-Noir | 29% |
Crime | 17% |
Mystery | 15% |
Heist | 3% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.66:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 0.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Stanley Kubrick's "The Killing" (1956) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include an exclusive new audio commentary by film noir expert Alan K. Rode and vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
It is a perfect job. Any questions?
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.67:1 and encoded with HEVC / H.265, The Killing arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. This release does not include a Blu-ray copy of the film.
Please note that all screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and are downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including the actual values and balance of the grayscale.
The Killing made its high-definition debut with this release which was produced by Criterion in 2011. The original Blu-ray release was sourced from a 2K master, while this new 4K Blu-ray release is sourced from a new 4K master.
I spent plenty of time comparing the two releases and I have to say that both offer excellent presentations of the film. In fact, I think that there is only one area where the 4K Blu-ray release very clearly excels and produces a more satisfying presentation of the film, which is the dynamic range of the visuals. What does this mean exactly? The transition from SDR to HDR either enhances or expands minor nuances that affect the perception of depth. For example, the film has plenty of areas with unique ranges of darker nuances that look more attractive with the Dolby Vision/HDR grade in native 4K. Simply put, these areas have a superior organic appearance. When there is plenty of movement, the fluidity of the visuals is better as well. However, I have to make it very clear that the actual detail that you will see in 1080p and native 4K is equally great. To be honest, if the 4K Blu-ray did not have the Dolby Vision/HDR grade, it would be awfully difficult to highlight specific areas where the 4K visuals immediately look superior. You might be able to spot various nuances that are handled better in native 4K, but only if you have already carefully examined the 1080p presentation. Of course, with Dolby Vision/HDR enabled, as noted above the discrepancies in the grayscale begin to affect other areas. There are no traces of digital tinkering. Image stability is excellent. The entire film looks very healthy as well. Ultimately, if you want the very best presentation of The Killing, you need to pick up this new 4K Blu-ray release for your library. (Note: This is a Region-Free 4K Blu-ray release).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The dialog is clear and very easy to follow. Dynamic intensity is very good as well. However, just like on the Criterion release, there are a few areas where extremely light hiss can be detected. It is never distracting, but if you turn up the volume of your system, you will notice its presence. (See the footage around the 0:15:24 mark where the lovers meet).
If supporting actors were always as crucial and as good as they are in Stanley Kubrick's The Killing, they would be called something else. Sterling Hayden is the most authoritative character in The Killing, but everyone else around him is irreplaceable. There are a lot of great films, not just film noirs, that are as pragmatic as The Killing, but you can usually find some fat in them that can be cut off. I can't find any in The Killing, which is pretty astonishing because stylistically this film is still quite versatile. Kino Lorber's 4K Blu-ray release offers an outstanding technical presentation of it and features a predictably excellent exclusive new audio commentary by film noir expert Alan K. Rode. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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Du rififi chez les hommes
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Encore Edition | Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
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