Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		0.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Staying gold.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III November 12, 2021

Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders, an acclaimed big-screen adaptation of the 1967 novel by teenager S. E. Hinton, finally debuts on 4K UHD courtesy of Warner Bros. The 91-minute theatrical cut was first released on DVD in 2004, and a version known as "The Complete Novel" (a director's cut that runs roughly 23 minutes longer and features a different score with 1950s radio hits instead of orchestral cues written by Coppola's father, Carmine) later appeared on DVD and Blu-ray. This two-disc release includes both versions of the film: it's not only the first appearance of the theatrical cut since DVD, but also the first time they've shared a home video release. Each has been fully restored, and new extras have been added to most of those ported over from previous DVD and Blu-ray editions.

Most fans consider "The Complete Novel" to be the definitive version of The Outsiders and, for a full synopsis of that director's cut, please read Michael Reuben's 2014 Blu-ray review. It's a largely satisfying expansion that restores entire scenes trimmed by the studio after early test screenings, and my preferred version too. I'm still happy that both are included, though: the theatrical cut, with its more compact introduction and coda, misses out on a few crucial character moments but is still worth watching, and Carmine Coppola's orchestral score changes the impact of several key scenes for the better. In lieu of a redundant write-up, I'll instead point fans to the invaluable resource site Movie Censorship, which breaks down all of the additions, subtractions, and pacing changes between both versions, and with plenty of screenshots too. Long story short: there are a lot more subtle differences than you might expect.

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As this is a 4K-only release, these screenshots are sourced from the included 4K discs and have been downscaled to 1920x1080. Therefore, they don't accurately reflect the native resolution or HDR enhancement present on this release. Screenshots #1-15 are taken from "The Complete Novel", while #16-30 represent the theatrical cut.

First and foremost: Warner Bros.' new two-disc presentation of The Outsiders, in both its theatrical and "The Complete Novel" cuts, is clearly not the exact same one as seen on StudioCanal's day-and-date region-free Collector's Edition recently covered by my fellow reviewer Dr. Svet Atanasov. Even so, strong similarities are present: according to an accompanying restoration featurette (which is also included on the StudioCanal set), these releases are sourced from a brand-new master created from the original camera negative; previous home video editions, including the 2014 Blu-ray, used an interpositive or duplicate negative, and the difference in overall clarity and texture is obvious. Additionally, optical dissolves and similar scene transitions were re-created digitally using these original source elements, creating a more stable and uniform appearance that still looks natural. But while both releases share this same master and very few of the screenshots between our reviews are near-identical, immediate differences are obvious.

On this 4K version, both cuts of the film (more on those below) display deeper black levels with less pronounced grain and noise as a result, yet the picture as a whole retains a film-like appearance that has not been slathered with excess noise reduction. The color palette also appears better refined here, although "new" color temperature changes may be a point of contention among purists. (The same restoration featurette, which includes comments by American Zoetrope film archivist and restoration supervisor James Mockowski, colorist Gregg Garvin, and original cinematographer Stephen H. Burum, claims that a reference print was used, so take that "new" with a grain of salt.) It'll be interesting to see exact frame comparisons between these two releases... but the visual differences don't end there.

Oddly enough, even the two cuts themselves show similar visual variances. Screenshots #7 and #17 (representing "The Complete Novel" and the theatrical cut, respectively) are exact frame matches from both discs on this release and, while black levels and fine detail are more or less consistent between the two, color temperature and even framing are not. Other sequences in the film reveal similar differences, with the theatrical cut leaning more towards warmth. Considered these variances, not to mention the differences between this release as a whole and the StudioCanal set, there's a lot to unpack about The Outsiders' new appearance. I do have some reservations about both releases' visual presentations (and cuts, for that matter), but there's certainly a lot to appreciate about their highlights.

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Both cuts of The Outsiders utilize a lossless surround track (not the theatrical Stereo mix, which warrants a full point deduction in my book), but "The Complete Novel" makes use of a DTS-HD 5.0 Master Audio mix while the theatrical cut opts for 5.1 MA. Both are very similar in overall fidelity, surround usage, width, and even dynamic range, with "The Complete Novel" leaning more heavily on its soundtrack cues. Speaking of which, one annoying issue I found with both versions was the music's volume level: it occasionally overpowers dialogue and sound effects -- never more noticeable than during the climatic nighttime mud brawl -- and as a whole sounds mixed a bit higher than usual. It clearly isn't a matter of individual levels either... which means that adjusting the center channel volume, for example, won't magically bring things back to normal. (This may very well be a stylistic decision, so it's tough to judge objectively.) But once things are dialed back a few decibels, both the 5.0 and 5.1 mixes leave quite an impression at times with surprisingly high bass response, crisp dialogue, and discrete effects that heighten the film's atmosphere. There's still room for improvement, in my opinion, but overall it's likewise a quality effort that most fans will enjoy.

Optional subtitles, including English (SDH), are included during the main feature and most extras.

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release ships in a standard dual-hubbed keepcase with illustrative cover artwork and a Digital Copy code (which I'm told includes both cuts in 4K -- nice touch). Bonus features are divided between both discs; a few new ones are here, as well as returning extras previously detailed in Michael Reuben's review of the 2014 Blu-ray. Oddly enough, many old and new extras are repeated on both discs, which adds to the confusion.

"The Complete Novel" Disc:

• NEW! An Introduction to "The Outsiders: The Complete Novel" with Francis Ford Coppola (11:48) - The director talks about his first introduction to S.E. Hinton's source novel by way of enthusiastic students in California, his first reading of the book, casting and production in Tulsa, class warfare, developing a longer cut of the film for his granddaughter's seventh-grade class, adding Elvis songs, the 4K restoration, and more.

• NEW! Restoring "The Outsiders" (19:00) - This more in-depth discussion about the creation of "The Complete Novel" -- and, of course, the new 4K restoration of both versions-- features key participants James Mockowski (American Zoetrope film archivist and restoration supervisor), Gregg Garvin (colorist for Roundabout Entertainment), and Stephen H. Burum (the film's cinematographer), who talk about scanning and equipment, retaining a film's original look, going back to the camera negative, color correction and reference prints, HDR enhancement and authenticity, rebuilding optical dissolves, and more. A handful of still frame comparisons between the 2005 HD restoration and the new 2021 4K restoration are also included along the way.

• NEW! Outsider Looking In (7:51) - Francis Ford Coppolla returns for a brief discussion of several key moments from the film: the dangerous climactic nighttime fight, the burning church, scenes featuring Diane Lane, and his own granddaughter's cameo. Awww... nepotism is kinda sweet sometimes, ain't it?

• NEW! Stephen H. Burum on "The Outsiders" (12:31) - The film's cinematographer shares personal memories of the film's production, his shooting process, and other collaborations with Coppolla.

• NEW! Old House New Home (11:04) - This short but interesting piece features original author S.E. Hinton, Danny Boy O'Connor (owner of The Outsiders House Museum), and a few enthusiastic fans. O'Conner is featured most prominently and talks about purchasing the house featured in the film years after his first impromptu visit to Tulsa, extensive renovations the following years, and purchasing a large memorabilia collection.

• KINDA NEW! Deleted Scenes (8 clips, 14:44 total) - Two previously unreleased deleted scenes -- "Pony, Johnny, and Dallas at the Diner" and "Pony, Johnny, and Dallas at the Rexall Store", both fully restored in 4K with HDR enhancement -- have been added to the six rough-looking deleted scenes from the 2014 Blu-ray.

• KINDA NEW! Trailers (3 clips, 4:08 total) - A new 2021 re-release trailer, presented in full 4K with HDR enhancement, appears alongside the old 1983 trailer and 2005 re-release trailer from the 2014 Blu-ray.

• Audio Commentary #1 - Featuring director Francis Ford Coppola.

• Audio Commentary #2 - Featuring five "Greasers" (Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, and Rob Lowe) and a "Soc" (Diane Lane).

• Staying Gold: A look Back at "The Outsiders" (26:27)

• On Location with S.E. Hinton (7:35)

• Screen Tests and Auditions: Fred Roos and The Casting of "The Outsiders" (13:59)

• Cast Readings (7:25)

Theatrical Cut Disc (all extras below are repeated):

• Outsider Looking In ()

• Old House New Home ()

• Deleted Scenes (8 clips, 14:44 total)

• Trailers (2 clips, 2:20 total) - Does not include the 2005 trailer from the "Complete Novel" disc.

• Staying Gold: A look Back at "The Outsiders" (26:27)

• On Location with S.E. Hinton (7:35)

• Screen Tests and Auditions: Fred Roos and The Casting of "The Outsiders" (13:59)

• Cast Readings (7:25)

NOTE: One extra listed on the press release has not been carried over from the 2014 Blu-ray.

• Fresno Book to Film (4:43) - A 1983 clip from NBC's Today Show.

The Outsiders: The Complete Novel 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders is an enjoyable but occasionally overcooked adaptation of S. E. Hinton's source novel, serving as either the debut or an early career showcase for many future stars including C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon (who would re-team with Coppola for Rumble Fish, another Hinton adaptation), Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, and Diane Lane. Both the theatrical cut and perhaps better-known "Complete Novel" version are paired on home video for the first time in Warner Bros.' 4K-exclusive package, which also features full restorations for both as well as a terrific collection of old and new extras. It's a near-definitive effort and comes Highly Recommended for old and new fans alike.