8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In 1944, a German colonel loads a train with French art treasures to send to Germany. The Resistance must stop it without damaging the cargo.
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield, Jeanne Moreau, Suzanne Flon, Michel SimonDrama | 100% |
War | 43% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
Music: Dolby Digital 2.0
There is no DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 on the UHD disc, only DD 5 1
English
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
John Frankenheimer's "The Train" (1964) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the release include archival audio commentary by the director; recent audio commentary by critic Steve Mitchell and author Jay Rubin; episode of Trailers From Hell; vintage trailer; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Kino Lorber's release of The Train 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 some of the screencaptures that appear 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.
Screencaptures #1-25 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #28-39 are from 4K Blu-ray.
In 2021, Kino Lorber produced this Blu-ray release of The Train, which was sourced from an older but strong organic master that was prepared at MGM. This release is sourced from a new 4K master that was struck from the original camera negative. The 4K makeover can be viewed in native 4K, with Dolby Vision or HDR, and 1080p.
I found the 4K makeover very difficult to evaluate because there is plenty that I like and quite a bit that I do not. It definitely looks better in native 4K, which is hardly surprising, but I think that it looks unconvincing in 1080p, or at least not as good as it could and should have.
A direct comparison with the previous presentation of The Train quickly reveals that the 4K makeover has superior density levels -- in native 4K and 1080p. Though the previous presentation was solid, I expected this. Also, the noticeable surface imperfections that were present on the previous presentation are gone. In a few areas, there are some drops in density levels that introduce unevenness, but this is different. Stability is excellent. What about delineation, clarity, and depth? Well, your immediate impression will almost certainly be that in native 4K the visuals look quite a bit better. And yes, some of the daylight footage does look superior. Unfortunately, various darker areas do not. They might reveal better detail in better-lit areas, but in darker corners and backgrounds darker nuances begin to collapse. I found this very frustrating because the superior density levels can make some visuals look rather remarkably attractive, as they should be in native 4K. If you examine the same areas in 1080p, the anomalies become even more obvious. In fact, some can be seen even during daylight footage. (See examples in screencaptures #1, 4, 5). Why is that? My guess is that something happens during the downscaling from 4K to 1080p because something isn't done right, but I do not want to speculate exactly how it happens because I am unsure what is being done during or after the HDR/Dolby Vision grades are done. I am just going to mention that what I see in native 4K often looks very similar to what I see on the native 4K presentation of The Deer Hunter. In the native 4K presentation of The Train, for obvious reasons, there are just a lot more blacks that exacerbate the issue. So, the previous Blu-ray release and this 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray release, present you with a trade-off. On the previous release, many darker areas have superior darker nuances and shadow definition, but density levels are inferior and there are some minor surface imperfections. On this release, in native 4K, you get superior density levels and healtier visuals, but darker areas begin to lose some native detail because of too strong and crushed blacks. On this release, in 1080p, the same issues become even more pronounced. My guess is that most people will end up liking the new 4K makeover, but I think that it could have been more convincing.
There are three standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 on the 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray, English Dolby Digital 5.1 on the 4K Blu-ray, and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 on the Blu-ray. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
Kino Lorber's previous Blu-ray release did not have a 5.1 track. This was one has two different 5.1 tracks, which is a bit puzzling. I did test the Dolby Digital 5.1 track and I must say that it is actually pretty good, but I do not quite understand why it is not a proper DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. So, I ended up viewing the film with the lossless 2.0 track again. I did not encounter any anomalies to report.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
John Frankenheimer's The Train is a great, well, train film. What you see in it is real and shot in a way that is hugely impressive. (It seems even more impressive now, since digital technology has made this particular type of film-making obsolete). But I am not convinced that it is the monumental war masterpiece some of its biggest admirers claim it is. It plays fast and loose with the truth and in the process produces an avalanche of familiar cliches that makes it impossible to ignore the fact that it was conceived to be a grand Hollywood-esque spectacle. It is an entertaining film, but this isn't the same as being a great and more importantly believable war film.
Kino Lorber's 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack introduces a new 4K makeover of The Train that can be viewed in native 4K and 1080p. It looks very good in some areas and not so good in other areas. If you already have Kino Lorber's previous Blu-ray release of The Train and are considering an upgrade, you have a difficult decision to make because the old presentation and the new presentation of the film have various, completely different strengths and weaknesses.
Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1964
Encore Edition | Limited Edition to 3000 - SOLD OUT
1964
1964
1977
80th Anniversary Edition
1942
L'armée des ombres
1969
Le dernier métro / First Printing DigiPak with Slipcover
1980
1927
1967
1979
Filmmakers Signature Series | Remastered
1971
1957
1942
Unrated Director's Cut
2005
La guerre est finie
1966
1940
Warner Archive Collection
1925
1944
2017
Fragile Fox
1956
Zentropa
1991
1942
1998