White Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

White Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Paramount has released the treasured 1954 film 'White Christmas,' directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Dolby Vision video. This new UHD includes the same 5.1 lossless and 2.0 mono lossless soundtracks from the 2014 Diamond Edition Blu-ray (also included in this set; the 5.1 track also dates back to the film's original 2010 Blu-ray release). There are no supplements on the UHD disc, but the bundled Diamond Edition Blu-ray brings over all of its extras, which include a variety of material that was new for its release as well as all of the content from the 2010 issue. In short, this UHD brings together the best of everything White Christmas on physical media in 2024.

White Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from the UHD disc output at 1080p. They are not representative of the UHD/Dolby Vision image you will see on your screen.

One of the smaller, but most obvious, changes on this UHD disc is the framing at 1.85:1 as opposed to the Blu-ray's (2010 original and 2014 Diamond Edition) 1.78:1 framing. The big question, though, is always whether a UHD is worth the added cost of upgrading from, in the case of White Christmas, a very solid Blu-ray that has held up even well more than a decade since its release. Fortunately, this is a case of a good Blu-ray giving way to an excellent UHD.

I'll start with the Dolby Vision color grading since the film begins with a very bold red background housing the film's big white letter title card. The red pops of the screen with ample vividness and obvious color accuracy. It's a little deeper than the corresponding red on the Blu-ray, so it's not quite as bright, but it's also a more nuanced red, less gaudy and more subtly saturated for maximum impact. Likewise the white letters transition from slightly creamy on the Blu-ray to brilliantly white on the UHD with no obvious blooming in effect. The following sequence offers Army olive greens and shades of war-torn urban grays with a depth and splendor that the Blu-ray cannot match, finding a new level of stability and accuracy that pushes beyond the Blu-ray's SDR limits. As the film progresses, it goes through a number of indoor and outdoor shots, scenes, and sequences with various examples of intense color output that really show the Dolby Vision grading's splendor. Vivid blues, lush natural greens, and all variety of clothing colors pop with exemplary boldness and clarity. Whites remain crisp and satisfying and black levels are above reproach, holding depth without sacrificing detail.

The 2160p resolution, matched with a healthy, grainy, film-like presentation, results in a picture that is even better than the solid 2010 (and 2014) Blu-ray. It's wonderful, really, and just about perfect. That grain is stable and satisfying, a pleasing density that is honest and complementary to the film's organic roots. Everything is satisfyingly crisp and accurate with no signs of scrubbing that removes grain and detail along with it. The picture is tangibly sharper than the Blu-ray, the grain is better managed, and the picture captures faces, clothes, and environments all with superior clarity that the Blu-ray could never even dreamed about offering. No matter the shot, scene, or sequence, the picture is every bit worthy of the UHD monicker and the 4K resolution. Add the absence of any obvious print wear or encode problems and this is White Christmas at a home video pinnacle that is not soon to be improved upon. It's up there with the best catalogue UHDs Paramount has released.

White Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

This UHD release of White Christmas contains the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 mono lossless soundtracks that were included on the Diamond Edition Blu-ray from 2014. As is Paramounts catalogue UHD release custom, there is no remix to Atmos (not that this film needs it at all). Both soundtracks are fine. A full review of the 5.1 track can be found by clicking here, while a few words on the 2.0 mono lossless soundtrack can be viewed by clicking here.

White Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements on the UHD disc, but the included Blu-ray is identical to the 2014 'Diamond Edition' release and includes a good selection of content, including all of the carryover material from the 2010 disc as well as all of the extras that were new to that issue back in 2014. Below is a bulleted list of what's included. Please click here for reviews of the legacy content from 2010 and please click here for coverage of the content that was new with the 2014 Diamond Edition release. This UHD issue does ship with a digital copy code and a non-embossed slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Rosemary Clooney.
• White Christmas Sing-Along
• Classic Holiday Moments
• Assignment Children
• Backstage Stories from White Christmas
• Bing Crosby: Christmas Cooner
• Danny Kaye: Joy to the World
• Irving Berlin's White Christmas
• Rosemary's Old Kentucky Home
• White Christmas: From Page to Stage
• White Christmas: A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney
• Photo Galleries
• Theatrical Trailers

White Christmas 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Overall, Paramount has done a very impressive job with the presentation. It's filmic and faithful, presenting the movie in a glorious film-like image that is, for starters, framed at 1.85:1 rather than 1.78:1 and also presents with a gorgeous, grainy quality with extra sharp details and wonderful Dolby Vision color grading. The carryover audio is fine, and the Blu-ray is the superior Diamond Edition with more extras than the original 2010 Blu-ray. There's a fair chance Paramount will re-release this in relatively short order as a SteelBook, but with the film looking this good it's hard to wait, especially with Christmas right around the corner. Buy it now and enjoy it now! Highly recommended.