UHD New Releases, Reissues and Upgrades

[nicolas]

Yi Yi (Criterion). Huge upgrade to the BD, which is even more dated than I remembered. The 4K master is gorgeous with beautifully fine grain, filmic colors and the 5.0 sound (restored from the original tapes) is way more dynamic than most films in Yi Yi’s vein. Criterion’s encoding is outstanding. This is one of my favorite purchases in a while and I’ll cherish this disc for a long time.

[mfunk9786]

Coming from you, that's a massive compliment. I know how much time and mental energy you expend in this space. Just sold a copy.

[ryannichols7]

Yi Yi (Criterion). Huge upgrade to the BD, which is even more dated than I remembered. The 4K master is gorgeous with beautifully fine grain, filmic colors and the 5.0 sound (restored from the original tapes) is way more dynamic than most films in Yi Yi’s vein. Criterion’s encoding is outstanding. This is one of my favorite purchases in a while and I’ll cherish this disc for a long time.

fantastic news. this has been in my top 3 movies since I first watched it, and even when it came out the BD was already pretty dated and behind other discs of the period. so hearing how massive of an upgrade of this is really, really is a shot of confidence. hopefully the next film in my top 10 to come up (Playtime) is just as spectacular a jump

[nicolas]

You’re going to be very happy with your purchases. Seeing a true classic like that beautifully restored and presented without any of the usual shortcomings in a definitive edition is such a great feeling. Someone on the other forum saw the restoration theatrically and mentioned that it had grain management. Reading that was such a letdown, so when I saw it in motion and all the grain was intact without any tampering, I was overjoyed beyond belief.

[mfunk9786]

This is not in regard to Yi Yi or any actively occurring restoration, but I watched The Aviator via the best available blu-ray source last night, narrowing my eyes at how much smear there was from years old grain management, and nearly fainted when I found out that a 2K DI was used for that film so it'll probably never be able to be properly fixed. What a pity.

[vanshady]

Playtime should be great. It was shot on 70mm, and I watched it in 70mm and it was gorgeous

Yi Yi (Criterion). Huge upgrade to the BD, which is even more dated than I remembered. The 4K master is gorgeous with beautifully fine grain, filmic colors and the 5.0 sound (restored from the original tapes) is way more dynamic than most films in Yi Yi’s vein. Criterion’s encoding is outstanding. This is one of my favorite purchases in a while and I’ll cherish this disc for a long time.

fantastic news. this has been in my top 3 movies since I first watched it, and even when it came out the BD was already pretty dated and behind other discs of the period. so hearing how massive of an upgrade of this is really, really is a shot of confidence. hopefully the next film in my top 10 to come up (Playtime) is just as spectacular a jump

[dwk]

This is not in regard to Yi Yi or any actively occurring restoration, but I watched The Aviator via the best available blu-ray source last night, narrowing my eyes at how much smear there was from years old grain management, and nearly fainted when I found out that a 2K DI was used for that film so it'll probably never be able to be properly fixed. What a pity.

It is a shame that there is now 15-20 years of modern films that will never look as good as they should because of the 2K DIs.

[nicolas]

fantastic news. this has been in my top 3 movies since I first watched it, and even when it came out the BD was already pretty dated and behind other discs of the period. so hearing how massive of an upgrade of this is really, really is a shot of confidence. hopefully the next film in my top 10 to come up (Playtime) is just as spectacular a jump

Coming from you, that's a massive compliment. I know how much time and mental energy you expend in this space. Just sold a copy.

Some screenshots that'll make it difficult for you to wait for your copies to arrive:

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[therewillbeblus]

Any word on KL's Diva 4K yet, compared to the StudioCanal?

[FrauBlucher]

Chris’ review of Captain Blood which looks amazing

Quick question Chris, did you get a chance to look at the bluray?

[woejJLYd]

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website the new edition is even better than the previous one, and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

[andyli]

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

Highly praised, are you sure? I've heard nothing but negative comments toward this ESC edition. At best people said they could adjust their TV setting to fix the intrinsic contrast issue (see this post and this), that's hardly a praise is it?

[vanshady]

ESC is only slightly better with forcing SDR, there are caps on caps-a-holics https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=18190&d2=17533&c=6495

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

Highly praised, are you sure? I've heard nothing but negative comments toward this ESC edition. At best people said they could adjust their TV setting to fix the intrinsic contrast issue (see this post), that's hardly a praise is it?

[vanshady]

You are also welcomed to use BestBlurays for searching https://www.bestblurays.com/film/5-the- ... -game-1939 We only use caps as objective benchmark (when available)

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

[andyli]

Bottom line is there are perfectly suitable alternatives out there (BFI BD and CC UHD) that have not made the same authoring mistake. I mean if you bought it already enjoy it by all means but if you haven't this edition is not the way to go.

[nicolas]

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

Tenia reviewed the Rimini edition here: https://testsbluray.com/2025/05/30/test ... le-du-jeu/.

Rimini used AI for their “upgrade” to make the film look sharper. It seems people fell for that.

[rrenault]

Yi Yi (Criterion). Huge upgrade to the BD, which is even more dated than I remembered. The 4K master is gorgeous with beautifully fine grain, filmic colors and the 5.0 sound (restored from the original tapes) is way more dynamic than most films in Yi Yi’s vein. Criterion’s encoding is outstanding. This is one of my favorite purchases in a while and I’ll cherish this disc for a long time.

I'm guessing Carlotta's encode is competitive with Criterion's.

[andyli]

According to this comparison, Carlotta's encode edges out Criterion's by a small but noticeable margin.

[MichaelB]

Presumably Fidelity in Motion is responsible for the difference?

Although it doesn't look as though the Carlotta has English subtitles—but it does of course have French subtitles, so my Oppo can probably substitute English ones.

And on my side of the Atlantic the Carlotta is a fair bit cheaper, so that may well be the one to go for.

[nicolas]

The Carlotta is LSP. In comparison, the Criterion does look a bit filtered but this isn’t bothersome in motion as the grain isn’t noisy and resolves naturally. I don’t regret my purchase at all.

[onedimension]

It's been a decade since the UHD format emerged, and even though we all dread the extinction of physical media, this is the best time in history to be a collector. Studios are asleep at the switch, but boutique labels are thriving.

So why all the holes in the 4K lineup? We have the Cabinet of Dr. Caligari on 4K, and The Cat and the Canary, but not Metropolis? There was a 4K restoration of The General done six years ago, and Eureka announced a disc only last month.

This is both a "what's the explanation?" and a "list the biggest omissions" thread.

[woejJLYd]

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

Highly praised, are you sure? I've heard nothing but negative comments toward this ESC edition. At best people said they could adjust their TV setting to fix the intrinsic contrast issue (see this post and this), that's hardly a praise is it?

Thank you for the links to the posts containing more information. As far as I understand the ESC release belongs to the red list of releases and is even considered a superior import so, while maybe not deserving of the wording "highly praised," at a minimum it apparently deserves being taken seriously as a top contender. It looks like the case of this release is particular with the SDR master in an HDR container situation that Nicolas describes and, while also considering all the information contained in the different replies that I have received, the small improvement in PQ maybe does not make this particular purchase worth it.

ESC is only slightly better with forcing SDR, there are caps on caps-a-holics https://caps-a-holic.com/c.php?d1=18190&d2=17533&c=6495

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

Highly praised, are you sure? I've heard nothing but negative comments toward this ESC edition. At best people said they could adjust their TV setting to fix the intrinsic contrast issue (see this post), that's hardly a praise is it?

Thank you for the information, I have just checked the caps too.

You are also welcomed to use BestBlurays for searching https://www.bestblurays.com/film/5-the- ... -game-1939 We only use caps as objective benchmark (when available)

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

I have been using the website for the last few days and I find it very useful in order to find information quickly, thank you.

Bottom line is there are perfectly suitable alternatives out there (BFI BD and CC UHD) that have not made the same authoring mistake. I mean if you bought it already enjoy it by all means but if you haven't this edition is not the way to go.

Thank you, looks like in this particular case as stated the trade-offs are not worth it.

This is my first message on the board. First of all, thank you for the very useful information that is provided here.

I have used the search function in order to find more information on this topic, but I have not been able to find any results: I am aware of the highly praised ESC Editions The Rules of the Game 4K UHD, but I have not found a single mention of the recent 2025 Rimini Editions version.

According to the DVDFr website this new edition (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/f302254-regle-du-jeu.html) is even better than the previous one (https://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/c301108-regle-du-jeu.html), and it is now considered the definitive one both in regard to the presentation and the extra content.

Any input from people far more knowledgeable than me regarding the accuracy of these claims?

Thank you.

Tenia reviewed the Rimini edition here: https://testsbluray.com/2025/05/30/test ... le-du-jeu/.

Rimini used AI for their “upgrade” to make the film look sharper. It seems people fell for that.

Thank you, Nicolas. I was not able to find more information on that and, after learning about the use of AI on the Rimini Editions 4K UHD, I have discarded the purchase. Hopefully anyone looking in the future for more information on this particular release finds your post useful as well.

[vanshady]

No matter the tier, the ultimate decision is the price/ease of purchase vs the quality/packaging etc. As for if it is worth it is different for different person

[tenia]

Regarding La règle du jeu, I'd argue that if one wants a UHD of it, then Criterion's release is the release to go. Otherwise, the BFI BD feels like the best compromise for me : it's a good package, and the PQ is good enough considering how the restoration looks because of the movie's photo and surviving elements.


Regarding the holes in the 4k releases available : plenty of 4k masters exist, but between rightholdings complications, restorations in SDR (something labels try not to release as is on UHD as it's not perceived as worth the price), restorations done in 4k but long ago enough that they can't adequately fuel a UHD release, it's not that simple.
Regarding Metropolis for instance : the movie definitely would need a new restoration, which doesn't seem to be arriving soon and that looks like it'd cost quite a lot, but the 16mm sections retrieved some years ago to reconstruct the longer version don't seem to be in very good shape anyway and would only bring so much in 4k.

[MichaelB]

I think people also confuse the fact that 4K masters (or higher resolution) are created primarily for archival and TV-licensing purposes, with potential UHD physical-media releases ranking much lower on the priority list.

For starters, they may not even be suitable for the high-bitrate UHD treatment—because, as La Règle du Jeu demonstrates, if the only surviving 35mm sources are generations away from the original camera negative, a normal person who doesn't pore over 400% Caps-a-holic magnifications simply isn't going to notice any difference between it and a Blu-ray from the same source, hence the BFI's decision not to go down the UHD route. And I have to say I'm not wildly enthused by the prospect of importing Criterion's El—I love the film, but the UHD release looks pretty much indistinguishable from a BD based on screencaps.

And of course there's the commercial factor. Indicator could almost certainly have released John Frankenheimer's Impossible Object in 4K; StudioCanal's source master was gorgeous, and they've been happy to sanction UHD releases from Indicator on other titles. But how many people are realistically likely to spend an extra fiver on a title so obscure that it was enough of a commercial risk releasing it on standard BD, bearing in mind that higher prices for UHD discs are unavoidable because of current per-unit manufacturing costs? And with margins getting squeezed ever tighter as physical media customers inexorably dwindle, a label that doesn't routinely prioritise decisions based on hard-nosed financial realism is unlikely to be long for this world.