We’ve been waiting (and asking) the team at The Criterion Collection when they would release their first titles in 4k. Today, the company announced six films including Citizen Kane (Nov. 23 Updated to Jan. 12, 2022), Menace II Society (Nov. 23), The Piano (Jan. 25, 2022) Mulholland Dr. (Nov. 16), The Red Shoes, and A Hard Day’s Night would introduce their 4k distribution.
Criterion says each title will release to an Ultra HD Blu-ray combo pack with a 4k disc and Blu-ray Disc containing special bonus features.
Some of the films (more details to be announced in November) will be presented with Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos audio. Confirmed: Citizen Kane (Dolby Vision and uncompressed monaural soundtrack); Mulholland Dr. (Dolby Vision w/DTS-HD MA 5.1); Menace II Society (Original 2.0 surround soundtrack in DTS-HD MA).
The Criterion Collection has been restoring quite of few of their library titles in 4k, so it makes perfect sense to extend the disc releases on Ultra HD Blu-ray.
Among the six titles announced for Criterion’s first slate of UHD BDs, David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr. and Richard Lester’s A Hard Day’s Night were recently restored in 4k and pressed to 1080p Blu-ray with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. An Atmos soundtrack would be an upgrade (if you want to call it that) to each of those movie’s existing 5.1-channel mix.
Other examples of restored films primed for UHD BD release include Uncut Gems that just hit stores on Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos from a new 4k transfer. Other titles such as Love and Basketball, Deep Cover, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High were also restored in 4k for 1080p Blu-ray.
It also seems to make sense that Criterion’s streaming channel (now hosting over 2,600 titles) start offering content in 4k, possibly with HDR and/or Dolby Atmos, although likely not with the same titles releasing to physical media at the same time.
Editor’s Note: Love and Basketball, Deep Cover, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High were not restored for “Ultra HD” Blu-ray. It was just a typo.
