Oliver Stone’s conspiracy drama that explores the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has been released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray from Shout! Studio’s “Shout Select” label on December 19, 2023. The 4-Disc Collector’s Edition includes the Extended 206-minute Director’s Cut of the movie on 4k Blu-ray and 1080p Blu-ray, as well as the 188-minute Theatrical Cut on 1080p Blu-ray.
The new director-approved restoration of JFK improves sharpness and color over previous HD (1080p) presentations, but don’t expect 4k magic from this film. It’s a montage of various sources focusing more on storytelling (notably for its editing style that won an Oscar) than presentation quality.
The audio format is different than previous Blu-ray prints that offered Dolby TrueHD 5.1, which had its share of issues with some distortion and lack of dynamics. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 seems to improve the audio somewhat, but is still a rather flat delivery. The surround sound and low-frequency effects deliver some bangs, but the soundtrack resolves to be mainly as a dialogue-driven experience.
In terms of value, the 3-case, 4-disc box set from Shout! Studios’ “Shout Select” label is a durable piece of physical media that belongs in any disc library, especially for those who want to want to take a deep dive into this 8x Oscar-nominated film. There is enough content in this box set to keep viewers busy for a weekend.
As well as audio commentary on all 3 presentations of JFK, the bonus Blu-ray Disc features six new content pieces that explore the film including “One Person Can Make A Difference” – Oliver Stone On JFK, “Stone Bold” – Cinematographer Robert Richardson On JFK, “Brave New Worlds” – Editor Hank Corwin On JFK, “Supporting The Vision” – Co-Producer Clayton Townsend On JFK, “Re-Creating The Unthinkable” – Special Makeup Effects Artist Gordon J. Smith On JFK, and “The Delicate Hands Of Time” – Dallas Location Manager Patty Doherty Hess On JFK.
Legacy bonus features include 12 deleted/extended scenes and alternate endings (with Optional Commentary By Oliver Stone), “Assassination Updated,” “Meet Mr. X: The Personality And Thoughts Of Fletcher Prouty” still gallery, and the theatrical trailer.
Read the full review of JFK on 4k Blu-ray Disc with scores and additional screen photos.
