Ten Great Movies You Can Still Only Watch In 4k On Blu-ray (And Why You Need A 4k Blu-ray Player).
When an older catalog title gets restored and remastered in 4k it doesn’t necessarily mean that movie will be readily available on digital platforms. Often, especially with non-studio distributors such as Arrow Video, Kino Lorber, and The Criterion Collection, the 4k improvement is exclusive to discs.
That means you’ll need a 4k Blu-ray player to enjoy these movies in the highest quality. 4k discs can deliver unrivaled bitrates as well as deeper color with Dolby Vision/HDR10 and high quality audio formats Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (Note: both formats are also available on select Blu-rays).
Here are ten great movies, several of which are considered cinematic masterpieces, that are not available in 4k from popular digital movie platforms such as Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Prime Video, and YouTube. These movies can only be watched in 4k on Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc.
Alexander Revisited – The Final Cut (2007)
Alexander: Revisited – The Final Cut by director Oliver Stone receives a striking 4K restoration that enhances the film’s epic scale and historical grandeur. Sourced from the original camera negative, the remastering process brings new clarity to Rodrigo Prieto’s sweeping cinematography, highlighting the film’s battle sequences, ancient architecture, and exotic landscapes. Dolby Vision HDR deepens the contrast and enriches the color palette, revealing intricate costume details and the golden hues of Mediterranean settings. This edition offers a more immersive and visually refined experience, allowing viewers to better appreciate Stone’s ambitious retelling of Alexander the Great’s life and legacy. The film is only available in 4k from Shout! Select. More Details
Barry Lyndon (1975)
Barry Lyndon was a groundbreaking film due to its revolutionary use of natural lighting and candlelit scenes, made possible by custom-modified lenses developed by NASA. Stanley Kubrick’s meticulous attention to period detail and painterly compositions elevated the film to a visual masterpiece that resembles 18th-century art. Its deliberate pacing and unconventional narrative structure challenged traditional storytelling norms, influencing generations of filmmakers. The 4k restoration of Barry Lyndon preserves the film’s rich textures and subtle lighting nuances, offering a viewing experience that closely replicates Kubrick’s original vision; only available in 4k on Ultra HD Blu-ray from Criterion. More Details
Blow Out (1981)
Blow Out received an admirable upgrade in its 4k remastering, which brings new clarity and depth to this suspenseful thriller from Brian De Palma that stars John Travolta. Sourced from the original camera negative, the restoration enhances Vilmos Zsigmond’s moody cinematography, emphasizing the film’s use of color and shadow to heighten tension. The Dolby Vision HDR treatment reveals intricate details in nighttime scenes and audio equipment, crucial to the film’s sound-driven narrative. This remastering not only preserves the film’s gritty aesthetic but also elevates its technical precision, making it a must-watch for fans of De Palma’s stylistic storytelling. Only available in 4k from The Criterion Collection. More Details
Blue Velvet (1981)
David Lynch’s Blue Velvet was given a transformative 4k restoration that intensifies the film’s eerie beauty and psychological tension. Sourced from the original camera negative, the remastering process preserves Frederick Elmes’ haunting cinematography, with Dolby Vision HDR enhancing the contrast between the film’s idyllic suburban exteriors and its dark, unsettling interiors. The restoration brings out vivid colors, deep shadows, and fine textures, amplifying Lynch’s surreal vision and the film’s disturbing atmosphere. This edition offers a definitive viewing experience that captures the full emotional and visual impact of Lynch’s cult classic. Blue Velvet is only available in 4k from The Criterion Collection.
Crimson Peak (2015)
One of our favorite 4k Blu-ray releases of 2024, Guillermo Del Toro’s 2015 gothic romance Crimson Peak is absolutely gorgeous in 4k with Dolby Vision/HDR10 providing an expanded color range that’s especially noticeable in the shadow and highlight areas. The new presentation from Arrow Video was approved by Del Toro and includes the original DTS:X audio soundtrack. And, even though the presentation is not native 4k (it’s upscaled from 2k) the inherent qualities are realized in the higher bitrates 4k discs offer. Crimson Peak is only available in 4k with Dolby Vision HDR on 4k Blu-ray, printed in both Limited Edition (SOLD OUT) and Standard Editions from Arrow Video. More Details
Dark City (1998)
Dark City looks stunning on 4k Blu-ray with HDR thanks to its meticulously restored visuals sourced from a 4s scan of the original camera negatives. The restoration process involved color grading supervised by director Alex Proyas, ensuring the film’s noir-inspired production design retains its intended mood and tone. Deep blacks and rich contrast enhance the shadowy atmosphere, while the HDR presentation brings out fine details in costumes and set pieces, making the film’s surreal, dystopian world more immersive than ever. The movie can only be watched in 4k with HDR on Ultra HD Blu-ray from Arrow Video. More Details
Days of Heaven (1978)
Director Terrence Malick supervised and approved the 4k digital restoration of Days of Heaven, and the results are outstanding. The newly-discovered detail and color grading showcase the film’s breathtaking cinematography by Néstor Almendros and Haskell Wexler. The transfer, sourced from the original camera negative, preserves the golden-hour visuals and delicate interplay of natural light that define the film’s poetic aesthetic. Dolby Vision HDR enhances the contrast and color range, bringing out the lush wheat fields, soft skies, and period details with remarkable clarity. The restoration honors Malick’s vision, allowing viewers to experience the film’s painterly compositions and meditative tone in stunning visual fidelity. Only available in 4k from The Criterion Collection. [Note: FandangoAtHome offers Days of Heaven in 4k UHD, but after viewing we’re not convinced it’s the restored version. Prove us otherwise.]
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers presents on 4K Blu-ray with a stunning restoration that revitalizes its chilling atmosphere and iconic visuals. Sourced from the original camera negative, the remastering process enhances Michael Chapman’s cinematography, highlighting the film’s eerie lighting and shadowy compositions. The Dolby Vision HDR deepens the contrast and sharpens the color palette, bringing out the paranoia-inducing details in San Francisco’s urban landscape and the grotesque transformation sequences. Philip Kaufman’s sci-fi horror classic is only available in 4k on Ultra HD Blu-ray from Kino Lorber. More Details
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Natural Born Killers (1994) from director Oliver Stone receives a vivid 4k restoration that accentuates the film’s frenetic visual style and provocative themes. Sourced from the original camera negative, the remastering process enhances the film’s eclectic mix of formats, colors, and textures, delivering a sharper and more immersive experience. Dolby Vision HDR intensifies the contrast and saturation, amplifying the chaotic energy and hallucinatory imagery that define Stone’s controversial masterpiece. The soundtrack is provided in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (a change from previous Blu-ray editions that offered Dolby TrueHD 5.1). Available in 4k only on Ultra HD Blu-ray from Shout! Studios in a 3-disc Collector’s Edition. More Details
The Last Emperor (1987)
Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor (9-time Oscar winner) astounds with its restoration from the original camera negatives. The remaster presents Vittorio Storaro’s award-winning cinematography with rich colors, intricate palace interiors, and sweeping landscapes of imperial China. And, the Dolby Vision HDR expands the contrast ratio and refines the color balance, revealing delicate textures in costumes and architecture while preserving the film’s painterly aesthetic. The Last Emperor can only be watched in 4k on Ultra HD Blu-ray, available in a 3-disc edition from The Criterion Collection. [Note: FandangoAtHome offers The Last Emperor (1987) in 4k UHD, but after viewing we’re not convinced it’s the restored version. Prove us otherwise.]
Also Read: The Best 4k Blu-ray players Of 2025
