Warner Brothers gives new life to older films on 4K

Warner Bros. Pictures

It’s never too early to think about holiday shopping, and in our current situation with a global pandemic still at the forefront, getting out to shop may not be quite the same this year. But we can help you shop from home and offer some suggestions for the movie lover in your life. Perhaps due to a lack of new films coming to home video right now, the folks at Warner Bros. Pictures have begun to dip back into their catalog of classics to breathe new life into some old favorites with sparkling new 4K upgrades to their most popular films. Take a look at what the studio has to offer, and consider making a purchase though our links.

Beetlejuice

Of the films Warner Bros. has chosen to spiff up for 4K, Beetlejuice is probably the one that benefits the most from the upgrade with the studio not only offering a newly upgraded Dolby Atmos audio track, but the film itself is presented in Dolby Vision, the only one of the collection to get that particular upgrade. We all know the story by this point: What’s a couple of stay-at-home ghosts to do when their beloved home is taken over by trendy yuppies? They call on Beetlejuice, the afterlife’s freelance bio-exorcist to scare off the family – and everyone gets more than she, he or it bargains for!

Beetlejuice is a favorite and really launched the career of Tim Burton. And Warner Bros. has taken great care to give the 1988 comedy the best presentation possible. The video presentation probably gives us the film the best it’s ever looked. For its vintage, the image is sharp, clear, with nice, deep blacks and beautifully colorful scenes. Film grain is at a minimum, making the image look almost as if it were shot on high def video. It is a remarkable presentation. The Dolby Atmos audio also kicks in at the appropriate moments, putting you right in the middle of the action. If you’re a fan of Beetlejuice and have upgraded your television to 4K, this is definitely a film you will want to add to your collection.

The 4K package also comes with the previously released Blu-ray which houses the bonus features:

Three episodes from the animated Beetlejuice TV series: ‘A-Ha!’, ‘Skeletons in the Closet’ and ‘Spooky Boo-tique’
Theatrical Trailer

The set also comes with a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere. The digital version of the film is also presented in Dolby Vision.

Even if you already own the Blu-ray, the upgrade to 4K is definitely worth adding to your collection.

The Goonies

1985’s The Goonies, which Warner Bros. has released several times including a special Blu-ray anniversary edition box set is also a movie fan favorite. The story, from Steven Spielberg, plunges a band of small heroes into a swashbuckling surprise-around-every corner quest beyond their wildest dreams! Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys… and a mild-mannered monster with a face only a mother could love.

If you were a kid in 1985, you loved this movie (and it’s even been hilariously referenced on the 1980-something set sitcom The Goldbergs. And you probably own some variation of it on home video. Is the 4K upgrade worth the price? Unlike Beetlejuice, The Goonies gets an HDR 4K makeover and it looks just as beautiful in its crisp presentation. The scenes in the cavern have nicely inky blacks, and the scenes outdoors and indoors have very natural color. Nothing is over-saturated to the point of looking artificial. The image also has more of a film look you would expect with a natural but not overbearing grain pattern. The soundtrack was given a Dolby Audio upgrade but not a full Atmos remix. Still, it sounds very good and will give your surround system a nice workout.

The 4K package also comes with the previously released Blu-ray which houses the bonus features:

Commentary: Director Richard Donner and select cast members reminisce about making the movie.
Hidden Treasures: A pop-up version of the commentary with director and cast appearing in a small window in the right corner of the screen.
The Making of The Goonies (7:00): A 1985 featurette with Spielberg, Donner and behind-the-scenes footage.
Deleted Scenes (7:00)
Music Video: The music video for Cyndi Lauper’s ‘The Goonies R Good Enough’.
Theatrical Trailer

The set also comes with a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere. The digital version of the film is presented in Dolby Vision.

Sherlock Holmes

Guy Ritchie moved away from his usual high octane action films like Snatch with a new take on the classic detective, Sherlock Holmes. In the new film, Sherlock Holmes has made his reputation finding the truth at the heart of the most complex mysteries. With the aid of Dr. John Watson, his trusted ally, the renowned “consulting detective” is unequaled in his pursuit of criminals of every stripe, whether relying on his singular powers of observation, his remarkable deductive skills, or the blunt force of his fists. But now a storm is gathering over London, a threat unlike anything that Holmes has ever confronted…and just the challenge he’s looking for. After a string of brutal, ritualistic murders, Holmes and Watson arrive just in time to save the latest victim and uncover the killer: the unrepentant Lord Blackwood. As he approaches his scheduled hanging, Blackwood–who has terrorized inmates and jailers alike with his seeming connection to dark and powerful forces–warns Holmes that death has no power over him and, in fact, his execution plays right into Blackwood’s plans. And when, by all indications, Blackwood makes good on his promise, his apparent resurrection panics London and confounds Scotland Yard. But to Holmes, the game is afoot. Racing to stop Blackwood’s deadly plot, Holmes and Watson plunge into a world of the dark arts and startling new technologies, where logic is sometimes the best crime-fighting weapon…but where a good right hook will often do the job.

Even at 11 years old, it’s nice to get an upgrade for this fun movie. It already looked great on Blu-ray, and the 4k HDR only serves to enhance the image and detail. The film has an intentionally muted color palette, somewhat sepia-toned so that when there are pops of color, they truly pop. The film can also be dark at time, lending to the era, but the details of the image are never really obscured (unless Ricthie and his cinematographer intended them to be). It’s a very accurate representation of how the movie looked on the big screen. The Dolby Audio is also used very well for music and sound effects to envelop the viewer.

As with the other films, this package also comes with the previously released Blu-ray which includes the bonis features:

Maximum Movie Mode: A marvelous picture-in-picture experience with Ritchie speaking about the making of the film between two monitors that present the film on one and various behind-the-scenes footage, concept art and the like to coordinate with the scene. Even when Ricthie is not on screen, the feature continues to run presenting more content related to what is being shown on screen. A real treat for those who like to see how movies are made.
Focus Points (31:00): A separate collection of highlights from the Maximum Movie Mode feature for those who don’t want the picture-in-picture experience.
Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented (14:00): A promotional EPK featuring clips from the movie with participation from the cast and filmmakers discussing the making of the film and the classic and Ritchie versions of the Holmes character.

The set also comes with a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere. The digital version of the film is presented in Dolby Vision. The digital version does not include the Maximum Movie Mode, but does include the Focus Points, Sherlock Holmes: Reinvented, A Tour of 221B Baker Street, Victorian London: Guy Ritchie Style, Bang! Crash! Sherlock!, A Supervillain, but a British Supervillain, and Creating the Sherlock Holmes Soundtrack. If you don’t already own the film, this is a nice reason to add it to your collection.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Ritchie, Downey, Law and McAdams reteamed for Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows that was another fun romp for the Victorian Era detective. Around the globe, headlines break the news: a scandal takes down an Indian cotton tycoon; a Chinese opium trader dies of an apparent overdose; bombings in Strasbourg and Vienna; the death of an American steel magnate… no one sees the connective thread between these seemingly random events—no one, that is, except the great Sherlock Holmes, who has discerned a deliberate web of death and destruction. At its center sits a singularly sinister spider: Moriarty. Holmes’ investigation into Moriarty’s plot becomes more dangerous as it leads him and Watson out of London to France, Germany and finally Switzerland. But the cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead, and moving perilously close to completing his ominous plan. If he succeeds, it will not only bring him immense wealth and power but alter the course of history.

Coming from the same director and cinematographer, the visual presentation of the film is similar to that of the original 2009 production. The 4K accurately represents the heavily post-production manipulated image and offers much sharper details than the Blu-ray release. For a film that’s less than ten years old, the 4K upgrade still offers an improvement over the previous HD release. As with the original film, the Dolby Audio is crisp, clear and uses the surrounds appropriately, keeping the main dialog where it should be — front and center.

The previously released Blu-ray included with the package includes the bonus features:

Maximum Movie Mode: As with the original film, this feature allows you behind-the-scenes access to the making of the movie, this time hosted by star Robert Downey Jr. in full snark mode. The feature isn’t quite as in depth as Ritchie’s MMM experience, cutting back to the film when Downey has nothing to say, but it’s still a very cool way to experience the film.
Focus Points (35:00): A separate collection of highlights from the Maximum Movie Mode feature for those who don’t want the picture-in-picture experience.
A Game of Shadows Movie App: An app for your mobile device that unlocks more exclusive behind-the-scenes features.

The set also comes with a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere. The digital version of the film is presented in Dolby Vision, but the only bonus feature is ‘Inside the Mind of Sherlock Holmes’. If you’re a fan of the film and don’t yet own the Blu-ray, the 4K edition is worth adding to your collection.

300

Zack Snyder’s 300 gets a 4K upgrade. The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.

The HDR version of the movie, for me, is a mixed bag. The film itself was on the dark side and that is accurately represented in the 4K upgrade, as are the intentionally muted colors. The extra detail sometimes gives away the fact that the majority of the film was shot against a green screen, but that all lends to the graphic novel look Snyder was going for. What bothers me is the very pronounced grain pattern which, I must add, is purely intentional and added in post-production according to Snyder’s wishes. With film, I expect grain, but in my opinion this just looks like video noise. It’s not a pronounced throughout the entire film, and it was a stylistic choice that Warner Bros. has honored, but I am not a fan. As for the Dolby Atmos sound, that is truly breathtaking, really putting you in the middle of the action. The scene where the Spartans come under fire from thousands of arrows will have you ducking as they whiz over your head. A very impressive audio presentation.

Unlike the other 4K releases, the 4K disk for 300 actually includes the filmmakers’ commentary. The included Blu-ray disk houses all of the other previously released bonus features including:

Commentary with director/co-writer Zack Snyder, co-writer Kurt Johnstad and director of photography Larry Fong
The 300: Fact or Fiction
Who Were the Partans? The Warriors of 300
Preparing for Battle: The Original Test Footage
The Frank Miller Tapes
Making of 300
Making 300 in Images
Webisode: Production Design
Webisode: Wardrobe
Webisode: Stunt Work
Webisode: Lena Headey
Webisode: Adapting the Graphic Novel
Webisode: Gerard Butler
Webisode: Rodrigo Santoro
Webisode: Training the Actors
Webisode: Culture of the Sparta City/State
Webisode: A Glimpse from the Set: Making 300
Webisode: Scene Studies from 300
Webisode: Fantastic Characters of 300
Deleted Scenes with introduction by Zack Snyder

The set also comes with a Digital Code redeemable through Movies Anywhere with all of the bonus features except for the audio commentary. If you are a fan of the movie and don’t own it, it may be worth the upgrade.