Pitting the new 4K Transfer of Dario Argento’s classic 1971 giallo against the earlier Blu-ray from Blue Underground
Arrow Video will release their new Limited Edition release of Dario Argento’s Cat O’Nine Tails on Feb 13.
This article contains several comparisons which contrast the older Blue Underground Blu-ray transfer with the new Arrow Video restoration. The frames aren’t necessarily exact matches, but should give a solid indication of the visual differences.
The film was previously released by Blue Underground both individually and as part of a three-movie Argento set, with a respectable set of extras. Arrow’s disc boasts even more robust features, replacing the old interviews with new ones and packing in some physical extras. But most intriguing is a new 4K-source, scanned from the original camera negative.
Here are my own observations; feel free to draw your own conclusions.
Unsurprisingly given its 4K restoration, Arrow’s disc scores best on clarity, displaying a clean, sharp, film-like image with grain intact — it will look better on larger TVs in particular. By contrast, the Blue Underground disc has some smeary pixelization.
Color is a bit of a toss-up. The new disc leans heavier into reds and blues, while Blue Underground had a more yellow tone overall. These differences are most noticeable in observing skintones.
Perhaps the most drastic difference between the transfers is in brightness. The new print is darker overall, while also exhibiting more natural contrast. While the darker image may be preferable for mood purposes, my gut tells me I like the brighter look better.
The differences here are somewhat subjective and I think which transfer you prefer is more a factor of personal preference than is typically the case. And while screenshots are good for observing differences between the two editions, they don’t tell the whole story — both editions look quite good in motion. I watched the film on the new Arrow disc and was never distracted or less than enthused by the transfer, which looks beautiful.
The different typeface on the opening titles if the first clear indication that these transfers are not just the same source. It’s also clear right off the bat that there’s a difference in overall brightness.
The woman’s hands above are a good example of the improved clarity on Arrow’s new transfer. Her skin looks rather smeary on Blue Underground’s disc.
Looking at the close-up textures above, particularly on the paper, I feel the new restoration has a more natural look.
The very different skintones above demonstrate the difference in colors between the editions.
A pretty drastic difference in contrast here — Blue Underground’s image is clearly punchier, while Arrow’s screen seems more natural.
Sometimes the older transfer’s brightness is too bright. The shiny spots on the lamp above show a mild instance of blowing out to white.
The shot of Karl Malden’s face being illuminated by flashlight as he enters the crypt is a clear example of where Blue Underground’s brighter transfer looks more appropriate. That said, isolating the screenshots exaggerates the sensation — while watching the Arrow disc, the scene plays perfectly fine in context.
Illustrating the opposite effect of the last pairing, the lighting this nocturnal screen looks more natural on Arrow’s disc.
In terms of color, contrast, and brightness, this is a comparison where personal preference might apply more than usual. I think Arrow’s new transfer looks more natural and filmlike overall, while Blue Underground’s disc had more “pop” to it, and fares better on skin tones (giallo does mean yellow, after all). Both transfers have relative strengths.
Speaking personally, I gravitate toward the more filmlike presentation. But he real deciding factor is the improved clarity of Arrow’s transfer, which looks better on larger, higher-resolution screens. As huge 4K TVs become increasingly mainstream, this new (4K-sourced 1080p) disc will certainly age better as a result.
A/V Out.
Get it at Amazon:
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Except where noted, all 16:9 screen images in this review are direct captures from the disc(s) in question with no editing applied, but may have slight compression inherent to file formats. All package photography was taken by the reviewer.