A few words about…™ – The Apartment — in 4k UHD

The Apartment 4k UHD Review
Any film by Billy Wilder is a treat, and we now have a reasonable selection of them on Blu-ray, with now 2 on 4k, courtesy of Kino.

The Apartment (1960) is prime Wilder – most of them are – but to see it in 4k is a new treat.

Beautifully rendered in black & white – shot by Joseph LaShelle, it won five Academy Awards and placed itself as the adult comedy (also drama and romance) of the era to beat.

Previously released, presumably from the same master, by Arrow, it joins a list of UA (MGM) productions arriving in sparkling new 4k restoration on Arrow or Criterion, to be supplanted by 4k via Kino.

For those wondering if you’ll get an uptick in 4k over the Arrow, the answer is yes, but not major. You’ll see it more in projection than on a flat panel. If one doesn’t have the Arrow, go directly to Kino for the 4k.

The audio is still primarily monaural, although tracking in 5.1, with music working more via the left and right.

One of the great films, and a necessity in any serious library.

Image – 5 (SDR)

Audio – 5

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors – Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k – 4.5

Very Highly Recommended

RAH

 

Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.

His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of ArabiaVertigoMy Fair LadySpartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.

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jayembee

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Any film by Billy Wilder is a treat, and we now have a reasonable selection of them on Blu-ray, with now 2 on 4k, courtesy of Kino.

That's understating it a bit. Out of the 26 films he made as director, only 3 are not on Blu-ray: Mauvaise graine, The Spirit of St. Louis, and Buddy Buddy. And it won't be long before we get a third UHD.
 

ghostwind

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I was on the fence based on these caps. Could be true, may not be, but there is a difference. The Kino seems to have cranked up the contrast, and maybe even the sharpening, though the latter can be a result of the cranked contrast. Thoughts?

 

Robert Harris

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I was on the fence based on these caps. Could be true, may not be, but there is a difference. The Kino seems to have cranked up the contrast, and maybe even the sharpening, though the latter can be a result of the cranked contrast. Thoughts?

I’m not seeing problematic sharpening. Contrast levels look fine. It’s a beautiful disc.
 

Martin Dew

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I received the KL 4K yesterday here in the UK from WowHD. Just compared it to my 2011 MGM Blu-ray last night, which I always thought was quite a respectable transfer (in spite of infuriating down-resolved opening credits). I'm happy to report the 4K knocks it out of the park and looks stunning on the projector, as RH says.
 

titch

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I received the KL 4K yesterday here in the UK from WowHD. Just compared it to my 2011 MGM Blu-ray last night, which I always thought was quite a respectable transfer (in spite of infuriating down-resolved opening credits). I'm happy to report the 4K knocks it out of the park and looks stunning on the projector, as RH says.
Anyone with a projector will notice the difference

 

ManW_TheUncool

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then your'e not one of us LOL

I guess I'm "one of us" now that I just received my copy of this (from the recent Kino sale)... :D

Now, if only the weather cools off enough so I feel alright firing up the PJ here w/out also blasting the AC even late at night, LOL -- yeah, I'm being "cheap" and trying to conserve energy, which running my space-heater PJ setup becomes a double-whammy during these summer months (though great for the winter)... :lol:

_Man_
 

Robert Harris

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A perfectly reasonable attitude. The Arrow Blu-ray disc is superb enough.
“What is good enough?” is an extremely interesting question.

In many ‘60s-‘70s 35/4 films there never was 4k information. In quite a few new 4k releases, what the viewer is seeing is the cut camera negative with reversed polarity.

On a Blu-ray from the same data master, the grain structure will be softened slightly, yielding a more velvety appearance. Much akin to what one would see via a print.

In 4k, that grain structure comes to the fore, giving the viewer a slightly different version of the same image.

However, any possible use of HDR aside, the two are quite equal from a normal seating distance.

The difference as a function of mastering, is that the 4k will need more work in clean-up as finer bits will become more visible.

Use that same master for all video uses, and at a normal seating distance the 4k and Blu-ray should look identical.

So what’s the point, then, if the base image is no more than 2k or less?

Bragging rights.
 
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