UHD Review A few words about...™ - Dirty Harry, The Outlaw Josey Wales & Pale Rider -- in 4k UHD (2 Viewers)

[HenryDuBrow]

How are the colors on Dirty Harry, are they still those ridiculous orange skin tones and the exaggerated Transformers-like modern yellow that plagued past releases, even going back to its first 'restoration' job by WB on that big DVD box-set. This is how it looked on its old snapper case DVD release (below) and the terrible later 'futeristic' grading (above), I suppose the new release is not quite as bad.

 

[Konstantinos]

I don't see them as orange now, but as pink:

Dirty Harry • DE Ultra HD Blu-ray vs. UK Dirty Harry Collection Blu-ray

caps-a-holic.com

 

[KML10]

Yeah, but now (& for many years) WARNER!

As I said, I'll be buying Josey Wales, but maybe I'm in for Pale Rider as well, not so keen on Dirty Harry (I actually prefer all the sequels).

 

[Kevin Fox]

I think it depends on which retailer you purchased the product from because I paid the same $29.99 for all three Steelbooks. Amazon is frequently not the retailer with the cheapest pricing especially on pre-orders.

Yes, I got all three of my steels for $29.99 as well. Pre-ordered them a while back.

 

[Kevin Fox]

Yeah, I paid $29.99 from GRUV (which I'm guessing is where you ordered them)? Unfortunately, I got a shipping notification three days ago and haven't seen a tracking update since. Still says label printed, awaiting pickup. So in the meantime, I'm going to have to make a move on getting some review copies.

Odd. I got mine from Gruv on Saturday. I also received regular updates after the "label printed" one and the package came in sooner than I expected.

 

[DVDvision]

I think the new Dirty Harry version is a little pale. I have to get the saturation on my TV up to make it look OK. Also fleshtones have those pasted on pink look you find on other Warner UHDs. On one hand, the detail is astonishing. On other, some might prefer the enhanced look of the Blu-ray, though it was revisionist. Here, they more or less went back to the original looking, closer to the first DVD. Only 48 hours left on our english magazine version, if anyone want to help!

 

[Nelson Au]

Hey everyone, I watched the new 4K blu ray of Dirty Harry last night.

I’m a Bay Area resident, so seeing San Francisco on film as it was when a film was made is always interesting and fun!

I have not seen Dirty Harry in probably over 5 years on the last boxset Dirty Harry blu ray set of all the films in the series. This is also the first time seeing it on my new-ish 83” Sony OLED. So it was a doubly new experience seeing the film in 4K and larger screen size. It’s a good thing if I can actually feel a bit of vertigo when we see Harry on top of the then Bank of America building looking over the edge down at the rooftop swimming pool of the then Holiday Inn. So the large screen makes a difference.

This new 4K release does look great! And while I am not Dolby Atmos capable now, I was still impressed by the sound track. I was still feeling immersion. One scene it was noticeable was when Harry goes to the scene of the man on the rooftop about to commit suicide. You can hear the radio conversations and crowd sounds all around. Same with the score through out the film.

For some reason, on this viewing, I could really see Eastwood’s face and the expressions of his anger and contempt for Andy Robinson’s Scorpio character when he catches him at Kezar Stadium.

I’m really hoping Warner is working on Bullitt. Watching Dirty Harry this time gave me a lot of Bullitt vibes. As the film started, the score sounded so familiar, then I see it was scored by Lalo Schifrin, the same composer who scored Bullitt. And of course, both films are made in San Francisco. I have a feeling, Bullitt may not be able to be made to look as faithful to the original film elements. But I’m no expert, so I hope it can be made to look as great.

Seeing this new Dirty Harry 4K was a really great viewing experience! And it was fun because earlier I had seen the 4K blu ray of Play Misty for Me from the same release year. Both look great! Fun trivia is the bank robber scene where Harry shoots at the bank robbers and walks over into the street and see the movie theater marquee in the background showing Play Misty for Me. (Also cool to see Don Siegel as the bartender in Misty.)

I’m debating collecting The Outlaw Josie Wales and Pale Rider because I’ve never seen most of Eastwood’s westerns. I’ve only seen a few, I haven’t really seen the spaghetti westerns in ages amd only The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and do plain to collect the 4K’s. Not sure which version to buy yet, the US release or the upcoming Arrow releases.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Hey everyone, I watched the new 4K blu ray of Dirty Harry last night.

I’m a Bay Area resident, so seeing San Francisco on film as it was when a film was made is always interesting and fun!

I have not seen Dirty Harry in probably over 5 years on the last boxset Dirty Harry blu ray set of all the films in the series. This is also the first time seeing it on my new-ish 83” Sony OLED. So it was a doubly new experience seeing the film in 4K and larger screen size. It’s a good thing if I can actually feel a bit of vertigo when we see Harry on top of the then Bank of America building looking over the edge down at the rooftop swimming pool of the then Holiday Inn. So the large screen makes a difference.

This new 4K release does look great! And while I am not Dolby Atmos capable now, I was still impressed by the sound track. I was still feeling immersion. One scene it was noticeable was when Harry goes to the scene of the man on the rooftop about to commit suicide. You can hear the radio conversations and crowd sounds all around. Same with the score through out the film.

For some reason, on this viewing, I could really see Eastwood’s face and the expressions of his anger and contempt for Andy Robinson’s Scorpio character when he catches him at Kezar Stadium.

I’m really hoping Warner is working on Bullitt. Watching Dirty Harry this time gave me a lot of Bullitt vibes. As the film started, the score sounded so familiar, then I see it was scored by Lalo Schifrin, the same composer who scored Bullitt. And of course, both films are made in San Francisco. I have a feeling, Bullitt may not be able to be made to look as faithful to the original film elements. But I’m no expert, so I hope it can be made to look as great.

Seeing this new Dirty Harry 4K was a really great viewing experience! And it was fun because earlier I had seen the 4K blu ray of Play Misty for Me from the same release year. Both look great! Fun trivia is the bank robber scene where Harry shoots at the bank robbers and walks over into the street and see the movie theater marquee in the background showing Play Misty for Me. (Also cool to see Don Siegel as the bartender in Misty.)

I’m debating collecting The Outlaw Josie Wales and Pale Rider because I’ve never seen most of Eastwood’s westerns. I’ve only seen a few, I haven’t really seen the spaghetti westerns in ages amd only The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and do plain to collect the 4K’s. Not sure which version to buy yet, the US release or the upcoming Arrow releases.

I think you’ll enjoy The Outlaw Josey Wales.

 

[Nelson Au]

I think you’ll enjoy The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Thanks Robert! That’s appreciated feedback! I had read the synopsis of Pale Rider sounds a little like an Anthony Mann-James Stewart western. OK, I’ll give these two Eastwood westerns a try.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Thanks Robert! That’s appreciated feedback! I had read the synopsis of Pale Rider sounds a little like an Anthony Mann-James Stewart western. OK, I’ll give these two Eastwood westerns a try.

Pale Rider is more of a re-imagining of Shane, IMO. As for Josey Wales, it's a terrific film - - one of my favorites.

 

[mskaye]

I think you’ll enjoy The Outlaw Josey Wales.

All of Clint's westerns are worthy of attention. TOJW and Unforgiven are in another league though. Epic moral battles. I also have a giant soft spot in my heart for his Bronco Billy, a western comedy. It's an incredibly smart and witty exploration of his western persona.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Clint’s closing line of dialogue in The Outlaw Josey Wales is so true, no matter what “war” you’re talking about.

 

[sbjork]

Thanks Robert! That’s appreciated feedback! I had read the synopsis of Pale Rider sounds a little like an Anthony Mann-James Stewart western. OK, I’ll give these two Eastwood westerns a try.

Pale Rider has landscapes in it. That's about the only connection that it has to anything to do with Anthony Mann. As RC said, it's really a reimagining (bordering on active remake territory) of Shane, mixed with a generous dose of High Plains Drifter. Picture Shane with the mysterious stranger being even more mysterious than the one in High Plains Drifter.

I wouldn't call it the best of Eastwood's self-directed westerns, but it might be my personal favorite. It's the one where he most openly embraced the traditional western, albeit still with a bit of a supernatural twist. It's his most iconographic western -- everything from his costume to the way that Bruce Surtees photographed him elevates the proceedings (and Eastwood himself) to mythic stature. Every shot is a masterclass in creating iconic western imagery.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Pale Rider has landscapes in it. That's about the only connection that it has to anything to do with Anthony Mann. As RC said, it's really a reimagining (bordering on active remake territory) of Shane, mixed with a generous dose of High Plains Drifter. Picture Shane with the mysterious stranger being even more mysterious than the one in High Plains Drifter.

I wouldn't call it the best of Eastwood's self-directed westerns, but it might be my personal favorite. It's the one where he most openly embraced the traditional western, albeit still with a bit of a supernatural twist. It's his most iconographic western -- everything from his costume to the way that Bruce Surtees photographed him elevates the proceedings (and Eastwood himself) to mythic stature. Every shot is a masterclass in creating iconic western imagery.

Pale Rider’s connection to some of the storyline in High Plains Drifter is undeniable in my opinion. However, it’s far from being one of my favorite Eastwood westerns. It has its moments but I prefer most of his other westerns than Pale Rider.

 

[Sam Favate]

Pale Rider came out the same summer as Back To The Future, Rambo II, Goonies, Cocoon, A View To A Kill, Silverado and Mad Max III. The reviews for Pale Rider were good, so I went to see it. I was all of 18, and it was not the usual summer fare. Out of all those films I mention, Pale Rider is the most grown-up. It certainly wasn't Rambo. But it's a good film with some stunning visuals.

BTW, I'm hoping Bronco Billy gets the 4k treatment like these did. Eastwood's movies with Sondra Locke were always good.

 

[Nelson Au]

So many Eastwood movies! I did watch about half of the retrospective featurette on the Dirty Harry disc on Eastwood’s film choices. Interesting that he said that he did not always go for the typical Hollywood projects that are mainstream. He wanted to try new things and dared to take chances.

A co-worker mentioned seeing The Beguiled and commented about it. I’ve never seen it. I am aware in basic terms of the ending. That might be one factor it wasn’t well received? But Eastwood felt the studio didn’t promote it very well. It sounds very different.

Speaking of Sondra Locke, The Gauntlet comes to mind. I remember seeing that on TV and I quite enjoyed it as a fun action feature. I don’t own it and haven’t seen it in ages. Might want to get a copy.

 

[Perene]

-- About Dirty Harry (1971)

I believe someone had a bad idea to mess with the same extra features that were seen in the DVD and 2008 Blu-ray discs, and ported to the UHD/4K release.

The interviews have this problem, I need to check if more repeated contents are the same.

For the DVD:
720x480 and 29.970 fps

For the BD:
The same quality, so they also put this in SD and the same fps.

But for the UHD:
- 1920x1080
- 23.976fps

I think the same content for the 4K disc looks odd. What I mean is this:

++++++++++++++++++++++++
- Most likely judder or motion stuttering, which are visual artifacts that occur due to improper frame rate conversion or mismatched frame rates. These artifacts manifest as a lack of smoothness in motion, making the video appear jerky or less fluid, especially during scenes with movement (e.g., camera pans, talking heads in interviews).

Judder is a visual artifact where motion appears uneven or stuttering, often due to a mismatch between the source frame rate and the display or output frame rate. It’s particularly noticeable in content converted from one frame rate to another without proper handling.

- Why it happens here: The original content (DVD and Blu-ray) was at 29.97 fps, which is standard for NTSC video and provides relatively smooth motion for SD content, especially for interviews with moderate motion. The UHD/4K version, however, was converted to 23.976 fps, a frame rate more common in cinematic releases (closer to 24 fps, used for films). This conversion reduces the number of frames per second, which can make motion appear less fluid, especially if the conversion wasn’t handled carefully.

Perception: At 29.97 fps, the video has more temporal resolution (more frames per second), making motion look smoother. At 23.976 fps, there are fewer frames, so motion can appear choppier, particularly in content not originally shot for a cinematic frame rate (like interviews, which are typically video-based rather than film-based).
++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[tenia]

You mean that in 2025, Warner couldn't get SD extras to be properly upscaled ?

 

[Sam Favate]

I watched Josey Wales last night, and I thought it looked great, perhaps a little soft in places - particularly the blue-tinted scenes in the opening. But otherwise, it is probably the best it’s ever looked.

 

[sbjork]

I watched Josey Wales last night, and I thought it looked great, perhaps a little soft in places - particularly the blue-tinted scenes in the opening. But otherwise, it is probably the best it’s ever looked.

The blue-tinted scenes during the beginning are all part of the opening titles, and WB decided to deal with the coarser grain from from the opticals by getting pretty aggressive with noise reduction to try to even it out with the surrounding material. Not really my personal preference to deal with it that aggressively, but dupes stand out one way or the other no matter what you do.