Thief 4K UHD (1981) (Criterion Collection)

[MifuneFan]

Michael Mann's Thief coming to 4K from Criterion in March!

Thief 4K UHD

https://www.criterion.com/films/28024-thief

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES

• New 4K digital restoration of the director’s cut, supervised and approved by director Michael Mann, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
• One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
• Audio commentary featuring Mann and actor James Caan
• Interviews with Mann, Caan, and Johannes Schmoelling of the band Tangerine Dream, which contributed the film’s soundtrack
• Trailer
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by critic Nick James

Cover by Fred Davis

For anyone wondering about the audio being listed as 5.0 now (also listed for Godzilla vs Biollante and Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring). I reached out to Criterion to ask if it's an error, and they provided this response:

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your interest in our upcoming 4K UHD releases.

There are no errors in these descriptions. As an example, the audio for THIEF on the 4K UHD is the same as the Blu-ray, approved by Director Michael Mann, but we have recently decided to list a film's actual channel status rather than the codec's channel status.

It's common practice in the industry to call all types of surround sound 5.1 but this is not accurate. A 5.1 codec can contain many different audio channel configurations - 5.1, 5.0, 4.0, LCRS, even 1.0 for example - and we've decided to list those on packaging to better represent the film's audio content.

In this case, 5.0 simply means that the LFE channel is silent, as it has always been, but is now conveyed more accurately in our product description.
When you select the Blu-ray, it still says 5.1 because that's how it's listed in our previously produced packaging, but you will continue to see this more precise formatting for disc audio information going forward.

I hope this helps,
Jon Mulvaney

[HeavyHitter]

Finally!

[lilboyblu]

Will have to wait to see if an Arrow version is coming along to have both cuts again. I missed out on their original LE Blu-ray.

[eChopper]

that James Caan was a real stand up guy
he’s got a mouth…he can take a trimmin..

[PowellPressburger]

Originally Posted by lilboyblu

Will have to wait to see if an Arrow version is coming along to have both cuts again. I missed out on their original LE Blu-ray.

For sure, I can’t stand the severally blue tinted Michael Mann color timing.

It’s overkill

[trip66]

Cannot F----n' wait! Lets hope they don't sell out 12,000 units in 2 days. Tangerine Dream is that strong.

[ExcaliburZeta]

A friend of mine just bought Thief blu during the last sale. Going to thank him for his service. Adding this for the first 50% sale.

[SpiderNerd09]

Originally Posted by ExcaliburZeta

A friend of mine just bought Thief blu during the last sale. Going to thank him for his service. Adding this for the first 50% sale.

I almost pulled the trigger during the last sale but had a feeling they would upgrade it so I backed off. So Glad I waited.

[HuggyBear73]

I'll be getting this for sure.

Don't be surprised if arrow releases it with theatrical cut too.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

For sure, I can’t stand the severally blue tinted Michael Mann color timing.

It’s overkill

The teal is strong on the Criterion BD, but I am curious if HDR and the wider gamut on UHD at least slightly tame it.

[Adam_ME]

I have a feeling Arrow will eventually release a UHD in the UK with both cuts, but I only have the Criterion Blu-ray right now, so I'll go ahead and replace it.

[JohnCarpenterFan]

Awesome, I'm assuming this will be the same cut as seen on the Criterion Blu-ray which adds an extra scene. I wouldn't be surprised if an international release includes the theatrical cut like what Arrow did in the UK for their Blu-ray. Just as long as they don't make the theatrical cut magenta and try and pass it off as the "original color"; the "teal" that so many complained about on the Director's Cut Blu-ray is much more reflective of the original 35mm prints that I've seen.

A number of neo-noir films from around the same period had similarly cold appearances with lots of cyan, neon lights and uncorrected fluorescents. These films typically aren't supposed to look warm or "natural". The reason a lot of these films look so cool/blue or desaturated is because often such colors represent emotional detachment, alienation or isolation which is what the characters in such films commonly deal with. It's supposed to look unnatural and it's intentionally not warm or inviting for a reason.

[DR Herbert West]

Really solid day for Criterion.

[Sulaiman3421]

Tangerine Dream.

[cemetaryrider89]

Originally Posted by nit.

It makes me sick when thieves are idealized.

[Nick Michalak]

Originally Posted by JohnCarpenterFan

Awesome, I'm assuming this will be the same cut as seen on the Criterion Blu-ray which adds an extra scene. I wouldn't be surprised if an international release includes the theatrical cut like what Arrow did in the UK for their Blu-ray. Just as long as they don't make the theatrical cut magenta and try and pass it off as the "original color"; the "teal" that so many complained about on the Director's Cut Blu-ray is much more reflective of the original 35mm prints that I've seen.

A number of neo-noir films from around the same period had similarly cold appearances with lots of cyan, neon lights and uncorrected fluorescents. These films typically aren't supposed to look warm or "natural". The reason a lot of these films look so cool/blue or desaturated is because often such colors represent emotional detachment, alienation or isolation which is what the characters in such films commonly deal with. It's supposed to look unnatural and it's intentionally not warm or inviting for a reason.

Gary Sherman's Wanted Dead or Alive is graded in much the same way, which was his intention. He discusses it in the Kino Lorber disc, saying the Blu-Ray is exactly representative of his vision for the film, being washed out with cool blue tint. The Driver from Walter Hill was also given much the same mercury vapor look to parts of that film.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by JohnCarpenterFan

Awesome, I'm assuming this will be the same cut as seen on the Criterion Blu-ray which adds an extra scene. I wouldn't be surprised if an international release includes the theatrical cut like what Arrow did in the UK for their Blu-ray. Just as long as they don't make the theatrical cut magenta and try and pass it off as the "original color"; the "teal" that so many complained about on the Director's Cut Blu-ray is much more reflective of the original 35mm prints that I've seen.

A number of neo-noir films from around the same period had similarly cold appearances with lots of cyan, neon lights and uncorrected fluorescents. These films typically aren't supposed to look warm or "natural". The reason a lot of these films look so cool/blue or desaturated is because often such colors represent emotional detachment, alienation or isolation which is what the characters in such films commonly deal with. It's supposed to look unnatural and it's intentionally not warm or inviting for a reason.

Yeah, that look of magenta is worse than anything.

The color differences on the BD and UHD will be interesting to compare.

[JohnCarpenterFan]

Originally Posted by Nick Michalak

Gary Sherman's Wanted Dead or Alive is graded in much the same way, which was his intention. He discusses it in the Kino Lorber disc, saying the Blu-Ray is exactly representative of his vision for the film, being washed out with cool blue tint. The Driver from Walter Hill was also given much the same mercury vapor look to parts of that film.

I've never seen Wanted Dead or Alive but The Driver was definitely one I was thinking of. A number of those neo-noir films seemed to have been influenced by Le Samourai and the prints for that also have a cool blue look with cyan and that was from 1967.

[dallywhitty]

Imagine not using the original poster:

[ToonySpoonGoon]

Slight color grading difference in the new 4K. (top is old, bottom is new) Looks like better overall colors.