Thief 4K UHD (1981) (Criterion Collection)

[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.