Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection: Volume 4

Click on the linked titles for the full reviews:

His Girl Friday

5/5

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 

5/5

Kramer vs. Kramer 

5/5

Starman 

4.5/5

Sleepless in Seattle 

5/5

Punch-Drunk Love 

5/5

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Sony delivers their fourth round of six Columbia Classics to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Once again each film has its own separate case with custom slipcover and original insert artwork. Three Golden Era classics are housed in one foldout bay on the left with the right bay holding the three contemporary entries. Also included is a gorgeous 80-page hardbound book with incisive essays and facts about each film, plus rare photos from deep within the Columbia Pictures archives. Here's the breakdown of discs for each title:

• His Girl Friday - 2 Discs BD-100/BD-50
• Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - 2 Discs BD-100/BD-50
• Kramer vs. Kramer - 2 Discs BD-100/BD-50
• Starman - 4 Discs BD-100/BD-100/BD-100/BD-50
• Sleepless in Seattle - 2 Discs BD-100/BD-50
• Punch-Drunk Love - 2 Discs BD-100/BD-50

His Girl Friday

The Howard Hawks screwball comedy breaks the story first on the Ultra HD newspaper with an impressive and lovely HEVC H.265 encode that bests the 2017 Criterion Collection release, boasting a notable uptick in overall clarity and resolution. The fine textures in the fabric and stitching of the costumes are more apparent, particularly in Cary Grant's suit, while the background information is sharper and clearer to make out. Although slightly darker overall than what would be initially expected, the Dolby Vision HDR presentation nonetheless shows an improved contrast and brightness balance, especially the cleaner, more brilliant whites in the outfits. Black levels are richer and inkier throughout, but occasionally, a few minor instances of crush can engulf the finer aspects of the clothes and darker corners of the press room. Specular highlights add a welcome punch and shine to the various light fixtures and a tight, crisp sparkle in the reflection of the glassware. Presented in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, the native 4K transfer is awash in a noticeable, stable layer of natural grain, giving the digital video an attractive film-like appeal. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 86/100 or 4.5/5)

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

The classic dramedy joins the Ultra HD dinner table dressed in its best and finest, flaunting a stunningly gorgeous HEVC H.265 encode, thanks to a new restoration and remaster of the original 35mm camera negatives. For a nearly sixty-year-old movie, the native 4K transfer is a beauty to behold where we can plainly make out the fabric, texture and fine stitching in some of the furniture and clothing. Background details are striking and often razor-sharp for a majority of the runtime. 

The Dolby Vision HDR presentation parades about with outstanding contrast and brightness, displaying vividly brilliant whites and silky rich blacks. Specular highlights add a crisp, resplendent glow to the brightest, hottest areas while strong shadow details maintain superb visibility. The cinematography is gleaming with a sumptuous array of primaries, especially the reds of clothes and makeup, and a succulent, richly saturated collection of secondary hues, particularly the yellows of the furniture and other articles of clothing. Awash in a thin, more refined layer of natural grain, the 1.85:1 image looks terrifically film-like and cinematic, easily making it the best the movie has ever looked on home video. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 96/100 or 5/5)

Kramer vs. Kramer

The classic drama enters the Ultra HD courtroom well prepared with a lovely HEVC H.265 encode, which was struck from a fresh remaster of the original 35mm camera negatives. Compared to the 2009 Blu-ray, the native 4K transfer offers a notable upgrade with cleaner, sharper definition overall, making all the background information and small objects decorating the apartment clearer and more detailed. The Dolby Vision HDR presentation also shows an improved contrast and brightness with spotless, brighter whites and sharp, crisp specular highlights. Black levels are inky and accurately rendered with excellent visibility within the darkest shadows, providing the 1.85:1 image with appreciable depth and a beautiful cinematic appeal. Although the cinematography is a little more drab to complement to somber subject matter, the palette is nonetheless is fuller and more dynamic, displaying richly rendered primaries but mostly bathed in vibrant, animated browns, yellows and tans. Facial complexions appear natural with lifelike textures in the cast. The grain structure is more refined and stable, giving the video an attractive film-like quality. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 88/100)

Starman

Carpenter's sci-fi drama makes a smooth landing on Ultra HD with a stunning, near-reference HEVC H.265 encode thanks to a fresh remaster of the original 35mm camera negatives.

The native 4K transfer boasts significantly sharper details in the clothing, various desert locations and the many vehicles, displaying the fine stitching of the interior of the '77 Chevy Camero and exposing more of the unique features in the rock formations. A spot-on contrast and brightness balance showers the action with vivid, brilliant whites, inky rich blacks and crisp, radiant specular highlights throughout, making the 40-year-old movie look fresh and rejuvenated. The Dolby Vision HDR presentation bathes the visuals in sumptuously animated primaries, particularly the dynamic reds in the clothes, and a lovely, energetic array of secondary hues, from the fiery oranges of the car and explosions to the variety of tans, browns and sepias. Facial complexions appear healthy, true to life and highly revealing, exposing pores, minor wrinkles and negligible blemishes in the cast. Awash in a fine layer of natural grain, the 2.35:1 image is the best the movie has ever looked in any format. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 94/100 or 4.5/5)

Sleepless in Seattle

The classic rom-com is fated with Ultra HD, sporting richly saturated colors throughout thanks to the Dolby Vision HDR grading. Primaries, especially reds, are fuller and deeper while secondary hues are more varied and accurately rendered, and facial complexions appear natural with a lifelike peachy-rose shade in the cast, revealing pores, small wrinkles and negligible blemishes. A spot-on contrast and brightness balance brings new life to the photography of Sven Nykvist, boasting vividly clean whites and raven midnight blacks while maintaining excellent visibility within the darkest corners of the 1.85:1 image. Crisp, radiant specular highlights add a brilliant, sparkling glow along the clouds, the water and metallic edges, supplying exterior daylight sequences with an energetic, eye-catching pop. Fine lines and objects are incredibly sharp and well-defined for a majority of the runtime although a few scenes are noticeably softer and not as well resolved as others, which is to be accepted and easily forgiven. Nevertheless, the native 4K transfer is the best the film has ever looked, awash in a thin, better-refined layer of natural grain, giving the video an attractive film-like quality. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 88/100)

Punch-Drunk Love

The romantic dark comedy flies into Ultra HD with an absurdly good-looking and winning HEVC H.265 encode, delivering a notable improvement over the Criterion Collection 2016 Blu-ray. The Dolby Vision HDR presentation is full of life and vibrancy, showering the screen in sumptuous primaries, from the richly saturated reds of Lena's dress to the deep, energetic blues of Barry's suit. As the story progresses, secondary hues grow fuller and more spirited than their HD SDR counterpart, and facial complexions appear healthy with lifelike textures and a peachy-rose tone in the entire cast. A pitch-perfect contrast balance supplies intensely dazzling whites and tight, resplendent specular highlights that add a crisp, sparkling glow in the hottest spots without washing over the finer details. Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, black levels are inky and spot-on with excellent shadow delineation, providing the image with appreciable depth and a beautiful cinematic appeal. Although shot with a very light softness, fine lines and details are nonetheless razor-sharp, revealing the stitching and texture of the outfits, the small imperfections of Barry's warehouse and the small objects decorating the background. Awash in a fine layer of natural grain, the native 4K transfer is film-like and simply gorgeous. (Dolby Vision HDR Video Rating: 96/100)

His Girl Friday

The classic rom-com also arrives at home theaters with an excellent DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 soundtrack, one with all the focus and attention on the rapid-fire dialogue, as it should. Vocals are crisp and distinct from start to finish with outstanding inflection in the voices and performances of the entire cast. While cleanly delivered in the center of the screen, we can still appreciate the clarity and discreteness of the ambient effects, such as the hustle-and-bustle of the newsroom and the sirens of police in the distance, generating a broad, open soundstage full of warmth and fidelity. Although it never pushes far into the upper frequencies, the lossless mix nonetheless exhibits a clean, detailed mid-range, making for a fantastic complement to the visuals. (Audio Rating: 82/100 or 4/5)

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Packing another unexpected surprise, the movie comes to home theaters with an excellent and splendidly satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack. While not exactly making the most of the entire system, it nonetheless serves as a fantastic complement to the film. Imaging feels wide and broad as background activity effortlessly moves between channels and the music lightly bleeds into the top front heights, creating a highly engaging half-dome soundstage. A few effects, primarily traffic noise, also extend into the surrounds and front heights without seeming forced or unnatural, further expanding the sound field. Dialogue reproduction is well prioritized and crystal clear at all times, and the midrange is dynamic and surprisingly extensive without any hints of distortion or other anomalies. With a healthy, appropriate low-end adding some depth to the music, the object-based mix makes for an outstanding addition to an American classic. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 88/100 or 4.5/5)

Kramer vs. Kramer

The battle of the Kramers continues with an excellent Dolby Atmos soundtrack that remains true and faithful to the original audio design. Although still a front-heavy presentation, the added height channels nicely widen the soundstage with some of the background activity lightly and convincingly bleeding into the other two channels and the top front heights. However, the musical score does much of the work, exhibiting a sharply detailed and extensive midrange with impressive warmth and fidelity, generating a highly engaging half-dome soundstage. The surrounds are for the most part silent, but that is to be expected since the focus and attention is on the dialogue and character interactions, which are outstanding and crystal-clear from start to finish. Likewise, the low-end doesn't really offer much or anything memorable, but there is nonetheless enough bass to provide some weight and presence to the visuals, making for a satisfying object-based mix that suits the film perfectly. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 82/100)

Starman

The non-corporeal alien crashes into home theaters with a surprisingly competent and first-class Dolby Atmos soundtrack, presumably from a remaster of the original 70mm 6-track Dolby Stereo mix. Imaging feels broad and spacious with outstanding channel balance, as background activity convincingly and flawlessly pans between the three front channels and into the top height, creating a highly engaging half-dome soundstage. An impressively extensive mid-range displays a great deal of warmth and fidelity while maintaining distinct clarity and definition into the higher frequencies. Dialogue reproduction is precise and well-prioritized at all times, even amid the loudest segments. Rear activity is marvelously busy with excellent directionality as various atmospheric effects smoothly move from one side of the room to the other and across the overheads, from the sounds of the wildlife and traffic to the swarm of helicopters, generating an immersive hemispheric soundfield. A shockingly robust and potent low-end adds an unexpected weight and commanding sense of presence to the action, occasionally rumbling the walls and couch during several scenes. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 90/100 or 4.5/5)

Sleepless in Seattle

Love is destined for home theaters thanks to a surprisingly good and satisfying Dolby Atmos soundtrack that may not put one's sound system to the test, but it nonetheless brings the classic film to new heights in several unexpected ways. Granted, the focus and priority still very much remain on the dialogue and character interactions, coming through with exceptional intonation in every performance. But various atmospherics are allowed to travel into the surround and ceiling channels, like the sound of rain falling from above or the hustle and bustle of the city lightly filling the room, which nicely expands the soundfield without feeling forced or artificial. However, Marc Shaiman's score does much of the leg work, spreading all around the listening area while exhibiting excellent distinction and definition within the orchestration. All of this widens the soundstage with impressive balance and a sense of presence as background activity flawlessly pans across the screen and into the top heights. And a healthy, occasionally hearty low-end supplies some appreciable weight to the visuals, making for an enjoyable listen full of warmth and fidelity. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 84/100)

Punch-Drunk Love

Anderson's film has a unique and relatively quiet sound design with a central focus on dialogue and character interactions, so it's surprising to see Sony grant it with the Dolby Atmos treatment. Yet, the object-based mix is a surprisingly excellent complement to the outstanding video, displaying precise vocals and intonation and a broad, spacious soundstage. Occasionally, the noise of the city whether in L.A. or Hawaii lightly bleeds into the surrounds and overheads, further broadening the soundfield with a great sense of space, but the score and music do most of the legwork to engage viewers. Although it never pushes into the higher frequencies, the mid-range nonetheless exhibits superb clarity and distinction from start to finish, and the low-end supplies appreciable weight and presence to the visuals, making for a fantastic listen at home. (Dolby Atmos Audio Rating: 82/100)

His Girl Friday

• Audio Commentary with film critic and author Todd McCarthy
• Ben Hecht (HD, 26 min) 
• Lighting Up with Hildy Johnson (HD, 25 min) with film scholar David Bordwell
• Screwball Style: The Iconic Costumes of Robert Kalloch (HD, 16 min) 
• Breaking the Speed Barrier: The Dialogue (HD, 13 min) 
• On Assignment (1080i/60, 9 min) 
• Carry Grant: Making Headlines (1080i/60, 5 min) 
• Rosalind Russell: The Inside Scoop (1080i/60, 3 min) 
• Howard Hawkes: Reporter's Notebook (1080i/60, 3 min) 
• The Funny Pages (1080i/60, 3 min) 
• Vintage Advertising (1080i/60, 1 min) 
• Trailers (HD)

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

The same set of bonuses as previous Blu-ray releases are ported over for this UHD edition and housed in the accompanying Blu-ray disc.

• Audio Commentary by film historians Eddy Friedfeld, Lee Pfeiffer and Paul Scrabo
• A Love Story for Today (HD, 30 min)
• A Special Kind of Love (HD, 17 min)
• Stanley Kramer: A Man's Search for Truth (HD, 17 min)
• Introductions (HD, 10 min)
• Karen Kramer 
• Steven Spielberg 
• Tom Brokaw
• Quincy Jones
• 2007 Producer's Guild Stanley Kramer Award Presentation (HD, 5 min)
• Stanley Kramer Accepts the Irving Thalberg Award (HD, 2 min)
• Trailers (HD, 4 min)

Kramer vs. Kramer

Unlike the previous Blu-ray release, this UHD edition comes with a few nice bonuses, a majority of which are only available on the 4K disc while the BD appears to be identical to its predecessor.

UHD Disc

• Audio Commentary with film professor and journalist Jennine Lanouette
• Featurettes (HD) is a collection of four interview pieces touching on various aspects of the production from a Q&A session that was originally shot after a special screening of the film.
• Robert Benton on Acting (3 min)
• Justin Henry on Acting (3 min)
• Mother and Daughter (3 min)
• Points of Pride (3 min)
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 6 min) houses five scenes that didn't make it into the final film
• Trailer (HD)

Blu-ray Disc

• Finding the Truth (SD, 49 min) is a short but exhaustive making-of documentary, which is only available on the accompanying Blu-ray.

Starman

For this UHD edition, Sony ports over the same collection of bonus features as previous releases, which are all housed in the Blu-ray copy, but they also throw in the TV series. 

Starman (Movie) Blu-ray Disc

• Audio Commentary with star Jeff Bridges and director John Carpenter
• They Came From Hollywood (HD, 24 min)
• Making-of Featurette (1080i/60, 11 min)
• Behind the Scenes Time Lapse (1080i/60, 10 min)
• Music Video (SD, 4 min)
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 18 min)
• Still Gallery (HD)
• Trailers (HD)

Starman (Series)

• Starman: The Complete TV Series (HD) with all 22 episodes spread across two 4K discs

Sleepless in Seattle

For this UHD edition, Sony ports over the same collection of bonus features as previous releases, all housed in the Blu-ray copy, but they also add one more bonus for this package. 

• NEW Audio Commentary features screenwriter and culture critic Karen Han analyzing the film with critic and journalist David Sims.
• NEW A Conversation on Sleepless in Seattle (HD, 4 min) is a much-too-short chat between star Meg Ryan and producer Gary Foster.
• Audio Commentary features director Nora Ephron chatting with her sister, Delia.
• Love in the Movies (SD, 13 min) is a vintage EPK piece with cast & crew interviews and BTS footage
• Music Video (SD, 4 min) shows Céline Dion and Clive Griffin performing "When I Fall in Love" 
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 4 min) houses four excised scenes
• Trailer (HD)

Punch-Drunk Love

The same set of bonus features are carried over from previous releases for this UHD edition and all are housed on the accompanying Blu-ray disc.

• John Brion Featurette (HD, 27 min)
• Blossoms and Blood (1080i/60, 12 min)
• Recording Session (1080i/60, 10 min)
• Scopitones (1080i/60, 7 min)
• Additional Artwork (1080i/60, 3 min) by Jeremy Blake
• Deleted Scenes (1080i/60, 11 min) 
• Trailers (HD)

Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 4 continues Sony's tradition of delivering six back catalog classics and favorites spanning the decades of the Columbia archive. While it's easily arguable that these films should enjoy solo releases, they are nonetheless impeccable additions to this latest box set. A mix of classic comedy, drama, romance, and science fiction each film enjoys an impressive A/V upgrade offering Dolby Vision HDR for each release with some excellent bonus features totaling over 35 hours of additional content including the complete Starman television series! If you've been grabbing these sets as they roll out, consider this one another Highly Recommended addition. 

All disc reviews at High-Def Digest are completed using the best consumer HD home theater products currently on the market. More about the gear used for this review.