Many film historians argue Casablanca’s greatness is due to its “invisible” style: there are no flashy camera movements, or ostentatious cuts, or “look at me” acting. Films like Casablanca succeeded because they were made within a thriving ecosystem that placed storytelling, creative expertise, and cast and crew competence at the heart of its artistic practice. The Italian novelist Umberto Eco wrote Casablanca was “not just one film. It is many films […] it is a phenomenon worthy of awe”. The new Casablanca 4K Ultra High-Definition image was restored and remastered from a 2022 4K 16bit film scan of the best-surviving nitrate film elements. The 4K-scanned digital images went through an extensive digital restoration process to clean and repair the picture for an unprecedented and pristine ultra-high-resolution presentation. The restored images were then graded in High Dynamic Range for today’s premium 4K display experience, providing the highest fidelity in image contrast and detail retention. This work was meticulously handled by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging. The original theatrical mono audio has also been newly restored as well, providing a richer and broader frequency response than previously possible. Casablanca was voted the screen’s greatest love story and the #3 film of all time by the American Film Institute (AFI). The classic wartime romance also took Oscars ® for Michael Curtiz (Directing); Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein and Howard Koch (Writing - Screenplay) and the studio (Outstanding Motion Picture).

Michael Curtiz's timeless Oscar-winner starring the legendary Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is getting the 4K UHD treatment November 8. presentation may not be as immediately noticeable depending on your setup's maximum brightness level and native contrast, on a good-quality (andDo we ever. Countless movies are unforgettable and make indelible impressions upon us, but without flash or fanfare Casablanca has etched itself into our collective consciousness like few other films. No matter how many times we see it, it always feels fresh. The dialogue sparkles, the spot-on performances never lose their luster, and the artistry and emotions remain as potent as when the picture first premiered 80 years ago. As the song says, the fundamental things apply, and this Best Picture Oscar winner just might be the best example of basic, nuts-and-bolts Hollywood moviemaking to date. We) are speaking nothing but English now—so we should feel at home when we get to America... What watch?” We’re taking it a little easy here at The Bits this week, especially in this stretch between the holidays, so that our whole team can relax, unwind, and focus on family and whatnot. But we do have a good post today with release news, a new disc review, and a bit of a look ahead at a few new 4K UHD catalog titles that we expect to arrive sometime in the new year. As always, let’s start with the review first...

First things first today: The Criterion Collection has just announced their April Blu-ray and 4K release slate and—as always—it’s another great list of titles. The peerless supporting cast also earns hearty praise and adds immense color and texture to the action. Without Claude Rains (who nearly steals the film with his sardonic wit), Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Conrad Veidt, S.Z. Sakall, Dooley Wilson, and a host of other accomplished players, Casablanca would sacrifice a sizable portion of its entertainment value. All create memorable characters and maximize their limited screen time.

With the wider color gamut, previously unseen aspects of the film are now revealed. For a restoration like this, that can be both a blessing and a curse, revealing dated visual effects due to the technical limitations of the period — limitations that audiences would not have necessarily noticed at the time. that Disc 2 of that edition, a separate Blu-ray with three long-form documentaries including the exhaustive five-hour You Must Remember This: Warner Night at the Movies - A series of authentic pre-show historical pieces to set the proper mood, with a helpful "Play For cinephiles on the fence when it comes to investing in the 4K UHD Blu-Ray player required to view a 4K restoration in all its glory, Eisenberg says, "If you upgrade your environment, you're going to have a resolution and a clarity you're not used to seeing, whether it's this title or any other title — the difference is nothing short of miraculous." The new Casablanca 4K Ultra High-Definition image was restored and remastered from a 2022 4K 16bit film scan of the best-surviving nitrate film elements.The 4K-scanned digital images went through an extensive digital restoration process to clean and repair the picture for an unprecedented and pristine ultra-high-resolution presentation. The restored images were then graded in High Dynamic Range for today’s premium 4K display experience, providing the highest fidelity in image contrast and detail retention. This work was meticulously handled by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging. The original theatrical mono audio has also been newly restored as well, providing a richer and broader frequency response than previously possible.