Quentin Tarantino’s most infamous film has seen plenty of home media releases over its 30 year+ lifespan. However, the newest 4K Blu-ray release may just be the best this film has looked since its premiere at Cannes in 1994.
How long is long enough to keep a previous version of a good movie on an older format? I was a little too young to watch Pulp Fiction upon its release to VHS in the 90s, so my first experience of owning this movie, was the exceptional 2-disc DVD release from 2002. It had an amazing, newly remastered picture and 5.1 DTS surround. The packaging was gorgeous and there was a real sense that you were watching the best version of the film that you could.
When it hit Blu-ray in the early 2010’s, I was rocking a very high quality 1080p Panasonic plasma TV and had a stupidly good Denon Blu-ray player that was beyond what I really needed. So, the Pulp Fiction DVD still looked fantastic being upscaled through that system and I really didn’t feel the need to upgrade just yet. Plus, in the time since I’d bought Pulp Fiction, they’d also released Reservoir Dogs and Jackie Brown in similar 2-disc sets, each with the same care and attention to details when it came to picture, sound and packaging.
And so, they all sat on my shelf until earlier this year, when a big house clear out forced me to rethink what DVDs are worth keeping, which are worth donating and which are worth upgrading to either Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray. So I decided it was time to give all three films the 4K treatment. As the majority of my collection are 1080p Blu-rays, it’s quite rare I feel the need to upgrade a movie to 4K status. Most 1080p Blu-rays still look more than acceptable upscaled to 4K on a good OLED TV, so an upgrade is really all about what kind of treatment a film gets in the process.
Many films that are transferred to 4K Blu-ray may not be quite what you think. A lot of the time, a film studio will simply take the 1080p/2K transfer DI (digital intermediate) and use that as a basis for creating a 4K disc, resulting in very little noticeable difference between versions. However, some 1080p Blu-rays did such a fantastic job of restoring/transferring the movie at the time of release, that it almost demands a 4K upgrade.
The 2012 1080 Blu-ray release of 1975’s Jaws is one of the best restorations around. On a special feature on the disc, you see the meticulous process the studio went through. It’s a fascinating watch, seeing them returning to the original camera negative of the film and scanning it into the computer, painstakingly painting out scratches and blemishes, colour-grading it and completely remixing into 7.1 audio. It’s a real labour of love and although the 4K release is based on that same restoration, the slight bump in resolution is well worth the price to uphold such a great job they did on preserving that film. So much so, that Jaws is an absolute MUST buy for any physical media enthusiast. Although thankfully, they toned down the slightly too saturated colours from the 2012 release and now it looks far more natural.
So that’s how I’ve decided over the past couple of years since diving into 4K, whether it’s worth it or not. Of the 50 or so 4K Blu-rays I have so far, I always do a little research into whether the studio took the time to do a proper job, or it’s just worth sticking with the 1080p version. Which led me to buy Pulp Fiction as a test to see if Tarantino’s other films will eventually be re-purchased in the format. And I’ve got to say… I’m very impressed.
I was initially leaning toward Jackie Brown as the first to upgrade, with that being my favourite of his work. Don’t ask me why, it just seemed more ‘real’ at the time of release. Whereas Pulp Fiction had a heightened sense of reality, Jackie Brown seemed weirdly down to Earth and gritty. But I have to say, Pulp Fiction on 4K, is nothing short of spectacular!
Video:
The 2160p HEVC/H.265 – Dolby Vision HDR/HDR10 picture is presented in it’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. It’s not so much about the step up to 4K with this particular transfer, it’s the level of care given to the image that makes it a worthy upgrade. Clarity is fantastic, details like sweat on foreheads and the neon of the Jack Rabbit Slims sign just pop off the screen. The costume design in the film is iconic and you can see every frayed stitch and blood stain, all while retaining a true film-like presentation that never goes full on with over-saturated colours. Skin tones are lovely and natural, and there’s plenty of shadow detail that doesn’t bleed into other areas of the picture. Purists will be happy that film grain remains present, but is never overpowering or distracting, this is clearly the best this film has ever looked on any home video release.
Audio:
The 5.1 DTS-MA soundtrack from the previous 2011 Blu-ray release has been carried over to the 4K disc here, but that’s nothing to sniff at. In the absence of new DTS:X or Dolby Atmos soundtracks, this 5.1 DTS-MA mix is still fantastic, with dialogue perfectly weighty and clear and surround effects that subtly elevate the listening experience. I remember the old lossy DTS soundtrack on the DVD release still sounding fantastic back then, so this is just that dialled up to 11. Bass suddenly comes alive when it needs to (usually a gun shot), reminding you that there’s plenty of energy in this mix not to be taken for granted. When Uma Thurman plays her reel to reel copy of Urge Overkill’s ‘Girl You’ll Be a Woman Soon’, you’d swear you were right there as the music kicks in and fills the room with the warm, bassy tones of Nash Kato. Overall it’s a presentation that sounds like Pulp Fiction should… exciting, occasionally shocking, but never overpowering.
Special Features:
Nothing much to report here, the same generic behind the scenes, galleries and trivia tracks are taken from the previous Blu-ray release. With a couple of new short featurettes and an enhanced trivia track for this release.
Conclusion:
Overall this is a fantastic version of this legendary movie, that if you’re like me and haven’t upgraded since the DVD, is worth every penny. Short of finding a pristine 35mm print of this film, this is the closest you’ll ever get to how exciting it must have felt to watch this in the cinemas in ’94 and if you were actually there for that, this’ll take you right back. Not only one for the die-hard fans of the film, but for those who love to show off their 4K/home cinema system with quality physical media.
Author: Arron, Marketing Department
