ADDITION: Kino 4K UHD (June 2023): Kino's are releasing John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate" to 4K UHD. It is described as a "Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative". We compared 3 DVDs and 3 Blu-rays of The Manchurian Candidate HERE. A second disc Blu-ray is included with video extras.

The 2160P image is a beautiful and significant bump over all previous digital editions. Contrast and grain texture take a much-appreciated advancement (contrast on previous editions always seemed a shade muddy and now pale by comparison.) Black levels are deeper and whites are a shade brighter (see the large card by Lansbury) and more balanced. Detail also advances and there is more information in the frame than most of the compared editions. The presentation remains dark - which would be tonally correct and there are sequences showcasing surprising depth. Bottom line - this looks great!

NOTE: Interestingly from Wikipedia: "In the scene where Marco attempts to deprogram Shaw in a hotel room opposite the convention, Sinatra is at times slightly out of focus. It was a first take, and Sinatra failed to be as effective in subsequent retakes, a common factor in his film performances. In the end, Frankenheimer elected to use the out-of-focus take. Critics subsequently praised him for showing Marco from Shaw's distorted point of view".    

It is likely that the monitor you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display (High Dynamic Range) or Dolby Vision, where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and notably granular range of color and light. Our capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more 4K UHD titles in the future and give you a decent idea of its attributes on your system. So our captures may not support the exact same colors (coolness of skin tones, brighter or darker hues etc.) as the 4K system at your home. But the framing, detail, grain texture support etc. are, generally, not effected by this simulation representation.

NOTE: 60 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: After Hours, Rain Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Changeling (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Night of the Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR), 12 Angry Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Branded to Kill (no HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (software uniformly simulated HDR), Two Orphan Vampires, The Shiver of the Vampires, Drowning By Number (software uniformly simulated HDR), Serpico (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cool Hand Luke (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Seventh Seal (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Maltese Falcon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mildred Pierce (software uniformly simulated HDR), Tár (software uniformly simulated HDR), Marathon Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dazed and Confused (software uniformly simulated HDR), Three Colors: Blue (software uniformly simulated HDR), Invaders From Mars (software uniformly simulated HDR), Death Wish (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (no HDR), High Plains Drifter (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mystery Men (software uniformly simulated HDR), Silent Running (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dressed to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Power of the Dog  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Escape From Alcatraz (software uniformly simulated HDR), I, the Jury (no HDR), Casablanca (software uniformly simulated HDR), In the Mood For Love (NO HDR applied to disc), The Werewolf vs. the Vampire Woman  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Blow Out (software uniformly simulated HDR), Night of the Living Dead (NO HDR applied to disc), Lost Highway (software uniformly simulated HDR), Videodrome (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Last Picture Show (software uniformly simulated HDR), It Happened One Night (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Mummy (1932)(software uniformly simulated HDR), Creature From the Black Lagoon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Bride of Frankenstein (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Amityville Horror  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The War of the Worlds (1953) (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Incredible Melting Man  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Event Horizon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Branded to Kill (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Killing (software uniformly simulated HDR), Killer's Kiss (software uniformly simulated HDR.)

On their 4K UHD, Kino offer the options of dual-mono and 5.1 surround bump tracks (24-bit) in the original English language. The surround has a few keen separations. There is modest depth with the gunfire sequences - a bit in the Korean war segment. The lossless score by David Amram (The Young Savages, The Arrangement) sounds authentically flat but with some bass response - always with a heightened sense of mystery and anticipation. Kino include optional English (SDH) subtitles - and the disc is, like all 4K UHD, region FREE, playable worldwide. The supplements Blu-ray is Region 'A'-locked.

The second disc Blu-ray has previously released extras with the, 8-minute, 87', conversation between Frankenheimer, screenwriter George Axelrod, and actor Frank Sinatra reunited for the first time since making the production. There is also the 15-minute Queen of Diamonds interview with Angela Lansbury, the slightly shorter A Little Solitaire appreciation of the film by director William Friedkin -both also discussing a specific outtake ('How to Get Shot' and 'The Phone Call'.) There is a trailer for the 1962 and 2004 version. In total, including the second disc Blu-ray, there seems to be nothing newly produced.

Kino's 4K UHD release of John Frankenheimer's "The Manchurian Candidate" offers the wonderfully improved video. The film is often described as a 'neo-noir psychological political thriller' film. It has an exceptional cast with Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Angela Lansbury, Janet Leigh, Henry Silva, James Gregory and who can forget ToS' beauty Leslie Parrish. Frankenheimer seems the best director to handle the almost surreal, yet still disturbing, topic of a terrorist plot involving retroactive communist brainwashing yet being able to infuse sharply satirical moments. The Manchurian Candidate was released at the height of U.S./Soviet hostility regarding the Cuban Missile Crisis. There are memorable and inventive parts; the Queen of Diamonds and Shaw's accidental triggering(s.) The Manchurian Candidate is one of the greatest political thrillers ever made. You can see new details every time you watch it. Kino's 4K UHD release has the amazingly attractive film-like video, plus the old commentary and other video supplements. An even more stunning film in this resolution. How can we not give our highest recommendation to have this package as part of your digital library? It is 50% off at Amazon as of the writing of this review.