ADDITION: Arrow 4K UHD (October 2022): Arrow's are releasing Peter Weir’s "Witness" to 4K UHD. It is advertised as being "Fully restored in 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)". There is a lot to say about this title's visual quality. Firstly, we compared the 2002, original, compression-ridden DVD with the heavily DNR'ed 2005 DVD and the 2014 bare-bones Blu-ray, HERE. They were all 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Not all films look good transferred to digital video. This might be considered another problematic title. I don't see the heavy DNR of the 2005 SD rendering, nor the compressions artifacts of the original DVD and, regarding the image, this does improve over the 2014 1080P. However the 2160P image has a consistent softness and has a marginal waxy quality. I don't suspect digitization. Black levels look impressive, colors embolden, grain is there if not as visible as I would prefer - and there is minimal depth. So, the 4K UHD has imperfections that may produce the appearance of digitization (depending on the size of your system) but I honestly just think this is the way "Witness" looks. I don't have an answer why - it could be the less resilient 80's film stock, or that cinematographer Seale and Weir tried to express a painterly quality. I am unsure. Despite lacking crispness, I wasn't deterred by the visuals on my 65" system - notably the beautiful imagery and lush farmland. Arrow have gone to extreme lengths on a triple layered disc (97 Gig!) with a very high bitrate for the, almost, 2-hour film. This may be the apex appearance on digital for "Witness".          

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

Our latest reviewed 4K UHD packages: Fascination (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lips of Blood (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Others (no HDR), It Came From Outer Space (software uniformly simulated HDR), Don't Look Now, Rosemary's Baby (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Last Wave (no HDR), The Train (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Trial (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Walkabout (software uniformly simulated HDR), Black Magic Rites, The Night of the Hunted (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Rape of the Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Gorgo (software uniformly simulated HDR), Akira Kurosawa's Dreams (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Man From Hong Kong (software uniformly simulated HDR), One False Move, The Tall T (software uniformly simulated HDR), Cold Eyes of Fear (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rules of the Game (no HDR), The Manchurian Candidate (software uniformly simulated HDR), 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).

On their 4K UHD, Arrow offer three audio track options (24-bit) in the original English language (four if you count the new audio commentary.) We get the original 'Theatrical Dolby Stereo' or the 'Home Video Mix' in linear PCM 2.0 channel plus the default option of a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround bump. The surround has minor separations and the LPCM tracks have slight variance generally exporting the film's sound flawlessly with occasionally surprising punctuation. The score was by Maurice Jarre's (The Train, The Tin Drum, The Man Who Would Be King, The Damned, The The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds etc.) plus Greg Chapman performs Sam Cooke's (and Herb Alpert and Lou Adler) What a Wonderful World. Excellent in support of the narrative. The Arrow disc offers optional English subtitles - and is, like all 4K UHD, region FREE, playable worldwide.

There are plentiful extras on the 4K UHD disc - starting with an audio commentary by Australian film historian Jarret Gahan who covers a large amount of content relating to the film from its inception as a story for an un-produced 'Made-For-TV' movie, through its 1986 Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay. He discusses how all key creators came aboard for the production, the changes that were made from pre-production into production, reception - critically and box-office - along with the "fish out of water" idiom and Amish representation in film and television among other topics. It's a thorough, well-researched, commentary. Excellent job, Jarret! Eye of the Witness is a brand new 1/4 hour video interview with cinematographer John Seale. Weir and Seale went to the an exhibition of 17th-century Dutch Masters - notably the paintings of Johannes Vermeer, which they used as inspiration for the lighting and composition of the film. There is also a brand new 15-minute visual essay on the film’s performances by film journalist Staci Layne Wilson (50 Years of Ghost Movies: Ultimate Guide to Classic Horror Films) entitled Show Don't Tell - The Quiet Power of Peter Weir's Witness. where the topic of characters' emotions expressed only with visuals is discussed. Included is a vintage 1985, 7-minute, interview in which Harrison Ford discusses Witness with critic Bobbie Wygant discussing Ford's interest in exploring the ways of the Amish community. Between Two Worlds was on the 2005 DVD. It is a five-part archival documentary running over an hour on the making of the film, featuring interviews with Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Peter Weir, John Seale, producer Edward S. Feldman, and actors Lukas Haas, Patti LuPone and Viggo Mortensen. Included is A Conversation with Peter Weir – a 7-minute archival interview with the film’s director, two vintage EPK (electronic Press Kit) featurettes, a 4-minute deleted scene from the network TV version of the film, a theatrical trailer and an image gallery. The limited edition packaging has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Tommy Pocket and there is a limited edition 60-page perfect bound booklet illustrated by Pocket, featuring new writing on the film by Dennis Capicik, Martyn Conterio, John Harrison and Amanda Reyes - plus a fold-out double-sided poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Pocket and six double-sided collector’s postcards.

Arrow's 4K UHD release of Peter Weir’s "Witness" is certainly the most complete package of the film ever released. It has been described as a 'sleeper hit' making a bomb at the box-office (grossing over $116 million worldwide.) It could fit into the neo-noir category - a cop's investigation is hindered by internal corruption - however most will remember "Witness" for its 'collision of contrasting cultures' and exposure to Amish lifestyles. It's something Weir also explored in The Last Wave. Despite a very minor role, the film was the start of Viggo Mortensen's career - he was only cast because Weir thought he had the right face for the part of an Amish man. It's a beautifully-made, engaging film balancing many themes. Akira Kurosawa has cited Witness as one of his favorite films of all time. We, of course, recommend, this Arrow 4K UHD package.

Gary Tooze