ADDITION: Kino 4K UHD (March 2024): Kino have released Stanley Kubrick's "Fear and Desire" on 4K UHD. It is cited as "Brand New HDR/Dolby Vision Masters for Both Cuts of Fear and Desire – 4K Restorations from the 35mm Camera Negative and Fine Grain". We compared 2012 Kino and 2013 Masters of Cinema Blu-rays 10-years ago HERE. So, this new release has both the 62-Minute Theatrical Cut (as found on the old Blu-rays) and the 70-Minute Premiere Cut (which has not been seen since its interrupted theatrical run in 1953) on both 4K UHD and second disc Blu-ray. This addition should be quite significant to the director's fanbase - certainly completists.

Let's get this out of the way first; the rounded corners have rightly been removed on these new transfers. But there is an usual circumstance:

The Theatrical Cut on Blu-ray is 1.37:1   

The Premiere Cut on Blu-ray is 1.37:1

The Theatrical Cut on 4K UHD is 1.33:1 ?  

The Premiere Cut on 4K UHD is 1.37:1

So, I don't know if this is intentional but, regardless there is movement in the frame (often shifting the entire image to the left) and is cropped compared to the older Blu-rays which showed rounded corners that most projectionists would matte - with the 1.33:1 Theatrical cut 4K UHD losing a shade more on the side edges. Why the theatrical cut Blu-ray is not also 1.33:1 is the question - being, apparently, from the same source. I don't know. You can see this by clicking on our large captures and toggling between the matched screen captures. The cuts are not seamlessly branched but the quality is about the same on the respective 1080P and on the 2160P transfers. This looks, predictably, darker than the older 2012 and 2013 Blu-rays, with richer, deeper black levels, beautiful grain and detail, seen in the film's many close-ups, is tremendous. The 4K UHD is even a semi-tone darker than the new Blu-ray renderings. We've added some captures below to support our observations. This is a brilliant digital presentation - far in advance of what I was anticipating.

The Theatrical Cut on 4K UHD has a very high bitrate and the Premiere Cut on 4K UHD has about 60% of that - although I can't distinguish much difference in image quality between the versions in 4K UHD.

We have included below - 6 captures of varying degrees of frame-specific damage marks which are, not surprisingly, more noticeable in 4K UHD. I saw the most during the Virginia Leith / forest scenes.

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: 50 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: Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (no HDR), Paths of Glory (software uniformly simulated HDR), Southern Comfort (software uniformly simulated HDR), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (software uniformly simulated HDR,) The Wages of Fear  (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Roaring Twenties (software uniformly simulated HDR), Universal Classic Monsters Limited Edition Collection (software uniformly simulated HDR), Scarlet Street (software uniformly simulated HDR), eXistenZ (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Horrible Dr. Hichcock (software uniformly simulated HDR), Conan the Barbarian (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Django (no HDR), Lone Star  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Suspect Zero (software uniformly simulated HDR), Count Dracula (software uniformly simulated HDR), Full Circle - The Haunting of Julia (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Warriors  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (software uniformly simulated HDR), Blackhat (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mark of the Devil (software uniformly simulated HDR), Barbarella (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Last Picture Show (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man Who Knew Too Much (software uniformly simulated HDR), Rope (software uniformly simulated HDR), Frenzy (software uniformly simulated HDR), American Graffiti (software uniformly simulated HDR), East End Hustle (software uniformly simulated HDR), Three Days of the Condor (software uniformly simulated HDR), Witness (software uniformly simulated HDR), 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).

On their 4K UHD, Kino provide DTS-HD Master 2.0 dual-mono tracks (now 24-bit both previous Blu-rays were LPCM 16-bit) in the original English for both cuts on both formats. Remembering this was an independently made film it has post-dubbed dialogue that is noticeable if occasionally awkward. There are few sounds effects with most of the aggression appearing diegetic; scuffle in the cabin, hollow gunfire, a truck, flowing water etc. but that's a about all. The score was by Gerald Fried (Kubrick's films Killer's Kiss and The Killing, Paths of Glory  - plus A Killer in the Family, The Baby, the Joseph H. Lewis' western Terror in a Texas Town as well as venturing later into work in TV - Star Trek etc.) and his Escape the Ordeal original soundtrack. It has an occasional tinnie-ness that must be accurate due to production limitations. Kino (4K UHD and Blu-ray) offer optional English subtitles and the 4K disc is region FREE, playable worldwide - while the Blu-ray is region 'A'-locked:

Fear and Desire is 23-year old, unabridged, Kubrick - free from studio constraints but limited by the budget, estimated at $10,000, which was raised from the director's own family and friends. There is some crude editing, unevenness and an inordinate amount of close-ups. Kubrick directed, produced, and edited Fear and Desire but was dissatisfied and failed to have all the prints destroyed (some remained in private collections) and it eventually lapsed into the public domain allowing it to be shown without legal impediments. It has the anti-war theme that would be dominant in the filmmaker's work from human stresses and mental fatigue; Sidney in Fear and Desire and repeated in Full Metal Jacket to the farce in Dr. Strangelove. Fear and Desire has Kubrick's classmate Howard Sackler write the screenplay, Virginia Leith ('The Girl' tied to a tree) also played the 'live decapitated head' in The Brain That Wouldn't Die, and Paul Mazursky (Sidney) became a notable director himself - nominated for five Academy Awards for such films as Harry and Tonto and An Unmarried Woman. Remarkable about Kino's 4K UHD release of Kubrick's Fear and Desire is the inclusion of the original 70 minute cut, shown at the Venice Film Festival, under the title Shape of Fear, on August 18th, 1952... and never released for the past 70 years. The theatrical cut removes about nine minutes of material (almost 12% of the film’s total length). I thought the Premiere Cut showed more of the director's burgeoning genius. Two versions of Kubrick's remarkable debut in gorgeous 4K UHD, new commentaries, shorts... this is a must-own. It has our highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze