ADDITION: Criterion 4K UHD (March 2024): Criterion have released Gus Van Sant's "To Die For" 4K UHD. It is coted as being a "New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Gus Van Sant and director of photography Eric Alan Edwards". It is presented with Dolby Vision HDR. Included with the 4K UHD is a Blu-ray with the film and special features. The 2160P, predictably looks impressive with a fairly hefty HR pass that differentiates from the strong 1080P with cooler skins tones, more balanced colors and a wider range of contrast. The film uses a variety of 35mm / 16mm / and video formats - colors have depth but aren't unnaturally vibrant. There is restraint in the transferred visuals - sometimes appearing darker but plenty of depth and pleasing detail in the higher resolution. It has an atmospheric bitrate. No issues whatsoever.

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 recently: Snapshot (software uniformly simulated HDR), Phase IV (software uniformly simulated HDR), Burial Ground (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dark Water (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fear and Desire (software uniformly simulated HDR), 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, Criterion use a linear DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track (24-bit) in the original English language. "To Die For" has audio effects and some sharp separations. It may be more remembered for the score by Danny Elfman (Batman Returns American Hustle, Darkman, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Edward Scissorhands, Good Will Hunting, Beetlejuice) plus a mix of pop music including Susie Q, Billy Preston's Nothing from Nothing, Nailbomb's Wasting Away, Strawpeople's Wings of Desire, Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama, (with Kidman's 'Suzanne' dancing in the rain at night) Eric Carmen's All By Myself, Donovan's Season of the Witch (concluding the film) and others. Both discs offer optional English (SDH) subtitles - The Blu-ray is region 'A'-locked and and the 4K UHD is region FREE, playable worldwide.

The Blu-ray has additional supplements which include a 1/2 hour of deleted scenes with the caveat "Because these deleted scenes are presented unrestored, sounds or images may be missing" plus there is a trailer. The package has liner notes with an essay by film critic Jessica Kiang.  

Gus Van Sant's "To Die For" has Nicole Kidman's best performance (imo, she should have won the Academy Award for Best Actress but was not even nominated. However, she was nominated for 13 other awards winning 7 for Best Actress in "To Die For".) She played ambitious and amoral Suzanne Stone who suffers from narcissistic personality disorder (based on the story of 22-year old Pamela Ann Smart who is currently serving a life sentence in Westchester County, New York for murdering her husband.) Van Sant has made some of the most memorable films in the past 30+ years including Paranoid Park, Good Will Hunting, Drugstore Cowboy, My Own Private Idaho, Elephant, Gerry... it was labeled a satirical black comedy and written by Buck Henry (co-creator of the TV series Get Smart, writer of the thriller The Day of the Dolphin etc. etc.) based on Joyce Maynard‘s novel, who both have cameos in the film along with George Segal and David Cronenberg. The cast includes 20-year olds Joaquin Phoenix and Casey Affleck plus Matt Dillon, Illeana Douglas, Dan Hedaya and Wayne Knight. "To Die For" is a brilliant film with the underrated performance of Kidman (The Others, Cold Mountain) focusing on obsessions with celebrity. Criterion's 4K UHD release has the film looking exceptional, with a revealing new director+ commentary. It has our highest recommendation. 

Gary Tooze