It was only 13 months ago that Miramax/Disney released this movie on Blu-ray, so what's different about this new edition? While there are nominal differences in respect to the audio mix: 5.1 DTS-HD (48 kHz/24-bit) - which, for some reason, my PS3 reads as DTS HD-MA - vs. the earlier 5.1 Uncompressed (48 kHz/24-bit), the new edition offers a 5.1 dub in Spanish – a nice touch considering where the events take place. The AVC codec remains the same with slightly higher bit rates. It appears to have been subtly remastered for "better" contrast control, even though I see little difference in my comparative caps. Much the same can be said for the audio, which I cannot confirm is perceptibly better. In any case, it's the uniquely disposed extra features that make this release a true "Collector's Edition."

Excerpt of review from LensView: DVDBeaver.com located HERE 

CLICK the BELOW 3 CAPTURES TO SEE COMPARISONS OF 2008 Blu-ray vs. 2009 Blu-ray

Extras: 9
In addition to the three Bonus Features included in last year's Blu-ray release (The Making of No Country for Old Men, Working with the Coens and Diary of a Country Sheriff, the Collector's Edition has two new features: Josh Brolin's Unauthorized Behind-the Scenes video is a deadpan Coenesque parody of such featurettes in which the actors relate their "true" feelings about working with each other and the Coens. The other is a collection of some 16 interviews and conversations from October 26, 2007, five months after Cannes, but a couple weeks before general U.S. distribution, to February 9, 2008, just a couple weeks before the Oscars, which bestowed Best Picture, Director and Writing honors. These segments are of various lengths (from 3 minutes to an hour) with the press and the Coens or members of the cast (Josh & Javier, mostly), or both, originating on TV, the radio and other venues.

After watching or listening to a few of these I came to realize that the hardest part of an actor's job is the press conference. It must test one's patience and creativity to field the same question repeatedly in ways that seem fresh to each audience. After all, how many different answers can there be to: "So what was it like working for two directors?" or "Javier, how did you prepare for the role of a psycho-killer?" Partly out of respect for the actors and the Coens, I imagine, some interviewers find new ways to explore these and other more fascinating aspects of movie-making. For these we can rely on the likes of Charlie Rose, Spike Jonze and Elvis Mitchell, but others have their moments as well. There's something to be said for the earlier interviews since the buzz about the movie was just getting started and everyone involved was still fresh. As Oscar time approached, you could sense the cautious optimism the room.

I am tempted to summarize each of these many interviews, but it seems this would defeat the purpose or at least dilute the experience. You all know what these sorts of conversations are like: simply add the Coens into the mix – with one important advisory. Depending on the venue, they can be as forthcoming as they are always intriguing. And, yes, both of them can speak.

Bottom line: 9
In my review of last year's Blu-ray edition I wrote: "Only the med-fi Extra Features preclude a Highest Recommendation". But I would urge picking up anyhow, unless you're gambling on a future double dip. And to my surprise, here it is, sooner than I would have expected. Clearly there is nothing about the image or sound that spells "upgrade," so it's all a matter of bonus features that, though still in standard definition, are remarkable for their novelty. This edition certainly gets a thumbs up for first-timers, but for those who already have the previous edition, I would recommend it for serious cinephiles.

 

Coming to 4K UHD by Criterion in December 2024: