The 4K UHD of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is reviewed HERE

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray - November 14': Okay - short story - same restoration, 1080P, but the Kino transfer is not as robust as the MoC (but slightly more than the Universum) - and the latter displays a richer image - albeit, marginally. The larger your system - the more you might notice - for those who project, the MoC is the heads-up winner. I've compared 4 or 5 below for your to toggle better the larger captures.

Kino has a University of Music, Freiburg score and also offers a unique score by Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky - both in DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel. I really like the DJ Spooky score - very 'fresh' and it really worked for me. Its a little techno and plenty of effects (tubular bell-like) and also moves to a drum-jazz innovation. Thumbs up! The Intertitles were resumed from the flashtitles of the camera negative and a 16mm print from 1935 from the Deutsche Kinemathek in Berlin. I will verify soon - but believe this is region 'A'-locked.

On the extras the same 52-minute German documentary Caligari: How Horror Came to the Cinema (titled on the MoC as - Caligari: The Birth of Horror in the First World War) with English subtitles, There is an image gallery, two short restoration demonstration pieces, a trailer and a 4-page, liner notes, booklet with essay by Kristen Thompson.

I never tire of seeing this and I liked the fresh new score. Region 'A' aficionados will be pleased!   

***

ADDITION: Masters of Cinema Blu-ray - September 14': Masters of Cinema don't disappoint with a more robust, dual-layered, 1080P transfer. It looks superb - as good as the static Universum captures but slightly smoother in-motion. It's the same restoration by Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung but rendered with a max'ed out bitrate and the results are overwhelmingly impressive. The colored tints, appears to me - anyway, to be a shade richer. Overall the visuals are outstanding.

Audio not only includes a linear PCM in lossless stereo but also a new DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at a whopping 3758 kbps. It works amazingly well with the score, adding some subtle separations and an undeniable, imaginative, atmosphere. MoC add optional English subtitles to the original German Intertitle cards, and the Blu-ray disc is region 'B'-locked.

We get an excellent new commentary by author and historian David Kalat providing a solid background education in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Repeated from the Universum is the 52-minute long documentary on the cultural and historical context of the film entitled Caligari: The Birth of Horror in the First World War - but with English subtitles (and not in PAL speed-up). There is also a a new, 15-minute, video essay by David Cairns ; You Must Become Caligari with the humorous opening screen that states "The following is a work of speculative criticism. All German proper names are probably mispronounced, badly". I found it enjoyable and educational. There is 9-minutes on the restoration and a new re-release trailer. The Masters of Cinema package comes with a DVD and a 44-page booklet with new writing, reprints and rare archival imagery. Magnificent!

As expected, MoC give us the definitive digital release of this masterpiece with a substantially more robust transfer, an optional surround sound track, a new commentary and excellent video extras. Our very highest recommendation!

***

ADDITION: Universum Blu-ray - July 14': Being brief, I was very anxious to see the restoration by Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung. It looks magnificent. The Universum Blu-ray is not English-friendly (not for feature nor any extras) but The Masters of Cinema group will be releasing this in September. Audio is also wonderful - supplements are all in German (no English subtitles) and deal with the restoration and a lengthy piece of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.