NOTE: The below Blu-rays and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the respective disc.

ADDITION: Sony 4K UHD (February 2020): Sony (UK) have transferred Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider to 4K UHD. It has HDR applied and about 20 mega-bits-per-second higher on the bitrate than the 2016 Criterion Blu-ray (compared to the Sony HERE.) There are significant differences in the palette from the previous BDs. Colors are much more vibrant with skin tones warming extensively. It's my feeling that the HDR may have been too liberally applied in this Easy Rider 4K UHD as the image, while supporting grain and detail to a very high degree can look... too bright (effecting colors), in certain sequences. The motorcycles, bandanas colors look amazing in terms of depth and being visually dynamic. We lose the yellow overlay of the BDs. I will admit that I don't know what Easy Rider looked like theatrically - this 4K UHD makes it appear very modern and 'new'. Some may appreciate that and others - not so much. I did love the textures and high degree of detail in 4K UHD. I think it's an image presentation that I need to 'live with' for a while. On my two 4K systems I think the image may be even more vibrant than the below represented screen captures. Skin tones are exceedingly warm. We do like that there are differences.

NOTE: 23 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures for Patrons are available HERE.

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.

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: Suspiria (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pan's Labyrinth (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Wizard of Oz,(software uniformly simulated HDR), The Shining, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Batman Returns (software uniformly simulated HDR), Don't Look Now (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man Who Killed Killed and then The Bigfoot  (software uniformly simulated HDR),,  Bram Stoker's Dracula (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucy (software uniformly simulated HDR), They Live (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Shutter Island (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Matrix (software uniformly simulated HDR), Alien (software uniformly simulated HDR), Toy Story (software uniformly simulated HDR),  A Few Good Men (software uniformly simulated HDR),  2001: A Space Odyssey (HDR caps udated), Schindler's List (simulated HDR), The Neon Demon (No HDR), Dawn of the Dead (No HDR), Saving Private Ryan (simulated HDR and 'raw' captures), Suspiria (No HDR), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (No HDR), The Big Lebowski, and I Am Legend (simulated and 'raw' HDR captures).

On their 4K UHD, Sony offer the option of a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channels or a 5.1 surround bump tracks (only 16-bit) in the original English language. Neither are overly robust (Criterion's 24-bit, with double the kbps, is much more deep and technically impacting). There are many foreign language DUBs and subtitle options identifying it as a true global release. Much of the Easy Rider experience lies in the music; Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf, The Weight – The Band, Wasn’t Born to Follow – The Byrds, San Franciscan Nights – Eric Burdon & The Animals, The Pusher – Steppenwolf, It’s Alright Ma – Roger McGuinn, Nights in White Satin – Moody Blues, Get Together – Youngbloods. It sounds excellent in the lossless if, however, a notch below the Criterion Blu-ray in terms of the songs and motorcycle engines sounds. Sony offer optional many subtitle options (including English and English for the commentary) on their Region FREE 4K UHD.

The Sony 4K UHD disc has no supplements but there is a second disc included - a Blu-ray (it has the exact same June 2009 VoB files - and is essentially the exact same Blu-ray disc.) It has the commentary by Dennis Hopper and Charles Kiselyak's, hour long, 1999 documentary Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage - Blu-ray reviewed HERE and found on digital releases as far back as the original DVD.

The lore of Easy Rider will last forever. The only advancement in the 4K UHD is the vibrant video. If that appeals to you - than you may consider indulging. I'm on the fence and need to rewatch, but as I have said that the grain and detail made me swoon. My jury is till out on the colors... it, almost, looks too good, too new, at times.

Gary Tooze