the old SDR colors look flat and drab by comparison. The white sheets seen in a subsequent shot are sparkling, far more luminous and true compared Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" is a masterpiece of cinema, and the 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital edition only enhances the experience. This film tells the story of a group of Jewish-American soldiers who are sent on a mission to kill as many Nazis as possible during World War II. The film stars Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, and many other talented actors who bring their A-game to every scene. For this disc, Universal has ported over all of the extras from their original home video release of the film from 2009. That includes a few extended and alternate scenes that mainly highlight the late Sally Menke’s gift for streamlining Tarantino’s dialogue, as well as a full six-minute cut of the Nation’s Pride film-within-the-film shown during the climax. There’s even a parodic making-of documentary of this piece of fake Nazi propaganda, with actors appearing in character as various German filmmakers and officials weigh in on the “project.” A roundtable discussion between critic Elvis Mitchell and Tarantino and Brad Pitt is the most substantial feature here, as the trio delves deep into Tarantino’s methods and the making of Inglourious Basterds. Also of note is the montage of Tarantino’s foul-mouthed clapboard girl and the now poignant featurette in which the cast and crew goofily say hello to Menke. Overall

This is a presentation that looks wholesale better than ever before, but does so in a very nuanced, considered way to the creamier Blu-ray. There is certainly a clear increase in overall brightness with the HDR grading, obvious most anywhere in the film (take a look The Nazis have occupied all of France putting the country in a death grip of oppression. “The Jew Hunter” Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) scours the countryside searching for Jews in hiding. While in hiding in Paris, one of Landa’s missed targets Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent) runs a cinema that is set to premiere the latest German propaganda war film about a young soldier for Hitler himself. And then, arriving in France ahead of the invasion to liberate Europe of the Nazi scourge are the Basterds. Led by Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), a band of Jewish soldiers terrorizes Nazi divisions brutally maiming, killing, and scalping their targets. Now the Basterds have a chance to take out the big man himself and that’s an opportunity too juicy to pass up.

more vibrant. More intensely bold greens, fall leaves, and blue skies bring a sense of life to the UHD that isn't quite there on the Blu-ray by

how much more life there is to a theater marquee in the 38-minute mark, for example), but with that Now that Universal Studios is giving Inglourious Basterds a promotion to 4K, it’s a good reason to revisit it! Now, the only thing this set has to offer is a greatly enhanced viewing experience. The 1080p Blu-ray was reference quality in its day, but I found this new 2160p HDR10 and HDR10+ presentation to be simply beautiful - and well worth the upgrade for. However, I can see folks hoping for a more aggressive object-based audio mix and/or a new selection of bonus features being a bit deflated with this release. To that point, I’ll simply argue that the price point to upgrade for image quality only isn’t too severe. And if you've never owned this film, well that just makes the decision a little easier. I’m safely calling this one Highly Recommended.

Scores

Tarantino’s dialogue throughout is more than just witty, as it also exudes feeling, dread, and risk. How and why people speak to each other, or how and why they chose not to, becomes a panic far more chilling than any display of violence in Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino’s words pop, but no longer do they exist entirely to flatter his audience’s pop know-how, but to illuminate the politics of communication and survival during WWII. Image/Sound Everything is an allusion, a pose, in the films of Quentin Tarantino, right down to the font and colors that he uses for his title sequences—even the name of his production company, A Band Apart, which arrogantly asks us to think of him as our generation’s Godard. And how willingly we indulge him says plenty. Tarantino is as much creator as curator, and his overbearing cinephilia appeals to audiences who not only lost it at the movies but can’t seem to live without them: From Reservoir Dogs to his Kill Bill diptych, his films are solipsistic totems to his favorite things, and their effect is often suffocating. superior flesh tones as well. This is a substantial upgrade over the Blu-ray in terms of its color output. Well done! close-ups on weapons, and various environments, whether wooded areas or classy movie theaters. Light or dark, daytime or night, the picture holds On one side of the coin, you’re getting this pitch-perfect potboiler thriller, and then on the other, you’re getting this goofy bloody splatter 70s exploitation-style action movie. I just didn’t gel with it. But, as I do with so many movies I don’t often like the first time out, I gave it another shot. And another. And then another. Slowly I was turning into a fan and appreciating the tonal whiplash with each viewing.