Frenzied, soaked in blood, and featuring gangsters both ruthless and engaging (who debate the deeper meanings of “Like a Virgin”), Reservoir Dogs — Quentin Tarantino’s debut film about a heist gone horribly wrong — attained iconic cult status upon its release in 1992, and launched the career of a director whose singular vision has influenced a generation of filmmakers. To celebrate the movie’s 30th anniversary, the cocked-and-loaded world of Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), and their ’90s-cool cohorts makes its swaggering return in razor-sharp 4K.
For thoughts on Reservoir Dogs, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/z9pfsHI0T1Q?t=4403]
Video Quality
Lionsgate presents Reservoir Dogs with a pretty glorious 2160p/Dolby Vision transfer that easily bests any previous release of the film. The ancient Blu-Ray release has always been a bit of a low point for the format, so it is exciting to see this one finally given the respect it deserves. Any minor specks of damage seem to have been eradicated completely. Detail and clarity will knock you out along with the natural film grain which remains intact. There are thankfully no signs that any grain reduction has been applied, as you get a pretty fine sheen that mostly resolves well. The texture revealed in the costumes, within the environments and in the makeup effects are much appreciated. Facial details such as pouring blood or cuts and bruises present with grotesque clarity.
The Dolby Vision HDR really makes a difference, as it makes the weather radiate with warmth while also finding the nuances of the visual palette. The stylistic intention of Tarantino seems well represented as each setting appears to be in command of its appearance. Skin tones look natural, if not just a slight bit flushed. Color saturation does not falter in any meaningful way. White levels offer great stability without veering into blooming. Black levels maintain a tremendous amount of depth and detail in darker environments. This film has never been treated properly in the HD age, so Lionsgate should be commended for giving this one such grand video quality.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track which handles the material (mostly) without issue. The environmental sounds are delineated effectively alongside everything else. The low end response is not substantial in any particular way, but it does provide some welcome texture to the proceedings. There also does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear to this one. The main fault with this track is that it omits at least one ADR line that has been included in most previous releases. It is a moment that could be easily overlooked since you cannot see a mouth moving, but it is worth pointing out for fans.
The track focuses pretty heavily on the front channels given the importance of Tarantino’s dialogue, but overall there is a fairly notable soundscape which captures the precise sound design of the film with perfect fidelity. The track features some engaging activity even if it does continue to be a certified chat-fest. The score and other pivotal music is used perfectly to establish the mood of the story, and this track handles it without issue throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to clip competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. While not without its issues, Lionsgate has given this film a solid audio presentation that serves the movie well There are optional English, Spanish and English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Deleted Scenes: Five unused scenes totaling 13 minutes of footage is provided here featuring two alternate takes of cutting off the ear and more.
- Playing It Fast and Loose: A 16-minute featurette in which various figures discuss the landmark nature of the film and why it had such a seismic impact on independent cinema.
- Profiling The Reservoir Dogs: A seven-minute look at the colorful characters in the crew including some rudimentary psychological analysis.
Final Thoughts
Reservoir Dogs is one of the more exciting debuts committed to screen the past few decades. It has many of the elements we have come to associate with Quentin Tarantino, and the script itself is written with the prowess of a much more seasoned creative figure. This entire ensemble is doing some terrific work, every performer bouncing effortlessly off their scene partner. No matter how many times you return to this one, it never gets old. Lionsgate has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a gorgeous A/V presentation and a couple of legacy special features. If you are a fan of the film, this new release is a no-brainer. Highly Recommended
Reservoir Dogs is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in a Standard and SteelBook edition.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
