So what’s the best Tarantino movie of them all? It doesn’t matter if you talk to professional critics or friends who may not even have seen all the films of the master director: this question is especially exciting because there are so many different answers to it – who can be very well discussed. However, almost everyone agrees on one point: no movie was more important to Quentin Tarantino’s career than his debut: “Reservoir Dogs”.
The robbery thriller about a failed robbery with stars like Harvey Keet, Steve Buscemi and Michael Madsen is one of the best gangster movies in movie history and has lost none of its unique charm even after 30 years: the opening scene in the restaurant where the eponymous God and Earth — or rather, the importance of tipping and debating Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” — is a piece of movie history that every movie buff should know. And one that now shines in a whole new light!
From December 1, you can experience “Reservoir Dogs” in 4K for the first time. And to honor the cult film, the film was treated to a double spectacular premiere on Ultra-HD: the masterpiece, for which the FILMSTARTS critics gave the full five stars, is not only available in a limited edition in a stylish steelbook, but also exclusively in the PLAION PICTURES shop as a Limited Collector’s Edition – THE must-have of the year for all Tarantino fans (in addition to the release of “Cinema Speculation”* and “Pulp Fiction” in 4K*):
» “Reservoir Dogs”: Collector’s Edition at PLAION PICTURES / Steelbook at PLAION PICTURES / Steel book on Amazon*
More than two months after StudioCanal lined up the film brought back to the cinema in the freshly revised version, these are now also available for the home cinema. There’s only one question: Steelbook or Collector’s Edition? We took a closer look at the latter.
“Reservoir Dogs” in 4K: The upgrade is worth it
First the most important: Anyone who already owns the “Reservoir Dogs” Blu-ray and is now wondering if the jump in quality to 4K justifies a new purchase: yes it does. Not only that, you don’t even need an Ultra HD player to enjoy the new transfer of the movie. The revised version is not only included on 4K Blu-ray, but also as standard Blu-ray version.
The pinnacle is of course still the 4K disc, which scores with HDR, Dolby Vision and (even) more sharpness. Whether in the long shots or the numerous close-ups: here even details that could only be guessed at until then become pin-sharp. Reservoir Dogs has never looked so good. The comparison with Blu-ray is like night and day – in some places even reminiscent of the huge jump that once took place from VHS to DVD.
The sound upgrade is also clearly noticeable. Those who rely on surround sound in their home theater in particular will notice differences from previous releases. Dialogue is incredibly clear and finely tuned, and when the iconic soundtrack kicks in, it sounds more spacious than ever.
Of course, the Limited Collector’s Edition is worth it for the extras that come with it. The Steelbook, which is also available separately, has a brand new design (including transparent slipcase!) and not only contains the film in optimized image and sound quality on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, but also bonus material such as cut scenes, the documentation “Reservoir Dogs: Playing It Fast And Loose” and the “Profiling The Reservoir Dogs” featurette. In addition, the set is equipped with three posters for the film, eight trading cards, a key ring and a 28-page booklet with exciting information about the film.
The accompanying full-length documentary “Tarantino – The Bloody Genius‘ completes the set. This is packed with exciting facts and anecdotes that even die-hard Tarantino disciples can learn about their favorite filmmaker. In it, Tara Wood looks back on the career of one of Hollywood’s most influential directors, from his early days as a video rental store to his pioneering screenwriting (with “True Romance”) and critically acclaimed directorial work.