ReelBars

William Holden · 1950s

4 William Holden movies from the 1950s on 4K Blu-ray, ranked S to D by transfer quality. 1 S-Tier pick including The Bridge on the River Kwai.

The Bridge on the River Kwai

The Bridge on the River Kwai(1957)

7.8/10

dir. David Lean

S-Tier

The classic story of English POWs in Burma forced to build a bridge to aid the war effort of their Japanese captors. British and American intelligence officers conspire to blow up the structure, but Col. Nicholson, the commander who supervised the bridge's construction, has acquired a sense of pride in his creation and tries to foil their plans.

Sony Pictures · 60th Anniversary Edition
Sabrina

Sabrina(1954)

7.5/10

dir. Billy Wilder

A-Tier

Kino Lorber's announcement got immediate pre-orders. People were eyeing the Blu-ray when the 4K dropped, and the relief in the comments was palpable. The slipcover artwork is beautiful and the special features are loaded, with two commentary tracks and multiple featurettes. Paramount loosening their licensing policy is part of why this exists. Breakfast at Tiffany's in 4K is the next Hepburn title everyone keeps requesting.

Kino Lorber · 4K + Blu-ray
Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard(1950)

8.3/10

dir. Billy Wilder

A-Tier

Paramount A-Tier 4K. Billy Wilder's Hollywood noir finally got a 4K release after years of collectors asking for it. Paramount put it out at a fair price without limited edition nonsense, and the transfer has gotten a mixed reception on forums. Barnes and Noble has had it around $14.96 USD, which is hard to argue with for a film this important. Black and white films done well in 4K can be stunning, and early reports suggest this one looks good even if it's not reference-tier.

Paramount Pictures · 75th Anniversary Edition
Stalag 17

Stalag 17(1953)

7.7/10

dir. Billy Wilder

C-Tier

Kino Lorber C-Tier 4K. Billy Wilder's POW comedy-drama is better than its tier suggests. The Kino release landed with a shrug from collectors who were hoping for Sunset Boulevard instead, and the C-Tier reflects limitations in the source material rather than a bad job by Kino.

Kino Lorber · 4K + Blu-ray