Documentary movies available on 4K Blu-ray, ranked by transfer quality.
dir. Jean Vigo, Boris Kaufman
What starts off as a conventional travelogue turns into a satirical portrait of the town of Nice on the French Côte d'Azur, especially its wealthy inhabitants.
Curzon Film · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Spike Lee
S-Tier Criterion 4K. Spike Lee filmed David Byrne's Broadway show. The concert photography is clean.
Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Al Reinert
S-Tier Criterion 4K. Al Reinert's Apollo documentary. NASA footage in 4K.
dir. Joe Layton
Sony's 4K of Pryor's most famous special. Minimal collector discussion beyond the announcement, but the material does the heavy lifting here regardless of transfer quality.
Sony Pictures · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Jonathan Demme
S-Tier transfer of what might be the greatest concert film ever made. A24 priced the 4K at $50+ USD with $30 USD shipping to Canada, which did not go over well. The feeling across collector circles is that A24 treats their catalog like merch drops instead of home video. The disc itself sounds incredible though, and the Atmos mix might actually be the reason to own it. The grain resolves better than the Blu-ray and more than one person has said the disc beats their local IMAX. Barnes and Noble and Walmart carry it if the A24 shop is showing out of stock.
A24 · 4K + Blu-ray
dir. Jean Vigo
Short documentary directed by Jean Vigo about the French swimmer Jean Taris. The film is notable for the many innovative techniques that Vigo uses, including close ups and freeze frames of the swimmer's body.
dir. Fax Bahr, George Hickenlooper
A chronicle of the production problems — including bad weather, actors' health, war near the filming locations, and more — which plagued the filming of Apocalypse Now, increasing costs and nearly destroying the life and career of Francis Ford Coppola.
dir. Brett Morgen
A-Tier Criterion 4K. Brett Morgen's Bowie documentary, and the Criterion disc dropped to $15 USD on Amazon. Walmart had it under $20 USD during their Criterion price cuts. If you care about Bowie at all, this is an easy grab at those prices.
dir. Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Exuberant, eye-opening movie that serves up a dazzling hundred-year history of the role of gay men and lesbians have had on the silver screen. Film contains fabulous footage from 120 films showing the changing face of cinema sexuality, from cruel stereotypes to covert love to the activist triumphs of the 1990s.
dir. Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.
dir. Todd Douglas Miller
A look at the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon led by commander Neil Armstrong and pilot Buzz Aldrin.
dir. Jenny Popplewell
Using raw, firsthand footage, this documentary examines the disappearance of Shanann Watts and her children, and the terrible events that followed.
Dazzler · 4K Ultra HD
dir. Thomas Balmès
A non-narrated documentary following the lovesome lives of four infants from birth to their first birthday. The babies featured are two from rural areas: Ponijao from Opuwo, Namibia, and Bayar from Bayanchandmani, Mongolia, as well as two from urban areas: Mari from Tokyo, Japan, and Hattie from San Francisco, USA.
dir. Baz Luhrmann
Universal and Decal Releasing announced this Baz Luhrmann Elvis concert doc for a 4K UHD release in 2026, following Luhrmann's 2022 Elvis biopic. No street date yet and no word on whether the disc will carry HDR or a surround audio mix. Collector interest will depend heavily on whether the concert footage has been restored for the format.
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and Decal Releasing · 4K Ultra HD
dir. John Alan Schwartz
What question has plagued mankind more than the mystery—and terror—of death? This forbidden pursuit has driven Dr. Frances B. Gröss to the brink of madness, but in his obsession, he has amassed a uniquely comprehensive collection of films that depict life in its final, grueling moments. From the savagery of cold-blooded murder to the perverse realities of war, tragic accidents, and the everyday lives of those who collect, dissect, and bury the dead, this descent into morbidity lays bare a truth that all of us will one day face.
dir. David Gregory
The story of the insane scandals related to the remake of “Island of Dr. Moreau” —originally a novel by H. G. Wells—, which was brought to the big screen in 1996. How director Richard Stanley spent four years developing the project just to find an abrupt end to his work while leading actor Marlon Brando pulled the strings in the shadows. Now for the first time, the living key players recount what really happened and why it all went so spectacularly wrong.
dir. David Borenstein
As Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, primary schools across Russia’s hinterlands are transformed into recruitment stages for the war. Facing the ethical dilemma of working in a system defined by propaganda and violence, a brave teacher goes undercover to film what’s really happening in his own school.
dir. Colin Butfield, Toby Nowlan
David Attenborough takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder, or surprise, than the ocean. Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing.
Altitude · 4K Ultra HD
dir. Martina Radwan
An inside look at the years of effort and craft that went into the final installment of the Duffer Brothers' generation-defining series.
