1986 on 4K UHD

Although Jo Jo Dancer has achieved success as a stand-up comedian, he hasn't found happiness. After receiving severe burns in a narcotics-related incident, Jo Jo remains in a coma, and, while in this state, he looks back on his life. Drifting off into memories of his troubled childhood, Jo Jo revisits his youth, recalling his eventual rise to fame and the decadence that followed. As he considers his existence, he must decide if he wants to go on living or not.

Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray

Labyrinth(1986)

7.3/10

dir. Jim Henson

S-Tier Announced

Frustrated with babysitting on yet another weekend night, Sarah, a teenager with an active imagination, summons the Goblins to take her baby stepbrother away. When little Toby actually disappears, Sarah must follow him into a fantastical world to rescue him from the Goblin King. Guarding his castle is the labyrinth itself, a twisted maze of deception, populated with outrageous characters and unknown dangers.

Sony 35th Anniversary Edition · Pre-Order

Rad(1986)

dir. Hal Needham

Vinegar Syndrome's 2020 Limited Edition is the only legit 4K of the 1986 BMX classic. The film's never been on Blu-ray cleanly thanks to music rights and rotating distributor purgatory, so the VS scan is the first time Cru Jones has looked anywhere near right at home. Pressing has been hard to track down at retail.

Vinegar Syndrome · Limited Edition

At Close Range(1986)

6.8/10

dir. James Foley

S-Tier 4K. Sean Penn and Christopher Walken in an underseen 80s crime film.

Cinématographe · 4K + Blu-ray

Cobra(1986)

dir. George P. Cosmatos

S-Tier Arrow Video 4K. Stallone's cop film. Arrow packaged it well.

Arrow Video · 4K + Blu-ray

From Beyond(1986)

dir. Stuart Gordon

S-Tier 88 Films 4K. Stuart Gordon's Lovecraft adaptation. 88 Films got it on 4K after it was hard to find on disc.

88 Films · Limited Edition UHD + Blu-ray

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer(1986)

6.7/10

dir. John McNaughton

S-Tier Arrow Video 4K. John McNaughton's serial killer film. Arrow treats this with the same care as their horror classics.

Arrow Video · Limited Edition

Highlander(1986)

6.9/10

dir. Russell Mulcahy

40th Anniversary Collector's Edition 4K announced for June in the UK. Early looks suggest it's a repackage of the existing release with identical extras, just new physical packaging. The video transfer is apparently strong but the audio has problems, with one owner saying it sounds like it was recorded at the bottom of a trash can.

StudioCanal · Collector's Edition

Jean de Florette(1986)

7.7/10

dir. Claude Berri

S-Tier Criterion 4K. Collectors keep comparing it to There Will Be Blood and Killers of the Flower Moon. The two-part set with Manon of the Spring runs about 4.5 hours total. Pure misanthropy disguised as a period drama.

Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray

Manon of the Spring(1986)

7.6/10

dir. Claude Berri

S-Tier Criterion 4K. The second half of the Jean de Florette/Manon of the Spring pair, and lots of people think it's even better than the first. Always bought as part of the set, so the collector conversation lives under Jean de Florette.

Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray

Night of the Creeps(1986)

6.7/10

dir. Fred Dekker

S-Tier Scream Factory 4K. Fred Dekker's 1986 alien slug horror comedy. It only includes the director's cut, which upset some people who wanted the theatrical. People who held off on the Blu-ray were glad they waited. There was a subtitle error reported on the Shout Factory disc.

Scream Factory · 4K + Blu-ray

Psycho III(1986)

5.7/10

dir. Anthony Perkins

S-Tier Arrow Video 4K. The third Psycho, directed by Anthony Perkins himself. No relevant collector discussion around the 4K specifically.

Arrow Video · 4K Box Set (The Psycho Collection)

The Hitcher(1986)

7.0/10

dir. Robert Harmon

Second Sight's 4K restoration replaced what was genuinely one of the worst DVD transfers in the catalog. Collectors who grabbed the limited edition are calling it their release of the year, and the standard 4K is still available through Orbit for anyone who missed the first run.

Second Sight Films · 4K + Blu-ray (United Kingdom)

The Sacrifice(1986)

7.7/10

dir. Andrei Tarkovsky

Alexander, a journalist, philosopher and retired actor, celebrates a birthday with friends and family when it is announced that nuclear war has begun.

Kino Lorber · 4K + Blu-ray

April Fool's Day(1986)

dir. Fred Walton

As soon as Muffy St. John and her college friends arrive on her parents' secluded island, someone starts trimming the guest list... one murder at a time.

A Better Tomorrow(1986)

7.4/10

dir. John Woo

A-Tier Shout Factory 4K. John Woo's breakthrough film and the one that started the heroic bloodshed genre. The Shout Factory disc is the way to go for this. Comes up regularly in dream Criterion box set threads alongside other Hong Kong action classics.

Shout! Studios · 4K Box Set (A Better Tomorrow Trilogy)

Howard the Duck(1986)

5.4/10

dir. Willard Huyck

A scientific experiment unknowingly brings extraterrestrial life forms to the Earth through a laser beam. First is the cigar-smoking drake, Howard, from the duck's planet. A few kids try to keep him from the greedy scientists and help him back to his planet, but then a much less friendly being arrives through the beam...

Pre-Order

Invaders from Mars(1986)

5.6/10

dir. Tobe Hooper

BFI's restoration is sourced from what may be the last surviving print, which gives the 4K a preservation angle most catalogue horror doesn't have. Tobe Hooper's weirdest film after Lifeforce and collectors have been waiting on a proper scan for years.

BFI · Restored

Rawhead Rex(1986)

5.2/10

dir. George Pavlou

Ireland will never be the same after Rawhead Rex, a particularly nasty demon, is released from his underground prison by an unwitting farmer. The film follows Rex's cross country rampage, while a man struggles to stop it.

The Devil's Honey(1986)

5.2/10

dir. Lucio Fulci

A young woman abducts a doctor whom she holds responsible for the death of her boyfriend and subjects him to various sexual torture acts.

The Karate Kid Part II(1986)

6.2/10

dir. John G. Avildsen

Summoned by his dying father, Miyagi returns to his homeland of Okinawa, with Daniel, after a 40-year exile. There he must confront Yukie, the love of his youth, and Sato, his former best friend turned vengeful rival. Sato is bent on a fight to the death, even if it means the destruction of their village. Daniel finds his own love in Yukia's niece, Kumiko, and his own enemy in Sato's nephew, the vicious Chozen. Now, far away from the tournaments, cheering crowds and safety of home, Daniel will face his greatest challenge ever when the cost of honor is life itself.

Top Gun(1986)

7.0/10

dir. Tony Scott

Paramount A-Tier 4K. The upgrade over the Blu-ray is noticeable in the flight scenes, and people keep running A/B comparison posts against Maverick.

Paramount Pictures · 4K + Blu-ray

Blue Velvet(1986)

7.6/10

dir. David Lynch

A-Tier Criterion Collection 4K. David Lynch's small-town nightmare. One person's 4K disc was mislabeled as Trainspotting, which is either a quality control issue or the most Lynchian thing that's ever happened to a physical disc.

Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray

Demons 2(1986)

dir. Lamberto Bava

Only available as part of the Synapse Demons 1 & 2 Limited Edition 4K set from 2021, which is OOP with resellers charging $200+ USD. Both Italian and English versions are included, along with the film's unique reproduction extra, a birthday party invite used in the movie. The earlier 2013 Blu-ray steelbook is still sought after for people who don't need 4K.

Synapse Films · 4K + Blu-ray

Ferris Bueller's Day Off(1986)

7.6/10

dir. John Hughes

A-Tier Paramount 4K. Matthew Broderick skips school in Chicago. Paramount's 80s comedy catalog.

Paramount Pictures · 4K + Blu-ray

Peking Opera Blues(1986)

7.2/10

dir. Tsui Hark

Shout! Studios put this on 4K in late 2025 as entry #7 in their Hong Kong Cinema Classics line, Dolby Vision with a James Mudge commentary track. Imprint Asia's February 2026 release packages it as a Limited Edition Steelbook in a Hardbox with a hardcover booklet and the 2014 Tsui Hark interview the Shout disc doesn't carry.

Shout! Studios · 4K + Blu-ray

Raw Deal(1986)

5.8/10

dir. John Irvin

A-Tier StudioCanal 4K. Arnold's underrated 1986 action film. The StudioCanal steelbook is nice-looking, and people keep asking for Commando, a T2 remaster, and more Arnold on 4K. The previous StudioCanal Blu-ray looked bad, so the 4K is a real step up.

StudioCanal · 4K + Blu-ray (United Kingdom)

Sorority House Massacre(1986)

4.7/10

dir. Carol Frank

Upon joining a sorority, Beth is plagued by nightmares of a knife-wielding killer, when her past comes back to haunt her.

88 Films · 4K + Blu-ray (Restored)

Stand by Me(1986)

7.8/10

dir. Rob Reiner

Sony A-Tier 4K. The steelbook reissue added Dolby Vision, which sparked a debate about whether the DV upgrade is worth double-dipping for. The consensus leans toward marginal improvement unless you're really looking for it, but the transfer itself is strong and the Pacific Northwest summer photography has the kind of natural lighting that benefits from HDR.

Sony Pictures · 4K + Blu-ray

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home(1986)

7.3/10

dir. Leonard Nimoy

When a huge alien probe enters the galaxy and begins to vaporize Earth's oceans, Kirk and his crew must travel back in time in order to bring back whales and save the planet.

The Golden Child(1986)

6.0/10

dir. Michael Ritchie

After a Tibetan boy, the mystical Golden Child, is kidnapped by the evil Sardo Numspa, humankind's fate hangs in the balance. On the other side of the world in Los Angeles, the priestess Kee Nang seeks the Chosen One, who will save the boy from death. When Nang sees social worker Chandler Jarrell on television discussing his ability to find missing children, she solicits his expertise, despite his skepticism over being "chosen."

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2(1986)

5.6/10

dir. Tobe Hooper

A radio host is victimised by the notorious cannibal family while a former Texas Marshal hunts them.

Arrow Video · 4K + Blu-ray

Trick or Treat(1986)

dir. Charles Martin Smith

Synapse's Limited Edition 4K dropped October 29, 2024 with 6,666 units that sold out fast, and a standard edition followed March 11, 2025. The new 4K restoration from the original camera negative got final approval from cinematographer Robert Elswit, with Dolby Vision and HDR10. The LE three-disc set includes a CD of the metal soundtrack.

Synapse Films · 4K + Blu-ray

Terror at Tenkiller(1986)

2.9/10

dir. Ken Meyer

B-Tier

Leslie and Janna are a couple of attractive young ladies who decide to go on vacation at a remote cabin in the woods. However, things go nightmarishly awry after a dangerous maniac shows up in the area and starts bumping folks off. Will anyone survive the terror at Tenkiller?

Aliens(1986)

8.4/10

dir. James Cameron

C-Tier

C-Tier from 20th Century Studios, which is a sore spot for a film this good. The 4K exists and people buy it, but the conversation is always about when someone will do a proper restoration. Cameron in 4K should look better than this.

Walt Disney Studios · Ultimate Collector's Edition

Pretty in Pink(1986)

6.7/10

dir. Howard Deutch

C-Tier

C-Tier Paramount 4K. The John Hughes teen classic with Molly Ringwald. People immediately asked for Sixteen Candles on 4K too. Available during Target's B2G1 sale.

Paramount Pictures · 4K + Blu-ray

Platoon(1986)

8.1/10

dir. Oliver Stone

D-Tier

D-Tier MGM 4K. The steelbook has been Walmart exclusive and comes up in restock threads regularly. Oliver Stone's Vietnam film needs a better transfer.

Scream Factory · Collector's Edition

¡Three Amigos!(1986)

6.3/10

dir. John Landis

The John Landis comedy finally gets a 4K with the original desert photography that could pop with proper grading. The film has a cult following that never got a premium release before.

Final Cut Entertainment · 4K Ultra HD

Crocodile Dundee(1986)

6.6/10

dir. Peter Faiman

When a New York reporter plucks crocodile hunter Mick Dundee from the Australian Outback for a visit to the Big Apple, it's a clash of cultures and a recipe for good-natured comedy as naïve Dundee negotiates the concrete jungle. He proves that his instincts are quite useful in the city and adeptly handles everything from wily muggers to high-society snoots without breaking a sweat.

Dead End Drive-In(1986)

5.9/10

dir. Brian Trenchard-Smith

In the future, a health nut and his tag-along girlfriend become trapped in a drive-in theater that has become a concentration camp for outcast youths.

Death on a Rainy Sunday(1986)

dir. Joël Santoni

Thriller about a psycho looking for revenge. Bronsky is a paraplegic because of an accident at a construction site that was partly due to the head architect, David Briand. Many years after the accident, Bronsky shows up at Briand's residence with his family and his trailer looking for assistance. He and his wife insinuate themselves into the household without revealing their true identity. They start to work for Briand and his wife Elaine as a gardener and a babysitter with the sole objective of wreaking havoc on their lives and avenging Bronsky's disabilities.

Flight of the Navigator(1986)

7.0/10

dir. Randal Kleiser

12-year-old David is accidentally knocked out in the forest near his home, but when he awakens eight years have passed. His family is overjoyed to have him back, but is just as perplexed as he is that he hasn't aged. When a NASA scientist discovers a UFO nearby, David gets the chance to unravel the mystery and recover the life he lost.

Hunter's Blood(1986)

dir. Robert C. Hughes

Five "city boys" travel to the country to relax by doing some hunting, drinking Bud, and generally having good time. However, the local inbred backwoods psychos turn the hunters to be the hunted, and they need all the ammo and wits they have to get out of the woods alive.

Synapse Films · Limited Edition

Link(1986)

5.9/10

dir. Richard Franklin

Young graduate student Jane Chase becomes the new assistant to an eccentric zoology professor at the remote home he shares with two brilliant chimpanzees and an elderly orangutan butler named Link. But when one of the chimps is found dead and the professor mysteriously disappears, Link becomes dangerously aggressive towards Jane. Now, the time for “monkey business” is over and the true terror is about to begin.

Little Shop of Horrors(1986)

7.1/10

dir. Frank Oz

Seymour Krelborn is a nerdy orphan working at Mushnik's; a flower shop in urban Skid Row. He harbors a crush on fellow co-worker, Audrey Fulquard, and is berated by Mr. Mushnik daily. One day, Seymour finds a very mysterious unidentified plant which he calls Audrey II. The plant seems to have a craving for blood and soon begins to sing for it’s supper.

Warner Bros. · 4K Ultra HD

Manhunter(1986)

7.2/10

dir. Michael Mann

FBI Agent Will Graham, who retired after catching Hannibal Lecktor, returns to duty to engage in a risky cat-and-mouse game with Lecktor to capture a new killer.

Kino Lorber · 4K Ultra HD

Mona Lisa(1986)

6.9/10

dir. Neil Jordan

May 11, 2026

Arrow's UK 4K lands May 11 2026, a new Dolby Vision scan from the original camera negative approved by Neil Jordan with a Hoskins and Jordan commentary. Criterion's 2021 release was Blu-ray only, so this is the film's 4K debut. Pre-order is £24.99 GBP on arrowfilms.com and Zavvi.

Arrow Video · Limited Edition

Poltergeist II: The Other Side(1986)

5.7/10

dir. Brian Gibson

The Freeling family move in with Diane's mother in an effort to escape the trauma and aftermath of Carol Anne's abduction by the Beast. But the Beast is not to be put off so easily and appears in a ghostly apparition as the Reverend Kane, a religious zealot responsible for the deaths of his many followers. His goal is simple - he wants the angelic Carol Anne.

Salvador(1986)

7.3/10

dir. Oliver Stone

In 1980, an American journalist covering the Salvadoran Civil War becomes entangled with both the leftist guerrilla groups and the right-wing military dictatorship while trying to rescue his girlfriend and her children.

The Delta Force(1986)

5.9/10

dir. Menahem Golan

May 12, 2026

Criterion giving the Cannon Films Chuck Norris actioner a spine number is one of the more surprising announcements in recent memory. Pure 80s excess, and the interest is less about transfer quality and more about what it means that Criterion picked it up.

Criterion Collection · 4K + Blu-ray Special Edition

The Money Pit(1986)