Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 2 (Sony)

As with its predecessor, the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 2 makes the sort of gift-giving impact that can’t be ignored. Both physically and artistically substantial, this hefty slab brims with seminal works from a half-dozen directors spanning six different decades: Otto Preminger’s Anatomy of a Murder (1959), Sir Carol Reed’s Oliver! (1968), Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976), Ivan Reitman’s Stripes (1981, here in theatrical and extended cuts), Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility (1995) and David Fincher’s The Social Network (2010). It’s an eclectic mix to be sure, from gritty courtroom drama to G-rated musical to R-rated comedy and beyond, with more awards and nominations than I care to count. The coffee table-worthy companion book, tucked neatly inside the impressive package, helps us put each into its proper context.

Although specs vary from disc to disc (all but Taxi Driver feature Dolby Atmos soundtracks, while Taxi Driver and Social Network are presented in Dolby Vision HDR), and different levels of A/ V restoration have been undertaken for each (the five film-originated titles are restored from their original camera negative), I can confidently state that every one looks and sounds as fantastic as you’d hope for such a lavish set, perhaps looking even better here than in their theatrical runs. They wow in ways we might not expect, such as bringing out the brilliance of Duke Ellington’s jazz score within the Atmos remix of Anatomy. Added to the vast array of supplements past is a smattering of new extra features across the menagerie, including a couple of significant on-camera reunions. A bonus Blu-ray disc collects 20 Columbia shorts starring everyone from Mr. Magoo to Madeline to The Three Stooges, including a couple of Oscar winners in the bunch.