When Worlds Collide Blu-ray Screenshots (Patreon)

Video

Why Paramount chose to keep When Worlds Collide on Blu-ray when War of the Worlds sees a 4K release is a mystery (or not given the studio's insistence on double dipping). Clearly this master is ready for UHD. The print itself shows excellent brightness and it's spotless. Grain replication looks flawless and more importantly, intact.

Sharpness all around stays steady and pure short of the chemical dissolves. Detail breathes in these conditions, texture superb and consistent unless the cinematography dictates otherwise.

Wonderful color reproduction invigorates flesh tones, bringing them warmth and life. Primaries sing when in full. Contrast shows no signs of losing its allure, giving When Worlds Collide a genuine luster. Dimensionality excels due to this and the dense black levels.

One scene at 56-minutes draws ire. Resolution dips for no apparent reason, and compression looks equal to the DVD. It's brief, and just a conversation, but the difference in quality sticks out.

Audio

A moderate low-end thump from the DTS-HD mono mix offers some depth to this vintage audio. That's surprising and even bold considering the limitations at the source, giving pop to the score's dramatic moments.

The rest sounds pure, if typical for the period. A slight rawness in the dialog and wobble when the score peaks.