The Maltese Falcon 4K UHD Screenshots (Patreon)

Video

Another sightly Bogart UHD release (following Casablanca), the result is marvelous in its purity. Paying heed to the grain structure, Maltese Falcon transparently arrives on disc, without an ounce of visible filtering or processing. The imagery's purity belies the age, and restoration carefully removes any damage or dirt.

Pinpoint sharp, the definition in close or from afar shows the full extent of the available resolution. Definition even in the mid-range betters most modern releases, the suits, hair, and other details forever preserved from what is an absolutely perfect presentation.

Maltese Falcon boasts extensive brightness in the contrast (bolder than most vintage catalog titles seem willing to go), and far better gray scale than the previous Blu-ray. Black levels not only elevate the the noir feeling, but better the film as a whole, drenching the drama in the deepest shadows.

Audio

Serene DTS-HD mono gives the score surprising range for the age, the crisp highs impressive and the surprising drums even catching the low-end slightly. A light wobble at the highest pitches aside, Maltese Falcon makes for stellar vintage audio. Rich dialog reproduction sounds clear enough to defy the early sound era origins.