FORUM ON ALL THINGS ORSON WELLES
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I largely agree with what you said, but of the two Blu-ray versions we currently have, I would give the nod to the Olive. Here are the notes I took when I previously did a comparison of the two:sherbert wrote: Tue Jan 27, 2026 8:12 pm Great news, if true! The Stranger is the only one of Welles’ completed films that doesn’t yet have a truly first rate home video version.
The Kino (based on the Library of Congress print) and Olive (based on the MGM print) blu rays are both OK, but both prints are pretty badly damaged. The Kino is probably the better overall, but the last half hour or so is marred by horribly distracting vertical scratches down the right side of the screen. Even if the original negatives haven’t surfaced, a better print or even a cleanup of the existing prints would be wonderful.
The film itself is better than its reputation suggests and is certainly ripe for rediscovery.
I believe the increase in detail and sharpness in the Kino version is due to the fact that the transfer comes at least one generation closer to the original negative than the Olive release did (as well as all other home video releases). The archival Library of Congress print used for the Kino release appears to be one that was screened theatrically during the initial run in 1946 when the film was being distributed by RKO Pictures (as identified by the RKO credit superimposed over the final shot of Robinson). I suspect the subsequent re-release in the early 50s by Independent Release Corporation used an inferior dupe of the original RKO distributed film where the final shot of Robinson was truncated to avoid showing the RKO credit. This re-release version is the source of the Olive release.edmoney wrote: Tue Jan 27, 2026 10:49 pm ... Kino seems to maybe have more detail than Olive, but it's probably because Kino is artificially sharpened...
You're right - Kino does use a lower generation source than Olive does, and that would largely explain the increased detail. I do think, though, the Kino exhibits signs of over-aggressive digital tinkering (giving it a somewhat harsher look) and improper color grading. Thankfully, choosing between the two will soon be less relevant if a new disc comes to market, as the Cinémathèque française restoration evidenced in the clip surpasses them both and looks quite nice.Roger Ryan wrote: Wed Jan 28, 2026 9:39 amI believe the increase in detail and sharpness in the Kino version is due to the fact that the transfer comes at least one generation closer to the original negative than the Olive release did (as well as all other home video releases). The archival Library of Congress print used for the Kino release appears to be one that was screened theatrically during the initial run in 1946 when the film was being distributed by RKO Pictures (as identified by the RKO credit superimposed over the final shot of Robinson). I suspect the subsequent re-release in the early 50s by Independent Release Corporation used an inferior dupe of the original RKO distributed film where the final shot of Robinson was truncated to avoid showing the RKO credit. This re-release version is the source of the Olive release.edmoney wrote: Tue Jan 27, 2026 10:49 pm ... Kino seems to maybe have more detail than Olive, but it's probably because Kino is artificially sharpened...
Both versions are, indeed, compromised as the print used for the Kino release has considerable scratches and missing frames (including a full 25 seconds missing from the scene of Kindler sabotaging the ladder - fortunately, enough of this footage is retained that the viewer understands the action) while the Olive version (and MGM version before that) has the softer, muddier image and truncates the last shot. Despite the damage, I prefer the Kino release for the greater detail, but it now looks like we'll have a significantly better option with the Cinémathèque française restoration. The clip embedded on the Cinémathèque's website has The Stranger looking better than I've ever seen it before.