ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - (April 2019)  Criterion's release of David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" arrives on a dual-layered Blu-ray, with an all new 4K digital restoration, supervised by the director. The 2.35:1 1080P image has a modest bitrate. Most significant, is that Criterion's presentation shows a little more information on the top and bottom of the frame, with even more revealed on the left, while the right side of the frame stays the same. It is likely that the MGM Blu-ray was slightly distorted, given such movement in the frame. This 4K transfer shows a generally brighter image, with occasionally darker moments. There are still strong blacks, revealing detail in the shadows while keeping a healthy contrast. As the below screen captures can attest, colors have slightly shifted from the MGM disc, in some cases they're warmer, in others they are colder. The grass surrounding the ear, for example, goes from a forest-green to a more yellow hue. Yet in the sixth cap with Isabella Rossellini looking towards the camera, her dress now appears to be a more subdued purple, as opposed to the brighter MGM's red. I tend to prefer the darker MGM image, though the new Criterion Blu-ray has a visible and consistent grain texture and some may prefer the brighter look.

Criterion edges out the old MGM by including the film's original 2.0 in 24-bit DTS-HD Master audio. The 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master audio has also been supervised by Lynch, though it sounds similar if not identical to the previous 5.1 release on the MGM. Angelo Badalamenti's (David Lynch films including Twin Peaks- Fire Walk With Me, Lost Highway, Wild at Heart Mulholland Drive, and The Straight Story among others. He's also done the score for Schrader's Auto-Focus, and other films like 44 Inch Chest, The Edge of Love,The Comfort of Strangers etc.) score and all the strange musical performances - Bobby Vinton + Isabella Rossellini's "Blue Velvet" crooning of the film's theme song and Ketty Lester's hauntingly beautiful Love Letters. Let's not forget Roy Orbison's "In Dreams". - sound superb on the original 2.0 track, even without the 5.1 tinkering. There are optional English SDH subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray.

"It’s a Strange World: The Filming of “Blue Velvet" is a brand new 16-minute documentary featuring interviews with crew members and visits to the shooting locations. Also here is a 16-minute 2017 interview with frequent Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti. "Room to Dream" is 18-minutes of an audio recording with Lynch reading from the book he coauthored with Kristine McKenna. "The Lost Footage" has appeared before. Next up is "Blue Velvet Revisited". In 1985, German filmmaker Peter Braatz was invited by director David Lynch to Wilmington, North Carolina, to document the shooting of Blue Velvet on Super 8, in photographs, and in audio recordings. The result is this eighty-nine-minute unconventional "meditation" on the film, with music by Cult with No Name, Tuxedomoon, and John Foxx. "Mysteries of Love", which has previously appeared as an extra on other discs is a seventy-minute documentary from 2002 on the making of the film. Criterion have included a brief extra, the minute-long "Test Chart" features footage from the production of the film, for grayscale balance.

Fans can rest assured that Criterion's release of David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" is worth the wait. Though some may prefer the darker look of the MGM release (myself included) it is hard not to appreciate how lovely this 4k transfer looks, with beautiful grain and detail. Though Lynch apparently does not approve of audio commentaries, the extras on this disc are worth a look. Picking up this Blu-ray should be a no-brainer.

Colin Zavitz

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ADDITION: MGM - Region FREE - Blu-ray - (October 2011) - Looks to be taken from the same source as the SE DVD - but the image shows all the basic improvements of the new format. It is notably more detailed - has slightly even more information in the frame, colors are solid and tighten up and contrast is substantially superior. The two-hour film is housed on a dual-layered disc with a healthy bitrate (more than 6X that of any of the SD transfer). This 1080P gave me an impressive presentation. I could detect no digital manipulation nor flagrant flaws of any kind. Thumbs up on the visuals.

Audio goes lossless with a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround at 2990 kbps. All the Lynch-esque music sounds wonderful in HD sounding classic, nostalgic and crisp - there are some subtle separations piercing their way to the rear speakers - and dialogue is always clear and consistent. Depth is more seething than overt. The disc is rife with foreign language DUBs and subtitles marking it as a region FREE Blu-ray - also available in Europe (Germany).

Supplements were highly anticipated by Lynch's loyal fans and they don't disappoint. We get the previously seen "Mysteries of Love" - an 8-part, 1 hour 10-minute, documentary featuring interviews with Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan and cast and crew - still in 480i. But the big news is over 50 minutes of never-before-seen lost footage (in 1080P). There are some surprises and suspense - fans who can't get enough of the film will definitely want to indulge. There is also "A Few" Outtakes - listed as 'new'. The short Siskel and Ebert critical review, 4 Vignettes (I Like Coffee Shops, The Chicken Walk, The Robin, Sita) and TV Spots / Trailers exist. Everything but a commentary but it's so nice to see some new stuff.

For the price this is one of the easiest purchases of the year - I saw Blue Velvet theatrically but while my memory fades I am confident that this is the best representation available for home theater consumption. This masterpiece remains timeless and the Blu-ray is strongly recommended!   

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ADDITION: (Region 2/4 MGM PAL edition - Sept -04) - THE MGM PAL version is slightly cropped on both sides and the bottom and although the colors appears accurate (if less vibrant), it is a bit hazier than its NTSC counterpart. It has most of the same extras of the Region 1 release, and loses a Spanish DUB but has more subtitle options. We still say stick to the Region 1 MGM in all departments.

The UK version is more than slightly cropped as you can tell by the captures below (2.10:1 from 2.35:1). It is also quite hazy in direct comparison to the Region 1 SE version. I note a shade of edge enhancement in the SE Region 1 (look at the roses) . I think that the Region 1 SE has also had some contrast boosting and it has manipulated the colors ( look at the ear ). The Region 1 is better for many reasons, but it is far from a perfect DVD. Lots of extras on the Region 1 and a nice long Dennis Hopper interview on the UK edition. A shame, I doubt a better version will come out for a while, so the Region 1 and its flaws are the one to buy.

- Gary W. Tooze