1) Universal (Korea) - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were ripped directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Universal (UK) Blu-ray - November 10': Let's keep it short here - the Universal is a good transfer - dual- layered (higher bitrate) and superior to the BAC - it has plenty of removable subtitle options and 6 foreign language DUBs, also cuts the frame out (Bobby Peru played by Willem Dafoe - blows his own head off when he collapses on his shotgun). It is bare-bones (no supplements). I notice a shade in the improvement of colors and skin tones and it is smoother, tighter and has more depth - albeit these are marginal advancements for most systems. The BAC had the forced French subs and we can now throw it in the garbage. Buy the Universal UK Blu-ray - it is region free and the best transfer available.

NOTE: Supposedly the NEW French Blu-ray (2010) HERE has optional French subtitles. It is also the 'censored' Director's Cut but does have extras. (Thanks Sean!)

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NOTE: Lynch's true Director's cut was shown privately only to his closest friends and associates to obtain their opinion of the film. He was persuaded to cut the film, claiming that it was just too violent in content.

He did and later premiered the film at Cannes (to loud boos, but it won the Palm d'or regardless). Dafoe's shotgun blast to his head was still uncut at this point. By the time of the film's US release, it was decided (by Lynch or the MPAA, I'm not completely sure) that the shotgun sequence would be digitally obscured by additional smoke and some explosion optics. This was okayed by Lynch and is the official US release version...and that is what's on the MGM disc.

I don't know if this was the same version that played in the rest of the world, but MGM hasn't censored the DVD...it's the original theatrical US release version. (Thanks to Bill McAlpine for this information)

ADDITION: (Universal - Korean - NTSC) - Dec -04 - the Korean release is also the 'directors cut' but they did not adjust for the TV standard, and it exhibits ghosting and combing throughout. No change in or scorecard.

*****

Well, if Lynch really supervised the transfer we can only assume that the MGM colors are accurate. Both Universal and MGM DVDs are sharp and personally I am leaning toward the Universal as a superior image (especially contrast). The NTSC is brighter and also redder (washed out?), almost as if it was manipulated. Although the Universal has some 5.1 audio DUB options, we are giving the nod to the MGM for its dual choice of original English audio options (2.0 and 5.1). The MGM extras are great and easily outweigh the PAL editions (not hard to beat 'none') and the Region 1 menus have some real effort put into them... tack on to this that the PAL edition seems to be out-of-print everywhere and we will give an overall recommendation to the MGM NTSC ! 

 - Gary W. Tooze