Universal (USA)
Review by David Hare
Studio Canal (France)
1.85:1 1080p
123 minutes
Audio: English HD-DTS Master DUB: Francais HD-DTS Hi Resolution
Subtitles: French, and none
Extras: Trailer, Audio and Video Calibration tests
Released: 21 May 2007
HD-DVD case
56 Chapter stops, no chapter Menu option, only selectable with
forward/reverse buttons.
The Film: Originally intended for TV, Mulholland Dr. is much in
the mould of
Twin Peaks and
Lost Highway. Lynch's characteristically bizarre noir focuses
(probably too strong a word!) on a young beauty (Harring) who loses her
memory after a car accident and hides out in a house where she's found
and befriended by the absent owner's helpful niece (Watts), new to LA in
the hope of becoming an actress. Meanwhile, a hot young film director
(Theroux) is having trouble with the Mob trying to influence his choice
of leading lady. Despite too many detours into nonsensical narrative
cul-de-sacs, and too many shots that slowly travel towards corners down
darkened corridors to the accompaniment of ominous rumbles, this works
well enough as unsettlingly nightmarish suspense. That is, until it
suddenly and stupidly decides to switch characters' identities, leaving
one with a so-what feeling of déjà vu.
Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide located HERE
Video:
The image is entirely unlike any previous HD disc I've watched
including
The Searchers,
Casablanca,
Dune,
Brokeback,
King Kong etc. In place of the amazing sharpness and
background detail, this appears to have much more (film-like)
grain, and - overall - has a general slight haze (less
pronounced in interiors.) The contrast is far more refined and
the overall PQ far less "hard" than the SD. While nowhere near
apparently "Sharp" as other titles I suspect, but can't confirm
it is probably closer to original 35mm screenings. One problem
however, which may be the result of my setup (???) is some
slight vertical banding. I've never seen this in any other discs
- HD or SD before, and Mulholland is my first French HD. But
maybe I'm imagining it.
After re-viewing the HD back to back with the R1 SD version, what you get in the HD is hairline thin vertical lines every time there is a large mass of white or pale color (like Naomi's yellow sweater) in slow movement. These look not like film wear but like digital artefacts which have possibly been introduced at the transfer to Datacine stage. This, plus the overly soft image (in comparison to the relatively clean and tight SD) rules the Studio Canal HD out as an acceptable transfer, sadly. And there is no reason to believe Optimum's UK HD version is October will use anything but the same source. I do note Optimum released a "new" SD of MD in the UK last year. At least one review comments negatively on the image in that transfer although no mention is made of vertical banding or similar issues.
**NOTE**: It has just come to my
attention this disc also suffers from the now common Studio Canal "Pitch
glitch" problem.
In simplest lay terms possible, their datacines, although transferred at
film speed of 24 fps were taken from a 25 fps PAL master, consequently
the audio has had to undergo a "retread" which gives it the same near
semi-tone pitch rise as SD PAL 25fps transfers.
Another cross against this release, and the title joins several more
Studio Canal HDs with this defect. This is surely an issue they now have
to seriously address if they expect to market ahead of any American or
other releases of Universal titles.
Audio:
There are NO audio issues, like the PAL speedup nonsense which plagued
S-C's HD versions of Total Recall and Basic Instinct. I
don't recall the SD R1 DTS track being particularly punchy but unless
Studio Canal revved it up or it's in the original, the DTS HD (English,
there's also a French DTS HD audio track) is a knockout. The soundtracks
are both excellent. Given lossless audio, discrete instrumentation,
transients, clarity, tone all faultless. As though to give you a hint
Studio Canal had camped up their wonderful Logo at the top, adding
literally bells, whistles and bird tweeting!! Wonderful!
French subtitles support the audio.
Extras:
Only a trailer, Audio and Video Calibration tests