Some have made issue with digital blurring of Laura Harring's (playing Rita / Camilla Rhodes) pubic hair in one very brief shot. On his website, Lynch states, “We did that blurring for the DVD on purpose as we knew that pictures of Laura (Harring) would be everywhere if we didn’t ... If the shot is timed correctly you should not be able to tell one bit if Laura’s pubic hair has been blurred—this probably means some viewers are experimenting to see Laura’s pubic hair and more ... This is why the picture was blurred—I promised Laura that I would try to protect her as much as possible.” Well, as we presume, with Lynch's input, that if the 1080P, 4K-restored, transfer is timed correctly (i.e. the highlights and shadows are correct, etc.), her nudity is very subtle and it is far too dark to see any pubic hair - it was not necessary to blur it on these 4K-restored Blu-ray transfers. Let's drop this.

NOTE: My particular disc froze twice. I'm not suggesting that this is all consumer discs, possibly and overly hot player, in my case. In a second viewing it froze in a different spot so it could, also, be my specific region FREE Blu-ray player or something else. If other's notice the freezing - please email me. Thanks.

Audio is likewise the exact same - or as far as my ears can determine. Same healthy DTS-HD Master surround (24-bit). I noticed no difference. There is a French DUB (only 16-bit) and optional English (SDH) or French subtitle options. The Studio Canal Blu-ray disc is Region 'B'-locked.

Studio Canal add supplements which include most of the 2010 European BD's content. Back to Mulholland Drive running 24-minutes, On the Road to Mulholland Drive running, roughly, the same time plus the dual interview with Naomi Watts & David Lynch and separate interviews with Laura Harring , Mary Sweeney, Angelo Badalamenti, an introduction with Thierry Jousse (in French with English subtitles) and the In the Blue Box featurette. There are the older EPK interviews ( Lynch - 2:58, Watts - 4:20, Haring - 2:33, Theroux - 1:44), the short deleted scene and the package includes 6 art cards.

Great release, the best a/v - equal to the US 4K restored version, stacked with extras. Essential for many Region 'B'ers.

***

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray September 15': The Criterion is described as a "new, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by director David Lynch and director of photography Peter Deming" and is one of the most anticipated releases of the year to date. Firstly, I have tried my best to get exact frame matches - and I know I have on many but there are significant contrast and framing differences that make it hard to know if I have the exact same frame. My bottom line on the Criterion 4K is that it looks stunning on my system. You can see that colors are richer and deeper, skin tones warmer, a notable increase in detail in the close-ups, the overall image is darker... and I think it is slightly more horizontally longer than the Studio Canal 1080P which may be said to be vertically stretched a small amount. In the short the Criterion transfer's faces are minutely 'fatter' (or the SC marginally thinner) but that it also may be more accurate if we go by the approval of Lynch and Deming. I think its far in advance of what fans might have anticipated,. The SC looks duller, still overly yellow, and flat beside the 4K. On a personal note - I found the viewing experience significantly superior with the noir-ish elements really rising with the darker palette. WOW (in caps!)

Likewise the DTS-HD Master 5.1 is more robust than the similar encoded Euro Blu-ray audio. My crusty eras picked it up in the effects are marginally in Badalamenti's atmospheric score. There are subtle separations that augment the aura and locations. It sounds quite awesome and there are optional English (SDH) subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Criterion.

NOTE: A per Lynch's preference - there is only one chapter stop on the Criterion Blu-ray.

Criterion include new interviews with a pairing of Lynch and actor Naomi Watts for almost 27-minutes, then individually but in one video piece with Justin Theroux, Laura Harring, Naomi Watts (again) and Johanna Ray for almost 16-minutes with some banter about performers (good and bad). Then we get a lovely 20-minutes with composer Angelo Badalamenti and lastly 22-minutes with Peter Deming and production designer Jack Fisk (separately but in the same piece.) So about 1 1/4 hours new comments and it's very interesting to see the reflection from almost 15-years after production. There is 25-minutes of On-set footage, a brief deleted scene (Police Station) and a trailer. The package contains a liner notes booklets featuring an interview with Lynch from the 2005 edition of filmmaker and writer Chris Rodley’s book Lynch on Lynch.

This is another review where I will state that the Blu-ray really needs to be seen to appreciate the 4K-derived visuals (and of course lossless audio). I think this set lives up to expectation including the immense value of the new supplements. Fans will be ecstatic. My advice would be PRE-ORDER (you have 1 day left) and accrue the 44% savings from Amazon. You won't regret it!

***

ADDITION: Optimum / Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - September 2010: Firstly, the European Blu-ray - when inserted - gives the choices for 'France', 'Italia', 'Netherland' or 'United Kingdom'. Then after the enjoyable Studio Canal Collection advert and 2 warnings - you get the menu and options for your selected preference.

Some may find this a subtle visual improvement - but its is definitely there - in all the right places. Grain, colors (notably flesh tones) and detail showing many instances of information lost in the darker SD image rising to visibility in the 1080P transfer which also has real filmic depth. The 2007 DVD had the right idea - filling almost 8 Gig of the available dual-layered space with the feature film - but the Blu-ray increases that almost 5 fold and has space left over for some viable extras.

Audio is rendered in a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 1950 kbps. The Badalamenti original score certainly benefits from the upgrade as do songs like Rebekah Del Rio's version of Roy Orbison's "Crying" - which sounds just amazing in lossless. This new audio transfer is a key factor in establishing moods and auras - the DVD DTS was good the HD is better - range, depth and bass.  As well as 2 foreign language DUBs (French and Italian) the Blu-ray contains optional subtitles and my Momitsu confirms that the disc is, unfortunately, region 'B'-locked.

NOTE: The flawed HD-DVD (see comments below) had 56 Chapter stops - however no chapter Menu option, being only selectable with forward/reverse buttons. The Blu-ray goes one step further with an image that allows you to select a portion through arrow clicks - producing a random chapter stop (of the like-wise 56 with only fast-forward or reverse). Cute - we get the idea, David.

With the DVD devoid of any supplements we are very pleased with what the Blu-ray is offering from a 10-minute introduction in HD by writer/director/actor Thierry Jousse in French with optional English subtitles to 'In the Blue Box' - a 1/2 Studio Canal presentation (in English and French with subs choice) - it has Richard Kelly (writer/director of Donnie Darko - which came out at the same time Mulholland Drive) writer, director Guillaume Nicloux and others giving input. On the Road to Mulholland Drive is a 23-minute piece in SD with Lynch, Watts supplying interview-style information - and thee are interviews with Mary Sweeny (6:03 in SD), Angelo Badalamenti (16:45 in SD) + audio only with Angelo Badalamenti (10 years later) - 16:30. Lastly is Back to Mulholland Dr. - about 25-minutes in SD with re-release theater patrons, and Lynch discussing Mulholland Dr. Included in the handsome cardboard book-style case is a 20-page liner notes booklet with photos, vast information and an essay by Adam Woodward.

The many fans of the film should rejoice at this new format transfer which doesn't seem to have any of the ailments of the previously released HD-DVD as identified by David Hare for DVDBeaver HERE - i.e. " '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.". This is, indeed, in theatrical running speed and the image is a large step forward from the 2007 DVD. I don't see how the film could look much better - plus it has healthy lossless audio and substantial and viable extras. Studio Canal comes through again. Endorsed!

 - Gary W. Tooze