ADDITION: Arrow Region 'B' Blu-ray - (August 2015) - We should note that the Arrow is Dual Format (4-disc - 2 Blu-rays - 2 DVDs) and a Limited Edition described as the "Restored high-definition digital transfer of the unrated version, approved by director David Cronenberg and cinematographer Mark Irwin". Bottom line a very slight difference in image quality with the Region 'A' Criterion - framing and brightness but it is so minute so as not to bother to complain, IMO. A few of our captures are exact frame and you can see for yourself by toggling back and forth between the expanded images. Audio is also a wash with a similar liner PCM mono track. And other offer optional English subtitles - and are coded region 'A' and "B' respectively.

I enjoy differences and we get a new audio commentary by Tim Lucas, the on-set correspondent for Cinefantastique Magazine and author of Videodrome: Studies in the Horror Film discussing Cronenberg and the film production. It's super as Tim always is - such a pleasure to indulge. We also a number of video supplements - some duplicated on he older Criterion - included is a 21-minute documentary entitled David Cronenberg and the Cinema of the Extreme – it's a video program featuring interviews with Cronenberg, George A. Romero and Alex Cox on Cronenberg’s cinema, censorship and the horror genre. Forging the New Flesh, also on the Criterion, is a 1/2 hour documentary program by filmmaker Michael Lennick on Videodrome’s video and prosthetic make up effects. Videoblivion is a brand new, 26-minute, interview with cinematographer Mark Irwin about the shooting of Videodrome. We also get a brand new, 10-minute, interview with producer Pierre David and his recollections of the film. Pirated Signals is the label for deleted scenes found only in TV broadcasts and runs a full 26-minutes. AKA Jack Martin offers almost 17-minutes with Dennis Etchison, author of novelizations of Videodrome, Halloween, Halloween II and III and The Fog, and he discusses Videodrome and his observations of Cronenberg’s script. We get the complete uncensored Samurai Dreams footage with additional Videodrome broadcasts with optional commentary by Michael Lennick (also found on the Criterion.) Helmet Test and Betamax are two short featurettes by Michael Lennick on effects featured in the film. Camera is Cronenberg’s short film, made in 2000, starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson. It runs only 7-minutes and is also found on the Criterion. As is Fear on Film - the 25-minute round table discussion from 1982 with Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis and Mick Garris. lastly on Blu-ray one we also get a, vintage, 8-minute promotional featurette with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Cronenberg, James Woods, Deborah Harry and Rick Baker and two theatrical trailers.

There is a second, stacked, dual-layered Blu-ray included. This includes Transfer (1966 - 6:27) and From the Drain (1967 - 12:58), Cronenberg’s previously unavailable short films newly restored by the Toronto International Film Festival as well as Stereo (1969 - 1:02:44) & Crimes of the Future (1970 - 1:02:37): Cronenberg’s early amateur feature films, shot in and around his university campus, prefigure his later work’s concerns with strange institutions (much like Videodrome’s Spectacular Optical) as well as male/female separation (Dead Ringers) and ESP (Scanners). These are newly restored from original lab elements - plus we get Transfer the Future where author and critic Kim Newman discusses Cronenberg’s early works for almost 17-minutes. The package contains an illustrated 100-page hardback book featuring new writing including Justin Humphreys on Videodrome in a modern context, Brad Stevens on the alternate versions, Caelum Vatnsdal on Cronenberg’s early works, extracts from Cronenberg on Cronenberg featuring Cronenberg’s reminiscences of getting started in filmmaking and shooting all the films in this collection, plus more, illustrated with original archive stills.

This is a magnificent package. Arrow out-Criterion'ed Criterion with enough supplements to have you venturing into it for days. Wow. A perfect Blu-ray package and being 'limited edition' I wouldn't wait if you are even remotely a fan of this film. Our highest recommedation!  

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ADDITION: Criterion Region 'A' Blu-ray - (November 2010) - Desirable image from Criterion's 1080P treatment of Videodrome. It advances quite handily over both previous DVD editions (of which I believe the Criterion DVD captures were obtained at an 'enhanced' option - it was over 6 years ago). The Blu-ray shows textured grain and the more accurate color palette - largely supporting the Criterion SD rendering but overall a bit darker. Everything is visually represented as adeptly and impressively as one might expect from Criterion and the image advances to a far more film-like appearance. The 'creepy' hallucinogenic scenes gain some further momentum in 1080P but the higher resolution doesn't expose the effects.

Audio stays faithfully mono in a linear PCM 1.0 track at 1152 kbps. The lossless rendering accentuates the haunting music score with some perceived depth. There are optional English subtitles.

Criterion move over all the excellent extras from the 2-disc DVD package including the two enjoyable commentaries: David Cronenberg and director of photography Mark Irwin, plus the second with actors James Woods and Deborah Harry. We get the a short film, Camera from 2000, starring Videodrome’s Les Carlson, written and directed by Cronenberg and the Forging the New Flesh, half-hour documentary featurette by filmmaker Michael Lennick about the creation of Videodrome’s video and prosthetic makeup effects. Effects Men, is the audio interview with special makeup effects creator Baker and video effects supervisor Lennick, Bootleg Video is the complete footage of Samurai Dreams and seven minutes of transmissions from “Videodrome,” presented in their original, unedited form with filmmaker commentary, Fear on Film, is a 26-minute roundtable discussion from 1982 between filmmakers Cronenberg, John Carpenter, John Landis, and Mick Garris. There are original theatrical trailers and promotional featurette, stills galleries featuring hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes production photos, special effects makeup tests, and publicity photos English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired and a 36-page booklet featuring an essay by film critic Carrie Rickey, excerpts from Tim Lucas' book on Videodrome (Videodrome: Studies in the Horror Film), and a new essay by novelist and culture critic Gary Indiana.

This was a great release from Criterion back in 2004 (some of the very best digital supplements of that year) and is likewise a solid Blu-ray package in 2010. Fans of the film will be very happy with the a/v upgrade. It is just the type of transfer Videodrome viewers would want to see - exporting more 'B'-esque realism with the advanced, grain-prevalent, video and lossless audio. The extras remain magnificent.... recommended!

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 - Gary W. Tooze