Search form

Blu-ray: BLUE VELVET (1986)

Buy It Now!

Read my review of BLUE VELVET

I recently watched my DVD copy of David Lynch's classic and now having seen this new AVC encoded 1080p transfer the two really don't compare. The picture quality is so decidedly better it's like seeing the film anew. Lynch supervised the color correction and it is impeccable. One is stuck instantly by the deep blue of the velvet current that shimmers behind the opening credits. The color saturation is deep and moody. But now we also have the clarity. The sharpness creates more depth and detail. On DVD the picture was soft and murky throughout, but now it's clean, which adds to the surrealism. Darker scenes do get crushed and edge enhancements are also noticeable, but overall the picture quality is a huge leap forward from DVD.

The lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is up to the standard of the picture as well. Lynch often uses sound in a disquieting way. He subtly incorporates sounds that have no logic for the scene, but have everything to do with the mood. Listen for animal sounds rumbling on the LFE track or in the background. Angelo Badalamenti's score was always haunting, but when it surrounds the audience it is even more unsettling. All the elements from the dialogue to the music to the sound effects are nicely mixed and given good directionality.

The disc has no main menu, so one must use the pop-up menu to access the special features. By far the highlight of the disc is "Newly Discovered Lost Footage." The extensive cut scenes would have made the film nearly an hour longer. Making the new footage more intriguing is that it has been color corrected and scored as well. Most of the footage works as a prologue to Jeffrey returning from college after his father has the seizure. It's a great deal of unneeded plot. I'm amazed at how the core story was really finalized in the editing process. It's also interesting to see a young Megan Mullally as Jeffrey's college girlfriend and all the nudity that was edited out of the final cut.

"Mysteries of Love" is an hour-plus making of doc that delves deep into Lynch's inspiration and the history of the production. Fans not only get Lynch's perspective, but also that of the actors, which really enlightens us about the creative process.

Other features include: "A Few Outtakes," a blooper reel; "Siskel and Ebert 'At the Movies';" a classic argument over the morality of the picture; and "Vignettes," which has Lynch and the cast talking about quick impressions about the film from Lynch's love of coffee shops, Kyle MacLachlan's chicken walk; why the robin looks so fake and the way Isabella Rossellini sees at her abused character.

Rick DeMott's picture

Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks