BLUE VELVET Criterion Review: David Lynch’s Classic Arrives on 4K

Criterion has prepared a new 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray edition of David Lynch‘s Blue Velvet for release this month, sourced from the same 4K restoration that was made available by the label in 2019. This release arrives in packaging identical to that of its predecessor (aside from a slightly thicker spine)—with a cover reminiscent of the opening credits sequence and titular blue velvet, and a DigiPack case featuring Dorothy’s apartment number 710 on the front, while the back features the image of a robin eating a bug taken from the final scene. Inside, the 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray and standard Blu-Ray discs are held in a layered plastic hub alongside a booklet containing “A Suburban Romance, Only Different” by Kristine McKenna, taken as an excerpt from the chapter on Blue Velvet in the 2018 book Room to Dream, which McKenna coauthored with Lynch.

Video

As noted in the “About the Transfer” section of the booklet, Blue Velvet arrives onto the 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray format in the 2:35:1 aspect ratio (its original aspect ratio was 2:39:1). Lynch supervised and approved the 4K restoration, which was created from the 35mm A/B original camera negative. The 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray disc presents the film in Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR).

Anyone who owned Blue Velvet on Blu-Ray prior to viewing Criterion’s first release of the film five years ago likely recognized a significant upgrade at the time. The MGM 25th Anniversary Blu-Ray released in 2011 certainly wasn’t bad by the standards of that period in the format’s lifecycle, but Criterion’s transfer of the 4K restoration was a significant improvement on it. Blue Velvet has a very soft visual style, and both the restoration and transfer maintain that while at the same time providing an image with greater clarity and a more naturalistic palette—a stark contrast to the MGM Blu-Ray’s somewhat murky, washed-out appearance.

Considering how tremendous an upgrade the first Criterion disc was, it’s not surprising that the native 4K presentation here looks absolutely magnificent. Before receiving an advance copy of this new release I had owned the previous Criterion for a few years and I must say that the added resolution does wonders for the image, the further refined structure and stability immediately noticeable from the very first frame. That iconic shot of red roses against a backdrop of a bright blue sky and a white picket fence is also a perfect preview for the release’s Dolby Vision grade, which vibrantly pronounces the lush colors of certain scenes while taking on comparative subtlety in how it enriches the nuances of the film’s myriad darker moments. Overall, the entire film looks utterly fantastic on the format.

Audio

Two audio tracks are available for selection on this release. The first is a 5.1 surround soundtrack, which, as stated in the “About the Transfer” section of the booklet, was produced in 2008 by Lynch and rerecording mixer (and frequent collaborator) Dean Hurley. It’s noted as being created from the original-source 35mm magnetic-stock stems, which were limited to an LtRt music-and-effects mix as well as monaural dialogue, music, and effects stem sources. The booklet states that “The decoded original music-and-effects mix of the film became the foundation for the new LCR image of the mix, utilizing the mono dialogue stem for the discrete center-channel source as well as phase-aligned mono music-and-effects stems as units for selective low-frequency enhancement and light ambient surround imaging”. In addition to the 5.1 track, the original 2.0 surround soundtrack has been included.

The two tracks are carried over from the 2019 release and as such there isn’t a ton to be said about either that hasn’t already been. I think both sounded terrific on Criterion’s previous release and they still sound terrific now, perfectly capturing the sonic elements of the film’s mysterious, absorbing atmosphere. Dialogue is clear, and the music—whether it be the late Angelo Badalamenti’s original score or licensed songs utilized to great effect (as they always are in Lynch‘s works)—really comes to life here.

Special Features

There are no special features on the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc, but there are a considerable amount on the standard Blu-Ray disc. All have been ported over from the 2019 release with no new inclusions. All descriptions below are taken directly from the discs themselves.

• The Lost Footage: Fifty-three minutes of deleted scenes and alternate takes from Blue Velvet, assembled by director David Lynch.
• “Blue Velvet” Revisited: In 1985, German filmmaker Peter Braatz was invited by director David Lynch to Wilmington, North Carolina, to document the shooting of Blue Velvet on Super 8, in photographs, and in audio recordings. The result is this eighty-nine-minute unconventional “meditation” on the film, with music by Cult with No Name, Tuxedomoon, and John Foxx.
• Room to Dream: This eighteen-minute audio recording is of director David Lynch reading from Room to Dream, the 2018 book he coauthored with Kristine McKenna.
• Interviews:
  • Angelo Badalamenti
  • It’s a Strange World
• Mysteries of Love: This seventy-minute 2002 documentary features interviews with Blue Velvet‘s cast and crew.
• Test Chart

Conclusion

David Lynch‘s Blue Velvet, a haunting exploration of the darkness lurking below a seemingly pleasant suburban surface, remains one of the greatest films of the 1980s. An exceptional work in every respect, the narrative intrigue and richly-rendered atmosphere of Lynch‘s masterpiece have lost none of their impact.

Criterion’s new release of the film, slated to be released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray at the end of the month, is a noticeable improvement on their already-spectacular 2019 Blu-Ray and despite no new supplemental content exclusive to this new release, it is certainly the best presentation of the film to date, and one that will satisfy both fans of the film and newcomers.

Blue Velvet will be released on June 25, 2024 courtesy of Criterion.