Mulholland Drive [Édition Collector-4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray]

Product Information

So, how does Criterion’s first foray into UHD look? In all I’d say it looks quite good, a caveat or two aside. Firstly, it should be pointed out that the presentation found here runs circles around Criterion’s previous Blu-ray edition, looking significantly cleaner and smoother in motion, and those artifacts that became really obvious in the shadows are gone. Grain looks better and cleaner on the whole, though there are a few questionable shots where things get a little bit noisy, like the smoke in the aftermath of the opening car accident or in some of the deep blues in the theater sequence before the film’s climax. I’d say it’s ultimately a minor concern and you’d have to be looking for it, but it’s there. On the whole, I still thought everything was rendered well.

years after the film’s original World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001, which won David Lynch Best Director at the festival (famously shared with Joel Coen for The Man Who Wasn’t There), the brand-new 4K restoration premiered as part of this year’s CANNES CLASSICS selection. The film will be released on Home Entertainment, including a 4K UHD Limited Collector’s Edition with a new artwork by Krzysztof Domaradzki rolling out across STUDIOCANAL’s territories in November, with additional theatrical releases planned in France and Germany.

When the film was selected for the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, Mr. Lynch again reviewed the film’s grading and made some tweaks for the cinema version. He was delighted with the restorative work. I tested the 4K Blu-ray release earlier today and was very impressed with the technical presentation. I used the HDR grade while viewing the film in its entirety, but the 4K Blu-ray has Dolby Vision as well. Deming’s photography is essential to pulling off the narrative spell; for example, Betty’s apartment is dark, almost opulent in a cheap way, and yet tired and old-fashioned. The diner is bland, neutrally lit, suitable to the environment, which has a dry, washed out appearance. As if everything has had just a little too much sun. The level of detail is wonderful and tactile, with a perceptible depth even in the night-time moments. The UHD has given the film a gorgeous bloom. Contrast is boosted to a noticeable degree and this naturalistic film has the otherworldly quality that was always intended. The production was never straightforward, but arguably, this new transfer has done nothing but emphasise the consistency of a singular vision. The film is uncompromisingly hypnotic. Even if one does not understand the significance of everything that takes place on the screen, one feels an inexorable need to keep watching, and feeling, and speculating. It is a strange feeling for sure - like being awake in a bizarre dream.

Narrated in French, this is a brilliant dissection of the film, following David Lynch’s own “Ten Clues”, with fascinating demonstrations of where the scenes connect. It’s like a video game walkthrough. Maybe you want to know immediately, or give the film another run and see how much falls into place. Even then, there are intriguing omissions, but the last word is given to Lynch who has a beautiful explanation of where subjectivity ends in the creation of a feeling for the viewer and the role of intellect to appreciate the nuances.

Conclusion

Detail is out of the world; Lynch uses lots of extreme close-ups and you can see everything in faces, from pores to hair lines, from reflections in eyes to make-up lines and powder. Indeed everything is absolutely gorgeous: the décor of Betty’s apartment, the grime in the diner, the leaves against the sky, overlooking Hollywood – everything is keen, clear and precise – even the intentional lens flares or softness! But Lynch never judges Betty. He’s on her wavelength, protective of her in a fashion that isn’t leering or condescendingly paternal, like the attitudes of every man she’ll encounter throughout the film. When Betty exclaims, “Won’t that be the day!” in response to an elderly couple that says they’ll look for the aspiring actress on TV, you aren’t primed to laugh. This line is poignant the first time you watch Mulholland Drive, unaware of where its narrative is headed, and it’s emotionally devastating the second, or third, or fourth time you watch the film, retroactively aware of its punchline. There are many lines like that, particularly “It’s strange to be calling yourself,” or “Just forget you ever saw it, it’s better that way,” which are but two of a thousand hints that are hidden in plain sight, alluding to a heartbreaking truth. In the end, all of it worked to Lynch’s advantage as Mulholland Drive was very well-received when it was released, earning him an Oscar nod for best director, but also putting Naomi Watts on the map. Fragmented or otherwise, it’s a great piece of work.

The image is fairly grainy. While Criterion is to be commended for preserving the natural film grain without trying to smear it away with Digital Noise Reduction or other artificial tampering, the encoding quality of the Blu-ray leaves something to be desired. The grain often comes across as noisy and sometimes obtrusive. Universal's DVD edition of 'Mulholland Drive' from 2002 contained only a theatrical trailer for bonus material. Criterion's Blu-ray (and comparable DVD) add a fair amount of new content. However, because Lynch forbids any discussion or analysis of his symbolism and the meaning of his films, what we're mostly left with is a love-fest in which the actors reminisce about how great it was to work with each other and the director. That all sounds too ordinary for a film with such a reputation. It really doesn’t scratch the surface considering that critics once voted Mulholland Drive the greatest film of this century so far in 2016. Rich in character, confidence and a weirdness that doesn’t feel at all out-of-place in LA, it’s hard to argue, even as you wonder, what on earth is going on? What makes Mulholland Drive so compelling is the non-linear narrative and the interpretation therein. Despite director David Lynch’s ‘ten points’ to unravelling the plot, the basic idea is relatively simple. But the interpretation of the various elements and their meaning within the larger picture remains enigmatic and thus is largely left to the individual. Nice behind the scenes piece because David Lynch is so open about his approach. This is far less spoilerific than the first extra feature, but should still only watch after the film.Criterion's Blu-ray edition has been a long time coming. The disc has nice picture and sound that should satisfy most fans. While I might wish for more substance from the supplemental features, what we get is reasonably interesting. I'm not sure if this can really be called the definitive edition of 'Mulholland Drive', but it's the closest we've ever seen or likely will see for a long time. Laura Harring, Johanna Ray, Justin Theroux, and Naomi Watts - in this video program, casting director Johanna Ray discusses her professional relationship with David Lynch (which started with Blue Velvet), the casting choices that were made during the pre-production of Mulholland Drive (and how important head shots are for David Lynch), her interactions with Naomi Watts, etc. Justin Theroux and Naomi Watts also explain how they were cast for their respective roles and discuss David Lynch's directing methods. Laura Harring explains how various sequences from Mulholland Drive were shot (including the notorious lovemaking sequence), the film's screening at the Cannes Film Festival, etc. The interviews were conducted exclusively for Criterion. In English, not subtitled. (36 min, 1080p). For the collector, this is a double-dip rather than an upgrade thanks to the inexplicably dropping of some extras, but an upgrade I still recommend without hesitation. Studiocanal’s presentation overall is phenomenal, with a striking piece of artwork on the cover.