Mulholland Dr. (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD] [Blu-ray]

Great movie by the master D Lynch. Criterion Editions make greatness even better, if possible.

After reading some of these reviews, I think I need to pipe up here. First, my own affection for this film goes back to the release date, when I tried to see it in the theater. I had been a Lynch fan since ERASERHEAD. When MULHOLLAND DRIVE came to the local theater, interest in it was so low, the theater simply stopped screening it, right in the middle of the week, on the day I had set aside to see it. This made the DVD release all the more exciting for me, and I went straight from work that Tuesday and picked up a copy. Within the following three weeks, I watched it -- no exaggeration -- at least ten times. I was like a psychedelic Johnny Appleseed as I toted it around to other film aficionados I knew, sharing it like it was some sort of cinematic gospel. It was hypnotic and puzzling and at times funny, always firing on multiple levels. Unlike some people, I do not even bother trying to figure it out. My final conclusion is that Diane killed herself (or maybe The Cowboy killed her, but I'm pretty sure it was suicide). When I saw this was to be released as a Criterion Edition, I didn't hesitate and preordered it. I watched it the day it came.To make this clear, there is a distinct difference between the DVD and this BD. I noticed things I never noticed before. For one, the hitman had one brown eye and one blue eye. I had seen this movie at least twenty times and never saw that before. It hopped out at me this time. Another scene involved the hitman, when he was talking to the hooker, asking if she had seen any new girls on the street. That woman's arm was full of bruises, suggesting that someone had been roughing her up. This time out, on this BD, it popped, and I saw this character in an entirely new light, as a pathetic piece of human detritus. And the scenes from the road, looking down at the cityscape, the view was sparkling with clarity while preserving the texture of the film. The colors popped everywhere. I can state unequivocally that there is a big difference between this edition and the previous DVD release.Which brings me to another aspect of the BD. Yes, there is some mild grain present, as it's supposed to be. This is what I like about the Criterion Collection, that they aim to preserve the textures of the film. Film has grain, period. I suppose applying DNR to some big action flick won't matter much, if cinematography is not an essential element to it. But in a film like this, this desire to alter the video quality by smoothing it out and -- and this is very harmful -- sharpening it, is misplaced. To preserve the cinematic experience of the filmmaker's intent, the grain has to be visible. This is the natural texture of the image. And you don't want it sharpened, because once sharpening is applied, the grain is going to be exaggerated, as it'll be sharpened, too. This is often obvious in night scenes, when a faster film -- which is grainier -- was used, and once sharpening is applied, the grain takes on a fine snow-like quality. You do NOT want this.That said, Mulholland Dr. Criterion Edition preserves all of the natural qualities, and restores the film to its original state, as close as you can get to the original cinematic experience. When I say "restores," I am referring also to the digital blurring of the pubic area in that famously discussed scene of brief, full-frontal nudity. To anyone interested in this for prurient reasons, withhold your excitement: the scene was so tastefully done, you have to wonder why Lynch ever resorted to the awful modification to begin with.As much as I have nothing but praise for this edition, there are two disappointments. The first is that there was no audio commentary. I love that feature on videos, and I was so looking forward to hearing Lynch's scene-by-scene analysis. The other disappointment is that Lynch stuck to his guns and refused the insertion of the scene-selection feature. But that's something I can live with, easily, as it only mildly annoyed me to begin with. This isn't even remotely something I would complain about.There are, however, some nice supplemental features. There's a new interview with David Lynch and Naomi Watts, lasting about 27 minutes; a second collection of interviews includes the other primary cast members Laura Harring and Justin Theroux, along with casting director Johanna Ray, which lasts about 36 minutes; there's an interview with Angelo Badalmenti, who performed the filmscore (that was very interesting, listening to him describe that process and the relationship he's had with Lynch through the years), about 20 minutes; and interviews with the production designer Jack Fisk and Director of Photography Peter Deming, about 22 minutes. All of these interviews were recorded specifically for this Criterion edition, and all of them provided interesting insight into how an artist works, and the dedication such people have, despite having few rewards at the start of their careers. For instance, Fisk revealed that it took Lynch five years to complete ERASERHEAD. Clearly Lynch had a vision he was dedicated to.Another extra is a deleted scene in the police station, with the two policemen we'd met at the crash site. Then there's some on-set footage that again shows Lynch and his crew and actors at work, about 25 minutes long. This was all great stuff to a Lynch enthusiast, and a fan of this film in particular.Concluding the extra features is the trailer for the film.In short, if you liked this film, this is definitely an improvement over the previous edition. I'm thrilled to add it to my library. Criterion knows how to do this right. They make videos for film buffs._______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mulholland Drive... is in my opinion, the very best of Lynch's "movie" work. The movie came out in 2001 and is still sending shockwaves til this day. Watch this movie without learning absolutely anything about it beforehand, then go watch a YT video to help you understand after your done (you won't piece it all together by yourself and thats ok) your mind will be blown! If you like symbolistic psychological mysteries, this is one of the very best.

One of my favorite moviesAnd one of David Lynch’s bestBrilliantly shotExcellent actingA fantastic mystery. Highly recommend recommended.

This review will both talk about the film itself and the Criterion edition release.MOVIE- Haunting, beautiful, depressing, deceiving. David Lynch captures broken dreams that is the essence of Hollywood. Watching this movie, especially on a repeated viewing, the film evokes so much emotion in ways that you just get wrapped up in it. Everything isn't as it seems when a young and naive woman named Betty arrives in Los Angeles with hopes of becoming a big movie star. Or a great actress. Or both! She meets a brunette woman in her aunt's apartment that has lost her memory as the result of a terrible car crash. Together, the pair set out to find her true identity. What follows is bizarre, surreal and most certainly will have you reeled in till the credits. This is probably, without a doubt, David Lynch's strongest film. He's an exceptional filmmaker, but his talent shines here. Mulholland Drive initially began life as a television series pilot that unfortunately didn't air. Lynch took the opportunity to not let this incredible setup go to waste and made a fantastic film out of it. It's absolutely perfect, it's incredibly well acted, shot, the score is riveting and compliments the film very well thanks to Angelo Badalamenti. If you like movies that you'll continue to think about for ages, this is for you. It may require a couple of viewings to completely wrap your head around it, but trust me when I say it's entirely worth it.CRITERION EDITION- Criterion once again does not disappoint with an excellent transfer and little extras that make it worth it. First off, the movie looks great. Before when I watched it, it always looked kind of fuzzy and grainy, not anymore. There's still a little grain but the incredible amount of detail almost completely overshadows it. The picture is literally sharp. Also, the film sounds better too. The dialogue is clearer, the ambiance blends better with the score. Also included is a book full of goodies, I've yet to flick through it but I will soon. If you're a huge fan of Mulholland Drive like I am, this Criterion edition is definitely worth picking up.

This is a David Lynch must watch!