Mulholland Drive 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

The 4K UHD Blu-ray presentation of "Mulholland Drive" showcases a remarkable restoration effort, meticulously overseen by director David Lynch and director of photography Peter Deming. Utilizing the original 35mm film elements shot on Panavision Panaflex Platinum cameras, this release benefits from a recent scan to create a 4K DI, ensuring a native 3840 x 2160p resolution. Encoded using the HEVC (H.265) codec, the image supports HDR10 and Dolby Vision, offering an unparalleled visual experience. This combination of advanced video technologies yields a picture with stunning detail, where every nuance—from the intricate designs of Betty’s apartment to the vivid lights overlooking Hollywood—is presented with pristine clarity. The disc, compatible across regions and featuring both 10-bit video depth and a Wide Colour Gamut (WCG), delivers a cinematic texture enriched by an organic grain structure, retaining the film’s original aesthetic while enhancing its visual depth.

The HDR grading illuminates the meticulous restoration, emphasizing richer shadows and expanded highlight ranges that subtly improve perception of depth, particularly during night scenes. Colors are rendered with exceptional vibrancy, especially in primaries, while also benefiting from enhanced supporting nuances that contribute to a more immersive visual depth. This release does not just surpass its predecessors in terms of sharpness and clarity; it offers a refined color balance that significantly uplifts indoor and nighttime footage. Skin tones appear naturally consistent, even under the varied lighting conditions emblematic of Lynch’s atmospheric narrative. The collaboration between Criterion and Studiocanal has brought about a video presentation that is not only spotless and stable but also exhibits an organic smoothness attributable to its high density and fluidity in motion.

As the film transitions from brighter daytime sequences to darker, more enigmatic scenes, the Dolby Vision enhancement ensures that details remain discernible without sacrificing the film’s deliberate stylistic choices. The darker overall visual tone adopted in this release reveals layers of detail previously obscured, notably in shadow-heavy scenes where the expanded dynamic range facilitates a more nuanced exploration of darkness and light. This disciplined approach to HDR processing allows for a vivid portrayal of Los Angeles—a city of dreams and nocturnal mysteries—captured with a fidelity that respects Lynch's original vision while providing a fresh perspective through technological advancement. In essence, this 4K UHD Blu-ray edition of "Mulholland Drive" sets a new standard for home cinema, marrying the authenticity of film with the precision of modern video restoration.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Mulholland Drive" features an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that, despite the absence of a Dolby Atmos option, delivers an exceptional audio experience. The restoration from the original filmic elements ensures a presentation that marries clarity with depth, achieving a balance that's both sharp and dynamic. The bass pressure is noteworthy, creating a palpable atmosphere that enhances the film's eerie visuals and mood. The score, courtesy of Angelo Badalamenti, alongside strategic LF effects such as the impactful car crash scene, offers an auditory depth that is not only heard but felt, presenting an undercurrent of almost imperceptible low elements that are profoundly unsettling.

Dialogue in the film remains clear and natural, anchored primarily in the frontal array, ensuring that each word is delivered with fidelity. There is a commendable separation of sound effects—such as car movements, street sounds, and atmospheric conditions—that, together with the musical numbers, creates a richly layered audio experience. This mix excels in making the spatial dynamics of sound palpable, drawing the listener into the emotional tapestry of the film through both its nuanced sound design in the latter half and the perfectly pitched musical segments.

Despite some initial reservations about the lack of a Dolby Atmos mix, the Blu-ray's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track stands out for its outstanding clarity, sharpness, and dynamic intensity. The technical execution is flawless, with no anomalies detected, proving that there is significant vitality and depth to be found within a well-crafted 5.1 mix. The audio track not only meets but exceeds expectations, ensuring that the viewer's immersion in the film's world is complete and unhampered by technical shortcomings.

The extra features on the 4K UHD Blu-ray of "Mulholland Drive" are a robust collection that spans a variety of behind-the-scenes insights, delivered primarily through the Blu-ray disc. With direct involvement from the core creative team, including David Lynch, Angelo Badalamenti, and several key cast members, these extras delve into the intricate details of the film's production, the challenges faced, and the unique methods employed during its creation. Highlights include a mix of new and archival interviews, detailed discussions on the casting process, insights into the film's iconic score, and the technical aspects of its cinematography and production design. A standout is an illustrated booklet featuring an interview with Lynch, adding depth to the overall understanding of his visionary work. These extras serve not only as a comprehensive guide for die-hard fans but also elevate the 4K UHD release into an essential piece for any cinephile’s collection.

Extras included in this disc:

• Back to Mulholland Drive: A deep dive into the film based on Lynch’s 'ten clues'.
• On the Road to Mulholland Drive: Lynch discusses his approach to filmmaking.
• Interviews with Cast and Crew: In-depth conversations with Laura Harring, Mary Sweeney, Angelo Badalamenti, Naomi Watts, Johanna Ray, Justin Theroux, Peter Deming, and Jack Fisk.
• Introduction by Thierry Jousse: An insightful prefatory remark.
• In the Blue Box: Critic and filmmaker discussions on the film's impact.
• Trailer: The original trailer for contextual nostalgia.
• On-set Footage: Behind-the-scenes look into the film's production environment.
• Deleted Scene (Int. Hollywood Police Station - Day): An exclusive peek into unused material.
• Booklet: An illustrated booklet featuring an insightful interview with David Lynch.

David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive," initially conceived as a television pilot, has transcended its origins to emerge as a quintessential example of modern noir, celebrated for its intricacy and the depth of its narrative. This 4K UHD Blu-ray presentation by Criterion vividly enhances its enigmatic allure, boasting an impeccable transfer that highlights the film's dream-like visuals and the foreboding undercurrent of its Hollywood setting. The story weaves through a non-linear narrative, inviting a multitude of interpretations—from a nightmare landscape to a surreal Mobius strip of events—that challenge and entice with each viewing. Central to its intrigue are performances by Naomi Watts and Laura Harring, whose on-screen chemistry anchors the film's exploration of identity, memory, and ambition within the labyrinth of Tinseltown's dreams and nightmares.

The presentation is further enriched by Angelo Badalamenti's haunting score, which is as integral to the film's atmosphere as Lynch's direction and Peter Deming’s cinematography. The music complements the visuals to create an immersive experience that is hypnotic and unsettling, reinforcing the film's exploration of the Hollywood dream's seductive surfaces and dark undercurrents. The Criterion release not only showcases this audio-visual synergy in stunning clarity but also provides a wealth of supplementary materials that offer insight into the film's creation and its enduring fascination. Interviews with cast and crew, along with exclusive behind-the-scenes content, provide valuable context for aficionados and newcomers alike, deepening the appreciation for Lynch’s method and madness.

Mulholland Drive's transition to 4K UHD underlines its status as a modern classic, with technical upgrades that intensify its mesmerizing visual and auditory experience. The film defies easy interpretation, demanding engagement with its complex narrative and thematic layers. This release is a testament to Lynch's vision—a meticulously crafted puzzle that remains as provocatively elusive as ever, inviting viewers to delve into its mysteries anew, with each detail in sharper relief. The brilliance of "Mulholland Drive" lies not in finding answers but in savoring the questions it poses about reality, identity, and the dark heart of Hollywood ambition.

The 20th-anniversary release of David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive" on 4K UHD Blu-ray has been eagerly anticipated by cinephiles and Lynch enthusiasts alike, given its storied position as perhaps the most accessible yet bewildering entry in Lynch’s oeuvre. This release does not disappoint, showcasing a native 4K transfer that brings this surreal narrative to life with exquisite detail, vibrant coloring, and profound blacks. Dolby Vision enhances the viewing experience, ensuring that the visual presentation is nothing short of reference quality. The accompanying DTS-HD 5.1 surround track complements the visual splendor with clear, well-separated audio that carries an underlying resonance, designed to disorient and engage the viewer further into the film’s mystique.

The sense of anticipation and excitement that has surrounded this release is reminiscent of the early days of Criterion Collection’s ventures into Blu-ray, signaling a significant moment for collectors and fans of groundbreaking cinema. The inclusion of previoulsy released extras might not offer new insights, but their comprehensiveness serves to enrich the viewing experience, underscoring Studiocanal's commitment to producing lavish editions. "Mulholland Drive" in 4K UHD stands as not only a testament to the film’s enduring allure but also as an indicator of the potential for future releases to bring classic films into the definitive clarity and depth of 4K.

Conclusively, this 4K UHD release of "Mulholland Drive" represents an almost definitive viewing experience for aficionados of Lynch’s cinema and 4K collectors. Its vivid imagery, enhanced by the latest in home cinema technology, combined with an immersive audio track, makes for an enthralling experience that honors the film's legacy. While the special features tread familiar ground, the overall package reaffirms its highly recommended status, making it a must-have for those wishing to dive deep into the layers of one of Lynch's most captivating creations.