Product Details

• Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (DTS 5.1), French (DTS 5.1), Spanish (Mono)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• DVD Release Date: November 8, 2011
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (299 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B005HT400A
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,909 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

David Lynch peeks behind the picket fences of small-town America to reveal a corrupt shadow world of malevolence, sadism, and madness. From the opening shots Lynch turns the Technicolor picture postcard images of middle class homes and tree-lined lanes into a dreamy vision on the edge of nightmare. After his father collapses in a preternaturally eerie sequence, college boy Kyle MacLachlan returns home and stumbles across a severed human ear in a vacant lot. With the help of sweetly innocent high school girl (Laura Dern), he turns junior detective and uncovers a frightening yet darkly compelling world of voyeurism and sex. Drawn deeper into the brutal world of drug dealer and blackmailer Frank, played with raving mania by an obscenity-shouting Dennis Hopper in a career-reviving performance, he loses his innocence and his moral bearings when confronted with pure, unexplainable evil. Isabella Rossellini is terrifyingly desperate as Hopper's sexual slave who becomes MacLachlan's illicit lover, and Dean Stockwell purrs through his role as Hopper's oh-so-suave buddy. Lynch strips his surreally mundane sets to a ghostly austerity, which composer Angelo Badalamenti encourages with the smooth, spooky strains of a lush score. Blue Velvet is a disturbing film that delves into the darkest reaches of psycho-sexual brutality and simply isn't for everyone. But for a viewer who wants to see the cinematic world rocked off its foundations, David Lynch delivers a nightmarish masterpiece. --Sean Axmaker

Product Description

Beneath the surface of small-town serenity lies a dark domain where innocents dare not tread and unpredictability is the norm. It is the haunting realm of Blue Velvet. Spawned from the mind of David Lynch (Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks), Blue Velvet is a "shocking, deeply disturbing...startling mixture of the heartfelt and the horrific" (Newsweek). Clean-cut Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) realizes his Mayberry-like hometown is not so normal when he discovers a human ear in a field. His investigation catapults him into an alluring, erotic murder mystery involving a disturbed nightclub singer (Isabella Rossellini) and a drug-addicted sadist (Dennis Hopper). Soon Jeffrey is led deeper into their depraved existence...to the point of no return.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Blu-ray (4.5 stars): Would have loved new special features for this 25th anniversary release but still a must-buy! December 16, 2011

By Dennis A. Amith (kndy) TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Blu-ray

There is no denying that writer/filmmaker David Lynch has always shown a consistency in creating films of ecstatic creepiness. But its his venture to the surreal, dark and ominous settings that separate him from other filmmakers.

From his debut in 1977 with his surrealist film "Eraserhead" which has become a cult classic, to the sci-fi film "Dune" (1984) which paired him with actor Kyle MacLachlan for the first time, the director would reach recognition for his TV series "Twin Peaks" (1990-1991). And since "Twin Peaks", David Lynch has done quite well for himself, especially establishing him as one of the most notable filmmakers and screenwriters in American cinema.

But if there is one film that fans of David Lynch have looked as a masterpiece in his oeuvre is the 1986 film "Blue Velvet".

A film that probably is best not explaining but more of experiencing for its dark, ambiguous yet astonishing nature. Unpredictable and surreal, "Blue Velvet" shows us a terrifying look at America in which characters may be normal during the day, but at night...Lynch unleashes paranoia and challenge your sensibility and quite literally... freak you out!

VIDEO:

"Blue Velvet" is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:35:1). The film actually was supervised and color corrected by David Lynch, so what you get is a definitive look via HD of what David Lynch wanted. Detail is amazing especially the use of the darker colors. Cinematographer Frederick Elmes does a great job in capturing the surreal outlook of the film and for the most part, the darker hues look fantastic, detail on the clothing is noticeable and black levels are nice and deep.... I didn't notice any banding or artifacts, if anything, picture quality for this 1986 film doesn't look soft at all (I'm typically vocal about how many '80s films tend to look on Blu-ray), but "Blue Velvet" looks fantastic!

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

"Blue Velvet" is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Spanish Mono, French 5.1 DTS. The lossless soundtrack lends to the eeriness of the film. Dialogue is crystal clear as is the score by Angelo Badalamenti but the scene where you will hear immersive sound coming from the surround channels is during the Snow Club sequences. Also, a few moments where LFE is used.

Overall, this creepy soundtrack definitely comes to life via lossless!

Subtitles are presented in English SDH, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES

"Blue Velvet" comes with the following special feature:

Newly Discovered Lost Footage - (51:42) New to this Blu-ray release is the lost footage that was found (ie. full frontal nudity). All presented in HD.
Mysteries of Love - (1:10:45) The original making-of featurette presented in standard definition. Interviews with David Lynch and the cast of "Blue Velvet".
Siskel & Ebert "At the Movies" Review - (1:30) A excerpt of George Siskel and Roger Ebert's review of "Blue Velvet" back in 1986.
Vignettes - Featuring four vignettes (under one minute) "I Like Coffee Shops", "The Chicken Walk", "The Robin" and "Sita" with David Lynch, Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini and more.
Theatrical Trailer - (1:33:1)The original theatrical trailer for "Blue Velvet" in HD.
TV Spots - Featuring two TV commercials for "Blue Velvet" (both are about 30 seconds long).

JUDGMENT CALL:

"Blue Velvet" is a magnificent, dark and seedy mystery film that showcases David Lynch's ability to take normalcy and twist it it around until it becomes weird or corrupt. A film that resonates strongly with viewers especially at the time because compared to what American cinema was capable of at the time, "Blue Velvet" lacked the banality of typical American cinema.

It was American cinema that showcased surrealism with wonderful efficacy and a storyline that literally creeps the viewer out with its fine performance by Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rosellini and most importantly, Dennis Hopper. Suffice to say, this film was what reignited Hopper's career and earned the actor various film awards (Los Angeles Film Critics Association and National Society of Film Critics) for "Best Supporting Actor".

But as I look back at the experience of "Blue Velvet" than and now, it was one of those films that had these flawed characters that could easily be involved in this seedy underworld. Not only was the nightlife dark and ominous, just the scene as Frank is having sex with Dorothy is shocking. But also to see Jeffrey being taken to that world where he also experiences pleasure and rage when he ends up in bed with Dorothy. We witness an innocent man's corruption, where most viewers would expect the protagonist to become sort of hero to save the day, David Lynch is not the type of filmmaker to spoon-feed the viewer with what you would expect from cinema but to deliver the unexpected. The sense of ambiguous characters in which you literally don't know the film will end.

And it would be the style that he would carry on later for television and his films later on. And as "Eraserhead" was an intriguing debut for David Lynch, "Blue Velvet" is the film that welcomed viewers to David Lynch's world of darkness, strange humor and unsettling surrealness.

The Blu-ray release definitely delivers with its inclusion of the newly discovered lost footage and for those who enjoyed the film, could you imagine if any of these extra scenes did make it to the final cut of the film? And as picture and audio quality are magnificent, I can easily say that this is the definitive version of "Blue Velvet" to date!

David Lynch films are not for the squeamish, nor are they for those who expect traditional Hollywood cinema. This film shocked viewers in 1986 and if you have never seen this film before, I wouldn't be surprised if it shocked you today. It's a film that holds up quite well 25-years-later and is definitely a film for the true cineaste who love Lynch's work that they will find worth owning.

Highly recommended! Read more ›

47 of 55 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DISTURBING, BEAUTIFUL, HORRIFYING, BIZARRE & SURREAL February 11, 2002

By Mr. N. Carnegie

Format:DVD

Set in the quiet picture postcard logging community of Lumbertown, Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan), a somewhat naive and squeaky clean college boy, finds a severed human ear. Shocked and disturbed he reports it immediately to the police whilst, with the help of his girlfriend (Laura Dern), he begins his own investigation, which soon leads him into stumbling into the seedy and violent world of abused nightclub singer Dorothy (Isabella Rosellini) and drug-sniffing psychopath (Dennis Hopper).

This is the first movie in which David Lynch really showed us all his cards and united themes and imagery, now familiar to millions through the likes of Mulholland Drive, Wild At Heart and Twin Peaks. Although 16 years old, David Lynch's Blue Velvet has lost none of its shock value. It is still deeply and uniquely disturbing, at times incredibly surreal and utterly compelling viewing. Beautifully filmed and directed by Lynch, its aesthetic value is often deliberately at odds with the subject matter and it is a work of dark genius. It also features superb acting performances all round. In particular, MacLachlan, Rosselinni, Dean Stockwell and Laura Dern shine, but it is Dennis Hopper's magnificent performance as a drug sniffing twisted psychopath that most people will remember.

Bizarre and frequently haunting, beautiful but frequently surreal, this is a movie that will stay with you for a very long time and really is a must see!

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An unforgettable movie experience. December 28, 2004

By Anthony Manwell

Format:DVD

Blue Velvet may just be the largest Love/Hate Phenomenon in film history. You will either love it or hate. And after seeing the movie again yesterday, it's not hard to see why. The film has several scenes that reach the barrier of what a lot of viewers are willing to take. The movie never lets it's viewers off easily. It is violent, has several scenes that involve female degradation, and a villian who uses the "F" word more times then any character I have ever seen in any movie.

This may not sound like an incredible film from my review. And I don't want to waste any space decribing the films main plot. David Lynch films are as unique as it gets. You have to see this film for yourself to decide whether or not you like it.

The film does pack some of the most well constructed suspense scenes I have ever seen. It features an incredible performance by Dennis Hopper. But the real reason to see the movie is the look and feel that the dvd version captures perfectly. The colors and imagery of this film will be burned into your retinas for weeks after you've watched it. From things as simple as roses and fire trucks, to underground bugs and construction yards this movie looks beautiful. So my best advice if you've never seen this movie is to rent it first. Like I said, people either love it or hate it, Im part of the former group. Overall Rating:A+

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars To think I used to HATE this film... January 21, 2004

By Wing J. Flanagan

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I hated it. I really did. I was deeply offended by this film when I first saw it. It disturbed the hell out of me, in all the wrong ways.

Then I saw Lost Highway - a film that, it seems, everyone hated BUT me. I thought it was a masterpiece of psychological horror; a real mind-bender with an extroardinary interior perspective on homicidal madness.

So I got to thinking: maybe I should give Blue Velvet another shot. Maybe I just wasn't ready for it 17 years ago. This time I would be prepared for Dennis Hopper's demented Frank Booth. I would be ready for the ear in the field. I would be ready for the unbelievably creepy and kinky scenes in Dorothy's apartment.

What I saw was a different film - not because the film had changed, but because I had changed. A lot can happen in 17 years. A guy can grow up. A guy can sense for himself the underbelly of perversion beneath the white-picket facade of middle America. A guy can come to appreciate a wickedly funny and disturbing film about the hypocrisy of genteel exteriors. A film like Blue Velvet, in other words.

David Lynch's great skill as a director is his ability to aim right for the hind-brain - the unreasoning, alligator brain where the primal self lives. His work tends to hit there first, and then ricochet to the reasoning self. That's why his work is so evocative. Critics and audiences alike struggled to "explain" Mulholland Drive, and while a sensible explanation for it is possible, it sort of misses the point. These films are waking dreams - or nightmares - that, like paintings or pieces of music, try to touch something deeper than the intellect.... You can't read a Beethoven symphony like a novel, you can't play Edvard Munch's "The Scream" on a musical instrument, and you can't understand Blue Velvet in terms of ordinary realism. To do so is to run screaming from it in terror or disgust, as I initially did.

But taken for what it is - a kind meditation on the darkness inside - you start to see the outragousness of this film in a different light. You start to see that the characters are not so much two-dimensional freaks as they are embodiments of primal forces we all have inside of us. In Frued's moth-eaten old psychoanylitic terms (really a poor way of approximating, but it's the best I can do), Frank Booth is the hedonistic Id. Sandy Williams (Laura Dern) is the pure and virtuous Superego, and Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle McLaughlin) is the ego - the waking part of us torn between the two.

Of course, this is a Reductionist view, and it really does disservice to the artistic acheivement of Blue Velvet. To really appreciate it, one needs to set aside preconceptions and let the experience of it percolate through that gray matter.

The DVD itself is well produced, with some nice extras (rare on Lynch DVDs), and a beautiful film transfer that really showcases Frederick Elmes' cinematography.

If you're a David Lynch fan, you don't need convincing. If you're where I was 17 years ago, give it another shot. You might just like it. A lot. Read more ›