David Lynch – Blue Velvet (1986)

280852.1020.A David Lynch Blue Velvet (1986)

What separates this release from the previous is the extras. They begin with a new 70-minute documentary called Mysteries of Love, a high-gloss look back at the production of the film. It’s divided into seven sections that can be accessed individually, or the entire documentary can be viewed via a play-all option. We get recently shot talking-head interview segments with stars Kyle MacLachlin, Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern, and Dennis Hopper, as well as producer Fred Caruso, cinematographer Frederick Elmes, and editor Dwayne Dunham. Lynch, either unavailable or unwilling to participate, appears only in archive interviews that look fairly contemporary to the film (one is dated 1987). While longer than most making-of documentaries, Mysteries of Love is still fairly standard in terms of content (i.e. stars sitting in front of stylish drapes talking about how they never imagined at the time that they were making a classic, then calling Lynch a genius). If you’re expecting a piece that peels away the many layers of Blue Velvet and makes you look at the film in a whole new light, this ain’t it.

Next up is a deleted scenes montage, a series of still images of scenes cut from Lynch’s original four-hour rough-cut of the film. Major fans of Blue Velvet have long wondered about the longer version and these stills are all that’s left—the original footage has never been found. There are a total of ten excised scenes. Most appear to have warranted removal (e.g. there’s an entire scene of Jeffrey at college, receiving the phone call that his father is in the hospital—it’s just not necessary). Some are fascinating, though, like “A Gift from Frank,” which involves Dorothy’s husband’s other ear. All in all, the photos are nicely presented, connected with smooth dissolves that give a genuine sense of movement, and backed by tonally-appropriate music from the soundtrack; a little gem for hardcore Lynch fans.

The Siskel & Ebert review is next and contains only the decision portion of the review, excluding the initial discussion. It’s likely included because the two split on their opinions and pretty fairly represent the hot/cold reaction of most of the film-going public. (DVD Verdict)

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