David Lynch UK Blu-ray Boxset Debacle

Update: Avoid this box set at all costs. This just in from our forum member rewak:

Sorry for the double post but this needs to be made clear, DO NOT buy this release! Apart from the fact its 1080i and missing the DTS-HD MA audio, it also has audio glitches through the movie. Little warps like a skipping VHS tape. One such instance right at the end of the movie completely ruining the moment. Anyone unfortunate enough to own it can check at 2:06:40, then send your copy back where you got it and get a refund. And apparently (can’t check this cause i don’t own it) Lost Highway skips at 1:23:46 to about 1:32, and you can only rewind as far back as 1:25 before it freezes. Universal/Indi Vision seriously fucked up here

Details have been released at the Blu-ray forum on the upcoming UK Blu-ray Boxset which is scheduled for a June 4th release. Universal UK have managed to get the rights to 5 of Lynch’s films. While it is great to get these films on Blu-ray in the UK, there are some serious missed opportunities in terms of extras. Rather than make any attempt to license the recently released Deleted Scenes to Blue Velvet or even Wild at Heart from the Lime Green set, Universal UK decided to re-use the extras that were originally released with their previous Blue Velvet DVD release. In addition, they have done something quite unique which was to re-purpose other Lynch works that have no real relevance to the films and decided to re-purpose them as disc extras. Bits and pieces of from the Short Films DVD, Dynamic:01, and Dumbland can now be found as extra bonus features on the Eraserhead, Wild at Heart, and Lost Highway releases.

The transfer for Eraserhead is the original transfer done in HD back in 2000. I can confirm that Lynch was not involved in the creation of this box set.

While it was doubtful that Universal would pony up to do a proper Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me release, it is just shameful to not include some of the great extras that MGM and Lynch had done for Blue Velvet and even Wild at Heart featured on the Lime Green box set.

It’s going to be up to you to decide to make the plunge, but if I lived in the UK, I’d skip this set and look at my import options. The recent Blue Velvet Blu-ray with a Lynch certified transfer and 50+ minutes of amazing Deleted Scenes is reason enough to import and write this release off.

Also, if you are as disappointed as I was when I read the specs and feel like letting Universal UK know, you can hit them up on twitter @universaluk.