David Lynch is teaming up with The Criterion Collection to release 51 minutes of previously lost footage of his iconic film Blue Velvet.
The film, a 1986 American neo-noir mystery feature starring the likes of Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern, is Lynch at his brilliant best.
Typically, the film divided opinion upon its release but still wound up earning Lynch his second Academy Award nomination for Best Director and the film ultimately rose to cult fame among his fans.
Now, it has been revealed that Lynch has uncovered 51 minutes of “The Lost Footage” from production which includes a series of deleted scenes and alternate takes. “You know, there is a thing called b-negative, or outtakes, or lifts, that make it into the film,” Lynch previously told L.A. Radio station KCRW about the deleted scenes. “And in the old days, those things sat around and maybe became dangerously close to being tossed away. So, one day I looked into seeing where the [‘Blue Velvet’] lifts were because some of these scenes on their own would be beautiful to see again…Lately, those have been found. Somewhere up in Seattle. It’s incredible. I’m seeing stuff I thought was gone forever.”
As part of its release, Criterion will include a 70 minute behind-the-scenes documentary and will also restore the film to 4k quality.
[MORE] – Behind the scenes of David Lynch’s disowned Science-Fiction film ‘Dune’ from 1984
