FWWM FWWM 4K Blu-Ray Due 4/23

[Jerry Horne]

French Steelbook (Potemkine). Upcoming Criterion 4K rumored.

Interviews:
Pacôme Thiellement (15')
Herve Aubron (28')
Interviews from the archives (14')
Journey through time: memories of the last 7 days of Laura Palmer (30')
Reflections on the Twin Peaks phenomenon (31')
Trailers (1992)
25th Anniversary Trailer (2017)
Picture gallery

Amazon France

FNAC (Steelbook)

 

[Tulpa]

Oh, brother! What lovely news.

 

[Jordan Cole]

As someone who does not have a 4K TV (I have a Panasonic plasma that I think looks beautiful)...From what I've seen at friends' houses, it doesn't seem the picture quality difference is that noticeable compared to say, going from DVD to blu-ray (or VHS to DVD.) Anyone have any opinions on this?

 

[Tulpa]

As someone who does not have a 4K TV (I have a Panasonic plasma that I think looks beautiful)...From what I've seen at friends' houses, it doesn't seem the picture quality difference is that noticeable compared to say, going from DVD to blu-ray (or VHS to DVD.) Anyone have any opinions on this?

Depends on the transfer. Big gains can be had for movies shot on film. Especially older ones. Also depends on the film and how detailed the cinematography is. Some are more broad strokes. Also depends on viewing distance and screen size.

There’s lots of benefit in higher bitrates, too. Especially for busier films.

I wonder if they’re doing a new transfer or it’s the same 4K transfer they did a few years back.

 

[Mr. Reindeer]

Depends on the transfer. Big gains can be had for movies shot on film. Especially older ones. Also depends on the film and how detailed the cinematography is. Some are more broad strokes. Also depends on viewing distance and screen size.

There’s lots of benefit in higher bitrates, too. Especially for busier films.

I wonder if they’re doing a new transfer or it’s the same 4K transfer they did a few years back.

The booklet for Mulholland Drive indicated that there was a new transfer made for the 4K disc, presumably to maximize the benefits of that particular format, so I’d guess the same will be true here.

And yeah, 4K isn’t as eye popping a transition as VHS to DVD or DVD to Blu Ray, but it is pretty impressive, especially when a release has the correct TLC put into it.

 

[neptuneater]

..Really not getting how this is any different from the previous Criterion release? That one says "Restored 4K digital transfer supervised by director David Lynch" - was that not true 4K or something? Is the only difference here UHD?

 

[LateReg]

FWIW, and I could be wrong, this doesn't appear to have anything to do with Criterion. They may very well release a 4k UHD version of it in the future, but it appears that France will have first crack at this release. The extras on FNAC's page aren't those of the Criterion, and I'd be very surprised if Criterion were ever to release this in Steelbook packaging. It could very well be a new 4k remaster, possibly in coordination with Criterion for future release, or it could be a glossing over of the existing Criterion transfer, but this particular release won't bear the logo and could very well be different from what already exists or will later exist.

 

[Tulpa]

..Really not getting how this is any different from the previous Criterion release? That one says "Restored 4K digital transfer supervised by director David Lynch" - was that not true 4K or something? Is the only difference here UHD?

The transfer was 4K on their end but not the actual disk itself. That was only 1080p.

It is rather misleading, to be frank.

 

[underthefan]

FWIW, and I could be wrong, this doesn't appear to have anything to do with Criterion. They may very well release a 4k UHD version of it in the future, but it appears that France will have first crack at this release. The extras on FNAC's page aren't those of the Criterion, and I'd be very surprised if Criterion were ever to release this in Steelbook packaging. It could very well be a new 4k remaster, possibly in coordination with Criterion for future release, or it could be a glossing over of the existing Criterion transfer, but this particular release won't bear the logo and could very well be different from what already exists or will later exist.

I believe you are correct, LateReg. This is a French release by Potemkine Films who also released a French Blu-ray restoration in 2017 (note this version did NOT include The Missing Pieces). Here's the link to order it from amazon.fr:

Twin Peaks : Fire Walk with me 4k Ultra HD [Blu-Ray]: Amazon.fr: Lee, Sheryl, Maclachlan, Kyle, Wise, Ray, Lynch, David, Lee, Sheryl, Maclachlan, Kyle: DVD et Blu-ray

It is possible that Criterion will release it somewhere down the line (since they own the US rights) but it is pure speculation at this point. Considering they just released Lost Highway in October and are releasing Inland Empire in March, it's pretty unlikely they will have another Lynch release before Oct/Nov at the earliest.

 

[sneakydave]

They can release it as many times as they want.

I will buy it every time.

 

[Jerry Horne]

 

[underthefan]

This release now appears to be canceled (according to Fnac) or delayed indefinitely, so a friend of mine went to the Potemkine store in Paris and this is what the employee there told him:

"Just went to Potemkine and asked about the FWWM steelbook. The guy confirmed there’s an issue with the master. He said no decision has been taken about a cancellation so far and it’s not up to them, they’re waiting for a decision from Lynch’s company. So no one knows for now and they won’t know before this autumn or the end of the year. So it’s not officially cancelled but it’s still uncertain. As nothing is confirmed yet it could still be released or cancelled. As for Fnac, it was a decision from them only."

So it seems like there is still hope that it might happen! Fingers crossed.

 

[underthefan]

Studio Canal, who own the rights to FWWM in Germany, are expected to release the 4K Blu-ray steelbook in November (link below). Presumably that means that Potemkine will be releasing it in France at the same time though there is no confirmation as of yet. Criterion would be doing the US release. They also own the rights for the UK but I'm not sure if they would be doing the 4K release in the UK.

Twin Peaks - Der Film (Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray im Steelbook) (1 Ultra HD Blu-ray und 1 Blu-ray Disc) – jpc

 

[Mace]

We’ve come a long way since August 28, 1992!

BTW, here’s a newspaper clipping I found in my old TP memorabilia box:

 

[Dom]

Studio Canal, who own the rights to FWWM in Germany, are expected to release the 4K Blu-ray steelbook in November (link below). Presumably that means that Potemkine will be releasing it in France at the same time though there is no confirmation as of yet. Criterion would be doing the US release. They also own the rights for the UK but I'm not sure if they would be doing the 4K release in the UK.

Twin Peaks - Der Film (Ultra HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray im Steelbook) (1 Ultra HD Blu-ray und 1 Blu-ray Disc) – jpc

Criterion don't seem to be up to much in the UK at the moment. I think I read (again can't remember where) that they're changing UK distributors. The UK hasn't been getting Criterion 4K discs at all, which is really frustrating. Wong Kar-Wai's In the Mood for Love was released Blu-ray-only here, along with the £150 box set. It makes me very cross to see 4Ks of Wong's films I really want made available individually in France and Germany, with the relevant country's subtitles, while English-speaking audiences can get one film or a boxset (that's overpriced). And don't get me started on the Harvey Weinstein cut of The Grandmaster still being the only cut of that film available. The arrogance of that criminal to tell Wong Kar-Wai to hack up a film he'd made!

I might end up having to buy a German or French release of FWWM and put up with the lack of subtitles for the couple of scenes. It won't worry me: I watched the film without subs in 1992!

In the 1990s, Wong and Lynch were my favourite filmmakers. After FWWM, the film with the biggest impact on me in the first half of the 1990s was Chungking Express.