16 June 2008

The film that established David Lynch as a director who could bring artistic vision to a mainstream movie, The Elephant Man is the beautifully crafted and intensely moving story of seriously deformed John Merrick and his discovery and treatment by brilliant young doctor Frederick Treves. Victorian London is gorgeously evoked by Freddie Francis' monochrome scope cinematography and Alan R. Splet's haunting sound design, and the film boasts a string of superb performances from a stellar cast, including John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Anna Bancroft, John Geilgud, Michael Elphick and Hannah Gordon.

Previously released on UK DVD in an almost extras-free release, The Elephant Man: Special Edition is to be re-released on 4th August 2008 by Optimum at the RRP of £17.99 with the following extra features:

• The Real Elephant Man documentary featurette on life for Merrick in Victorian England (19 mins);
• Trailer;
• New & Exclusive John Hurt interview;
• New & Exclusive David Lynch interview.

This edition will also be included in Optimum's upcoming 6-disc David Lynch Collection, to be released on 25th August at the RRP of £34.99. This will also include Mulholland Drive, in which Lynch takes the viewer on a memorable neo-noir trip through Hollywood's dark underbelly, dispensing with conventional narrative in favour of an hallucinogenic assault on the senses that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Inland Empire, meanwhile, was David Lynch's first film after a gap of 6 years from Mulholland Drive (and his first shot completely on digital), a complex and mesmerising Hollywood mystery that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality and features an astonishing performance by Laura Dern.

The extra features on The Elephant Man are the same as the Special Edition release. The others are as follows:

Mulholland Drive bonus disc:

• Making-of featurette;
• Exclusive interviews with David Lynch, Naomi Watts, Justin Theroux, Laura Harring, Mary Sweeney (subtitled) and Angelo Badalamenti (English language);
• Cannes 2001 press conference;
• Trailer;
• Inland Empire trailer;
• Lynch on Lynch book extract.

Inland Empire bonus disc:

• Guardian interview at the NFT with David Lynch;
• A Short Interview in London;
• Conversation with David Lynch by Mike Figgis;
• A Masterclass with David Lynch;
• Interview at the Cartier Foundation.

The press release hints that there will be more, and some on-line retailers are suggesting that six of Lynch's short films – namely Six Men Getting Sick, The Alphabet, The Grandmother, The Amputee, The Cowboy and the Frenchman and Premonitions Following an Evil Deed - will also be included. Here's hoping.