In Search of: Lost Highway - Widescreen
 

Yup. It's come to this. The current version of Lost Highway available in the US right now is quite possibly, the worst DVD transfer of all time. At times rendering the picture unwatchable, this low bitrate, pan and scan nightmare is going in the trash. In the films darkest settings, an incomprehensible mesh of digital artifacts fills the screen. Did I mention it's also pan and frippin scan?

The sound mix is just as bad, fading in and out, level issues, lost information...this DVd is THE WORST. Now, David Lynch is one of my favorite directors, and for me not to have an at least watchable version of Lost Highway is a crime.

So, I am putting the word out. If anyone knows how I might aquire a region free widescreen version of the film, I would REALLY like to know, and soon. I know there is a german import out there with a 5.1 English mix on it, but it's region 2, and I don't have a player that will run it...

I have tried searching for a legit copy of the film, and I just can't get ahold of one.

Help!!

I would even accept a widescreen VHS tape, at this point, as long as it has a pro-logic mix on it...

How come you can't get a region free player? My region 2 Lost Highway is dandy.

Because I have 3 DVD players already, and can't justify the region free at this point. I have my Sony rotary player, some Sanyo junker I was given, and a PS2. If I come walking in with another DVD player, my gf will string me up.


*cries*

Surely it would be a wothwhile investment. My last two DVD players were region free, and both were reasonably cheap- last was £70 roughly. I've been getting a fair amount of Region 3 imports, for films which don't even have release dates here.

Why not just make your own DVD player region free?

How would I do that? Is it an easy mod? The Sanyo I have is shabby enough that I will do about anything to tinker around with it. Any links to how to do this?

Post the make and model of your DVD player and I will try and find the hack for you.

It's usually a case of entering a specific code via the remote control

How old is your Sony? Mine is a year old and was region free straight from the box (even though it says R2 on the back). I read on a forum somewhere that Sony were doing it with a lot of their products to cut costs...

Why not borrow an R2 (or 3 etc) disc from someone and give it a try, you never know. :)

Otherwise you can look here, I've converted a couple of players after looking at this site. It's usually just a matter of entering a code with your remote. ;)

EDIT - You'll need to make sure that your TV copes with PAL too.

Hmm, both my TVs are a bit older.

I have a sony Trinitron, but one of the older black ones. For instance it has s-video, but no component video inputs...

The Sanyo DVD is a DWM-370
My Sony is one of the rotary players, model number DVP NC875 V

Most TVs over here have been PAL and NTSC compatible for years. ;)

According to the site I mentioned there doesn't seem to be a working code for your Sony but your Sanyo can be converted to region free like this.

Good luck. :)