Very little picture information is sacrificed in the standard version, but the widescreen version offers a sexier, more elegantly composed presentation.
Colors are stable, but some scenes heavy in red lighting look soft.
Contrasts are strong, and Elswitt's atmospheric lighting does wonders in elevating this low-budget film and lending it tremendous production value. This DVD features a standard Dolby Surround 2.0 mix and it sounds fine. The soundtrack is potent, punctuated by a velvety jazz score by Michael Penn and Jon Brion. There are two commentary tracks. And scenes during the climax that play without music in the final version are underscored by Michael Penn's and Jon Brion's smoky score on the commentary track, a rare opportunity to hear music deliberately out of context, but perfectly fitting the seductive imagery of Anderson's shady underworld.