Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Re-release Loses Extras, Doesn’t Get Lossless

Last spring, when Warner Home Video announced a wave of science-fiction titles for Blu-ray release (see Blu-ray.com, May 10), it intriguingly included a title that had already come out on BD in 2007: Richard Linklater's A Scanner Darkly. Some enthusiasts hoped then that the studio would add a lossless audio track to the movie, but that's not the case. The major change is that for this re-release, one of the special features on the first edition has been dropped.

The first edition (UPC 12569829664) had only a Dolby Digital audio track (at 640 kbps bitrate) and included the following special features:

• Commentary with director/screenwriter Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves, Isa Dick Hackett, producer Tommy Pallotta, and Phillip K. Dick historian Jonathan Lethem
• One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly'
• The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales
• Theatrical trailer

The new edition (UPC 883929130931) still has only the same Dolby Digital audio track (at 640 kbps bitrate) and the same special features listed above, minus One Summer in Austin, a 26-minute documentary on the making of the movie, which also featured Philip K. Dick archival interviews, as well as interviews with cast and crew.



Left to right: 'A Scanner Darkly'
first edition and re-release back cover
(click to enlarge)

No official reason has been given for the elimination of this feature; it might be a rights issue.

The first edition is already out of stock at Amazon. For those interested in getting it, the best solution is Walmart, which has it for $7.96 with free ship to store.