Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The Velvet Underground, writer-director Todd Haynes’ documentary, is the first film about the seminal 1960s rock band to delve into their influential music while utilizing the avant-garde culture from which they sprang. Using photographs, home movies, archival footage, and rare avant-garde films from the era along with archival interviews of the members and interviews with surviving members John Cale and Maureen Tucker, Haynes gives a full accounting of the band. Furthermore, the film goes deep following the dysfunctional backgrounds of Reed and Cale and their problematic relationship.
The Velvet Underground (2021) 
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The Video
The transfer is taken from a 4K digital master approved by director Todd Haynes and cinematographer Ed Lachman. The quality varies widely since the film is taken from various sources. The still images and avant-garde films put together in this documentary look exceptionally good and undeniably organic in this transfer. It is served up on a 1.77:1 AVC 1080p enocodement on Blu-ray. The film streams on Apple TV+ in 4K UHD in Dolby Vision.
The Audio
The original Dolby Atmos soundtrack has been remastered from the digital master audio files. It comes to this Blu-ray Disc sounding full and balanced and without an overuse of aggressive use of the height and surround channels. A documentary film might not have taken too aggressive an audio mix. There is still good height awareness and stereo imaging and generally good motion through the room of The Velvet’s cranking guitars.
The Supplements
It is a brilliant idea by Criterion Collection to include on-disc annotations on the avant-garde films used in the film. It is also great to see the interview with Tucker and Cale from 2021.
- Optional annotations for identifying the avant-garde films seen in the documentary.
- Audio Commentary recorded in 2022 featuring director Todd Haynes and film editors Affonso Gonçalves and Adam Kurnitz.
- Interviews:
- Jonas Mekas, 2018 (1080p; 00:20:11)
- Mary Woronov, 2018 (1080p; 00:13:34)
- Jonathan Richman, 2018 (1080p; 00:15:50)
- Todd Haynes, John Cale, and Maureen Tucker with Jenn Pelly 2021 (1080p; 00:48:35) – This footage from 2021 features Pitchfork’s Jen Pelly moderating a conversation among director Todd Haynes and musicians John Cale and Maureen Tucker.
- Avant-Garde Films:
- Award Presentation to Andy Warhol, Jonas Mekas, 1964 (1080p; 00:12:21)
- Venus in Furs, Piero Heliczer, 1965 (1080p; 00:21:20)
- Walden: Diaries, Notes, and Sketches (Excerpt), Jonas Mekas, 1964-69 (1080p; 00:07:46)
- Teaser (1080p)
- Booklet with 2021 essay on the film by critic Greil Marcus, credits, information on the master, and stills.
The Final Assessment
The Velvet Underground documentary is not only a love letter to the band but above all a great gift to the fans. In similar fashion, it is just as innovative as they were. The film looks and sounds great and stands up to multiple viewings unlike a lot of other documentaries. Recommended for any fan of the band.
The Velvet Underground is out on Blu-ray December 13, 2022, from the Criterion Collection
- Rating Certificate: R for language, sexual content, nudity and some drug material
- Studios & Distributors: Motto Pictures | Killer Content | Digital One | Killer Films | Polygram Entertainment | Apple TV+ | Criterion Collection
- Directors: Todd Haynes
- Written By: Todd Haynes
- Run Time: 120 Mins.
- Street Date: 13 December 2022
- Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
- Video Format: AVC 1080p
- Primary Audio: English Dolby Atmos (TrueHD 7.1 Core)
- Secondary Audio:
- Subtitles: English SDH | Annotations