Review of Blue Velvet (1986) by Stefan G — 16 Aug 2015

Blue Velvet is a film for true lovers of film as an art form, and whether you were enthralled or repelled, if you saw it, it's nothing like any film you've ever seen before. It starts out as somewhat bright and peachy on the surface, but as the film progresses, you quickly find yourself delving into a depraved, psychotic and violent world.

The narrative takes a scintillating turn as the protagonist, in trying to aid a humiliated, beaten lounge singer, discovers his voyeuristic dark side, while simultaneously lamenting the terrible world he had just found himself in.

All the while, he falls in love with bright, innocent-looking girl named Sandy, who essentially acts as this film's glimmering ray of hope. The characters were all very well written and acted, and their performances reflect many facets of human nature, especially the darker shades of it.

The film makes symbolic use of lighting throughout the story. The more normal world, for lack of a description, is ostensibly brighter, and the more positive moments are often saturated with light, while the world at night is portrayed with a kind of dark cinematography characterized by a prevalence of shadows.

The film's musical score also adds a certain quality to the overall atmosphere of the film. It may not be pleasant, but it's an entertaining film with many different meanings, and in my mind, a true example of how film can be a work of art in its own right.