Review of Blue Velvet (1986) by Majid S — 13 Nov 2011

Blue Velvet truely introduces the world into the mind of David Lynch. Though no this first movie, David Lynch's controversial and desturbing tale of hidden evil in a good world begins Lynch's trail of his iconic symbolism and themes that redefined the murder mystery genre.

Back from college to his small, happy town of Lumberton, Jeffrey's visit of his dying father leads him to discover a severed ear in the backwoods. His curiosity drives him towards finding a love and a mystery. But just because Lumberton is a peaceful town on the outside doesn't mean it's peaceful on the inside, and Jeffrey's obsession with a singer will lead him to a more disgusting and evil side of humanity that he never thought possible, even in himself. Obviously influenced by the film noir genre, but with a more disturbing kick. Blue Velvet is one of the movies to jump start the neo noir genre. Mystery tales of a more frightening kind. A full hearted performance by Kyle MacLachlan and Laura Dern, but the true stars are the film's more desturbed characters. Model, Isabella Rossellini shows her true potential on screen for the first time. But Dennis Hopper. Don't get me started on Dennis Hopper. His performance of his sick character brings out the full potential of this movie's twisted vision. You'll never look at Dennis Hopper the same way again after seeing Blue Velvet.

The true star of this movie is David Lynch. After getting credibility for The Elephant Man and loosing it because of Dune, Lynch went back to his Eraserhead roots and wrote his own story and made it in his mind's image. You'll notice that a lot of Lynch's styles originated in Blue Velvet. Red certians with blue light, unfocused camera shots, fantasy-like cinematography, it all began in Blue Velvet. Lynch's one of a kind mind created not only a world of violence, but a world of symbolism. Lynch's symbolism tells just as much about his movies as the story itself does. Lynch's themes of Voyeurism is one on the noticeable and creepiest themes of Blue Velvet, and the symbolism of bad lurking within good, like insects in a beautiful lawn. The symbols of insects are used a lot, from the bug spray to the character Frank's gas mask that makes him look like a bug.

I read that Val Kilmer declined the lead role in this movie because when he read it he thought it was disgusting. But when he saw the finnished movie he thought it was beautiful. That's the kind of feeling Blue Velvet has. It is a mystery movie that pushed what was conventional and appropriate for audiences, but in its disturbing achievement created an iconic movie and the title of 'filmmaking master' for David Lynch.