Review of Blue Velvet (1986) by Kristin T — 26 Jul 2012

Blue Velvet, Great Movies.

David Lynch films are paintings come to life, this has very much to do with the fact that Lynch himself is a painter and he brings that artistic point of view to his film making. Like a good painting, his movies tell a story, which much like an abstract painting, is not always easy to figure out. But what a treat it is to try.

*Blue Velvet* is a story about a young man returning to his hometown to visit his father who is sick in the hospital. Upon his return he stumbles upon a frightening discovery: a human ear lying on the grass as he walks through the forest behind his parents home. He then takes it upon himself to discover where this ear came from and discovers that that ear will be the reason why he discovers that this is in fact a very strange and dangerous world in which we live in.

Lynch is synonymous with the strange and unusual and *Blue Velvet* is a good example of this.

I loved Kyle MacLachlan's character and it was very interesting to see him go through the changes he goes through after he makes his discoveries. He isn't quite the same anymore after he sees the things he sees and does the things he does. I also loved that scene in which Laura Dern tries to let him see that even though there's some crazy things in this world there's some good bound to show up sooner or later. Dern's character was beautiful and innocent, the one thing that could bring balance to MacLachlan's character. By far the most interesting and memorable thing in this film is Dennis Hopper's character, yes, I'm talking about that crazy, demented, sex-crazed freak known as Frank Booth.

Frank Booth is one of those characters that just oozes with evil. You don't feel like its this actor playing some villain, when that happens you totally stop believing that said villain is dangerous. Not so here. Hopper looks, breaths and speaks pure evil! Your kind of scared that there might actually be people like him out in the real world.

I loved the visual aspect of the film which was as is usual in a Lynch film. We may be looking at sliced human ears and demented sex freaks, but everything is photographed within the context of beautiful haunting colors, exotic plays of shadows and lights, such a great visuals. The music is incredible as well. Lynch seems to be fond of lounge singers cause very much like he did in *Mulholland Drive* in Club Silencio, we get another sequence much like that one, with Isabella Rosellini singing us the title song. And there's also a sequence which is very very humorous yet strange and alluring, Dean Stockwell singing *In Dreams*. Awesome sequence, one of the most memorable sequences on this film or any other Lynch film. When that scene comes on, you'll be transported to another time and place. What time and place it is Ill leave it up to you.

All in all, a great Lynch film not to be missed. A masterpiece that lets me know why Lynch is one of the greatest American directors ever to be in the business of making bizarro, beautiful cinema.