Blue Velvet (1986)

4.0

THRILLER
U.S. Release Date: 09/19/86
Running Length: 120 Minutes
MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, Violence, Nudity, Sexual Situations)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Hope Lange, Dean Stockwell, George Dickerson
Director: David Lynch
Screenplay: David Lynch
Cinematography: Frederick Elmes
Music: Angelo Badalamenti
U.S. Distributor: MGM

Review by: Carter Moulton

12/22/08

Wow. From the moment Blue Velvet begins, it’s apparent that we’re in for a controversial two hours. The film is unlike any other; the closest comparison would possibly be Rear Window, which also examines the dangers of middle-class residential nightlife. Its depiction of pure evil bubbling beneath the surface of a suburban utopia is unsettling and eerie, and its ability to upset viewers demonstrates its power. Simply put, Blue Velvet is a nightmare on film. David Lynch’s (Mulholland Dr., The Elephant Man) confidence behind the camera convinces us that we are watching some sort of masterpiece.

The story’s lead is Jeffrey Beaumont (played by Kyle MacLachlan, who can now be seen on “Desperate Housewives”). He’s back from college to take care of his hospitalized father. One day, as he’s walking through a field, he discovers a severed human ear. Being the inquisitive type, he immediately takes it to a detective, John Williams (George Dickerson). The detective’s daughter, Sandy (Laura Dern) confronts Jeffrey, telling him that she might have “overheard” some information.

Photo © MGM

She suggests that the “ear case” has been linked to Dorothy Vallens (played selflessly by Isabella Rossellini), who lives in an apartment building ironically close to Jeffrey. We then see Jeffrey sneak into Dorothy’s apartment, trying to learn everything he can. What follows is one of the most disturbing scenes I’ve ever witnessed. A strange man, Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), walks into Dorothy’s apartment; whilst Jeffrey is hiding in the closet, he begins to…I won’t describe it here. To give anything away about the character of Frank Booth would be sabotaging ingenious work. Frank is a man so sick, yet believable, that we feel legitimately threatened by his presence onscreen. His character is the victory of the film. Jeffrey continues to unravel the mystery. He falls deeper and deeper into the dark truth, eventually risking his life in several instances.

A true neo-noir, the film submerges the conventional mystery in unexplored emotion. The desperation of Dorothy Vallens combined with the upsetting moments when Frank Booth is on screen elevates Blue Velvet into “innovative cult-classic” territory. The performances are cold, as I'm sure Lynch wanted them. (Dennis Hopper will give you nightmares each time he reaches for his gas mask). The direction is inventive, and features one of my favorite shots: Frank Booth in a stairwell at the end of the film.

The movie has some oddball scenes—chicken walk?—that only add to the dream-like utopia that Lynch is playing with. Lynchians will love it, others may hate it, but it's impossible to deny that Blue Velvet was groundbreaking at the time of its release, openly displaying sex, violence and drugs in ways that hadn’t yet been seen on film. To see it in 1986 for the first time would be incredible; I’d almost call it anti-entertainment.