Blue Velvet (1986)

2/3

Blue Velvet had to earn my respect, even though it was so dark and eerie and enigmatic: the world that writer/director David Lynch created in this movie was so unique and interesting, be it deeply disturbed (I mean, look at the movie poster) that you just have to say 'wow.' I don't think that there are many people in Hollywood that have Lynch's ability or state of mind and I guess that's why I admired this film.

My Introduction to Screenwriting professor probably would have labeled the plot of Blue Velvet as "episodic," meaning that random things keep happening to the main characters, instead of things happening or 'growing' out of necessity. I may be inclined to agree with that thought, but in this case, I don't think it's a bad thing. In a way, the main character's random stumbling around town makes sense in regard to the style of this movie; Lynch has made the story flow like a bad dream, almost psychedelically.

After watching the movie, I couldn't help but tune in to some of the making-of documentary on my DVD's special features, to try to get a little insight. Somebody in the documentary clip mentioned how Lynch has sort of become America's Luis Bunel, and I can sort of see that. I watched Bunel's Tristana (1970) for a Spanish film class and I remember how it was full of very strange camera shots and symbolic references in his random standoutish tactics (for example, the phallic bell that turned out to be the decapitated head of a lustful father-figure). Anyway, Lynch seems to have locked on to a similar mentality about how to create a strange and gloomy, confusing world by using odd film techniques. In fact, later on in the documentary on Blue Velvet, somebody else mention the term "American Surrealism," which, yeah, makes sense.

Dennis Hopper had just finished rehab before making this movie. Apparently, his agent begged him not to play this role because of the probable negative image it would portray of him, and I can see why. Hopper was very scary and a crazy bad guy who did a wonderful (or awful?!) performance. What a creepy part!

Isabella Rossini is also a person of interest in this movie because she too is one of the eerie mysterious characters wrapped up in the dark plot. She realistically portrays insanity as well as personified, messed-up sexual desires. We can't help but wonder how her character ended up being so crazy-- was it caused by drugs or getting involved with the wrong people or the trauma inflicted by Hopper's character? Whatever the cause, damn.

Throughout the movie, the line "It's a strange world" kept on being repeated in different settings by different people. And I think that sums up Lynch's take on our world, at least as he showed it to us in Blue Velvet. He certainly likes to create these weird and crazy people and events, but he never explicitly answers our questions to solve the mystery. I suppose that for a lot of people, this can get on their nerves. His style is definitely not for everyone. But if you're into weird stories and are up for a unique and interesting style, I recommend this movie. It's at the minimum unforgettable.