User reviews

After his father collapses on the front lawn, college student Jeffrey Beaumont is made return home to the picturesque town of Lumberton; a place as quintessentially American as apple pie and coffee as black as midnight on a moonless night. Everything he once knew, however, appears different: full of mystery, strangeness and darkness. Like Dorothy in 'The Wizard of Oz,' Beaumont peeks behind the curtain, and is confronted with the harsh reality of a situation he had imagined to be perfect. Join Beaumont as he explores the seedy underbelly of the ideal suburban dystopia, in David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet'.

Delightfully dark and disturbing, 'Blue Velvet' is a fascinating portrait of American existence full of abstractions, black-comedy and violence. "If one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there are always red ants underneath," Lynch has said, and Beaumont is fascinated by the creatures (both literal and figurative) he stumbles across upon his return to Lumberton. Lynch uses his story to examine themes of violence, voyeurism and sexuality, in a way which still feels relevant today. Additionally, in our social media focused society- where people's representations of themselves are often far from reality- the idea of someone discovering the real truth beneath a glossy façade is incredibly percipient.

Which is not to say the film is an overly intellectual affair, or is in any way pretentious, because it isn't. The off-beat humour that would go on to feature so prominently in 'Twin Peaks' and 'What Did Jack Do?' (among other works of Lynch's) is on full display. Like Takeshi Kitano, and to a lesser extent Werner Herzog, comedy is just as important to the narrative as the mystery and darkness at the center of it all. Though violent and often uncomfortable; 'Blue Velvet' is also a strangely funny movie with plenty of opportunities for laughter.

Music is incredibly important in 'Blue Velvet', and Angelo Badalamenti's beautifully sinister score haunts the film. Initially hired as Rossellini's vocal coach, he eventually became the composer and music supervisor, and has served in this capacity on nearly every other Lynch project to date. His unsettling but melodic tunes perfectly match the bizarre, often disquieting images that one associates with Lynch, and throughout this film his formidable presence- in the form of his score- is made known. Alongside Badalamenti's original score, a soundtrack of 50's pop hits- be it the title track, as performed by Bobby Vinton, or Ketty Lester's 'Love Letters'- are utilized to eerie effect, contributing to the atmosphere of sinister banality and hidden danger the film contains.

'Blue Velvet' is a visually arresting movie, with stunning cinematography from Frederick Elmes. His composition under Lynch's direction is inspired, irregular and heavy with symbolism. The opening satirical montage, of suburbia in all its white picket fenced glory, is a strangely grotesque and highly symbolic display- like a bizarre and brilliant mixture of Edward Hopper, Edvard Munch and 'The Andy Griffith Show'. It sets the tone of the rest of the film, and- combined with Badalamenti's score- many of the images from 'Blue Velvet' will almost certainly haunt your dreams.

'Blue Velvet' finds Kyle MacLachlan starring as Beaumont, in his second collaboration with Lynch. A charismatic and charming fellow, MacLachlan plays Beaumont like a young Jimmy Stewart for modern times: a good humoured, kind-hearted boy innocently intrigued by the darkness he suddenly finds all around him. MacLachlan is the perfect leading man for this type of story, as he is more than willing to go to complex and morally ambiguous places performance-wise.

Co-starring as the club singer he forms a bond with is Isabella Rossellini, who gives everything to her role. Her performance is heart-breaking and intense, as a woman trapped in a horrific nightmare of machoism and shame; she is electrifying. Years ago, critic Roger Ebert accused Lynch of being crueler to Rossellini than anyone on screen, suggesting that the director constructed the film as some sort of misogynistic torture chamber for the woman who would go on to be his romantic partner for five years. While there is much violence in the film, his accusations were ridiculous. Viewers understand that Rossellini is an actress, that Lynch is a director, and that they are creating fiction. Like with 'Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom', the process may be difficult in places and the finished product may look shockingly authentic, but we still know it's just a movie; and an actress giving a brilliant, tour de force performance.

The late, great Dennis Hopper also stars, as one of cinema's all-time great villains: Frank Booth, a gas-huffing sadist with a penchant for Pabst Blue Ribbon and Roy Orbison. Leading Beaumont down a rabbit hole of indignity and crime, Hopper has arguably never given a stronger performance. He throws himself so fully into the role, it is frightening to think what he must have been like on set. "I am Frank Booth," he allegedly told Lynch before shooting began; and there's no reason to doubt him after watching the film. Cruel and unusual, insane and assured of himself- he is the pinnacle of perversion.

Rounding out the main cast is a young Laura Dern- already showcasing the talent and depth she is acclaimed for these days. She plays Sandy, the daughter of a local detective whom Beaumont meets. She is also intrigued by the darkness of suburbia, though doesn't immerse herself in it; staying apart in a world she understands. Sandy is a ray of hope for Beaumont, and his last link to the goodness he once saw everywhere. There could be no one better for the part than Dern. In fact, every role is perfectly cast, from the likes of Brad Dourif and Jack Nance, to the sadly departed Dean Stockwell in an all too short, scene-stealing turn as the 'In Dreams' miming, ultra-suave Ben.

As many have done before, one could go on discussing 'Blue Velvet' endlessly. It has so much to offer, on so many different levels, that no two viewings are likely to feel the same. Funny, dark and thoroughly entertaining from start to finish, it is a remarkable film, featuring terrific performances, a great score and beautiful imagery. If you haven't seen it before, you've missed something truly unique: the work of an auteur at the top of his game.

This has always been a unique crime movie, like no story I have seen before or since. In numerous ways, it's a sick film...but utterly fascinating, even after a handful of viewings. It's a certainly a trademark of director David Lynch with its bizarre story and twists and strange characters.

This movie has one of the most evil characters ever put on screen: "Frank Booth," played by Dennis Hopper. The latter is known for playing psychotic killers and this role tops them all. Hopper was never sicker. Almost as bizarre as him is the female victim in here, "Dorothy Vallens," played a mysterious Isabella Rossellini.

Kyle MacLaclan is good as the nosy late-teen who just has to find out what is going on in Dorothy's apartment while girlfriend Laura Dern gets caught up in his curiosity.

In a movie that features strange characters, the strangest scene of them - and there are a number - is in Booth's apartment with Dean Stockwell and his friends. Stockwell's lip-synching to an old Roy Orbison song is really freaky. Make no mistake, though: as bizarre as this film can get, it's mostly a very suspenseful crime story that can get very uncomfortable to watch at times. The language in this film was surprisingly tame.....until Hopper enters the scene. He's about the only character who uses profanity but he makes up for the others by using the f-word in about every sentence. He is so over-the-top, though, that after the initial shock seeing this movie once or twice, I know almost laugh out loud at him and way he acts.

Visually and audibly, this is another interesting Lynch movie with superb colors, creepy camera angles and a diverse soundtrack. You hear everything from lush classical music to old rock 'n roll songs, and a bunch of bizarre noises (sound effects).

From discussions I've had, this seems to be a film people love or hate. There is not much room for middle ground. Lynch has done much "nicer" films such as "The Straight Story," crazier films ("Wild At Heart," "Eraserhead") and classier movies ("The Elephant Man") but this will be his trademark film: the one above others he will be remembered for, good or bad.

I've been a fan of David Lynch ever since watching Twin Peaks for the first time around five years back. Embarrassingly, it's taken me forever to get to the rest of his filmography. Blue Velvet returns to the weird, the bizarre, the wacky, after Elephant Man played it fairly straight.

When I finished it, I wasn't quite sure what to think. I waited, then the day after I found myself re-watching scenes. The lip-sync sequence in particular was so rich and rewarding. Lynch is the only director I've seen that really nails what a dream feels like. The most unnatural things could happen; characters with juxtaposed emotions are in the same space, and it all feels rhythmic, just supposed to be.

The film doesn't just excel there.

Frank Booth is a force of nature, and I can't stop watching his moments, rare as they are.

The intro itself is among the best I've ever seen. Good and evil, life and death, are intertwined more than we'd hope. Not just in the picket fences, and the dirt, but the characters too.

Blue Velvet was an incredible experience. If anyone was in the same boat as me, being a fan of Twin Peaks, do yourself a favour and give this a go. I'm actually rather annoyed I didn't watch it already. Though, not annoyed enough to start huffing gas.

A very strange movie but incredible. A young man (Kyle MacLaclan) comes home to help care for his sick father. Soon he's in love with a detective's daughter (Laura Dern) and mixed up in a mystery involving Dorothy Valdes (Isabella Rossellinni) and psycho Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).

Probably David Lynch's best film. The story has gaps in logic, but it's secondary to some incredible wide screen imagery (this has to be seen letter-boxed...no two ways about it). Lynch has said in interviews that he thinks of the image first then works it into the movie. You can tell...things that make no sense at first gradually make sense later on. This movie also demands multiple viewings...I was so shocked the first time I saw it, I couldn't concentrate on it...it took THREE viewings to finally get it.

As to what the movie is about...it depends who you ask. Some people said it's the Hardy Boys on drugs...others say it's about a boy's sexual awakening...others see it as good vs. evil...each one is a valid statement! To me, that's a true art film...one that means multiple things all at once.

The performances are top-notch. This film made MacLachlan...him and Laura Dern work well together and give nice low-key performances. Dern is just great...but she does look pretty silly when she tries to cry. Rossellinni is nowhere near as good as her mother (Ingrid Bergman) was, but she deserves credit for taking such a risky role. She's pretty good. Hopper is WAYYYYYYY over the top as Booth...he's both horrifying and hilarious...a great performance. And let's not forget Dean Stockwell as "suave Ben". His "performance" of "In Dreams" is a definite highlight.

Be warned--the film is very extreme. There's explicit violence, plenty of nudity, sex and tons of profanity. Not for the squeamish. Still, I loved it from beginning to end. One of my favorite films of all time.

To watch Blue Velvet for the first time 31 years after its original release is a treat of unexpected proportions. I'm not going to tell about the story because, I'm sure, each one of us could tell it in very different ways. The blandness of Kyle MacLachland here is a major plus. It's not him that rivet us but his circumstances. And the circumstances are truly riveting, terrifying, unpredictable and gloriously cinematic. Dennis Hopper is superb, disgustingly so and Isabella Rossellini creates a character that was totally new to me. Related to many others but new, disturbingly so. Dean Stockwell has a moment that I know already will stay in my mind for ever. I'm so glad I finally saw it.

There is far more to 'Blue Velvet' than meets the eye. You can't label this as drama, satire, or black comedy. It just doesn't work.

'Blue Velvet' is an example of our world's disarray. This film is VERY genius in its portrayal. We see a hokey, innocent town that yields a dark secret.

The symbolism is great. White picket fences, waving fireman, hokey acting, and a sunny day show the apparent innocence. But a stroke, black insects, a candle getting blown out, etc. show us something else.

I love how when we see the innocence, everything is hokey. The music, acting, dialogue... everything. But when the darkness appears, everything becomes serious. The script improves, the acting is better... everything. That's something that was missed by most viewers.

David Lynch is brilliant, but he also has a great sense of humor. Jokes aren't funny... absurdity is funny.

Lightness and darkness seemingly coexist in this lumber town... each in their own place. When a curious fellow returns home, he disrupts the balance and the two forces go to war. Yet, we don't really even know which side he's on. I love how Jeffrey always wears black and white. I love all the symbology of this film.

If you haven't seen this yet, break away from the Hollywood cookie cutter movies and prepare to have your mind challenged and entertained.

Makes a fun party movie, too. ;o)

10/10

What surprised me was how very different this was from the two other great David Lynch films I'd seen: "Lost Highway" and "The Straight Story", which are in turn very different from one another. I'd been told by a disappointed David Lynch fan, back in 1997, that the only reason I was so deeply impressed with "Lost Highway" was that I hadn't seen "Bue Velvet", in which he does much the same kind of thing better. "Blue Velvet" may indeed be better (I wouldn't want to say), but in no respect is it the same kind of thing. (The only instance I've encountered so far of Lynch making the same film twice is "Lost Highway" being remade as "Mulholland Drive", which partly accounts for the latter film being so stale and uninvolving.)

"Blue Velvet" is a simple amateur sleuthing story, but the genius is in the telling of it. It's hard to avoid the feeling that something supernatural is somehow involved, although it isn't, and we know that it isn't. It looks and feels as though we're watching the world through a special enchanted (or cursed) prism: the image has been pulled apart, ALMOST into two distinct images, with the elements of pure evil and pure wholesomeness now distinct from one another, sitting just millimetres apart.

Unrelated to this, but still contributing to the intense suspense and the overall creepiness, is Lynch's ability to make us familiar with a few ordinary locations, which grow more sinister - or at least more meaningful - every time we see them, until the sight of a simple concrete stairwell in the dark is enough to make us start to panic.

Oh boy, what a weird movie. How can I even comment it.

David Lynch films are not easy to get into (at least for me). Usually I don't like them upon first viewing, but at least Mulholland Drive has slowly become my super favorite. I don't expect Blue Velvet to climb as high, but there is some grower potential.

I liked the beginning the best, when it's like a murder mystery. But then it goes crazy in all directions and I don't really know what to think. But some things are certain: the cinematography is beautiful and atmosperic, and there is a lot of great acting. Dennis Hopper is totally crazy in this film, but others aren't bad either.

If you like strange movies, see this one. But only if you can stomach some violence and sexual weirdness as well. I will probably get an urge to want to see it again at some point because it has such a distinct atmosphere and style.

Title: Blue Velvet (1986)

Director: David Lynch

Cast: Isabella Rosellini, Kyle Mac Lachlan, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern

Review: 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. For those who have ventured into Lynchian territory with films like Mullholland Dr. or Lost Highway get ready for some more crazy imagery and messed up situations. But Ill be honest this time around, even though the situations and images are very very surreal and strange the story itself is pretty easy to understand. Lost Highway remains a total mystery to me to this day, Mullholland Dr. I had to watch about 6 times to figure out....but Blue Velvet though equally as strange and fascinating as those films mentioned, is actually easy to follow and understand.

I loved Kyle MacLachlans 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. 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. Laura Derns character was beautiful and innocent, the one thing that could bring balance to MacLachlans character. By far the most interesting and memorable thing in this film is Dennis Hoppers character, yes my friends, 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. His scenes and dialog is truly disturbing stuff....."Ill f##C@ anything that moooves!"

I loved the visual aspect of the film which was -as is usual in a Lynch film- extremely beautiful. 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. Great visuals. The music is incredible as well. Lynch seems to be fond of lounge singers cause very much like he did in Mullholland Drive in Club Silencio, we get another sequence much like that one, with Isabella Rosellini singing us "Blue Velvet" the title song. And there's also a sequence which is very very humorous yet strange and alluring....Dean Stockwell singing Roy Orbinsons "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.

Rating: 5 out of 5 (and very very much so!)

The sexual revolution in film came some ten years after the label's coinage in the late Sixties. It probably began with Last Tango in Paris. Directed by the acclaimed Bernardo Bertolucci, Last Tango is notorious for a sex scene involving Marlon and roughly a third of a stick of butter. Theretofore sex in film could potentially be used as a means of revealing the lightest or the darkest character's traits: primarily, vulnerability, instinct, sadism and impulse. Blue Velvet is a good example of a movie using such a dynamic. Blue Velvet is not a film that is easily appreciated. Likewise, it is not a film that is easily forgotten. It is a timeless controversy, and it is a vision demanding attention if not praise.

Set in a small American town, Blue Velvet is a dark, sensuous mystery involving the intertwining lives of four very different individuals. The film's painful realism reminds us that we are not immune to the disturbing events which transpire in Blue Velvet's sleepy community. There is a darker side of life waiting for us all. And as a critic said 'you either think it's dementedly wild at heart or a lost highway to nowhere'. Even some eighteen years after the release of Blue Velvet its vision remains wildly adamant relative to the stride of other works of contemporary noir. There have been many films about suburban crime, but none as dangerously imposing as this. Why is that so?

If Blue Velvet might not be labeled as a masterpiece one has to acknowledge that there are in this movie a lot of so called 'masterpiece element' and if Blue Velvet will never be considered as Mr. Lynch best feature, I personally can see a lot of David Lynch's genius flowing in that movie.

First of all, the way David Lynch makes Blue Velvet increasingly disturbing is a perfect example of how pristine the dynamics of weirdness and tension are built (remember Eraserhead and Elephant Man). Through this process Mr. Lynch indeed deconstructs the audience expectations. The film setting and mood are introduced in an exposition lifted directly from older films (there are numerous references to It's A Wonderful Life). In result the film is initially expected to follow a particular path. The way Mr. Lynch associate elements of classic narrative methodology and 'his dynamics of noir' (previously explained) appears to be original at worst 'avant gardiste' at best.

Second of all, the opposition between the creepiness of the plot and the setting of it is definitely for me a masterpiece element. The film is set in Lumberton. This does not represent a quaint, small town by similarity; it is one. Lumberton is filled with characters that are completely typical. I can almost see the cops eating doughnuts in the coffee shop and the local football star dating the head cheerleader. This typicality is definitely not out of coincidence but of intention. In fact these characters function to punctuate the story, not to distinguish it. The 'infamous' individuality of Lynch's vision is established in the darker side of Lumberton. Our perspective throughout the film is fixed on Jeffery, and is deliberately biased by his good nature. Jeffery is portrayed with great subtlety by Kyle MacLachlan (FBI agent from "Twin Peaks"). He is paired with Sandy (Laura Dern), the daughter of a neighborhood investigator who epitomizes to perfection the 'girl-next-door'; in Blue Velvet it is her literal function. Completing this diverse list of roles is a haunting and brief performance by Dean Stockwell as well as Dennis Hopper who creates a flabbergasting portrait of unrepentant and irredeemable evil. The confrontation or those characters or the collision among themselves makes for a mesmerizing experience.

Once again Mr. Lynch succeeds in the masterful exercise of controlling the audience's attention. Most of us will not quite know what to make of it and we can disagree on the value of such a cinematic experience. However audacious, erotic, disturbing, haunting are adjectives that will always be linked with Blue Velvet. The 'Thriller' has just been re-invented by Mr. Lynch right in front of our eyes.

David Lynch is a very love-him-hate-him director, with people fascinated by his style and imagery and others who find his films not easy to follow and too weird for their tastes. As somebody who loves Lynch and a lot of his films(the only one I've disliked is Dune), Blue Velvet is up there at the top. The Elephant Man(never has there been a film that moved me more) may be my personal favourite but Blue Velvet is quite possibly Lynch's masterpiece. Loved Mulholland Drive as well, but it is not as accessible as Elephant Man or Blue Velvet- films that even those who aren't fans of Lynch are likely to love- and is his most polarising most likely.

Blue Velvet is an incredible-looking film. All of Lynch's films are beautifully shot and that is true of Blue Velvet as well, and the imagery is both hauntingly surreal and beautiful, all the different colours really popping out at you. The music is hypnotic with a very haunting undercurrent and really adds to the story's strangeness and mystery elements. The script is thoughtful and cohesive with a dose of weird but subtle humour as well as some deliberately not so subtle parts(especially with villain Frank Booth). The atmosphere created is the very meaning of scintillating and suspense levels are to the maximum. The story- one of the most coherent and accessible of any Lynch film- is always interesting and entertaining, the detective story elements are genuinely suspenseful and at times scary, Lynch has never directed a tenser scene than the climax here.

Lynch's direction is superb; along with Mulholland Drive it contains some of his best. The characters all serve a point to the story and they are very interestingly written, in the case of Frank Booth, one of the most evil and fascinating villains on films, iconic. The acting is superb as well, especially with Dennis Hopper who's terrifyingly sadistic and sometimes hilarious, he is very over the top but in a gleefully enjoyable way. Kyle MacLachlan has never been in a better film or given a better performance than here, he's certainly not had a character as interesting either, Laura Dern is great and sensual Isabella Rossellini has a challenging role that she plays to truly devastating effect. Look out for an oddball but memorable appearance from Dean Stockwell as well. Overall, a strange but utterly mesmerising masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox

One has to watch a David Lynch movie just to say you have seen one. This was actually nominated for an Academy Award and won many others, so it is probably as good as any to see. I tried Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, but couldn't get more than a couple of scenes before I gave up. I was able to hang in there for this.

There has to be something there, but I just don't get it. The man has four Academy Award nominations for his films. He must be doing something that I just don't see.

Closeups of bugs in the grass or the inside of an ear is not stirring cinematography to me.

An example of the dialog you have to endure in this film:

Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan): You're a neat girl. Sandy Williams (Laura Dern): So are you... I mean, you're a neat guy.

This wasn't random, but typical. And, what's with the "chicken walk"?

Maybe some think it is worth enduring to see Isabella Rossellini nude walking like a zombie.

I was worth enduring just to know what a David Lynch film is like, and to avoid them in the future.

Jeffrey Beaumont returns to his small town home when his father has an accident and ends up in hospital. A quiet walk home changes his perceptions forever when he discovers a human ear in the long grass. He reports it to the police but decides to make some enquires himself with the help of the officer's daughter Sandy. The trail begins with the mysterious Dorothy Vallens and drags Jeffrey into the unseen underworld of Frank Booth.

For the majority of people, you either like Lynch or you dislike him. Personally I like the majority of his work, I love the sense of normalcy that he can create and slowly change to reveal a darkness that is worryingly close to the surface. That is the case here, beginning with a blue sky, white picket fence vision of small town America the camera drops into the grass to see a torrent of bugs scrambling just under the surface. In the same way the film follows Jeffrey's journey into the underbelly of his home town.

In some ways this is one of the easiest Lynch films to get into – here the darkness is not a wide world of demons as in Fire Walk With Me, but is one man and his associates who can be overcome. The darkness is therefore accessible to all but is laced with just enough weirdness to disturb – my favourite scene is where Frank takes Jeffrey to see Ben, it is just a little unsettling. In hand with this is the fact that it is easily one of his most optimistic films, the good angel in Jeffrey's life is a strong character and the ending is one of certainty rather than open to interpretation – that robin has about a clear a meaning as it can.

MacLachlan is well used as Jeffrey. He is wide eyed and innocent even when being sucked into the underworld. Dern plays `all-American' well but doesn't have the complexity of MacLachlan in the script. Rossellini has a challenging role and carries it off quite well – I didn't fully understand her character but I don't know if that was my fault or hers. Of course the film belongs to Hopper who is terrifyingly unstable. Without a doubt he is a monster and you never are left in any doubt as to his state of mind. For an example of his work here watch the scene where Stockwell (in a wonderfully weird cameo) sings and Hopper clearly falls to pieces.

Although I prefer Fire Walk With Me, I do think that this is Lynch's best film. It is weird without going totally overboard and it allows us to sink into the underworld gradually without sudden falls. Hopper controls every scene he is in, but the meeting of wholesome and weird is perfectly delivered and is trademark Lynch.

Blue Velvet (1986), directed by David Lynch, is a haunting and provocative exploration of the dark underbelly of suburban America. The film opens with the discovery of a severed human ear in a quiet small town, which leads young Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) into an investigation that uncovers a world of violence, mystery, and psychological horror. As he delves deeper, he becomes entangled with Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), a nightclub singer held captive by a sadistic criminal named Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).

Lynch's direction is masterful, blending surrealism with gritty realism to create an atmosphere of suffocating tension. The juxtaposition of the idyllic, almost Norman Rockwell-esque suburban life with the brutal, violent underworld that Jeffrey uncovers is both jarring and deeply unsettling. Lynch uses visual cues, sound, and cinematography to highlight the darkness lurking beneath the surface of everyday life, making the film as much about atmosphere as it is about the plot.

Kyle MacLachlan's performance as Jeffrey is compelling, capturing the character's naïve curiosity and growing obsession with Dorothy and the violence surrounding her. MacLachlan's portrayal of Jeffrey is layered and complex, as his journey into the dark side of human nature is both thrilling and disturbing. Isabella Rossellini, as Dorothy, delivers a heartbreaking and vulnerable performance, perfectly capturing her character's trauma and fear. However, it is Dennis Hopper's portrayal of the villainous Frank Booth that truly steals the show. Hopper brings a manic energy to the role, making Frank both terrifying and strangely magnetic. His performance is one of the most memorable in cinema, cementing his place as one of the most iconic movie villains.

The film's cinematography is equally striking, with Lynch using color, framing, and lighting to create a world that is both surreal and unsettling. The iconic use of deep blues and reds, paired with Angelo Badalamenti's haunting score, heightens the emotional intensity of the film and underscores its themes of duality, corruption, and voyeurism. Lynch's eye for detail creates a visceral experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

Blue Velvet is a film that pushes the boundaries of mainstream cinema, delving into themes of voyeurism, obsession, and the darkness of the human psyche. It is a chilling exploration of the fragility of innocence and the corrupting influence of evil, all set against the backdrop of a seemingly perfect American town. The film is both captivating and disturbing, leaving the viewer with a sense of discomfort that echoes throughout the narrative.

Rating: 10/10. A chilling, haunting masterpiece that blends surrealism, mystery, and psychological horror to create a film that is both unsettling and unforgettable.

I just want to say that I fell in love with this film after seeing the 25th anniversary edition blu ray. It looks beautiful. Having only seen it in the early 90s on a run-of-the-mill videotape that was probably pan and scan and full of color and toning problems, it truly is a different experience on blu ray.

The brutally honest performances, visionary aesthetic and the beautiful style make Blue Velvet an absolutely unmissable film and a wonderful addition to Blu Ray. Despite the films fame and notoriety, all these years later, the film still seems completely original, invigorating and unsurpassed.

Everyone assumes that Blue Velvet opens with the infamous ear-in-the-grass scene, but the film's opening is even more disturbing than that. A suburban fantasia of white picket fences, blood-red roses, waving fireman, happy children and a man watering his lawn gives way to the disturbing moment when the watering man collapses and the camera pans down to dirt level where a number of horrific insects are scrabbling in the dirt at the base of the lawn. The soundtrack changes from Leave It to Beaver-style music to the loud, gnawing, electric saw-like noises emitted by the creatures. Only subsequent to this scene does Jeffrey Beaumont (a wide-eyed, snoopy Kyle MacLachlan) find the ear in a field of overgrown weeds.

The ear leads Jeffrey through a sordid underworld involving kidnapping, masochism, drug- dealing, and murder. But while there's a whole lot of plot in Blue Velvet, Lynch's more elemental concern is with unearthing the truth behind the facade (i.e. showing what lurks under the lawn). Even the blue velvet dress that chanteuse Dorothy Valens (Isabella Rossellini) wears hides a secret — namely, the bruises on her body which are delivered by the vile Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper, in the role that brought him back to the limelight).

When Jeffrey asks the naive Sandy (Laura Dern), the prim girl on whom he has a crush, why there is so much trouble in the world, the answer is clear — without it, our lives would be far duller. Jeffrey himself admits that he loves a mystery and the curiosity that his desire entails is the same one that fuels Lynch's own vision. When Frank says to Jeffrey, "You're like me," it could be Lynch speaking to the audience. We want to know more, even if what we find out hurts or is ugly. Like the scene of an accident, we cannot look away.

Fueled by a vibrant and always-surprising dream like surrealism, Blue Velvet reminds us that the dreams and fantasies of our subconscious are dangerous and thrilling; it's surface reality that is superficial and mundane.

This is definitely a film worth watching multiple times. It gets better and better on every viewing. There are so many questions, and at the same time, so many answers, which seem to bring up more questions. Blue Velvet is a timeless film and it looks absolutely superb on Blu Ray. I will happily get lost in this film from time and time again, it's absolutely remarkable. 10/10

Back in the days when David Lynch's movies used to be coherent, this film proves to be one of the most powerful in a long line of odd and strange films. I felt all of the actors were exceptional in this film, reflecting the power and evil in Dennis Hopper's character. I can't see anyone else in this role, and Hopper proved once again he is the go-to guy when it comes to portraying a lunatic. Lynch's cinematography and artistic endeavors fit in so perfectly with each other, the film reeks of noir and suspense. An excellent film to watch for any first time Lynch watchers.

My favorite David Lynch movie. Just an amazing noir movie as well. Sometimes Lynch is treated as his own category, his own genre, and for good reason. But this is a noir, a neo-noir, and a damn good one. This can stand confidently next to the likes of Fargo or Chinatown or other titans of neo-noir in my opinion. It is worthy.

The sense of unease and weirdness Lynch so easily is able to give the audience is juxtaposed perfectly with this idealized suburban life. Switching back and forth between the two provides a respite from the weird but that also makes even the most subtly weird thing amplified when it rears its head again, the head of Dennis Hopper in most instances.

The weird (yes, I'm saying that a lot) represents something. That's something a lot of Lynch imitators miss is that the weirdness is, ironically in some ways, grounded to a reality where the situation, unadorned by Lynch's flourishes, would be weird, but Lynch amplifies and emphasizes in creative ways. Other directors will zoom in on something they want you to notice but Lynch finds more creative ways to do that. That's why calling Lynch's stuff weird feels dismissive, because he's obviously doing so much more than that. It's accurate. It is weird. But where imitators are weird for the sake of weird, Lynch is clearly doing intentional things tied to the narrative and the story, just way more creatively than other directors might. Phoning in a Dutch angle won't due for David Lynch.

The weird in this case of course represents not just how we feel when Dennis Hopper shows up, but all the things lurking and crawling beneath the surface of suburban life. Lynch's noir takes place in a world where the suburban smiles are all a facade hiding psychopaths and tortured singers, where between the blades of manicured grass lay body parts hiding as if not to disturb the idyllic pretend peace above, as if it would be rude to show these people who they are, shocking to them to know.

But its a great movie with great performances. My favorite David Lynch film and a classic in the neo noir genre.

David Lynch's 'Blue Velvet' is an interesting take on what goes on behind the curtains.

Young and slightly geeky Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) discovers a human ear in a field, and his desire to solve the mystery draws him into a dangerous and seedy hidden world.

In that world is femme fatale and nightclub singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), and the unhinged Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper). Jeffrey's ally in the adventure is the apple pie sweet Sandy (Laura Dern).

The film serves up a bunch of weird and wonderful characters for us to enjoy, where even the 'normal' people are a little oddball. Chief among them has to be drug-snorting Frank, who's violent character is insanely well delivered by Dennis Hopper. Isabella Rossellini's performance is demanding and brave, if ultimately somewhat sacrificial.

Scenes play out in two very contrasting styles - either detached and 'other-worldly', or extremely intense and visceral. There is violence, sexual violence and plenty of enthusiastic swearing - most of it from Frank!

The film has plenty of very dark moments, especially concerning Dorothy's complicated sexual desires, but ultimately chooses not to explore them fully - preferring instead to follow the safer Jeffrey vs Frank narrative.

Is that a case of style over substance? Well, maybe, but aided by a good choice of music it remains a satisfyingly quirky and interesting experience with some very memorable moments.

Wow! David Lynch's Blue Velvet is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word. The colors, the characters, the story, the acting... Everything comes together in such a mind-blowing blast of style and wonder that can only be expected from the mind of a director like Lynch. He is a great director who never disappoints. Each of his works is unique in its own way, but to my mind this is his best work. Everything feels so perfectly dreamlike and original. It is as if he captured his dream on film. Cinema has the power to transport us to a place and time, and Lynch captured this somewhat imagined place and time with the perfect choice of cast and characters. It will never be there again, if it ever was, but it will continue to exist in this film, which he has shared with us all. What an imagination.

With Blue Velvet, David Lynch made a film that was so pure to his original vision that it would become the archetype of his work for the next fifteen years. Here, Lynch cast his ever probing, surrealist gaze upon small town middle America, and for the first time in a US film, showed the audience the darker side to what was often depicted as nothing more than the birth place of apple pie. We are drawn into the story almost immediately, with what would seem like a simple depiction of small town life, but the use of slow-motion hints that there is something not quite right with what we are looking at. So by the time Lynch has pushed his camera through the soft green grass of a regular front lawn, only to show us the slithering insects that hide in the darkness, we know that we are about to enter a very dark world.

Blue Velvet is a world filled with not only darkness, but also ambiguity. The characters of this world are constantly hiding behind some kind of façade, be it the wardrobe doors that practicing teenage voyeur Jeffrey peers from behind as he watches Dorothy and Frank interact, or something as simple as the make-up worn by Ben. Everything suggests to us that these characters inhabit a world at night, a world away from the life they live in the day. As the film moves closer and closer to the climax Jeffrey begins to feel more of a connection with Frank, having to go to some very dark places within his psyche. However Lynch's message, that underneath the normal persona of a regular human being is a repressed pervert laying in wait, or whatever point he is making doesn't really translate well. Not least to today's audience.

Blue Velvet is very much a film of its time, that time being the mid-eighties, with aids paranoia everywhere, it's easy to see this metaphor for the dangers of sex and love within the films turgid dreamscapes. But beneath this message hides a strong detective story, a modern day neo-noir that delivers interesting twists and a controversial pay-off with it's almost fairytale climax. This is the film David Lynch got right, proceeding to make great films that where all personal, but completely different in terms of style and substance from one another. Blue Velvet is a great film, with some fine (albeit bizarre) performances, still challenging to this day, If only Lynch hadn't gone on to spend the rest of his career re-making it.

It's personal all right, also solipsistic, intransigent, and occasionally ridiculous. David Lynch's 1986 fever-dream fantasy has become a wildey regarded classic of bizarre cinema. The film has somewhat of a Hitchocken-esquire plot, in which a young college student (Kyle MacLachlan) returned to his small-town roots and all manner of strangeness, is replete with sexual fear and loathing, parodistic inversions (of Capra, Lubitsch), and cannibalistic recyclings from Lynch's own Eraserhead and Dune.

The bizarrely evolving story--MacLachlan becomes involved with two women, one light and innocent (Laura Dern, vaguely lost), the other dark and sadomasochistic (Isabella Rossellini), as well as with a murderous psychopath (a brilliantly demented Dennis Hopper)--seems more obsessive than expressive at times, and the commingling of sex, violence and death. What I didn't enjoy was how it seems so shallow and dull in some moments. And all to pretentious. Still, the film casts its spell in countless odd ways, in the archetype-leaning imagery, eccentric tableau styling, and moth-in-candle-flame attraction to the subconscious twilight. A bit overrated.