Blue Velvet

When Jeffrey Lumberton returns to his picturesque small town home of Lumberton, his world is turned upside down when he discovers a severed human ear in a field near his family home. Innocence lost, he's cast into a dark underworld involving lounge singer Dorothy Valens and mysterious drug dealer Frank Booth. Filled with dreamy Norman Rockwell esque daytime visions contrasted with the evil and menacing dark, this early David Lynch work packs an incredible wallop, but fails to deliver the masterful story arc and sense of wonder of his later work. The set up is great, but we aren't left with any great satisfaction when the credits roll. It's a fascinating project, and one sure to intrigue upon repeat views - hence it's cult like status - but what are we really left with but questions. Maybe that's the intent. This movie revived the careers of Isabella Rossellini and Dennis Hopper, and they leave everything on the floor, in truly memorable performances. Absolutely worth seeing, but keep expectations in check.