"Blue Velvet" blares through the speakers as the landscapes of suburbia are shown off to us. It’s oddly serene but feels like a dream world that is too good to be true. "Blue Velvet" takes the cake as one of the best opening sequences in cinema to me. It leads us on, only to veer us off into an abyss of dark comedy and noir.
"Blue Velvet" was directed by David Lynch and released in 1986. The film is about a college student Jeffrey Beaumont, played by Kyle MacLachlan, who tries to solve the mystery behind a severed ear. His search for the truth takes a turn when he falls into a dark fascination with the main suspect and danger follows once he encounters the twisted people in her life.
The film explores a variety of themes through motifs such as sex and violence. It explores the implicit nature of human beings to crave maternal attention, to be guttural and grotesque, and to be true to the desires within themselves that are not socially acceptable to society. It implores the viewer to drop their façade and admit to their true instinct, regardless of society’s consequence.
The film uses many noir conventions but juxtaposes them with scenes that are bright and positive. This creates a double meaning and contrast, saying that everything is not what it seems and has an underlying nature.
The acting even becomes a medium to shift attention in the story. The acting is cringe-worthy and superficial, sometimes badly-timed for effect. Yet somehow, the viewer enjoys the characters more through that, because we get to explore their true emotions and intentions ourselves, as opposed to having them fed to us from tear-jerking and forcibly meaningful roles.
The film was a pleasant watch despite its grotesque nature. It knocked away any pretense that I could have felt when confronted with vulgar scenes and forced me to focus on the narrative, regardless. It is definitely being added to my list of favorite films.
What did you think of this film classic? Let me know in the comments!
