Search - Blue Velvet on DVD

Things are not always what the seem.

Jenny J.J.I. | That Lives in Carolinas | 01/11/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" is a symbolically rich, masterfully crafted, icy and compelling. Beneath the normal, kin- and friendship-oriented world of small town America, Lynch delivers a haunting and terrible (but inexplicably fascinating) world of evil and corruption. The complex relationship between these two realms is unified by a rather simple mystery-detective plot, but, like the opening montage, this ultimately gives way to a premise of greater depth and complexity. Without summarizing plot, one could argue that the central characters in this tableau are representative of each world in some way: Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle Maclachlan), the college student and amateur detective whose seemingly innocent curiosities lead him into the complicated underworld where they evolve into voyeurism and compulsion; Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), the tormented lounge singer whose familial ties to illicit affairs have forced and trapped her in this underworld; Sandy Williams (played in an almost-painful-to-watch-at-times manner by Laura Dern), Beaumont's budding romantic interest who is willing to help her too-curious friend but remains morally and psychologically rooted in the positive "surface" world; Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper), Dorothy's tormentor and blackmailer, and the terrifying, twisted villain who exemplifies the negativity of the underworld. The relations between these characters serve as the foundation for juxtaposing the two worlds, a contrast which is strengthened by the frequent use of symbols and subtleties (e.g. color and lighting, sometimes surreal placement of characters on the screen, the heavy profanity of Frank).

The main underlying idea is certainly a haunting one: behind every facade and every seemingly normal appearance is an existence of a deviant nature. I do not believe that Blue Velvet is a perfect film, though: even though its story is complex and difficult to assemble it often progresses conspicuously slowly and unevenly. The film presents several jarring and somewhat confusing breaks of flow over its 124-minute duration. Several important scenes are depicted in brief shots and, in the spirit of the underworld that the film illustrates, low light. Similarly, many lines are whispered. While some of these effects are essential to the artistic aspirations of the film, it may be difficult for the viewer to perceive all of them. A second viewing is often necessary, but, unless a viewer cannot endure this film, a second viewing is probably inevitable. This is not a film for everyone. It is offbeat, like David Lynch always is. Harsh but wonderful.
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