We all have films we really, really want to see, but many of them never make it from our Blu-ray shelves to the television, and simply remain on a list for years. As an aspiring film historian, I have read so much about, and seen so many signature scenes from, several important films that, honestly, I sometimes forget to actually watch them from beginning to end. And in other cases, there are pop-culture hits that I have yet to make a priority. So I have decided to use this column as motivation to check off many of the titles I’ve wanted to see for so long. These are my Cinema Blind Spots.
When I did my blind spot article for Guy Maddin’s “My Winnipeg,” I brought up truly unique filmmakers, a category in which I’m very hesitant to place just any auteur. This thought of “truly unique” filmmaking has led me to this week’s writer’s choice, David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” (1986). While discussing “My Winnipeg,” I named Lynch as one of the few names I’d place in such a category, and “Blue Velvet” was the most notable must-see feature of his filmography that I had not yet experienced. So, that said, what makes “Blue Velvet” so special?
“Blue Velvet” has become such a cult classic that for any critic to have not seen it is a seemingly unforgivable oversight. Beyond its cult status, it seems that more and more cinephiles and critics alike have jumped on the Lynch bandwagon, hailing “Blue Velvet” as one of the best films of the 1980s despite its initial controversy. Whereas Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers named it #1 on his Best Films of the 1980s, other critics, like Roger Ebert, said the scenes of “stark sexual despair” are “so strong that they deserve to be in a movie that is sincere, honest and true. But ‘Blue Velvet’ surrounds them with a story that’s marred by sophomoric satire and cheap shots…the movie is pulled so violently in opposite directions that it pulls itself apart.” According to the 56 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, Ebert is in the minority, which is how it has held a strong 93% on the Tomatometer. Critic James Berardinelli gave it a 4-star review, saying “It is a work of fascinating scope and power that rivals any of the most subversive films to reach the screens during the ’80s.”
IMDb provides a great synopsis: “The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.” But, of course, Lynch’s films are never quite so simple, and to sum it up in a single sentence is doing any of his films a disservice.
In many ways, “Blue Velvet” is a film noir: It provides a compelling mystery (the ear and the series of events that follow); a femme fatale, Dorothy (Isabella Rossellini); a prominent, powerful and, in this case psychotic, villain in Frank Booth (played brilliantly by Dennis Hopper); a neutral, nosy protagonist named Jeffery (Kyle MacLachlan); and an innocent, anchoring female love interest that gets caught up in the chaos in Sandy (Laura Dern).
When discussing the cast, it is difficult to evaluate them when Lynch so intentionally directs them in unusual ways. His soap opera-influenced, semi-amateurish vision for his actors adds to the overall atmosphere of the film, and there is certainly a well-executed, palpable atmosphere here. Everyone does very well within the film’s context, but one actor that must be named is Hopper, a master at deranged characters. His performance as the nitrous oxide-sniffing, dry-humping sadomasochist is one of the most memorable characters of the 1980s for me personally. His performance is the perfect example of an actor throwing caution to the wind, and in the midst of his madness he is entertaining, funny, and relentless in the most painfully awkward and disturbing ways. If I made a list of Top 5 Most Insane Characters, he would likely be in the top three.
Lynch also pulls off his vision seemingly without a hitch. Knowing enough of his work, I have a feel for the Lynch style, and “Blue Velvet” was the film that truly kick started his trademark modus operandi. His use of lighting, set decoration and music all hit their respective points effectively, particularly the sound design. Lynch’s use of sound has always been a point of interest for me. Not just the music, but the use of sound effects so greatly enhances the atmosphere and provides an eerie, uneasy component to all that transpires.
Instead of discussing how well it holds up — because in the world of Lynch, it absolutely does — I’d like to look at Lynch as a filmmaker, and provide a more subjective evaluation of the movie. I get excited when I have the opportunity to see something I predict will be unique, and when you have a director like Lynch, that title shoots up to the top of my list. However, not unlike Maddin and “My Winnipeg,” Lynch’s films rarely ever connect with me. I rarely have a desire to rewatch them, even though I believe in order to get the full experience, his films warrant a second viewing — like ”Mulholland Dr.” (2001), for example. So seeing “Blue Velvet” left me in that mental place with which I am far too familiar: I appreciate it more than I enjoy it. I can’t pinpoint any one thing that stands out as “bad” per se, but his MO doesn’t fulfill what I tend to generally value in cinema. His themes and uncommon narrative structures always impress me, but as a whole I find myself wanting more.
“Blue Velvet” is probably Lynch’s most coherent film, maybe below “The Straight Story” (1999) and “The Elephant Man” (1980) — his more accessible work. If you’re looking for a starting point in which to explore Lynch’s filmography, I’d say “Blue Velvet” is a wonderful film to start with if you’re not concerned with chronology. It perfectly exhibits what he’s best known for, and on that level, I recommend it. But if you’re looking for a film with more of an emotional punch, I’d take “The Elephant Man” any day.
Next week, in preparation for the new “Poltergeist” film, I will talk about Jack Clayton’s “The Innocents” (1961). Feel free to get caught up and let us know your thoughts on “Blue Velvet,” “The Innocents” or movies you would like to see me check off the list in the comments below.
Past Blind Spots:
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Out of Sight (1998)
