David Lynch
In Blue Velvet, David Lynch drops Jeffrey Beaumont into a whirlwind of fear, sexual violence and perversity, the moment his curious eye is caught by a cut-off ear in a field.
The ground-breaking masterpiece is one that Lynch is most recognised for, and is named after Bobby Vinton’s 1963 cover of Tony Bennetts 1951 hit, which is then tantalizingly performed by Isabella Rosselini, who plays Dorothy Vallens, in the film. The director also describes the idea for the film coming from a feeling and also the image of a severed ear, which opens a scene in the film. A combination of this sound, feeling and image created Blue Velvet in the mind of Lynch, a storyline which twists, turns and tangles but unravels in the end, to the viewers delight.
True to the director’s style; unusual nuances between actors, strange extras in the backgrounds, haunted soundtracks, and retro-kitsch set’s can all be expected. But don’t let them entirely distract you from the storyline, each second in Blue Velvet is vital to the plot, and you’ll miss it if you’re distracted by Isabella Rossellini’s sequinned strappy dress.
Blue Velvet
director DAVID LYNCH
year 1986
director of photography FREDERICK ELMES
cast ISABELLA ROSSELLINI, KYLE MACLACHLAN, DENNIS HOPPER, LAURA DERN and HOPE LANGE
words PRIYESH PATEL
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