Rating of
2.5/4
Blue Velvet
Gabe - wrote on 08/11/14
According to in interview with director David Lynch, this was a love story. And the whole voyeurism aspect of it was part of a recurring dream that he had, about sneaking into someones room and just, watching them. I have to admit, I have mixed feelings about this film. On the one hand, I applaud the creative aspect of it. I think Lynch took a lot of chances with this. But, I think a lot of films need some sort of doorway, some character that the average film goer can relate to/with. Sometimes that's just someone in a costume, like Batman, he's the hero, he's the person that we are supposed to identify with. Something like Pulp Fiction, the characters were just so engrossing, and really everyone was "bad." No one was "good, you couldn't help but be entertained by the sheer genius of it all.
But, in Blue Velvet, Jeffrey (Kyle MacLachlan) is supposed to be that character. I mean, you can't root for Frank (Dennis Hopper) one of films truly great villains. But, seriously, what person is going to willfully get involved in the situation that he does? Unless, you've ever been a victim of domestic violence or kidnapping I highly doubt that Isabella Rossellini's character was your mirror into the film. And Laura Dern, well, I think she's part of the LeBron James all-stars, the people who look way older than they actually are. Dern plays a high schooler and she was only 18 or so when the movie was released, but she looks like she's 30. She just wasn't believable.
Anyway, as interesting as the story was, I just didn't feel that connection with the film.
But, to go back to that synopsis that Lynch synopsis above. I think there was probably part of that going on. But I also think that he was trying to show that in every town. Even the most idyllic of small towns that there's a seedy underside. And you don't really want to know what's going on in those places.
