1986

Director: David Lynch

Genre: Mystery thriller

With the recent conclusion of Twin Peaks: The Return, I thought it would be a good time to review a film from David Lynch.

Inland Empire is one of my favorite movies of all time. Eraserhead is also amazing. But I’ve always not been a huge fan of Blue Velvet.

Blue Velvet is absolutely worth watching for the sound design. That and the scene where Kyle MacLachlan is hiding in the closet. But the tonal inconsistencies here don’t work as well as they do in something like Twin Peaks.

People will flock to Lynch's defense at any criticism. Phrases like: "it's Lynch, what did you expect?" or "you just don't understand it." or "you have to pay attention to the symbolism!" will be thrown around. I find this interesting, because Inland Empire isn't shot like any of his other movies, I certainly don't understand it, I don't care about symbolism at all, and yet it's one of my favorite films. 

The aspect I adore most about Lynch's work is the nightmarish way his films operate. You feel as if there is some deep meaning hidden behind these images, but you are lost in a trance of hypnotic terror as you wander through this world. Also, I especially enjoy when these films end with some wonderful catharsis, such as the man in Eraserhead embracing the girl in the radiator. After so much insanity, this last moment relieves our pressure; much like waking from a dream. 

It's very hard to analyze why a film doesn't connect with someone, especially when it resonates with so many others. To me, Blue Velvet seems to be a film standing awkwardly in the center of a Seesaw. It never fully delves into the nightmare world, and it never grounds itself with a straightforward mystery tale. Instead, it keeps tilting between the two.

I've heard many interpretations of this film. People saw it's an elaborate fantasy. People say it's a representation of the id, ego, and superego. People say it's an Oedipal tale about a misguided son. I don't know which, if any, is true. But would any interpretation make me connect with the characters on an emotional level? We shouldn't watch a film to overthink and analyze its meaning. We should watch a film to feel something. 

Blue Velvet did not connect with me. Perhaps you will feel different. 

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