Blue Velvet

Cast & Crew

Kyle MacLachlan

Jeffrey Beaumont

Isabella Rossellini

Dorothy Valens

Dennis Hopper

Frank Booth

Laura Dern

Sandy Williams

Hope Lange

Mrs. Williams

Dean Stockwell

Ben

Priscilla Pointer

Mrs. Beaumont

Frances Bay

Aunt Barbara

David Lynch

Director

David Lynch

Writer

Angelo Badalamenti

Original Music

Frederick Elmes

Cinematographer

Duwayne Dunham

Film Editing

Pat Golden

Casting

Johanna Ray

Casting

Patricia Norris

Production Design

Edward "Tantar" LeViseur

Set Decoration

Fred C. Caruso

Producer

Show all Cast & Crew

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Critic Reviews for Blue Velvet

Audience Reviews for Blue Velvet

• Dec 24, 2020

  Every 15 minutes, ‘Blue Velvet' transforms so deftly into a different film that I was too enthralled to discern. Lynch's film always shows, never derails to spell out, and it is exhilarating to absorb a tale like this primarily on nerve and instinct and actively draw your own conclusions. What a juicy storyteller. I've admired Laura Dern for years, yet she is so damn arresting here - particularly in a moment where she describes a dream about the blinding light of love - I felt wholly in that moment like I was experiencing a blazing new talent onscreen for the first time. 2 hours hasn't flown by this fast in a while. 'Velvet' is loaded with psychosexual symbolism and rewatch-ready.
  

  marisol m Super Reviewer
• Sep 29, 2016

  The debacle of adapting Frank Herbert's Dune in 1984, is now pretty much common knowledge among film enthusiasts. To put it plainly, it didn't do well at the box office and was even tagged with the moniker of being the Heaven's Gate of science fiction films. So upset was David Lynch with studio interference and losing final cut of the film that he vowed never to work with a big budget again. He regrouped, however, and two years later he delivered one of his own original scripts in the form of Blue Velvet. Not only did it put him back on the map but it's still widely regarded as one the best films from the 1980's. Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) is an impressionable young man who return's back to his home town to care for his ill father. After a visit at the hospital he takes a short cut through an abandoned field and finds a severed human ear. He takes it to the police before embarking on his own investigation. This leads him to nightclub singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) and a criminal underworld that he had no idea existed. The opening of the film has such a striking beauty to it with crisp and colourful cinematography by Frederick Elmes while Lynch doesn't mince his words on his message. White picket fences with vibrant red roses, a fire truck strolls by with a waving fireman while a man hoses down his manicured garden. It's quaint and calming imagery. Suddenly, the hose gets stuck on a branch, the water splutters and the infuriated gardener suffers a stroke. He falls to the ground while a toddler looks on and a dog's only interest is in catching the water from the hose which is still in the grasp of the fallen gardener. It's here that Lynch turns his camera to the grass and the dark underbelly of this picture-perfect, suburban lifestyle is exposed in a colony of insects. We then cut to a billboard saying "Welcome to Lumberton" - where it is later described as "a town where the people really know how much wood a woodchuck chucks". There's a playfulness on show and Lynch imbues the whole affair with satire and a deep cynicism. From here, Lynch takes his time with his narrative - which, when you look at it now, is deceptively simple. He uses a very linear approach throughout the beginning of the film. Lumberton is a middle class suburbia where seemingly everyone is pleasant and there's a feeling of safety. It has an air of mystery to it, though, after the discovery of the severed ear. It's from the investigations and uncovering the truth that the film gets more bizarre by the minute and the Lynchian weirdness begins to creep in. This is predominantly with the arrival of Dennis Hopper's Frank Booth. From the plethora of Lynch's obscure and unhinged characters, Frank is the one that seems to get the most attention. It's not hard to see why, though, as this deranged, amyl-nitrate huffing psychopath is a character that lingers long in the memory. It's an Oscar worthy performance from Hopper but, strangely, the academy choose to nominate him in the supporting category for Hoosiers. As good as he was in that film, Frank Booth has become one of, if not, the most iconic performance of his career. For all it's strangeness, though, effectively Blue Velvet is a film-noir. It has all the hallmarks of the sub-genre but, as is usually the case, Lynch puts his own spin on the proceedings. It's dark, gloomy and hugely atmospheric. It's also not without its disturbing elements as it delves into the darkest recesses of the psyche and explores the psychosexual motivations of its characters - which is hinted at with a quote from Laura Dern's angelic Sandy - "I can't figure out if you're a detective or a pervert". This line perfectly sums up the juxtaposition that courses throughout the film. Lynch is interested in capturing the different extremes; in society, human relationships and Freudian and Oedipal subconscious desires. All the while, he keeps us reminded that dreams can so easily lead to nightmares. If there's one moment that showcases Lynch's ability to project mood and capture the extremes it's with a cameo from Dean Stockwell as the suave, glad-handling dandy, Ben. His miming rendition of Roy Orbison's In Dreams using a worklight is simply one of the best scenes Lynch has ever put onscreen. It's at once hilariously comical yet also surreal and deeply fuckin' creepy. A startlingly beautiful yet genuinely horrific tale and proof that Lynch is probably the most subversive of filmmakers working today. This erotic and perversely self indulgent piece of work remains one his best films. To think that this came out in the mid 80's is proof of Lynch's untamed brilliance and majesty. Mark Walker
  

  Super Reviewer
• Jan 24, 2016

  This has been on my to watch list for quite some time and today just happened to be the day. Incredible Lynch film that is just bonkers from beginning to end, a surreal film that transcends the medium. Dennis Hopper steals the film with a character so crazy it makes any other character he has played look normal. The film is an amazing story with unpredictable plot points and that ending is right out there. I'm amazed I delayed watching this film for so long, not a bad thing as I have only discovered Twin Peaks as well. Lynch is a distinct artist and this film won't appeal to everyone but I think critical is correct and it is one of the best films of the 80s. 24-09-2017.
  

  brendan n Super Reviewer
• Oct 13, 2015

  Like the other David Lynch film I've seen, Lost Highway, Blue Velvet is dark, and very very creative. Unlike Lost Highway though Blue Velvet is more of a traditional Mystery-thriller. David Lynch has a vivid imagination and colorful directing style. The symbols and themes in this film are very intriguing. There are the robins, the ear, the insects and bugs, love over evil, and the dim and bright light. Keep all of those in mind if you watch this film for the first time because it helps you understand the plot but also the point and style Lynch is trying to convey. He borrows neo-noir style and classic mystery ideas to make this great. There is also great performances by Kyle McLachlan, a young Laura Dern, and the always villainous Dennis Hopper. (RIP) Consider me a fan of David Lynch. Also present in this film is a great soundtrack that goes with its darker tones and ideas.
  

  Super Reviewer