blue velvet

(stills from I love hotdogs)

While watching the episode of Friends where Ross hits on Isabella Rossellini for the umpteenth time, I realized that I had never actually seen Blue Velvet (am I the only one late to the party with this?). Wanting to know what the fuss was about, I finally watched it last night and quite liked it (minus the gross bits with Dennis Hopper acting insane). I really like how David Lynch shot the film, especially how he cuts from scene to scene. And that pink apartment. And Trey MacDougal. The review over at I Love Hotdogs (best movie blog!) sums up the film perfectly and in a much funnier way than I can:

"Hey David Lynch, I like your movies! And Blue Velvet is one of my favorites. Lynch is so good at showcasing an American Gothic: turning seemingly simple small towns into places that brim with secrets, bizarre characters, and strange occurrences. I love the use of music and score to set the mood; The title itself is a reference to Bobby Vinton’s 1963 song “Blue Velvet”: a song that I personally find unsettling and kinda creepy in the best way. In one of my favorite music related scenes, Dean Stockwell lip synches “In Dreams” by Roy Orbison like some sort of maudlin clown. The room and time almost stand still, it’s pretty mesmerizing.

Each Character is so fascinating. Dennis Hopper plays Frank, a nitrous huffing masochist that gets emo rage when listening to Roy Orbison. The beautiful Isabella Rossellini is a lounge singer and mother who has grown to enjoy a taste for pain. Trey “Schooner” MacDougal Kyle McLaughlin is Jeffrey, an in over his head guy in trying to juggle two woman all while attempting to solve a mystery. Laura “Sad Clown” Dern is the most innocent character of all, she wins me over until she cries the ugly cry YET again. Throw in shady detectives, a missing ear, and people that look like Farside cartoon characters and it’s quintessential Lynch. Guess What? That creep from Eyes of Laura Mars is in it too! Perfect."