Blue Velvet

I have to say that Blue Velvet was a great way to end the semester and the final stop of the time line of the Cold War Era. I found the filming technique of David Lynch very interesting and refreshing. I loved how he mixed this sense of darkness and mystery with hyper saturation and obnoxiously bright colors. The film noir style of the film added to the overall sense of darkness present throughout the piece. The acting styles of the characters were so outrageous and over the top that it contributed to both the mystery and intensity of the film.

As we talked about in class, the 80’s, especially during the Reagan Administration, were a time where people wanted a return to the 50’s ideals that had once been prevalent during American culture. I disagree with the reading, and I believe that Lynch very purposely over exaggerates the 50’s ideals particularly at the beginning and end of the film. In the beginning of the film we see images of these happy suburban people, a man on a fire truck smiling and waving, yellow tulips blossoming along the white picket fence. From that point the films seems to take a dramatic shift into the film noir style almost intentionally dramatic. I interpreted this shift to be almost a symbol for the underlying darkness of the Regan administration and the 80’s as a whole. While Reagan focused on a return to 50’s ideals and nostalgia, he was also at the forefront of the nuclear arms race with Russia during the peak of the Cold War. I believe that the dark film noir style Lynch uses emphasizes the underlying darkness of both the country and people in general.

I found the characters to be fascinating, especially when we examine them in terms of what the article named “the others”. Jeffery represented the normal all American suburban young man, home from college, exemplifying all the manners of a well brought up young man. However, as the film progresses, he loses his sense of innocence and seems to transform into the “other” he was trying to stop. Jeffery gives into temptation, going into Dorothy’s apartment and watching her be raped. Not only does he watch, he gives into the temptation of her and the sexuality of physical violence. Jeffery is constantly sitting on the line of good/ bad. Jeffery’s character is not really sure what is normal by the end of the film. While he works to bring down the “other” known as Frank, he slips more and more into Frank and Dorothy’s world. I believe that this character representation is a great example of the uncertainty of youth rebellion during this time period and the idea of there not really being anything to rebel against but the unknown, those who were unlike the mold of everyone else.

Additionally, the characters of Sandy and Dorothy play both parts of the victim and of the temptress. Dorothy, while a victim of crime, takes enjoyment in the violence, asking for it on an occasion with Jeffery. Dorothy doesn’t want to get Jeffery involved, yet clings to him and needs to be with him. The character of Sandy plays a similar role. While appearing to be just an innocent suburban blonde, she is the one who introduces Jeffery to the mystery, tempting him while at the same time keeping her distance. Jeffery holds power on each woman, relating the 50’s ideal of men having power over the weaker woman. Through these character evaluations we can see how blurred the lines of good and bad have become.

Blue Velvet used the film noir style as well as great contrast in color and lighting to portray the 80’s during the end of the Cold War era. Lynch’s use of high intensity acting and characterization to present his viewers with the complexity of the human character and the idea of the “other” taking root in ourselves.