It all starts with a severed ear. After visiting his father in the hospital, Jeff Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) finds the detached body part in a field. He takes it to his dad's friend, Detective John Williams (George Dickerson), who immediately tells Jeff to let things be and leave things be. Despite William's explicit instructions to not ask questions, Jeff decides the mystery is too interesting to pass up. He finds an ally in William's daughter, Sandy (Laura Dern), who tells him about the ear's connection to a club singer named Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini).
After a botched break-in at Dorothy's apartment, Jeff and Dorothy enter a disturbing relationship. What starts as a strip down at knifepoint eventually spirals into an incredibly bizarre, sadomasochistic relationship once Jeff watches Dorothy's bedroom interactions with the sociopathic Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper).
That's all you really need to know. Again, it is really hard to actually get into any real detail about Lynch's film. This was the film that introduced the real David Lynch to the world (he'd just come off the disastrous Dune). Although the narrative is a straight-out noir crime thriller, it also presents Lynch's abnormal view of suburbia and life. It's the same sort of stuff seen in Twin Peaks; incredible visuals underscored by a well-written, fluid story that doesn't really hit you until the very end. All you really need to know happens in the first few minutes as an idealistic suburban setting is disrupted by a zoomed in shot of beetles under the green, perfectly landscaped lawns. It's the same sort of look at suburbia that would pop up in American Beauty years later - so expect similar.
Of course, the visuals and story would be nothing were it not for the cast. Dennis Hopper in particular is the pure embodiment of his character. He's completely irredeemable and the worst possible example of human behavior, yet there's something magnetic about him, or rather Hopper's performance. The same goes for all of the cast. Kyle MacLachlan is great as the "aw-shucks" good ole' boy, while Laura Dern manages to add a interesting bit of depth to the otherwise dully wholesome Sandy.
Blue Velvet is also host to arguably one of the most iconic music-to-film moments in film history. If you haven't seen Dean Stockwell's semi-cameo, you're in for a interesting interpretation of a Roy Orbison classic.
The Blu-ray transfer is the only way to watch any David Lynch film. The visuals are so important and staging so amazing, you'll want to see everything. Although the film is a bit too dark, the colors pop off the screen - especially primary colors, like Dorothy's blue robe or the roses at the start of the film. Lynch fans, however, will be more interested in the 50 additional minutes of "lost" footage featured on the Blu-ray release. Fans will enjoy seeing the additional footage, though they'll also understand why it was left "lost."
The Blu-ray release also ships with the documentary "Mysteries of Love," which follows the film's development from its early conceptual days to the final release. Running at little over an hour, the documentary is interesting for fans, or really anyone interested in the film business. Though it doesn't expose the inner-workings to any great extent, it's rare to see this much time dedicated to a "Making of..." feature.
A few scenes from "Mysteries of Love" pop up in the vignettes section, which is mostly a collection clips linked to interviews with cast and crew. There's also a series of outtakes, which isn't much.
One of the most nostalgic features - and one I wouldn't mind seeing on other discs - is the original Siskel & Ebert review of the film from 1986. As someone who grew up watching the movie-reviewing duo with near religious fervor (6:30 pm every Saturday, right after the news and right before Golden Girls), I liked watching the two talk about the movie, especially the reaction of one reviewer in particular.
Blue Velvet comes with high recommendations, though with the promise you may not like it as much as others. Similar to films like The Big Lebowski or the previously mentioned American Beauty, Blue Velvet is something you'll either love or immediately dislike. I'm clearly on the "love it" side of the fence, but wouldn't blame anyone if they didn't like it for the "shock value" moments. However, viewers willing to look under the surface at what's really going on will see there's actually a purpose to everything.
If you're on the fence, but liked American Beauty (or, really, any other David Lynch films), you'll enjoy Blue Velvet. If you're unsure, make it a rental, then decide for yourself.
