On the advice of a friend, I watched this David Lynch movie last night on IFC. I enjoy dark and melancholy films, and my source spoke very highly of it. I was not overly impressed.
I had a fairly active day yesterday and a couple of drinks in me when I settled down to watch, so I was not overly observant.
Some questions:
What happened at the end when (I think the protagonist’s name is Gary or something) he
enters Isabella Rosellini’s apartment and finds the seemingly crooked police detective
shot & standing (if you don’t know what I mean, see the film-VERY fucked up & VERY cool) along with Is Ro’s husband (sans ear) with the blue velvet in his mouth?
Blue velvet in mouth - killed by Frank.
Was this scene meant to imply that Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper) flipped out and shot the crooked police detective crony also? If so, why?
What was the significance of Frank Booth’s disguise? The “well dressed man” was photographed paying off the corrupt detective, but the detective knew it was Frank Booth. (disguised to elude surviellance?)
Who was Dean Stockwell’s creepy character?
I understand the significance of his scene was to link the main character’s suspicion of a link between the crooked detective & a double homicide that occurred that day, but is there something else?
This movie had all the tasty trappings of a good fuck-with-me film, but it was a little too vague for me last night. Maybe I’m watching too much Sesame Street again.
Probably to cut the crooked cop out of the drug deal they were in on together so as to take the cop’s share of the loot.
I always imagined to elude surveillance.
I think Ben (Dean Stockwell) was Frank’s (Hopper) partner in crime…and judging from their odd little interaction perhaps a little more than that. They were obviously working together on the drug deal with the crooked cop; if you’ll recall, Frank takes Ben aside and relays to him the details of their recent drug deal (“Gordon (the cop) went right up to him in broad daylight…and he took those drugs away and it was fucking beautiful.”)
Some pointless trivia: Stockwell’s characterization of the weirdly effeminate Ben character was entirely his own creation. Lynch pretty much gave Stockwell free reign to define the character.
I’ve walked out of plenty of movies in my time, but Blue Velvet is the only movie I’ve walked out of twice.
I was a teenager working in a theatre when it played. I went to see and thought it was just awful, so I left after 20 minutes. Later, several friends told me, “You didn’t give it a chance; it’s a great movie!” So, I went to see it again. I made it through maybe a half hour before I left that time.
The thing I can’t figure is why Isabella Rossellini ended up living with David Lynch; I thought he treated her pretty rotten in the movie.
Okay, here’s the clearest explanation I got so far:
Frank Booth shot Gordon (aka ‘yellow man’ or ‘crooked cop’) because Gordon was primed by Detective Williams. Jeffrey (our hero) showed Detective Williams photos of Gordon with Booth at Booth’s place. Jeffrey played dumb when he showed these pictures- he knew Det. Williams would recognize the crooked cop. In the ‘Friday Night Date’ scene when Jeffrey picks up daughter Sandy for a date, Jeffrey sees Gordon at Det. Williams’ house. Williams tells Jeffrey to be cool, acknowledging that a suspected Booth accomplice was standing familiarly in his doorway. Jeffrey & Sandy leave.
What is left to be reckoned by the viewer is that Detective Williams told Gordan that he had information on Frank Booth. He would then
clandestinely tail Gordan and be led right to Frank. Gordan goes to the warehouse, tells Frank that the heat has been turned up, Frank and Gordan take the hostage(Dorothy Vallens’ husband, I think his name is Raymond) to Dorothy’s apartment, and Ray (who’s had time to think about his situation) realizes that Gordon can turn on him at any time and be a hero, so Frank whacks Gordon before it occurs to Gordon to whack Frank( Remember, Gordons .38-which is later taken by Jeffery-is in it’s holster). Gordon never knew what hit him when Frank whacked him.
Frank leaves to find Dorothy, who he was in the process of abusing when Gordon (and later the cops) arrive at the warehouse. She, however had already escaped to Jeffery’s house.
Torgo seems to tie up the rest of the loose ends above. I am very impressed by the fact that Dean Stockwell created his character “Ben”. I thought that the short scene that involved him gave an indelible dimension to the demented weirdness of the film. Very well done. Thanks, Torgo.
Anyway, thats the scoop I got over the phone from a friend of a friend wha I had mentioned the movie to over the telephone.