Blue Velvet (1986)
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- Themes
- Alternate Reality
- Under the falsely colored everyday world is a
different world. Although it is dangerous and "nasty,"
Jeffrey finds himself more alive in this world.
- Confrontation with Evil
- Through his confrontation with evil outside
himself, Jeffrey recognizes the evil within himself. He is
Frank in many ways.
- Hiding Evil/Sin
- Evil and sin is hidden in the "seen"
world while it is out in the open in the underworld. Both worlds
contain evil. Does Jeffrey make the right decision when he goes back
to live only in the world where evil is unseen?
- Journey
- Jeffrey's journey to another world parallels
Dorothy's journey in the Wizard of Oz.
- Saving/Saviors, Ubiquity of Evil
- Jeffrey is drawn simultaneously to save Dorothy and
to hurt her because of his own shame/guilt/pleasure.
- Seeing/Not Seeing/Seeing Anew
- Jeffrey: "I'm seeing something that was always
hidden. I'm involved in a mystery. I'm in the middle of a mystery
and it's all secret." Sandy: "You like mysteries that
much?" Jeffrey: You're a mystery and I like you very
much."
- Temptation
- Jeffrey's temptation to hit Dorothy Vallens.
(Dorothy as tempter.)
- Jeffrey's temptation to go back to the "normal
world" and pretend that the nastiness he's seen doesn't exist.
(Sandy as tempter - looking for a world of "love"
symbolized by robins. Scene takes place outside a church. Does the
church also tempt in this way?)
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