Monumental Movie Moments: Blue Velvet

'The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.'

I was still a kid when Blue Velvet was released, so I didn't see it in the theatres.  It was quite a few years after it's 1986 release, that I saw bits and pieces of the film when my older brother rented it on VHS.  The bits and pieces I remember most belonged to actor Kyle MacLachlan. Blue Velvet was my introduction to the up and coming actor.  It was also my introduction to Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper and director David Lynch.  The only actor in the film I was familiar with was Laura Dern.  I first saw Dern a few years earlier in Mask.

For Jeffrey, the road from overgrown Boy Scout to in-over-his-head amateur sleuth starts with the discovery of a severed ear in a vacant lot near his home. 

There was a pattern in my house when it came to my enjoying male nudity in the videos our family rented.  I'd watch and notice it in a first viewing with my family.  During these viewing, I worked hard during those viewing to pretend that I didn't notice or care. Then after, I'd find a quiet moment later that evening, or sometimes he next day, to watch again, this time alone. I don't how many movies I did this with, but do remember both the thrill I felt, and the constant fear of being caught. 

With Blue Velvet, I didn't really watch the film in it's entirety.   My brother was watching with a friend, and I remember coming in and out.  The movies 'creepy' factor scared me, and although I think I was drawn to the films mood, I was still young enough to worry about nightmares if I watched the whole thing...  Thankfully, I was in the room for part of the classic scene featuring MacLachlan and Rossellini. Check it out on the NEXT PAGE HERE:

Kyle and a few shots from the 'behind footage' from the Blu-ray 39th Anniversary release