Blue Velvet (1986)

New episode out now! We delve into the strange dreamscape of David Lynch’s 1986 film Blue Velvet. We discuss how the movie was conceived mostly through thoughts and feelings, and while it feels like a somewhat creepy nostalgia-tinted stream of consciousness, it has a fairly straightforward mystery plot after it all plays out. We reaffirm that Lynch is “still weird” and has his subversive way of examining the world, wonder which drugs were involved in making the movie, enjoy the nebulous pocket universe of a 1950s/1980s time period, and really understand how it received a polarized reception from critics and movie fans alike. We were emotionally unprepared for the film but had a good discussion debating the themes of “traumatized innocence”, misogyny, perversion, generational trauma, and men being creeps. Katy tells a story about the first time she saw Top Gun, Carrie shares a fact about a pickled ear in a jar, Maddy is a connoisseur of cute butts, and Mack gives some important tips to keep in mind when visiting Bunker Hill. We also talk about weird de-aging CGI, speculate on a Lynchian Return of the Jedi, try impressions of a famous bird, and share our favorite cheap beers. We would like to give a special thank you to Jason Henson, a friend of Carrie’s, for his dossier of great information on the movie! Thank you Jason! Enjoy the episode listeners!

TW: Sexual assault, domestic abuse, rape, drug use, voyeurism, coerced sex work, trafficking, misogyny, stalking, body mutilation, bullying, police corruption

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