Blue Velvet - Church Scene

Blue Velvet - Directed by David Lynch - 1986. * Dialogue in front of a church.
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And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good... - Genesis 1,31

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It's intersting that I have not read any analysis of this movie in wich this important scene is mentioned, and I think here is the key to the understanding of the story. Some contextual things worth of note: 1) the dialogue happens in front of a church; 2) the music changes to a sacred, christian music.

In this scene, Jefrrey, the protagonist, overcomes and transcends the gnostic experience, i.e., the experience in which the world is seen as mean, malicious, cruel and ugly place to be. He begins by declaring that we live in a "strange world", full of bad people like frank and others; he starts to become revolted against the world and the human society. At this point, Sandy tells him of a dream she had. In this dream, the world seemed a dark place only because there were not love in it. But when love(symbolised in the dream and in the movie by birds) spreaded out - the darkness was overcomed and all was light.
Also is important to understand that the bugs in the movie represent the underworld, the bad part of the world and the birds represent the christian love that transcends the world itself - see the final scene where a bird takes a bug for prey.

With this brief explanation - i cannot express myself completely as I wish in a foreign language - it becomes clear that the tematic and "message" of this film is CHRISTIAN in all its aspects. It's not a "moralistic" movie, the protagonist is a REAL human being - not an idea -, with complexities, contradictions, both bad and good inclinations. But the important fact is that the good inclinations are more decisives, consistent and triumph in the end.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• gnosticism
• gnostic
• christian
• christianism
• david Lynch

[askjiir]

That church music in the background is just so... so.. magical.

[TheFollower232]

he knows that love and the light side of our souls are at constant war with the darkness that is prevalent within us all.

To say that Blue Velvet's ending, then, is an indication that Lynch does not believe in the power of love (Due to its ironic nature) is pushing it too far. But it also also shouldn't be viewed as a total disregard of the darkness. Lynch urges us to recognize both the light and the dark. He just bathes us in darkness so the light is that much apparent.

[askjiir]

@roachy333

Yes. I really wish I could find this song seperately.

[roachy333]

@askjiir

I wish this was available as a track...I think it's Mysteries of Love played on what sounds like a church organ...please someone release this, it's to die for!

[roachy333]

@deglazenstatter

Indeed...

The ending is a phony as the image at start....that's what i took out of it...hence the 'robin' looking so incredibly fake...surely that was the point being made, at least imho.

[ryanmshepard92]

One of the reasons I love this movie is because I can relate to the main character so well. Almost every action he takes, I can completely sympathize with. And I ask myself nearly every day, "Why is there so much trouble in this world?"

[fez287]

@TheFollower232 I agree.. I think it's pushing it too far to find these scenes so ironic. He does want to show us the reality of the darkness in the world that is deeply troubling and expose the hypocrisy of small town respectability, but I think he wants to show that love can prevail as a force, at least for some. It seems like whilst many people are trapped in this hellish world, characters like Jeffrey and Sandy who have been exposed to it can also find their own peace in the end.

[TheFollower232]

@deglazenstatter

Lynch's films aren't easy to dissect, but if you pay attention to his work, you'll notice that an overriding theme within them is that love conquers all. In Inland Empire, Nikki/Sue finds redemption, in Wild at Heart, two lovers find love in Hell (Lynch was quoted for saying this was the specific theme of the film), and in TP: FWWM Laura Palmer is given redemption.

But you're right in the fact that Lynch knows the darkness of the human heart. And

[iluvtheighties]

i luv this movie and i love the chemistry between laura dern and kyle, this scene is one of my favorites besides the scene wen they dance and the ending!

[whk1067]

i think all of lynch's films are about a loss of innocence one way or another, and he usually uses our image of the 'leave it to beaver' 50's as a representation of innocence. in mulholland drive, betty got to hollywood by winning some sort of sock-hop competition.

he captures dreamscapes - sound and vision - like no other filmmaker.