Scene Analysis of David Lynch's Film, Blue Velvet

Blue Velvet: Scene Analysis

The opening scene in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet portrays the theme of the entire film. During this sequence he uses a pattern of showing the audience pleasant images, and then disturbing images to contrast the two.

The first shot of the roses over the picket fence and the title track “Blue Velvet” establishes the setting (Lumberton) as a typical suburban town. The camera starts on a bright blue sky with birds chirping and flying by and then tilts down to bright red roses over a bright white fence (red, white and blue symbolizes the American dream maybe?). Both the visual and audible aspects of this shot gives a pleasant feeling of safety and serenity.

The next shot is of a bright red fire truck slowly driving by in a neighborhood with a fireman smiling and waving with a Dalmatian by his side. This shot is sort of surrealistic and dreamlike. Lynch uses this shot to establish a sense of security. For a moment it appears that this shot is in slow motion, but only because the man is waving slowly, almost on beat with the music.

The previous shot dissolves to another shot of flowers in front of a fence; this time, yellow tulips. Once again the bright colors give the audience a sense of safety.

The next shot, of a guard waving a group of children across the street from school establishes the setting as a family town. Even the kids are well behaved, walking in a straight line carrying their bag lunches.

Each of the previous shots dissol...