[Severian]

Originally Posted by demonrail666

I get the absurdity but not the hilarity. I mean there's the whole hokey Lumbertown stuff which is kind of funny but not enough to get me 'breaking out into full LOLZ'. Although admittedly there's only a handful of films that've had me doing that, period.

Ok, well maybe absurdity is a better word. And I realize now tht I shouldn't have said the humor in the movie was "black." That term — "black humor/comedy" — is about the irreverent, counterintuitive glossing over of seriousness, violence, horror, etc., or a making light of something that we "should" think is appalling. This is not what "Blue Velvet" does... at all.

(A great example that always pops into my head when I think about the phrase "black humor" or "black comedy" is that scene in "Pulp Fiction" where the shock of Marvin's exploding head is immediately turned from an act of horror to pure slapstick thanks to the reactions of Vince and Jules. Y'know... "Oh shit I just shot Marvin in the face!" It's awful for all of a split second, then it becomes hilarious, not because Marvin's death is funny, or because the violence isn't horrific, but because of the tonal bait and switch.)

Instead, the humor in "Blue Velvet" comes from its innocent moments. Jeffery kind of humble-bragging and piling on the big-man-on-campus "flexing" when Sandy's around — shamelessly feeding the high school girl's picture of him as a cool, mysterious, grown-up college guy, despite the fact that he is very clearly a giant dingle; inexperienced, childlike, a little desperate and utterly unfamiliar and with what it means to be a sexual creature.

 

There's also plenty of humor in the overtly melodramatic performances of these characters when they're sleuthing around and, y'know, falling in love. Consider Sandy's explanation of her dream about darkness and sadness being beaten back by light exuded by "robins of love." The accompanying music and bizarre manic joy that overtakes her at that moment is delivered with a deft irreverence.

 

"There is trouble... until the robins come!"

 

[Severian]

Now, that said... Blue Velvet is like two movies in one. Like Lumberton itself, the movie pans back and forth between the relative innocence of the mundane, and the twisted, vile, hollow, senselessness of pure fucking evil.

I would never argue that the movie is "a comedy." Half the scenes are almost too upsetting to bear, whether it's rape and murder, torture, troubling Oedipal displays or the suggestion of a complete loss of self and the frailty and superficiality of morality.

Make no mistake, it gets bleak and serious as a heart attack, and turns into more of a horror film (in the true, human sense of the word) than even Mullholand Drive in its second half. BUT... that doesn't mean there isn't some nice weirdo deadpan humor in the movie.

[demonrail666]

I suppose the fact the humour is confined to innocence and that innocence is so totally destroyed in that film, it's ultimately always ironic. An exception to that is Sandy's dad. Not in terms of humour but that, while he's aware of the evil around him, he isn't corrupted by it (or presented as naive the way Sandy's 'goodness' is), or the scene where Dorothy is reunited with her son in which Lynch delivers her joy entirely straight. I love that he has the strength of conviction to do that, even though I'm not completely sure what he's trying to say with it, or even if I'd agree with it if I did.

[LifeDistortion]

 

Such a good movie.

[PLips]

This is a filme my cousin created 12 years ago that I finally put together for winter solstice. It's the solution to trolling and we had no idea about that when we made it. Let me know what you think. I play the Diabolical Dr. Lettich
https://youtu.be/uc6_eX422CU

[Severian]

Originally Posted by LifeDistortion

 

Such a good movie.

I've never even heard of this, but I just read a synopsis and it sounds really interesting.

[Severian]

Just for kicks, here's IndieWire's Best Picture predictions for this year's Academy Awards.

Originally Posted by IndieWire

Frontrunners:
“Arrival” (Paramount)
“Fences” (Paramount)
“Hell or High Water” (CBS Films)
“La La Land” (Lionsgate)
“Loving” (Focus Features)
“Manchester by the Sea” (Amazon, Roadside Attractions)
“Moonlight” (A24)

Contenders:
“20th Century Women” (A24)
“Hacksaw Ridge” (Lionsgate)
“Hidden Figures” (Fox)
“Jackie” (Fox Searchlight)
“The Jungle Book” (Disney)
“Lion” (Weinstein Co.)

Long Shots:
“A Monster Calls” (Focus Features)
“Silence” (Paramount)
“Sully” (Warner Bros.)

[noisereductions]

Originally Posted by Severian

I've never even heard of this, but I just read a synopsis and it sounds really interesting.

wow yeah - sounds fascinating.

[Severian]

^^
I wouldn't discount "The Witch" for a Best Picture nomination though. It is actually eligible, despite being released in 2015. I looked at the eligible films and damned if it isn't listed. Not sure exactly how that works, but I think it more than deserves a nomination if that's possible. Of "horror" films that have been nominated in the past (Silence of the Lambs, The Sixth Sense) The Witch should have no problem meeting the quality criteria. Not that it's as good as SOTL, but it makes Sixth Sense look like half assed shit.

[noisereductions]

I've never watched an Oscars show. I have no idea who has won what ever. So I don't care.

I heard Amy Adams has buzz for Arrival and that one w/ Jake Jillenhal (sp?) so good for her. She's a great actress and deserves it.

But seriously - I have no interest in these kinds of awards.

[demonrail666]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

wow yeah - sounds fascinating.

I heard about this in an end of year list and I totally can't wait to see it.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

I've never watched an Oscars show. I have no idea who has won what ever. So I don't care.

I heard Amy Adams has buzz for Arrival and that one w/ Jake Jillenhal (sp?) so good for her. She's a great actress and deserves it.

But seriously - I have no interest in these kinds of awards.

Whoah! Well, excuse me sir.

I have a longstanding interest in all this pop culture shit. Oscars more than Grammys. No. 1 records. Etc. It's just something I've always paid attention to. But I haven't actually WATCHED more than a 3 minute YouTubr clip from any Oscar show since '09, when I tuned in for the announcement of the Best Actor in a Supporting Role award, and immediately tuned out after Heath Ledger posthumously won. Damn right he won.

Anyway, I'm permanently pissed at the Academy Awards for not nominated Dark Knight for Best Pic. Can't take that shit back.

[noisereductions]

oh I wasn't being judgmental or anything. Just saying it's something that I've never even payed attention to. Not that I made a decision - it just doesn't interest me. See, I would have assumed Dark Knight DID win awards or whatever. I genuinely have no idea.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

oh I wasn't being judgmental or anything. Just saying it's something that I've never even payed attention to. Not that I made a decision - it just doesn't interest me. See, I would have assumed Dark Knight DID win awards or whatever. I genuinely have no idea.

Dark Knight did win a couple of Oscars. Best Supportinf Actor for Ledger, and then I think a couple of tech awards (sound editing, I think.)

It SHOULD have been nominated for best picture though. In fact, the reason they've upped the maximum Best picture nominations from 6 or whatever to 10 is because of the blowback from not nominating Dark Knight. It was 7th or 8th in line that year. I'm not saying it should have won necessarily, but not nominating it was fucking STUPID.

You're welcome Mad Max: Fury Road. You're welcome Avatar. You're fucking welcome, dipshits.

[noisereductions]

Dark Knight does fucking rule.

[tw2113]

The Crow. Always awesome.

[!@#$%!]

man the
oscars are
the
most
blring show
on th e planet

or to paraphrase robigator: i hate the oscars! (drink a shot)

theyre
somewhat meaningful awards-- particularly in the technical fields i think

otherwise look to the ny critics circle for better appraisals

[tw2113]

So the Oscars are just a mutual wank session for the hollywood elite to congratulate each other?

[tw2113]

Muppet Christmas Carol.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by tw2113

Muppet Christmas Carol.

Love that one. Good memories.