DAVID LYNCH: ABSURD ENCOUNTERS, PART V

"I'm seeing something that was always hidden. I'm in the middle of a mystery and it's all secret."

After the spectacular failure of DUNE, David Lynch’s future in Hollywood was far from certain. But from the ashes of that bloated sci-fi implosion came something entirely different—something smaller, stranger, and infinitely more personal.

With the support of producer Dino De Laurentiis, Lynch returned to his roots with BLUE VELVET: a film that combined small-town Americana with sexual obsession, suburban rot, and surreal dread. It was the purest expression of Lynch’s vision since ERASERHEAD—a vision many found disturbing, some found obscene, but nearly everyone found impossible to ignore.

In this episode, we trace the long road that led to BLUE VELVET: from its origin as a fragment in Lynch’s mind to its production in Wilmington, North Carolina, where Lynch’s singular eye transformed the everyday into something uncanny. We’ll also explore how the film’s critical and cultural reception helped reestablish Lynch’s reputation and redefined what a David Lynch film could be.

🎧 Want even more?
CinemaShock+ subscribers get access to an extended version of this episode, featuring bonus discussion and exclusive segments. Learn more at cinemashock.net/plus.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS:

CAST & CREW

Directed by: David Lynch

Screenplay by: David Lynch

Produced by: Fred Caruso

Cinematography: Frederick Elmes

Edited by: Duwayne Dunham

Music by: Angelo Badalamenti

Release Date: September 19, 1986

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop & Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

Blue Velvet

DAVID LYNCH: ABSURD ENCOUNTERS, PART V

CAST & CREW

Twin Peaks

Dune (1984)