Blue Velvet Thriller Opening Analysis Sian White

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDIdonK4XDQ

Genre: What is the genre and subgenre of this film? How can you tell from the opening?
What can the audience expect?
The genre of Blue Velvet is clearly a Thriller, with the subgenre being Mystery. We can
identify this because of the sinister sounding music which is played alongside the
opening credits at the beginning of the film. Then, we recognise a man that suddenly
falls down to the floor whilst gardening. At this point we do not know who he is or what
has happened to him. Was he shot by somebody? Did he have a stroke? After that, we
are introduced to who is Jeffrey Beaumont who then discovers a severed human ear
lying on the ground in a field. The extreme close up of the ear makes the opening more
sinister for the audience, not knowing who the ear belongs to or how it had appeared
there; why this specific character in the film had discovered it. These occurrences
encourage the film to be a thriller/mystery. Now, the audience can expect a huge aspect
of mystery. It is widely portrayed that the character Jeffrey Beaumont initially will be the
detective figure within the story. The audience can also expect the following of this
character and the discovery of the situation behind the severed ear. The thriller aspect
comes behind the missing ear and whether there was a murder involved and who the
next victim is.
Main Character: Who is the protagonist in the opening to this film? What can we learn
about them from the action that takes place?
The protagonist is apparent in the opening of this film. It is the second character we see,
Jeffery Beaumont. From the opening we learn that he is a relative of the first character
we see, the man who falls down whilst gardening. Jeffrey is the mans son. We recognise
this from when Jeffrey visits the man in hospital and the nurse states, Mr Beaumont,
your son Jeffrey is here to see you. We also learn that Jeffrey is determined to know the
whereabouts and meaning behind the severed ear found in the field. We know this
because Jeffrey takes the ear to a local police detective.
Character Types: Are there other characters present in the opening? What can we
learn about them from the action that takes place? How are these characters related to
Propps character roles?
The other main characters that we can recognise within the opening of the film other
than Mr Beaumont and his son, Jeffrey Beaumont, are the Police Detective and the
Forensic examiner. We learn that the Police Detective knows of the Beaumont family
personally, maybe not closely but he does know them. We detect this from when he asks
how Jeffreys father is doing in hospital. I also recognised that when handed the ear in
the small paper bag, he does not seem so surprised which leaves the audience
questioning. However, he seems eager to get it to the Forensic Examiner as soon as
possible. It seems that there is not a lot to analyse about the Forensic Examiner; he
simply gives possible solutions to the ears whereabouts, no facts. In relation to Propps
character roles, from what we have seen in only the opening, it is apparent that Jeffrey
Beaumont is the Hero.

Facial expressions: How would you describe the facial expressions on the characters
faces? What feelings do you think the director was trying to elicit from the audience
through these facial expressions?
Jeffrey Beaumonts facial expressions when he first notices the severed ear on the
ground he looks disbelieving and looks twice to see if what he has seen is even real.
However, with the police detective he doesnt react in a surprised manner, as if he has
seen similar things before, which is expected. I think the director was trying to elicit the
same sort of reaction from the audience as he did with the actors and characters within
the film in the way they acted in certain situations.
Dialogue: How do the characters speak to each other? What does this tell us about the
characters, their roles and their relationships?
There is a clear contrast in the way that Jeffrey Beaumont speaks to the police detective
than he does to his father in hospital. When he speaks to the Police detective he is
formal but stern, as if he is very determined to get to the bottom of the crime behind the
severed ear. He also speaks in a fast pace which portrays his scared and worried state,
and again his determination. However, the way the detective speaks back to Beaumont
is with sympathy and as if he is of a higher status, which he is he speaks with
authority due to his job. Beaumont then speaks to his father is hospital with a quiet tone
and with a lot of sympathy and sadness towards his father. I feel that the relationship
between Jeffrey and his father maybe isnt close. The relationship between the
Beaumont family and the Police Detective is friendly, we recognise this from when the
Police Detective asks how Jeffreys father is doing in hospital.
Body Language: How would you describe the body language of the characters? What
feelings do you think the director was trying to elicit from the audience through these
facial expressions? What does this tell us about the characters, their roles and their
relationships?
I think Jeffrey Beaumont always looks intense, stern and somewhat worried. He could be
worried about the role he had set himself in discovering the whereabouts of the severed
ear. In contrast to the body language of the Police Detective, he seems much more
relaxed at all times but still doing his job professionally. The director was trying to elicit
the juxtaposition in personalities and approaches towards the situation. I think from this,
we can recognise the relationship between Jeffrey and the Police Detective to be friendly
but civil in the sense of that they are now colleagues and working together.
Clothing: Every article of clothing has been carefully chosen to represent the
characters. Why are the actors dressed in this way?
I think the clothing of the characters in the opening scene represent their status in
society. As for Jeffrey Beaumont, he is dressed quite averagely, like any usual person
you would see walking down the street. On the other hand, for the Police Detective he is
dressed professionally, in a shirt and formal trousers.
Props: Every prop in shot has been carefully chosen. What are the important props?
What connotations do you think each prop was intended to produce in the viewer?
The ear prop was used to present the McGuffin Theory and to make the viewer question
its appearance.

Setting: Whether the film was on a specially built set or at an outside location, the
setting will be used to add further to the overall effect/ message that the director hopes
to convey. What connotations does the setting in the film summon up in the viewer?
I think that the setting did not affect the overall effect and message that the director
hoped to convey within the film as with whatever scenery/setting the story could still be
carried on as usual. The connotations within the film will encourage the viewer to believe
that anything could happen in a normal context/setting/neighbourhood and making them
more aware of this.