Brutal masterpiece
Balancing plot and style isn't an easy thing, but David Lynch pushed the envelope on both with his innovative 1986 mystery noir Blue Velvet, which screens at the State Theater as part of midnight series on Saturday, January 12. Probably learning from his overloaded prior release, Dune — which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound, but smashed by critics for a loose, confusing plot — Lynch went for a more personal tale with Blue Velvet, following an eccentric college kid who returns to his hometown after his father suffers a stroke. He finds a severed ear in a field on the way home from the hospital, and his curiosity throws him into a brutal string of events as he runs afoul of a violent criminal (played by Dennis Hopper at his most unforgettable).
$7. 11:59pm. State Theater, 233 S. State St. 734-761-8667. www.michtheater.org/state —SR
