David Lynch. This man is almost synonymous with the American nightmare. Twin Peaks almost made it on the list but whereas a couple of this list are TV films, a whole double series was pushing it too far. Blue Velvet, though, is like the dirtier, more explicit sibling of Twin Peaks though and, in Dennis Hopper's Frank Booth, a true monster was created. From the opening shots of white picket fences slowly lowering to reveal a severed ear, clearly, not all is well in Lumberton. Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) returns to his home town after his father suffers a stroke and soon discovers the severed ear. After teaming up with the police chief's daughter (Laura Dern) he is plunged into sadomasochistic underworld as he learns that Frank has kidnapped club-singer's, Dorothy, husband and will only return him if she agrees to his sexual demands. Jeffrey combs through the criminally infected underworld of his hometown until, eventually, Frank begins to become even more violent to both Dorothy and Jeffrey. It's hard to pick a favourite amongst Lynch's work but this is one of his best. The nightmarish atmosphere is felt throughout as the white picket WASP-ish world Jeffrey is used to, falls apart into beatings and shootings. It is this idea that 'things come out at night' that fuels the horror of the film. Is it a horror like Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning? Of course not. Is it more terrifying? Definitely, because it makes you think.
