World of Blue - Archived Forum 2007-2022

I screened Blue Velvet for my college students last night. I think their reactions were interesting. There was more laughter than I expected. The first time I watched it I think my jaw was on the floor all the time, and if I laughed at all, it was kind of a nervous giggle.

Their reactions may have had some effect on mine, not having seen the film for several years; I was awake a bit more to the corny aspects of the movie rather than tense with awe.

But one thing hasn't changed since my first viewing, this little bit that has always stuck in my craw: the Australian accent.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Det. Williams' partner, the "Yellow Man", comes to the Williams house, late in the movie. Jeffrey has already shown the photo proving the Yellow Man's betrayal to Det. Williams. Det. Williams gives Jeffrey the "fatherly advice" to stay quiet when the Yellow Man pokes his head in the door and tells Det. Williams to "get a move on."

And for some reason, there's a strong Australian accent on this line. Next the Yellow Man says something similar, but in the typical Lumberton middle-America drawl.

Has anyone ever noticed this or heard anything about why it might have been included?

Wow, that's really strange. I'll have to watch it again and pay close attention, since I think I would notice, having friends in Australia. I can't think of any reason Lynch would have him change accents.

By the way, welcome to the board!

Yeah never noticed that either...having been to Australia several times and having a bunch of friends from there I thought I would have picked up on that.

I have to watch it again...not difficult as this is my personal favorite Lynch film. I just love the atmosphere he creates. Especially that scene where Sandy first appears out of the dark on the sidewalk. Many others as well. I think it's a film you either go with or you don't.

I'm Aussie, there is definitely no Australian accent in Blue Velvet.

The best Aussie accent I have heard (by a US actor) so far is Robert Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder, but even that still has imperfections that make it sound either New Zealand, or South African.

Just watched Blue Velvet again recently. That so-called Australian accent from the "Yellow Man" that the OP mentioned is what we call a North Carolinian dialect, which makes sense since they filmed BV in Wilmington, NC and I believe he was a local actor at the time.

How would I know... I spent a good part of my childhood in Virginia Beach, VA, just a hop, skip and jump from Wilmington (and Washington State before that... ) Yep, def. a North Carolina/Virginia accent if I ever heard one.