‘Blue Velvet’: A Must-Watch Secret ‘Wizard of Oz’ Adaptation That Came Before ‘Wicked’

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If you enjoyed Wicked: For Good, you might be eager to revisit the world of Oz. While many people love the musical’s songs and the central friendship between the two main characters – both on stage and in the recent movie adaptation directed by Jon M. Chu – those who are fans of Gregory Maguire’s original 1995 novel will appreciate something else: a darker, more complex look at the story behind The Wizard of Oz.

I absolutely adore The Wizard of Oz. It started as a series of wonderful children’s books by L. Frank Baum, but the movie? It really became the gold standard for movie magic, as far as I’m concerned. The moment Dorothy’s house lifts off from Kansas and lands in Oz, you’re swept away to this unbelievably colorful and imaginative world – it’s exactly what going to the movies should feel like! It’s inspired so many people over the years, and I was fascinated to learn that the brilliant David Lynch always considered it his favorite film. It just proves what a timeless masterpiece it truly is.

‘Blue Velvet’ Deconstructed ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Years Before ‘Wicked’


Paramount Pictures

Gregory Maguire’s Wicked reimagines The Wizard of Oz by delving into the origins of evil and drawing parallels between Oz and Nazi Germany. David Lynch, however, took a different approach with Blue Velvet. Instead of directly revisiting Oz, Lynch focuses on a young man, Jeffrey Beaumont, who uncovers a hidden world of crime beneath the surface of a seemingly perfect suburban town. While Wicked provides broad appeal with entertainment and music for all ages, Blue Velvet is a more mature and unsettling film, exploring complex psychological themes and featuring neo-noir violence.

Returning home from college, Jeffrey stumbles upon a severed ear, which leads him to a hidden criminal network in his town. Despite warnings to stay out of the police investigation, he becomes captivated by the mystery. Like Dorothy falling into the strange world of Oz, Jeffrey is drawn into this criminal underworld, and both characters experience a profound personal change. While Dorothy’s journey could have been a dream, and Jeffrey’s encounter with crime might feel like a nightmare, both stories hold a strange and compelling beauty.

David Lynch’s Blue Velvet echoes The Wizard of Oz through the character of Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), a singer enduring horrific abuse at the hands of the violent Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper). Like the classic film, Blue Velvet takes viewers on a surreal journey into a mysterious world, but instead of fantasy, it presents a disturbing and unsettling look at reality.

‘Blue Velvet’s Deleted Scene Makes ‘The Wizard of Oz’ Connection More Noticeable


De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

Warning: This section includes mentions of self-harm that may be disturbing to some readers.

While many characters named Dorothy draw comparisons to The Wizard of Oz, director David Lynch created a particularly unsettling scene – ultimately removed from the final cut – that went much further. Actress Isabella Rossellini revealed in 2018 that the scene involved Dorothy standing on a rooftop with red shoes, which she intentionally drops as a symbolic act of attempting suicide. Rossellini emphasized the importance of the name ‘Dorothy,’ explaining that even in this bleak and frightening situation, the character retained a glimmer of hope, symbolized by the rainbow.

Even with a character named Dorothy and the famous red shoes, a direct reference to The Wizard of Oz was ultimately removed because it was considered too intense. Though the film shares several themes with the classic movie and uses a similar ‘there’s no place like home’ idea, director David Lynch cut this specific scene – which would have been the most noticeable nod to the original. However, he continued to show his appreciation for the film in his other work throughout his career.

David Lynch Has Always Been Inspired By ‘The Wizard of Oz’


The Samuel Goldwyn Company

David Lynch is best known for the TV series Twin Peaks, which has greatly influenced many popular shows in recent years. The series strongly suggests a connection between the murdered girl, Laura Palmer, and Dorothy Gale from The Wizard of Oz. Furthermore, a mysterious and potentially evil character named “Judy” appears in Twin Peaks, likely a reference to Judy Garland. Many believe the entire world of Twin Peaks, with its mix of beauty and darkness, is actually a dream created by this “Judy,” similar to how The Wizard of Oz can be seen as Dorothy’s dream.

David Lynch’s film Wild at Heart, starring Laura Dern and Nicolas Cage, playfully references The Wizard of Oz. Look for a yellow brick road and a cameo by Sheryl Lee (from Twin Peaks) as Glinda. While Lynch’s work is generally much grittier than Wicked, it shares a similar undercurrent of beauty and playful imagination for viewers who appreciate it.

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2025-12-06 18:36