Lynch

James Steven Beverly · May 25, 2009

I just saw this doc on one of my favorite top 5 directors and it was interesting. I wish it had gotten more in depth but from what they were able to show, it's a fascinating insight into this genius auteur's method of working. Anyone else see this thing?

Edited May 25, 2009 by James Steven Beverly

Jake Iesu · May 25, 2009

Any idea what the name of the Doco was called? I'd love to see it.

I have only recently seen my first Lynch film, Inland Empire.

I am a bit embarrassed to admit it but it had 4 of us absolutely terrified by the end. Quite literally shrieking at the TV set.

I was re-invigorated in the power of film-making after that session, I would have to say Lynch is the spicy food of film making.

Jake

Freya Black · May 25, 2009

Any idea what the name of the Doco was called? I'd love to see it.
I have only recently seen my first Lynch film, Inland Empire.

I am a bit embarrassed to admit it but it had 4 of us absolutely terrified by the end. Quite literally shrieking at the TV set.

I was re-invigorated in the power of film-making after that session, I would have to say Lynch is the spicy food of film making.

Jake

Really!???

I didn't find it very frightening especially but I guess I knew what I was getting into when I watched it. I was also suffering badly from sleep deprivation (about 4 hours sleep or something) and having a very bad time in my life at the time. I kept falling asleep in the cinema but then there would always be a loud bang or something and I would wake again.

I remember at the time thinking it was the most straightforward Lynch film, and ranting about how great it was and how it was a stunning inditement of American society and stuff. However the next day (after sleeping) I was trying to explain the film to someone and I couldn't and suddenly it didn't seem to make any sense at all.

I think Lost Highway is the film that is the easiest to understand although I have had people argue with me about this. The ending is just Mr Lynch trying to mess with your head tho I think, or maybe not.. My favourite Lynch films are lost highway and Eraserhead.

Despite what Mr Lynch says I found watching Inland Empire on the big screen was distracting because of the mushyness of the picture wheras it looks great on the small screen.

I wish Mr Lynch would make a new film, it already seems too long ago.

love

Freya

Hampus Bystrom · May 25, 2009

Yeah Lynch is definitely one of my favourites aswell, he's essentially the one who got me into filmmaking. I was 16 years old when I saw Inland Empire 2006 (yeah I'm only 19 now so I shouldn't sound all that sentimental), and it was my first Lynch-film. I didn't understand squat, but there was something powerful, like a visceral effect which made me go out and rent all of Lynch's oeuvre and I haven't looked back since.

I think the Docu is actually just called "Lynch", right? I've seen it aswell, and it's okay, although there's one which is better, but I can't really remember what it's called, so what good am I?

Hampus Bystrom · May 25, 2009

Yeah Lynch is definitely one of my favourites aswell, he's essentially the one who got me into filmmaking. I was 16 years old when I saw Inland Empire 2006 (yeah I'm only 19 now so I shouldn't sound all that sentimental), and it was my first Lynch-film. I didn't understand squat, but there was something powerful, like a visceral effect which made me go out and rent all of Lynch's oeuvre and I haven't looked back since.

I think the Docu is actually just called "Lynch", right? I've seen it aswell, and it's okay, although there's one which is better, but I can't really remember what it's called, so what good am I?

For some reason I can't edit my first post so...

EDIT: Oh know I remember, either it's "Pretty as a Picture: The art of David Lynch" or "An Introduction to David Lynch" (that's actually 2 different documentaries, but I can't remember which of 'em is good).

The making of documentary of Mulholland Drive is also great. I'd have to say David Lynch's definite masterpieces are Mulholland Drive and Eraserhead. Although I love Lost Highway and Blue Velvet, I think that his particular narrative style and visual story telling is taken to it's artistic peak with M. Dr. and Eraserhead. In those films he uses the surrealism for a greater purpose and it doesn't feel strained. Interesting that it's his first feature and (almost) his last one.

Freya Black · May 25, 2009

The making of documentary of Mulholland Drive is also great. I'd have to say David Lynch's definite masterpieces are Mulholland Drive and Eraserhead. Although I love Lost Highway and Blue Velvet, I think that his particular narrative style and visual story telling is taken to it's artistic peak with M. Dr. and Eraserhead. In those films he uses the surrealism for a greater purpose and it doesn't feel strained. Interesting that it's his first feature and (almost) his last one.

Now you see I take the view that David Lynch is not a surrealist. I seem to remember he has said as much himself in fact. I wrote a film studies essay on it years ago and probably lost marks because the tutor disagreed. I could back it all up tho. As I remember Lost Highway was the biggest problem because it's clearly about altered states and genuinely does have a bunch of dream like stuff in it. Dead annoying for me as it was a new film at the time. Strangely I felt that M.Drive wasn't as bad in this regard despite being basically the same film sort of.

I also picked a scene from Lethal Weapon 2 for an assignment where you had to pick a section of a film as the most surreal piece of cinema you had ever seen. This went down like a lead baloon too. Personally I have still found nothing that beats that section of the film to this day even and for those who disagree, I should point out that this is the same director as made tv series "the bannana splits". I rest my case.

Be really intrested to know what you mean by "strained"? Seems like an intresting perspective!

Not sure that Eraserhead was almost his last film, that would have been Dune I think! Eraserhead was kinda a neat setup in comparison, managing to have his own studio so long! It was just a problem as he had no money!

love

Freya

Hampus Bystrom · May 25, 2009

Now you see I take the view that David Lynch is not a surrealist. I seem to remember he has said as much himself in fact. I wrote a film studies essay on it years ago and probably lost marks because the tutor disagreed. I could back it all up tho. As I remember Lost Highway was the biggest problem because it's clearly about altered states and genuinely does have a bunch of dream like stuff in it. Dead annoying for me as it was a new film at the time. Strangely I felt that M.Drive wasn't as bad in this regard despite being basically the same film sort of.

I also picked a scene from Lethal Weapon 2 for an assignment where you had to pick a section of a film as the most surreal piece of cinema you had ever seen. This went down like a lead baloon too. Personally I have still found nothing that beats that section of the film to this day even and for those who disagree, I should point out that this is the same director as made tv series "the bannana splits". I rest my case.

Be really intrested to know what you mean by "strained"? Seems like an intresting perspective!

Not sure that Eraserhead was almost his last film, that would have been Dune I think! Eraserhead was kinda a neat setup in comparison, managing to have his own studio so long! It was just a problem as he had no money!

love

Freya

No, no I said Eraserhead was his first feature, which it is, and Mulholland Drive is his (almost) last feature.

I know Lynch thinks what he does is "more" than surrealism, and I really see what he means, but as far as I'm concerned, surrealism is just an epithet for art which transcends reality at the same time as it comments on it. And I really don't have any other word for describing Lynch's unique style.

Anyways, what I meant by strained is that sometimes it doesn't necessarily add to the film as a whole. Even though I really like Lost Highway, some elements just seem thrown in there to "f-ck with your mind" so to speak. But while watching Mulholland Drive it's all just accumulated to perfection, same goes for Eraserhead.

Freya Black · May 25, 2009

No, no I said Eraserhead was his first feature, which it is, and Mulholland Drive is his (almost) last feature.

Thats really funny that I misinterpreted what you wrote given the films we are talking about! ;)

I know Lynch thinks what he does is "more" than surrealism, and I really see what he means, but as far as I'm concerned, surrealism is just an epithet for art which transcends reality at the same time as it comments on it. And I really don't have any other word for describing Lynch's unique style.

Yes theres not really words for it. Surrealism in terms of art tends to refer to dreams and dream logic etc but I like your description of art which transcends reality at the same time as commenting on it. I think thats a really good description of lynch films. I guess it could also be said to make you question reality. Some people might even have the view that reality is a kind of dream anyway! OTOH a lot of people seem to pass through life in a way that they are almost asleep to varying degrees.

The truth of the matter is that things that people might consider surreal actually happen all the time in real life. I think the scene with the deer in the straight story is a really good example. This kind of stuff happens all the time! :)

Anyways, what I meant by strained is that sometimes it doesn't necessarily add to the film as a whole. Even though I really like Lost Highway, some elements just seem thrown in there to "f-ck with your mind" so to speak. But while watching Mulholland Drive it's all just accumulated to perfection, same goes for Eraserhead.

I think theres bits a bit like that in M.Drive too but maybe they are easier to dismiss. Personally I love the bits that are thrown in there to mess with you and make you question things. :)

I'm not sure strained is a word I would use as for me they fit in neatly enough in themselves its just they may not integrate neatly into the idea you had of the thing as a whole which makes you question things again.

It's good to ask questions so I like this! :)

love

Freya

James Steven Beverly · May 26, 2009

Yes the name of the one I saw was simply called "Lynch". I will definitely check out these others. The images in a Lynch film just stun me. I've actually taken some inspiration for certain scenes in Blood Moon Rising from both Blue Velvet and ESPECIALLY Wild at Heart, my two favorite Lynch films although saying any Lynch film is one's favorite is like saying which supermodel would you like to have as a love slave, EVERYTHING Lynch does is mind blowing. I've seen virtually every thing he's done with the exception......surprising so......of Twin Peaks, ALTHOUGH I DID see, Twin Peak, Fire Walk With Me which I also loved.

I'll get around to seeing Twin Peaks on DVD some day but for now, I'm kinda avoiding watch any TV series because I've come to the conclusion, there is such a thing as ''TV style' cinematography and I don't want to be influenced by it at the moment. I even get annoyed when the film is pan and scanned, because I want to study the composition and how the film maker used the frame to create an emotional feel, for example, in Blood moon, I chose the anamorphic aspect ratio to emphasis the vast open empty country the film takes place in and the total isolation the characters find themselves. Now, though Mr. Lynch never does anything ordinary, he still was, at the time Twin Peaks was shot, subject to the aspect ratio of television screens of the era, so his composition would have been limited to an Academy frame. From my studies of Lynch's work, he uses every bit of the frame to create the emotion he needs to give his films the impact they have, so though his composition would be fascinating, it would probably not be as useful as other stuff I could be watching for inspiration right now.

I suppose that statement abut the director's use of the frame could be said about any good director, but no one does it with Lynch's amazing style. Lynch actually showed me the beauty of the grotesque, obtuse and ugly. Where I once may have hesitated to shoot the profane, I would now embrace the hideous and twisted without reservation. Lynch, wow! B)

David Rakoczy · May 26, 2009

I worked for David Lynch and Fred Elmes on one of David's short films 'The Frenchman & the Cowboy'... he was such a nice guy. Isabella even showed up a couple days. A couple weeks after wrap I received a letter from David thanking me for all my hard work... each crew member received one. Now THAT is a classy guy!