I watched it for the first time sorta recently, haven’t ever seen a Lynch film before and hated it. I haven’t ever seen or heard a good defense of it or one that I can kinda see. It feels like nonsense. Probably because it’s half a tv pilot big picture was talking about it recently on their best films of the century podcast and everything they said about liking it was why I disliked it!
Brilliant scene! Just so good at showing how Lynch invokes a range of textures of performance in one work, and how that makes an audience feel. Isn’t it interesting how an audition scene feels more “grounded” than some of the rest of the performances? It’s intentional. Saw it recently in theaters and just astounded me. Maybe my third time seeing it and it had me feeling afloat as the credits rolled. Once you let go a little, you can just let the dream transport you.
I want to try to watch Twin Peaks at some point, maybe that will help unlock Lynch for me. Maybe Mulholland Drive was a bad first Lynch! Idk! But I hated it!
Lynch is challenging if you’re expecting traditional storytelling, no arguing that. There’s a lot of impenetrable, expressionist stuff that can be intimidating and frustrating if you’re seeking linearity and closure. But immensely rewarding if you just allow yourself to experience them as vehicles to another place, if you can bring yourself to sort of meditatively accept them for what they are. His films are gifts because they live on in their mysteries, because they refuse to offer simple answers. all that said, Blue Velvet, Elephant Man, and Straight Story are all great places to start with Lynch, if you want something more accessible. edit: not saying there isn’t a coherence/logic to his stories. There very much is, and after multiple viewings those puzzle pieces do become more apparent.
The Elephant Man is easily top 3 Lynch. the only thing of his i still have yet to see is The Straight Story. i have a rip of the German 4K disc on my hard drive. wish Disney would let Criterion use that transfer here in the US. will watch it very soon. echoing other's sentiments about Twin Peaks being a good starting place. just know he had little to no involvement in most of the second half of season 2 if you find that it drags along. he came back closer to the end of the season to work on the finale, and then delivered FWWM and S3 25 years later. i wish he got the chance to film Unrecorded Night before he died, but man, S3 was a fantastic way to go out.
I tried Twin Peaks like, 10 years ago and gave up after a few episodes. I have no problems with weird and bizarre storytelling, but I just didn't generally... Like it. Maybe I'll try again someday
Actually watching TP s3 with my wife now, her first time through the whole series. She is honestly feeling a bit alienated coming straight off s2 and FWWM, but understands there’s a vision behind it. So she’s enjoying it but not as much as the original—which I totally get. Something I like about Lynch (but can understand how it doesn’t appeal to others) is that he will not pander to expectation or convention by any means. The few works of art he gave us while alive are extraordinarily deliberately-made and singular, even when disorienting or difficult. So while I wish everyone worshipped him as much as I do, I totally get him not working for everyone. I will say that all his movies are pretty different though, so maybe keep trying if one doesn’t work for you. This is a good flowchart I found when he passed.
Def not as big of a fan of MD as a lot of other people, but when I see it ranked by reputable publications/people as one of the best movies of the 2000s…I realize it’s more a me problem than everyone else being wrong
With the home release of One Battle After Another, I decided to rewatch all of Anderson's films in order. I usually don't prioritize acting when I am thinking about a film but so many actors do their best or one of their best performances. Everyone talks about Cruise but Julianne Moore is incredible, Philip Baker Hall and William H. Macy are heartbreaking, and Reilly has never been better.