A: Ask David. I'm leaving off for the Christmas break with this extraordinary film rattling around inside my head. It's certainly hard work, but exhilarating with it. It's also exactly why I love David Lynch, and, pending a second viewing at the very least, my film of the year. A
Back in a week with end of year round-ups, once I've seen The Death of Mr Lazarescu (high hopes) and The Wind That Shakes the Barley (dreading it, but I'm a completist like that). Also a look ahead at the films I'm determined to catch up with in 2007, like most of Pasolini, and a lot more Buñuel. I'll welcome anyone's tips. Merry Christmas!
4 comments:
'Ray! I loved this movie, and if not for The Fountain it would probably be my favorite film of the year. And how amazing is Laura Dern? And how horrifying was "the face?"
I'm always a little wary of Lynch - I always feel like he could cross the line from evocative into purple at any moment and I might miss it and that would put me in the same category with the kind of art school wankers that made up 85% of my course. That said, I did appreciate Mulholland Drive very much (if nowhere near as much as others) and ditto Lost Highway. Having heard that Inland Empire looks crummy (photography-wise), I was a little worried about it, but you've made me a bit more optimistic now.
As for Bunuel, see everything you can. Few - if any - other directors can boast as many masterpieces. My favourites are Viridiana and the awfully underrated Tristana, and I also adore Belle de Jour, Discreet Charm, Exterminating Angel, L'Age d'or, Phantom of Liberty... I should add however, the majority of the above took more than one viewing. When I first watched Tristana a few years ago,it bored me shitless but when I revisited it earlier this year, I found it one of the most moving films Iàve seen.
i'm a little bit sad to not be aboard the INLAND EMPIRE train but I just don't think it's on par with his best stuff. it's certainly potent and mesmerizing and fascinating and all the good things...
but isn't it also a little undisciplined. one feels it could just as easily have been 1 hour longer or shorter and the same effect with or without any particular scene.
i don't know. i need a second viewing too but for me it's minor LYnch but that said, SO glad to have seen it in a tepid year.
p.s. i also found the video image a let down... at least in comparison to his other work.
I won't be able to see Inland Empire till the end of January in Chicago, but I do love Viridiana, and I'm glad it scored such a hit with you!
And I'm looking forward to having my own internet connection back in six days!
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