Just watched it again at the cinema – dear gawd, I love this film (and not just because of that scene). Deeply weird, darkly atmospheric and (finally) intensely sad, with a killer soundtrack and a stellar turn from Naomi Watts.

Twin Peaks had a profound effect upon me as a kid – and it somehow adds to the appeal that Mulholland Drive was the result of a failed TV show…

Amazing film, especially in the cinema

I am a cultural ignoramus, but I watched it, it ended, I didn’t understand any of it.

one of mi fave films of all time.

plus love Lynch’s other work,

especially in the cinema

Indeed.

I didn’t understand any of it

Although the film does have a certain (loose) structure, I think it’s generally accepted that nobody really understands it. That said, I once pretty much self-destructed on account of a raven-haired siren – and so I grasp that element of it, all too easily. 😳

Amazing film.

Total Lynch-head here: I still love Twin Peaks, TP: Fire Walk With Me, Blue Velvet, Elephant Man, Wild at Heart, Straight Story and, of course, Mulholland Drive.

It’s not really got an answer, just as Lost Highway and Inland Empire don’t really have answers.

But at his best* Lynch’s work is beautiful, strange, visceral and compelling…

* not Dune, obviously. 😯

Haven’t watched it for years, will do so again soon, great film.

* by at his best, I’m not talking about Dune

😀

and it somehow adds to the appeal that Mulholland Drive was the result of a failed TV show…

So much footage was added to make the movie it would be really interesting to see the original MD pilot…

Like On the Air and Hotel Room, it probably would have been a big failure though. Lynch struck gold with Twin Peaks, but has been totally unable or unwilling to repeat that success.

totally unable or unwilling to repeat that success

Given how much of Twin Peaks was made up as it went along, I can’t say I blame him. But as you say, when he strikes gold, he is outstanding. Mulholland Drive might be deeply surreal, but it’s also a superb take on LA noir.

But at his best* Lynch’s work is beautiful, strange, visceral and compelling…

* not Dune, obviously. I think Dune is all those things tbh – although obv it’s flawed in quite major ways and Lynch himself doesn’t like talking about it. Still a lot to like with it – heard it described as like watching a 3 hr trailer for the best film ever made.

Inland Empire is the last film I saw at the cinema. Just doesn’t seem right to go back after a film like that.

Still a lot to like with it

I struggle to find anything to like about it, TBH, except maybe spotting the Twin Peaks actors in silly costumes and enjoying Sting’s demise. In Lynch’s defence, I’m not sure anyone could have filmed the book in a way that did the story justice.

Inland Empire is incredible – but only for those who enjoyed Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive I’d say…

I bought the DVD by mistake, somehow thinking it was Arlington Road. After my initial confusion I remained confused. Kinda liked it though, couldn’t tell you why.

Inland Empire

“I show you light now. It? burns forever” – that scene always knocks me for six.

somehow thinking it was Arlington Road

Imagine if you were looking for Coronation Street… actually, there should be some kind of video-store equivalent of sat-nav – “I’m looking for The Road“, “which road?”, etc etc.

Devil’s Advocate: No one’s going to say it’s incomprehensible garbage with no proper plot, because then they’ll be made to feel intellectually inferior because they didn’t “get” it and aren’t sophisticated enough to understand that blah blah blah. Emperor’s New Clothes?

For the record, I prefer Lost Highway.

Emperor’s New Clothes?

But then one would have to make a pretence of enjoying it, IMO – whereas MD is a film which is (quite simply) superb to look at, even if utterly baffling. And by any standards, there’s some great scenes: the audition, the bungled hit job, “Have you ever done this before…?”

Lost Highway is also great, of course.

Emperor’s New Clothes?

I’m with noteeth on that one.

MD is thought provoking and gives you the odd moment of clarity… it’s not incomprehensible garbage, even if the point/purpose/resolution is stubbornly evasive.

I’m sure I worked it out once and the plot actually fell into place, making perfect sense. Now I really wish I’d written it down… 😳

Now I really wish I’d written it down…

A moment not unlike waking up from a dream and thinking: “****… I need a pen and paper!”

From Wiki:

Watts stated that she tried to bluff Lynch by pretending she had the plot figured out, and that he delighted in the cast’s frustration.

😀

I thought this was gonna be a post about this recent video doing the rounds today of motorcyle meets cyclists on Mulholland Hwy?

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNFaAqS2f18[/video]

I struggle to find anything to like about it, TBH, except maybe spotting the Twin Peaks actors in silly costumes and enjoying Sting’s demise.

Ahem…

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWq15lDh8yM[/video]