I have no problem with A Clockwork Orange, and not even Ryan O'Neal could ruin Barry Lyndon.
I do dislike The Shining, though. And Spaceballs. And your little dog too.

I've found all Lynch's movies mesmerizing, if not all of them were good. FWWM for instance, is a total mess of a film in my opinion, but it's also hypnotic and an interesting experience... probably the worst film that I want to see again and get on DVD. So even if I knew as a fact that  IE is a total bomb, I'd still be excited about it, and couldn't wait to see it (I'm also eager to see another Lynch film in theaters after I got a taste of it when I went to see Mulholland Dr. last week). Anything by Lynch is worth watching for me (except maybe Dune) as FWWM proved.

That god damn trailer's more popular than Uncle's Day in a whorehouse!

You know what I think is difficult about David Lynch's films? We are so used, in this day and age, to watching run of the mill Hollywood films with straight forward narrative and foreign films with political/emotional statements to make and British Romantic comedies and horror films (all of them good, bad or mediocre) that we become programmed into treating them all exactly the same. We review them in the same way, we see them in the same way and we talk about them in the same way.

David's films really have to be seen more as works of art than films. Im growing the realise this more and more. He is, after all first and foremost an artist, even if he is known more for his films. There are not many directors you could call artists. The two mediums are, 90% of the time completely seperated. However, I think David sees his films as art...."paintings that move" as he puts it in Lynch on Lynch. This completely changes, for me how I see his films. When I look at a painting, it is very rare that I like it all...or I see it all straight away. Its about the journey and aesthetic..and then maybe a statement and an emotion..Art is about something almost unattainable...something which words cannot capture. I found IE exactly like this...like a painting..or an installation...

There are so many other moments in his films which do the same for me. Critics see tham as utterly bizarre and out of place..not just surreal....but indescribable. And I have to add here, that after seeing IE, Mulholland Drive has become a problem film for me. I LOVE MD, its my favourite all time film, but in the context of trying to compare IE to MD I keep hitting problems. Perhaps its a pointless discussion but MD has the same bizzare feel as IE (as many people have stated already), however...its feels far more complete and "wholesome" against IE. I cant for the life of me put my finger on why. Its art just as much as MD but perhaps just different art? I will have to wait for you all to see IE before I ask if you know what I mean.

 Anyway, what Im trying to say is that IE has so many layers to it and is definetely a moving painting more than a film for me. I think people are very scared of treating films (feature length) as art, but its inevitabely what you have to do with IE and i think once you do, you have a different take on it entirely. I have decided that its difficult to say "it was brilliant" or "i didnt like it" because...for some reason its not about that! That seems a RIDICULOUS thing to say but i feel its more apt to say something like "it was the most brilliant experience/journey" or "it was frightening" or "im still thinking about it".

Hi! Just have to say "hi" to Iar, thank you so much for putting up your views on the movie. I, no doubt like all of us, am extremely jealous that you got to go to Venice - I'd be intrigued to know how much hassle you went through to get the ticket. I've always wanted to do something so bold, but money and cowardice have always prevented me!

I detect from your writing that you are a Brit ("two fingers up...." - it doesn't get more British than that!), and was wondering if you perhaps knew when the UK premiere of IE is supposed to be happening. It's the London Film Festival next month. I don't think they have a schedule up yet, but I am crossing my fingers that IE will be shown then. Anyway, I really like your views on the movie so far, and I'd like to thank you for staying out of spoiler territory, and to faceintheleaves: I respectfully suggest that if you don't want to know too much about IE, you avoid the dedicated IE thread. Call me crazy, but it just might work.... :grin:

Since you mention Lynch on Lynch, I thought I'd mention something that occurred to me last night (I'm re-reading the book myself at the moment, because the Lynch-fever is getting to me!) I had a thought, sparked off by  and Lynch's response to this question, in the first chapter of the book:

Q: Given that the notion of balance is so important to you, would you say that the character of Jeffrey Beaumont achieves a kind of balance by the end of Blue Velvet?

A: That's just like a partial portrait. In the real Jeffrey, there'd be a million other thoughts that are not shown in the film - another whole series of turmoils and wanderings. It's impossible to show the full thing.

I always felt that when he said that, Lynch ultimately wanted to challenge that idea. To maybe see if it WAS possible to show "the full thing", or at least get a few steps closer to that goal. Perhaps that is what is going on in IE - does this ring true at all?

 You don't think it's supposed to be a little bit funny?

QUOTE: Not even the lesbians were arousing.

I'm sure DL would be upset to hear that you feel this way!

Anyway, any further discussion on MD would probably be better suited to the MD thread.....

RE. Mulholland Drive: I just wanted to quickly add that although i respect your opinion Booth, im actually quite surprised at some of the thigns you said. I thought aesthetically, MD was beautiful and DID have many layers like a painting. Take Club Silencion for example..i thought that was beautiful and had just the quality that Blue Velvet did. I though it had nicer layers and fuller flesh than Lost Highway. Anyway...it doesnt matter, each to their own! We all prefer certain Lynch films to others depending on where we're coming from! IE has a differnt quality all together so id quite like to hear what you have to say about that.

ThisIsTheGirl- Well it was quite a trial to get a ticket I have to admit! Im not usually this brave either but I thought that, since it was premiering in Europe and not the infamously exclusive Cannes I thought I should give it a go! After all I have been waiting 2 years! Basically i researched as much as i could on how to get tickets before i went...consulting the ticket office itself and also various other people who had either been or were going to go. The I left my hotel at 4am, arriving on Lido at 5am! There were already abt 7-10 people there so I just queued up with them, along with Chandra from this board. The ticket office opened at 8am, by which time there must have been 150 people in the queue. Within 10 minutes I was at the window buying my ticket (38 euros!). I then found out that they were all sold out and mine was the very last!!! I was only about 15th in the queue. It was only then that it struck me what a big risk this trip had been and that i was so incredibly lucky. It was all worth it though.

As far as London film festival goes, I really dont know im afraid. (yes, i am british! welsh actually..) I know that its going to New York Film Festival in October and thats all. I have a horrible feeling that Britain is going to have to wait a while...i think we'll be one of the last major countries to see IE unfortunately (another reason i went to venice). No British company has picked it up yet and apparently theyre all being very reluctant. I think Feb/March 2007 is the earliest we'll see it emerging and only then in the big places. I doubt my city will get it..in which case i will travel again!

As far as the Lynch on Lynch goes...thats an excellent point! I actually agree that you may be right there. It does feel as if Lynch may be exploring those other hundreds of turmoils and wanderings we have. Expanding the horizons so to speak. It felt like wandring around someone's head...a lot like we feel in Lost Highway and MD sometimes.

Wow - I just think it's insanely cool that you took the risk, and were rewarded with a ticket. Glad you liked my idea, too.

 However, I am now slightly depressed that I'll have to wait until next spring to watch the damn film.

/checks prices of flights to NY.....

The really important question; when is IE coming out in the US? or did I miss that somewhere on this thread? I, too, (of course I have 2 eyes!) find the Emily story interesting. I went back and watched the clip on yourtube or whatever it's called. Nice looking chick. Good on David but sad for Mary Sweeny. If true.

I don't have it yet, but I'm gonna get a Spike avatar. Just so you know.

It's hard to say when IE is going to pick up a U.S distributor. Perhaps after NYFF? I'm sure it will get distribution. Lynch is too big of a director but judging by early word out of Venice...it might be a bit too esoteric for the masses so I'm sure it won't be a Mulholland Drive level release. Maybe a smaller company will pick it up and it will probably hit the bigger markets. That's my guess.

Maybe Spring?

Oh, I would never be catty but...

...she's no Kristin Kerr which is all the more evident with the two of them sitting side by side.

Susan

PS I wonder what her mantra is...

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

At first, that struck me as a bizarre collection. But on further consideration, it offers the first of Lynch's book adaptations (and Lynch with a big budget) in Dune, the extreme style experiment (and blueprint for his subsequent reality-bifurcations) in Lost Highway, an example of him directing his own writing in a fairly accessible way (and a taste of the flavor of his television work) with Mulholland Drive, and Lynch unleashed with whatever the hell INLAND EMPIRE turns out to be. That's a pretty good introduction to Lynch that is reasonably representative, while necessitating neither the commitment required for Twin Peaks nor the trauma inflicted by Eraserhead. It's not era-balanced, but it's still not bad.

"Did they scoff the whole damn Smörgåsbord?" (Audrey) 

"Gimme a donut!" (Coop)

"Did they scoff the whole damn Smörgåsbord?" (Audrey) 

"Gimme a donut!" (Coop)

You have a good point there, Mr. S. 

I'd appreciate reading a reviewer who took that small extra step of USING SPELLCHECK!!!!  Geez, that was jarring to read and, after all the effort of trying to read it, it said just about nothing.

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Personally I have read about the first three reviews and then when iar posted that wonderful post I quit reading reviews.

I don't want to know anything more about the film, I want to experience it myself, without anymore preconceived ideas, notions, opinions, or caveats.

All the reviews are just opinions, yes they may reveal little aspects here and there, but I just don't want to know. I  usually pick the movies at Netflix where the reviews start out something like "...if you are looking for a normal film, don't rent this one..."

I have waited too long for IE to go into it with preconceived ideas, or long-time questions answered beforehand.

I will admit to clicking on the ain't it cool news review (constant contradiction, all the time...)...and i really liked what he had to say about multiple viewings...of course, IMO, there is no other way to approach a DL flick.

In multiples, like orgasms.