Silencio. (Ponderings on David Lynch)

That is the final word of David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. No hay banda. No hay orquesta. Silencio.



Sorry about the Portuguese subtitles. Or not.

Here's la Llorona de Los Angeles. Clearly the best rendition of Crying I have ever heard.



But damnit, what does it all mean? Of course I could (and have done so to an extent) look up this information online, to see what the other cinephiles have to say. But I have preferred to try to come up with my own interpretations through personal conversation and discussion. It is because of the complexity and ambiguity of Mr. Lynch's works that has, as of late, sparked my interest once again in the world of film and cinema. I only wish I could be in a film class discussing Lynch in a room full of people for class credit.

Here's another scene with subtitles in Portuguese again. The Cowboy.




So in the film, the Cowboy shows up two more times to the audience. But maybe only once to the director. Did he do bad? He followed the Cowboy's orders, so he did good, right? My brain is scrambled. I learned that Mulholland Dr. was originally a pilot episode, so maybe a great deal of things were presented that would have been otherwise uncovered in the course of a television series, but loose ends were left that could not be tied up in a 2.5 hour movie. Anyone? Anyone?

In high school I was introduced to a myriad of some of my favorite films by two of my good friends, Dan and Matt. They introduced me to all of this craziness at 16, 17, 18 years old, but never talked to me about it. (If either of you read this by the way, why the hell didn't we talk about these??) For the most part, I would watch all of these movies alone, and either be creeped out or awestruck. Even after being creeped out (with such films as Gummo), I still obsessed over the movies enough to conclude that I did, in fact, like them. Then I bought them and watched them again. Alone. Here is a list of my movie collection by the way. If I know you in the flesh, and you are interested in borrowing any of them, you may. For a nominal fee. Just kidding. Though I have been thinking of starting up my own little Netflix business since I rarely watch any of my movies these days.

I am happy that I am now starting to discuss these movies out loud with Jose and Jeff so that I can A. get my own thoughts out in a semi-cohesive manner, and B. get someone else's insights and perspectives that I may have otherwise not considered.

If you think you might like to get into some David Lynch, but you are a novice, I would recommend not going in chronological order with his films. Starting with Eraserhead might just turn you off. Save that one for last. Start with something tamer, like The Elephant Man (which, coincidentally I have not yet seen). Or maybe The Straight Story, a G-rated Disney flick directed by Lynch. He reported said about the film: "Tenderness can be just as abstract as insanity." True that Mr. L. Once you get the tame stuff out of the way, go after Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. Try a little Twin Peaks while you're at it (start with the series, move on to the film Fire Walk with Me). I know I just put a link there to the opening credits, but that song and footage will take your mind and heart to an emotional place if you fall in love with the series like I did. Be wary of the second season, though. People start turning into doorknobs.



I sure love Agent Dale Cooper. Watch out for Mr. Lynch in this clip as well (at 00:36).

I will conclude with a list of some of my favorite films from my collection. A second installment will follow in a later entry. They are in alphabetical order because their preference is so fluid in my mind. Please do check them out some day. Most of them are available at (insert university/academic institution here)'s library video collection. Expect a review of Antichrist by Lars von Trier in the near future. And if you have seen it, explain that shit to me! Is it intentionally misogynistic? Does the changed ending cheapen the meaning behind the original concept? So many questions! And if you have not seen it, you probably shouldn't, haha.

1. Adaptation- dir. Spike Jonze- The only Nicholas Cage portrayal I enjoy. Meryl Streep does drugs with a toothless Chris Cooper. All around lovely and witty. Favorite line: Chris Cooper (to Meryl Streep) You're shinier than any ant, darlin'.
2. Amores Perros- dir. Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu. I love the whole multiple stories coming together thing. Soundtrack is awesome.
3. Blue Velvet- dir. David Lynch. Kyle McLaughlin is clownin', but Laura Dern still loves him anyway. Isabella Rossalini is nuts, unlike her current Green Porno project with the Sundance Channel, which is totally sane.
4. Buffalo 66- dir. Vincent Gallo. I don't know what to think of Vincent Gallo, or his gigolo ways. But I love this film so much. Angelica Huston is an awesomely selfish Buffalo Bills fan, and Christina Ricci is appropriately plump. If made to pick a favorite NFL team, it would be the Buffalo Bills strictly because of this film.
5. Clockwork Orange- dir. Stanley Kubrick. It is disturbing, yet funny. It has a message and its own language, my little droogies.
6. Dancer in the Dark- dir. Lars von Trier. It is heart-wrenching. Maybe moreso becaus the main character is Bjork. I was her character, Selma, from this film last year for Halloween. I can't say much more about it. There are musical numbers, but that's ok. :)
7. Gummo- dir./writ. Harmony Korrine. Because I openly love this movie, people seem to want to suggest horrific, disturbing movies to me. Many can't stomach this film. It has been, and may always be, one of my favorite films of all time. Key words: Xenia, OH; culture of poverty, black gay Jewish little person; downs syndrome prostitution.
8. The Royal Tenenbaums- dir. Wes Anderson. I still haven't seen Mr. Anderson's new film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, but as a general rule all of his films are winners. This one is my favorite because it was my first one of his. I love Royal Tenebaum's "adopted daughter Margot," another Halloween costume inspiration. I love dry humor. All around fantastic.
9. Happiness- dir. Todd Solondz. Another film that is hard to stomach. It deals with pedophilia and obsession. Phillip Seymour Hoffman at his mouth-breathingest. Last line of the movie (from the mouth of a child) "I came."
10. Me and You and Everyone We Know- dir./writ. Miranda July. I want to meet Miranda July. Judging from her writing I think she is probably like her character in this movie. The characters are all lovable, even the guy who writes and posts sex notes to high school girls in his apartment window. I love that Cody Chestnutt is referenced. This is a great movie. You want to see it. Back and Forth, forever.

Sorry I just put you through that, but this is my passion and I want to share it with you. This is not the last you will hear from me and my favorite films. It is probably not the last you will hear of these movies in particular around these parts, either.