Esch watches David Lynch: a journey through filmfeggitry

[Eschaton]

Haven't seen any of his shit besides the wack Dune movie and Twin Peaks S1.

What's good?

[Mr. Gundam]

The Straight Story is damn good, but you'd never guess it was Lynch.

[jakefromstatefarm]

Start with Blue Velvet.

either that or Eraserhead

[Phoenix Dark]

The Elephant Man is his only good movie. The rest is try hard wankery.

[TakingBackSunday]

The Elephant Man is his only good movie. The rest is try hard wankery.

 

[Himu]

Go in order. Start with Eraserhead, then Elephant Man, blue velvet. Go in order and stop with Mulholland Drive

[jakefromstatefarm]

Eraserhead was a very distressing film for me, and it's kind of hard to explain. It's not scary, and there are far more disturbing images in plenty of other movies. It affected me in a very strange way.

Lynch in a nutshell

Elephant Man is another one of those disability = confinement = you-have-no-role-in-society = it'd-probably-be-best-if-you-just-died flicks

[Himu]

Eraserhead was a very distressing film for me, and it's kind of hard to explain. It's not scary, and there are far more disturbing images in plenty of other movies. It affected me in a very strange way.

Lynch in a nutshell

Elephant Man is another one of those disability = confinement = you-have-no-role-in-society = it'd-probably-be-best-if-you-just-died flicks

Huh? You realize it's based on an actual man, right?

[CajoleJuice]

Eraserhead was a very distressing film for me, and it's kind of hard to explain. It's not scary, and there are far more disturbing images in plenty of other movies. It affected me in a very strange way.

Because it is a nightmare put on film.

[Mr Gilhaney]

Just stop being a taco and watch season two of twin peaks.

[Positive Touch]

blue velvet and mulholland Dr. skip lost highway; it sucks

[jakefromstatefarm]

Huh? You realize it's based on an actual man, right?

yeah, and that doesn't change the nature of the discourse it uses with its audience. tbf, it's not as bad as a lot of films that depict disability, but physical impairment is still seen as insurmountable tragedy and Merrick's condition is left unexplained and unnuanced. That it's "Based on a True Story" doesn't change the fact it uses modern tropes to communicate with a modern audience.

[Quaker]

Blue Velvet is a good balance between his grotesque, batshit weirdness while still being fairly accessible.

Elephant Man and The Straight Story are good and super straight-forward.

I don't even like Wild at Heart that much(super strong late-80s cheese) but it's pretty much worth watching just for Willem Dafoe's small part.

Don't bother with Inland Empire until you've seen everything else, if then.

[Himu]

For the record, twin peaks is nothing like lynch's other filmography. In that his films are actually GOOD.

[Mr Gilhaney]

 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also Inland Empire is a bit poop

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[mormapope]

Mulholland Dr. is his best movie. Its a really fun ride and you'll feel a wide range of emotions while watching it. Plus there's a Naomi Watts nude scene.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

You get to see her tittays.

[close]

[Positive Touch]

inland empire was ok til 5 min into the dream sequence it doesn't stop and ends up being 90 min long

[Himu]

Mulholland is my favorite Lynch by far. It exudes Lynchian what the fuck while conveniently wrapping it all up in a nice bow. It's quite a visual treat as well.

Once you've popped your Lynch cherry, check out Cronenberg.

[Atramental]

Cronenberg 

[Phoenix Dark]

Eastern Promises

[jakefromstatefarm]

yeah breh, Lynch gives you media indigestion

[Atramental]

It reinforced my notion that I shouldn't have kids. 

Edit: I guess I should preface this post with the fact that I have this deep and somewhat irrational fear that all of my offspring will be horribly deformed.

[Joe Molotov]

inland empire was ok til 5 min into the dream sequence it doesn't stop and ends up being 90 min long

Also it looks it was shot on a $100 Nikon Coolpix.

[Himu]

Lynch is fantastic at works sticking with you. Sometimes to the point where it can challenge you. I'd say give it a few days until you watch the next one. I'd suggest Elephant Man, because while being emotional, it doesn't cause the emotions Eraserhead would. It's more grounded and while it's less experimental it can be far more emotionally charged in its pathos.

[StealthFan]

Lost Highway owns. Fuck the haters.

[Joe Molotov]

I watched Eraserhead my last year of college. I think it was a weeknight, and I didn't have anything to do the next day, so I watched it alone in my room with all the lights out. Afterward I just felt horrible, and I really wanted to be around other human beings, but nobody was awake. I think I ended up drinking and watching a Disney movie.

You should have went out for some KFC.

[sarslip]

Lying here in bed and I can't stop thinking about it. Not in a nightmarish way, but in a sort of trying to grasp meaning from it way. Overall though, I feel like this one had strengths and weaknesses. I didn't care for the characterization much or the pacing but the general imagery, implications and atmosphere were all great.

Pretty solid first film.

soundtrack deserves special mention too imo, just great shit all around.