Absolutely no disagreement with any of your choices (I have seen 0 David Lynch films) but as always mate, love your videos and always find them very interesting and informative.
Mulholland Drive is so effective in inducing a dream like state, it simultaneously draws me TO Los Angeles, even as I imbibe the message of the film about the nature of the place and pitfalls inherent within. How does a filmmaker achieve such a dichotomy of conflicting responses? Sheer brilliance.
This oneiric quality is a recurring feature across Lynch's work (such consistency bolstering his status as an auteur), and this 2001 masterpiece is one of the supreme examples. It may be my favorite of Lynch's feature productions (his early short 'The Grandmother' is my single favorite among the Lynch films I've seen).
Great analysis as always. I´d have the same top three but I´d have to have Elephant Man at No.1. It´s an absolute work of genius in my opinion. As you said, Hopkins has never been better. The scene where he first sees the titular character at the fair, the camera remaining on his aghast face til a tear finally falls from his eye, is one of my all time favourite scenes in cinema, just mesmerising.
Michael Bartlett. I regard him with the same respect as Kael, Sarris, and Agee. His passion, sincerity and love for storytelling in all genres. A britsh gem.
Yes, Mike is an astute and eloquent critic, with a wide-ranging and sophisticated taste. His is definitely one of the best channels on the site focusing on film, and is the most intellectual I've encountered here.
Thanks so much to both of you for your kind words. Sometimes my energy flags doing this channel, so it's wonderful to know the vids are appreciated. Big hugs!
Great Video once again Mike! I am not a huge fan of Lynch, but I do admire him. Although I havent seen all os his films I love your take on The Straight Story and Blue Velvet and I agree Mulholland Drive is also my favorite film of his. I remember feeling so terrified of it, when I saw it the first time.
Great video Michael. Interesting perspective on Twin Peaks TV show. I love it but kind of agree with you. It does meander quite a bit from the central story. Fire Walk With Me is my favourite it is a masterpiece it's a very scary film. I also love Lost Highway which is my second favourite. I wasn't sure what was happening but just went with it and that's what I loved about it I felt very uncomfortable throughout.
Thanks, Gary. Those two movies don't get nearly enough credit for reinventing the horror movie. But I've noticed Fire Walk With Me is gaining a cult following as the years go on.
David Lynch is maybe my favorite director but I agree with you completely in regards to his tendency to self-indulgence. Inland Empire was the tipping point and it only got worse with The Return. I'm glad to find someone sharing this opinion since it seems to be in the minority among Lynch fans. That being said, the first 1.5 seasons of Twin Peaks are among my favorite pieces of media ever and I think part of that is related to another insight you had about Lynch, which is his Manichean world-view. I think in his early work, including early Twin Peaks, these forces may exist autonomously but they always manifest themselves in the personal as presented on film. That's always what I found so powerful about the original Twin Peaks - at it's core it's a story about the horrific abuse inflicted on a girl and the ways in which violence perpetuates itself (it's implied that Laura's abuser was himself abused at a young age, which is how Bob got into him). In this way I always saw the demonic forces as representations of the personal evil we inflict and have inflicted on us, the ways in which we disavow and cognitively separate ourselves from our evil acts while still practicing them. Part of what I found so deflating about Twin Peaks is it turned this very personal, very real form of evil into an impersonal cosmic battle. Now Laura and Bob are just pawns in this larger chess game between good and evil. I think this broad strokes presentation does a disservice to the beautiful, wrenching depiction of the trauma at the heart of the original series. Ironically, this expansion of the "lore" of the Twin Peaks universe (a topic that could not interest me less, personally) provided great fodder for TH-cam creators and probably led to a whole new audience becoming aware of the show.
Hi, Mike, interesting takes as always on signature works of a distinctive director. I'm not a Lynch completist, and I don't even regard him as one of my favorite filmmakers, but at least two or three of the films of his I've experienced are among my most cherished movies. I generally avoid ranking in my own lists, but in this instance, I find some degree of ranking unavoidable. --'The Grandmother' (1969), an early short by Lynch, is my favorite among the films of his I've seen. This dark meditation on childhood trauma and its hopeful resolution looks forward to some of the motifs and strategies of 'Eraserhead', though in color and without any conventional dialogue. --A toss-up between 'Eraserhead' (1977) and 'Mulholland Dr.' (2001) for second place. Both of these are some species of masterpiece, alternately disturbing and seductive, and each bewildering in its unique way. 'Eraserhead' is the more daring and formally provocative of the two, but 'Mulholland Dr.' is the one I'd choose to revisit more often. --'Lost Highway' (1997). An uneven but still assured exercise in film as waking dream. The musical score definitely adds to the mysterious atmosphere, and the film is aesthetically and emotionally rewarding if one doesn't try to make too much sense of its strange trajectories. --'The Elephant Man' (1980). A film I saw upon its original release, and by which I was moved. There are undeniable strengths in the film (the cinematography, the fine performances), but today I sense that the handling of the subject veers a bit uncomfortably towards sentimentality. Still, though, a very touching achievement. --'Blue Velvet' (1986). A beguiling vision of the deceptions of small-town American life, but not a film that has ever meant much to me personally. --'Dune' (1984). An unwieldy, overly ambitious attempt at epic science fiction that never quite takes off for me. There certainly are some striking images, but also some shoddy visual effects (i.e., the inconsistency in rendering the Fremen eyes blue). Herbert's story has since had superior screen adaptations. --'Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times)' [1967]. Another early short by Lynch, rather fascinating if admittedly slight in the relentless consummation of its singular theme. --'Wild at Heart' (1990). A misfire on Lynch's part, semi-camp and semi-hip without truly succeeding in either idiom. I did admire Diane Ladd's committed performance though. --'The Alphabet' (1968). An early short, the most inconsequential of Lynch's film's I've seen, a fleeting and slight exercise in avant-garde eeriness.
Thanks so much, Barry. Fascinating takes, as always. I have seen The Grandmother (excellent) but not the other shorts you mention. Totally agree about Wild At Heart.
David Lynch is one of my favourite, if not my all time favourite director. Far beyond his surrealism, its his expressionism I adore. His movies don’t pertain to a particular genre, but his scenes….when he makes Horror I’m scared to death, when he’s funny I laugh for days and when he’s emotional, my god I’m in tears. They also have a deep understanding of psychology in a way that I don’t see put to film often, this juxtaposing what you were mentioning as his “new age belief in good an evil” creates what I consider to be the essence of a modern day fable. Twin Peaks the Return truly was a revolutionary piece of art for me. I was super interested to hear it didn’t do for you what it did for me. But I agree that Fire Walk With Me was a near-perfect film. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on Alejandro Jodorowsky or Jan Svankmajer someday.
Thanks so much for your comment. I'm annoyed I didn't use the term "expressionism" anywhere in my vid, because it fits well. Svankmajer - interesting...
Such an excellent discussion and analysis, Mike! Thank you! I watched a bit of Twin Peaks on television, but although I often appreciate quirky, offbeat stuff, I just never got into the series and I stopped watching. As you said, weirdness just seemed deliberately programmed in for its own sake, and I found that somewhat off-putting. I do prefer David Lynch's films. I have seen Mulholland Drive, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, The Straight Story, and Dune. I can't think of any others right now. Based on your video, I plan to seek out Lost Highway.
I love the show Twin Peaks but it’s undermined by its 2nd series and I agree with you on the film, it is great. Disturbing, heartbreaking, beautiful - all the most intriguing elements of the show are allowed to breathe.
Brilliant video and discussion. Looking forward to your future videos. Is William Friedkin a filmmaker you'll be discussing in a future video? or have done a video on him? He's probably quite a divisive personality, so it would be interesting to get your inciteful take (and of course Mark Kermode is a big Friedkin fan 😂).
@@michaelbartlettfilm I actually knew a fellow a couple of decades ago who cited 'The Exorcist' as his favorite film. A nice and thoughtful guy, but with some eccentric beliefs, such as seriously considering that mythological creatures like centaurs were real biological entities that had gone extinct in the remote past. As for 'The Exorcist', it's a powerful and effective horror movie, but so relentlessly unpleasant that I could never regard it as a personal favorite.
@@barrymoore4470 I remember being impressed when Max Von Sydow said he regretted appearing in the film, because it appeared to demonise (sorry) teenagers and young people. I agree with him that the film is sensationalist in so many ways, when its terror could have been more subtle and hinted at.
@@michaelbartlettfilm I had not known of von Sydow's later equivocal views of the film. And that's an interesting demurral, though the subject (based on a novel, inspired by an exorcism ritual that had been performed on a young Maryland boy in the late Forties) being that of an afflicted young person made the content (if not necessarily the style or attitude) unavoidable. Ellen Burstyn likely has some regret for her involvement, in that she permanently injured her back in submitting to a harness that director Friedkin insisted she wear to effect a scene of being thrown across the possessed Regan's bedroom. Friedkin assured Burstyn that the effect would be achieved safely, but the actual result was enduring (though not debilitating) physical injury. I actually find John Boorman's maligned sequel a more interesting and satisfying film.
@@barrymoore4470 And it's just come out on a lovely, spangly new Blu-Ray from Arrow which I've just ordered... (I also ordered Rosenbaum's new book, but Amazon can't get it to me until January! So I cancelled the order. I will have to do without Johnny's wit and wisdom for a while.)
Being brilliant is exhausting. Listen to Michaels insights on Chabrol. And then his review on target books. And so on. No Kermode rants for click bait. Master classes. Terry Nation: Full thrust.
@@michaelbartlettfilm Full thhrust is about interstellar speed in Blakes seven season one, meaning do not think about headstones yet. Rock. on, Melker.
My favourite director ever: 1. Inland Empire 2. Mulholland Drive 3. Blue Velvet 4. Fire Walk with me 5. Lost Highway 6. Twin Peaks: The Return 7. The Straight Story 8. Twin Peaks 9. The Elephant Man 10. Eraserhead 11. Wild at Heart 12. Dune 13. What did Jack do?
Intriguing! Elephant Man so low... I think Inland Empire is the film that divides devotees from more casual fans like myself. Perhaps his definitive film?
@@michaelbartlettfilm I would argue that both Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire can be classified as his ultimate film. A dark, yet hopeful feministic trip about freedom, abuse and lost dreams. Modern Sunset Blvd with a twist if you will
Great stuff Michael, I too believe Lynch believes in Evil, and the existence of Demons. Nothing wrong with your choice' s Michael, But my favorite is Blue Velvet ( Dune the worst) To me the film is only about Jeffery, and the forces of Evil, Frank is tasked with breaking Jeffery, but after Frank Rape's Jeffery, Jeffery find's he is the man he hopes and wants to be. " a force against Evil" ( Agent Cooper ? ) or someone like that, Frank thinking he has "broken" Jeffery while is hinding in the wardrobe ( how many have hidden from there abusers, to no avail ?) Not only does Jeffery kill Frank, but Lynch tells us he also kills the Demon. Anyhow that's how I see it.
1. Lost Highway 10/10 2. Mulholland Drive 9/10 3. The Elephant Man 9/10 4. Blue Velvet 8/10 5. Inland Empire 8/10 6. Wild at Heart 7/10 7. Eraserhead 7/10 8. Dune 4/10 Need to watch/rewatch the other stuff
Yeah, I'm with you on the Twin Peaks. I liked the first season but the second goes downhill, and even the first has bloated, boring stretches and some annoying characters. It's far from his best work. Twin Peaks the Return I find even less appealing overall and it did a lot of the things we had already seen done much better in Lynch, like the doppelganger stuff. To me the Elephant Man is his best work, although I really enjoy Blue Velvet and some of the others. I agree Elephant Man is gorgeous cinematography and I love The Innocents.
@@michaelbartlettfilm Sorry but that is how I feel. Too much style, not enough substance. But he is more interesting than Tarantino, Ivory, Jarmusch, Lee et al - all with the same shortcoming in my opinion. Casavetes as well. I'm fussy I guess. I like stories. My kind of director Wyler, Ford, Scorcese, Ozu, Truffaut, Chabrol, Resnais,...
I'm no fan of David Lynch. A self-styled contradiction. A jekyll and hyde personality with a dream state that represents his inner world of unknowns. Do you think you have Lynch cornered or do you think you understand the man's obsession with all things death. Lynch is savvy, like most of these old time directors and he nurtures his image with a vigorous furtherance. I honestly don't think Lynch even really understands his films of the latter period. He just likes playing about with your mind like some sort of darkly hinged psychotic psychiatric on a trip to trip you up. It's all about feelings with Lynch. Plot points can go off the cliff never to be seen again. Lynch might have an answer, but he's vague and loose. Some critics just love all that stuff when reviewing Lynch's films. Me. I just find his films aggravating and delusional. His New Age mantra only demonstrates his crazy thoughts. Though I will say The Elephant Man did demonstrate some semblance of narrative. Sometimes you have to hunt with hounds if you want to be taken seriously, then head back into the hermit world of darkness and loneliness.It's not about words, but let the images speak for themselves. He's just too contradictory and slippery.
Absolutely no disagreement with any of your choices (I have seen 0 David Lynch films) but as always mate, love your videos and always find them very interesting and informative.
Thanks so much, Willie!
Love this video. Love your gentle voice, I enjoy just drifting off to your videos at night.
Oh, no, I'm putting people to sleep, ha, ha! Oh, well, at least the videos are providing happiness in some way.
Mulholland Drive is so effective in inducing a dream like state, it simultaneously draws me TO Los Angeles, even as I imbibe the message of the film about the nature of the place and pitfalls inherent within. How does a filmmaker achieve such a dichotomy of conflicting responses? Sheer brilliance.
This oneiric quality is a recurring feature across Lynch's work (such consistency bolstering his status as an auteur), and this 2001 masterpiece is one of the supreme examples. It may be my favorite of Lynch's feature productions (his early short 'The Grandmother' is my single favorite among the Lynch films I've seen).
@@barrymoore4470 Mine too, Barry! Will need to try to find "The Grandmother...
@@frankb821 Not only does it put me off LA, but looking round any walls behind burger joints!
Great analysis as always. I´d have the same top three but I´d have to have Elephant Man at No.1. It´s an absolute work of genius in my opinion. As you said, Hopkins has never been better. The scene where he first sees the titular character at the fair, the camera remaining on his aghast face til a tear finally falls from his eye, is one of my all time favourite scenes in cinema, just mesmerising.
Thanks, Moose. I should have mentioned that moment (and Freddie Jones!)
Michael Bartlett. I regard him with the same respect as Kael, Sarris, and Agee. His passion, sincerity and love for storytelling in all genres. A britsh gem.
Yes, Mike is an astute and eloquent critic, with a wide-ranging and sophisticated taste. His is definitely one of the best channels on the site focusing on film, and is the most intellectual I've encountered here.
Thanks so much to both of you for your kind words. Sometimes my energy flags doing this channel, so it's wonderful to know the vids are appreciated. Big hugs!
The elephant man is such a special movie to me loved it for 40 years, its my favourite Antony Hopkins performance, yes over Hannibal! 👍🏻
Thanks, Stu! Way better than Hannibal!
Great Video once again Mike! I am not a huge fan of Lynch, but I do admire him. Although I havent seen all os his films I love your take on The Straight Story and Blue Velvet and I agree Mulholland Drive is also my favorite film of his. I remember feeling so terrified of it, when I saw it the first time.
Thanks, Nikolaj! Looks like quite a few subscribers are not Lynchians. But everyone loves Mulholland at least! Fab film.
Great video Michael. Interesting perspective on Twin Peaks TV show. I love it but kind of agree with you. It does meander quite a bit from the central story. Fire Walk With Me is my favourite it is a masterpiece it's a very scary film. I also love Lost Highway which is my second favourite. I wasn't sure what was happening but just went with it and that's what I loved about it I felt very uncomfortable throughout.
Thanks, Gary. Those two movies don't get nearly enough credit for reinventing the horror movie. But I've noticed Fire Walk With Me is gaining a cult following as the years go on.
David Lynch is maybe my favorite director but I agree with you completely in regards to his tendency to self-indulgence. Inland Empire was the tipping point and it only got worse with The Return. I'm glad to find someone sharing this opinion since it seems to be in the minority among Lynch fans.
That being said, the first 1.5 seasons of Twin Peaks are among my favorite pieces of media ever and I think part of that is related to another insight you had about Lynch, which is his Manichean world-view. I think in his early work, including early Twin Peaks, these forces may exist autonomously but they always manifest themselves in the personal as presented on film. That's always what I found so powerful about the original Twin Peaks - at it's core it's a story about the horrific abuse inflicted on a girl and the ways in which violence perpetuates itself (it's implied that Laura's abuser was himself abused at a young age, which is how Bob got into him). In this way I always saw the demonic forces as representations of the personal evil we inflict and have inflicted on us, the ways in which we disavow and cognitively separate ourselves from our evil acts while still practicing them.
Part of what I found so deflating about Twin Peaks is it turned this very personal, very real form of evil into an impersonal cosmic battle. Now Laura and Bob are just pawns in this larger chess game between good and evil. I think this broad strokes presentation does a disservice to the beautiful, wrenching depiction of the trauma at the heart of the original series. Ironically, this expansion of the "lore" of the Twin Peaks universe (a topic that could not interest me less, personally) provided great fodder for TH-cam creators and probably led to a whole new audience becoming aware of the show.
I absolutely agree, with bells on!! I think you've nailed the ways in which Lynch sometimes undoes his own good work.
Brilliant. Very interesting
Cheers, mate!
Elephant Man is a superb film. Love David Lynch. Great channel thanks
Thanks, Kev!
Excited to watch this!
Hope it was worth it!
Hi, Mike, interesting takes as always on signature works of a distinctive director. I'm not a Lynch completist, and I don't even regard him as one of my favorite filmmakers, but at least two or three of the films of his I've experienced are among my most cherished movies. I generally avoid ranking in my own lists, but in this instance, I find some degree of ranking unavoidable.
--'The Grandmother' (1969), an early short by Lynch, is my favorite among the films of his I've seen. This dark meditation on childhood trauma and its hopeful resolution looks forward to some of the motifs and strategies of 'Eraserhead', though in color and without any conventional dialogue.
--A toss-up between 'Eraserhead' (1977) and 'Mulholland Dr.' (2001) for second place. Both of these are some species of masterpiece, alternately disturbing and seductive, and each bewildering in its unique way. 'Eraserhead' is the more daring and formally provocative of the two, but 'Mulholland Dr.' is the one I'd choose to revisit more often.
--'Lost Highway' (1997). An uneven but still assured exercise in film as waking dream. The musical score definitely adds to the mysterious atmosphere, and the film is aesthetically and emotionally rewarding if one doesn't try to make too much sense of its strange trajectories.
--'The Elephant Man' (1980). A film I saw upon its original release, and by which I was moved. There are undeniable strengths in the film (the cinematography, the fine performances), but today I sense that the handling of the subject veers a bit uncomfortably towards sentimentality. Still, though, a very touching achievement.
--'Blue Velvet' (1986). A beguiling vision of the deceptions of small-town American life, but not a film that has ever meant much to me personally.
--'Dune' (1984). An unwieldy, overly ambitious attempt at epic science fiction that never quite takes off for me. There certainly are some striking images, but also some shoddy visual effects (i.e., the inconsistency in rendering the Fremen eyes blue). Herbert's story has since had superior screen adaptations.
--'Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times)' [1967]. Another early short by Lynch, rather fascinating if admittedly slight in the relentless consummation of its singular theme.
--'Wild at Heart' (1990). A misfire on Lynch's part, semi-camp and semi-hip without truly succeeding in either idiom. I did admire Diane Ladd's committed performance though.
--'The Alphabet' (1968). An early short, the most inconsequential of Lynch's film's I've seen, a fleeting and slight exercise in avant-garde eeriness.
Thanks so much, Barry. Fascinating takes, as always. I have seen The Grandmother (excellent) but not the other shorts you mention. Totally agree about Wild At Heart.
David Lynch is one of my favourite, if not my all time favourite director. Far beyond his surrealism, its his expressionism I adore. His movies don’t pertain to a particular genre, but his scenes….when he makes Horror I’m scared to death, when he’s funny I laugh for days and when he’s emotional, my god I’m in tears. They also have a deep understanding of psychology in a way that I don’t see put to film often, this juxtaposing what you were mentioning as his “new age belief in good an evil” creates what I consider to be the essence of a modern day fable.
Twin Peaks the Return truly was a revolutionary piece of art for me. I was super interested to hear it didn’t do for you what it did for me. But I agree that Fire Walk With Me was a near-perfect film.
I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on Alejandro Jodorowsky or Jan Svankmajer someday.
Thanks so much for your comment. I'm annoyed I didn't use the term "expressionism" anywhere in my vid, because it fits well. Svankmajer - interesting...
Such an excellent discussion and analysis, Mike! Thank you! I watched a bit of Twin Peaks on television, but although I often appreciate quirky, offbeat stuff, I just never got into the series and I stopped watching. As you said, weirdness just seemed deliberately programmed in for its own sake, and I found that somewhat off-putting. I do prefer David Lynch's films. I have seen Mulholland Drive, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, The Straight Story, and Dune. I can't think of any others right now. Based on your video, I plan to seek out Lost Highway.
Thanks, Julie! Lost Highway is a mix of noir, horror and dream movie. I love it, but it tends to divide people.
I love the show Twin Peaks but it’s undermined by its 2nd series and I agree with you on the film, it is great. Disturbing, heartbreaking, beautiful - all the most intriguing elements of the show are allowed to breathe.
Thanks, Euan!
Brilliant video and discussion. Looking forward to your future videos. Is William Friedkin a filmmaker you'll be discussing in a future video? or have done a video on him? He's probably quite a divisive personality, so it would be interesting to get your inciteful take (and of course Mark Kermode is a big Friedkin fan 😂).
I know, he still thinks The Exorcist is the best film ever! And Mary Poppins is second! I could never share a video evening with him.
@@michaelbartlettfilm I actually knew a fellow a couple of decades ago who cited 'The Exorcist' as his favorite film. A nice and thoughtful guy, but with some eccentric beliefs, such as seriously considering that mythological creatures like centaurs were real biological entities that had gone extinct in the remote past. As for 'The Exorcist', it's a powerful and effective horror movie, but so relentlessly unpleasant that I could never regard it as a personal favorite.
@@barrymoore4470 I remember being impressed when Max Von Sydow said he regretted appearing in the film, because it appeared to demonise (sorry) teenagers and young people. I agree with him that the film is sensationalist in so many ways, when its terror could have been more subtle and hinted at.
@@michaelbartlettfilm I had not known of von Sydow's later equivocal views of the film. And that's an interesting demurral, though the subject (based on a novel, inspired by an exorcism ritual that had been performed on a young Maryland boy in the late Forties) being that of an afflicted young person made the content (if not necessarily the style or attitude) unavoidable.
Ellen Burstyn likely has some regret for her involvement, in that she permanently injured her back in submitting to a harness that director Friedkin insisted she wear to effect a scene of being thrown across the possessed Regan's bedroom. Friedkin assured Burstyn that the effect would be achieved safely, but the actual result was enduring (though not debilitating) physical injury.
I actually find John Boorman's maligned sequel a more interesting and satisfying film.
@@barrymoore4470 And it's just come out on a lovely, spangly new Blu-Ray from Arrow which I've just ordered... (I also ordered Rosenbaum's new book, but Amazon can't get it to me until January! So I cancelled the order. I will have to do without Johnny's wit and wisdom for a while.)
Being brilliant is exhausting. Listen to Michaels insights on Chabrol. And then his review on target books. And so on. No Kermode rants for click bait. Master classes. Terry Nation: Full thrust.
Aww, thanks, Melker. "Terry Nation Full Thrust!" I have no idea what that means, but it sounds great! I'll have that written on my gravestone.
@@michaelbartlettfilm Full thhrust is about interstellar speed in Blakes seven season one, meaning do not think about headstones yet. Rock. on, Melker.
@@MelkerSunden Ah, a Blake reference! Confirmed.
My favourite director ever:
1. Inland Empire
2. Mulholland Drive
3. Blue Velvet
4. Fire Walk with me
5. Lost Highway
6. Twin Peaks: The Return
7. The Straight Story
8. Twin Peaks
9. The Elephant Man
10. Eraserhead
11. Wild at Heart
12. Dune
13. What did Jack do?
Intriguing! Elephant Man so low... I think Inland Empire is the film that divides devotees from more casual fans like myself. Perhaps his definitive film?
@@michaelbartlettfilm I would argue that both Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire can be classified as his ultimate film. A dark, yet hopeful feministic trip about freedom, abuse and lost dreams. Modern Sunset Blvd with a twist if you will
@@InterchangeofNight Beautifully put. I must watch them back to back; I think that might improve my feelings about the second film.
I like Twin Peaks ... I LOVE Twin Peaks: The Return. I found it even more interesting, and certainly less soap-y than the original show.
Fair enough - I know I'm in a minority on that one. But at least I loved episode 8!
Great stuff Michael, I too believe Lynch believes in Evil, and the existence of Demons.
Nothing wrong with your choice' s Michael, But my favorite is Blue Velvet ( Dune the worst) To me the film is only about Jeffery, and the forces of Evil, Frank is tasked with breaking Jeffery, but after Frank Rape's Jeffery, Jeffery find's he is the man he hopes and wants to be. " a force against Evil" ( Agent Cooper ? ) or someone like that, Frank thinking he has "broken" Jeffery while is hinding in the wardrobe ( how many have hidden from there abusers, to no avail ?) Not only does Jeffery kill Frank, but Lynch tells us he also kills the Demon. Anyhow that's how I see it.
Love it. Thanks, Glen. It's a film which affects me differently every time. I'll bear your reading in mind next time I give it a watch.
Thanks Michael !
1. Lost Highway 10/10
2. Mulholland Drive 9/10
3. The Elephant Man 9/10
4. Blue Velvet 8/10
5. Inland Empire 8/10
6. Wild at Heart 7/10
7. Eraserhead 7/10
8. Dune 4/10
Need to watch/rewatch the other stuff
Lost Highway - yes! Thanks for posting!
Yeah, I'm with you on the Twin Peaks. I liked the first season but the second goes downhill, and even the first has bloated, boring stretches and some annoying characters. It's far from his best work. Twin Peaks the Return I find even less appealing overall and it did a lot of the things we had already seen done much better in Lynch, like the doppelganger stuff. To me the Elephant Man is his best work, although I really enjoy Blue Velvet and some of the others. I agree Elephant Man is gorgeous cinematography and I love The Innocents.
Freddie Francis rules! Thanks, Astronomer!
I only liked two of his films - Elephant Man and The Straight Story. The rest were confusing, self-conscious, and boring after a while as a result.
Fair enough. (Mulholland Drive boring?!! Mike splutters - it can't be true!)
@@michaelbartlettfilm Sorry but that is how I feel. Too much style, not enough substance. But he is more interesting than Tarantino, Ivory, Jarmusch, Lee et al - all with the same shortcoming in my opinion. Casavetes as well. I'm fussy I guess. I like stories. My kind of director Wyler, Ford, Scorcese, Ozu, Truffaut, Chabrol, Resnais,...
@@rpullman No need to apologise! And that's a fine list of directors. Must get to know Wyler better - a bit of an undiscovered country for me.
@@michaelbartlettfilm Wyler's 'The Best Years of Our Lives' is one of the great American films of the Forties, and one of my personal favorites.
I'm no fan of David Lynch. A self-styled contradiction. A jekyll and hyde personality with a dream state that represents his inner world of unknowns. Do you think you have Lynch cornered or do you think you understand the man's obsession with all things death. Lynch is savvy, like most of these old time directors and he nurtures his image with a vigorous furtherance. I honestly don't think Lynch even really understands his films of the latter period. He just likes playing about with your mind like some sort of darkly hinged psychotic psychiatric on a trip to trip you up. It's all about feelings with Lynch. Plot points can go off the cliff never to be seen again. Lynch might have an answer, but he's vague and loose. Some critics just love all that stuff when reviewing Lynch's films. Me. I just find his films aggravating and delusional. His New Age mantra only demonstrates his crazy thoughts. Though I will say The Elephant Man did demonstrate some semblance of narrative. Sometimes you have to hunt with hounds if you want to be taken seriously, then head back into the hermit world of darkness and loneliness.It's not about words, but let the images speak for themselves. He's just too contradictory and slippery.
Fantastic comment, thank you. I think I'm more of a fan than you but I accept his films are sometimes frustrating. I'm off now to hunt with hounds!!
These videos are soooo good
Thanks so much, Andrei!