Hi.
I dig David Lynch.
No, seriously, I do, don't laugh.
Why?
Hmmm. Good question.
Come to think of it... I have no idea.
So what's up with me, you say? What do you mean I do drugs or something?
The above scenario may not be at all uncommon if you seriously dig David Lynch. People will think you are... well, weird. To some people eyes, you are beyond defense. You have no inherent reason or motive to like David Lynch's work, not if you consider yourself someone with at least one gram of common sense. Because, you know, there's nothing that could describe common sense in a David Lynch film. He is so OUT THERE. At one point in his life he LOST IT. He's nuts, he must do drugs, I'm sure he must do drugs. Have you even seen any of his movies? Gawwwwd, what a rumble, what huge pile of shit. If you say you like him or his work, I guess you must be exactly like him. A nutjob. See, you're not normal, not like me. Do you even have the nerve to pretend you get some of it? I don't.
Well, to the Lynch haters (Lynch Mob!) I say this: Guess what. I don't get it either. But that's just one of the many reasons why I dig this guy. What he does, and fairly well at that, is to challenge the senses. I don't see any other way to look at his work. He is a sense-challenger.
I think my very first introduction to him was his first one, Eraserhead. To my young mind, what a beautiful, haunting film this was. To describe it plotwise would mean an exercise in futility, it's the power of images, of unsettling, to disturb you any way he can. His films are everlasting, thought-provoking enigmas, and I just happen to like that. It's all so obviously rooted in surrealism, the more clichéd-infested art movement ever, but in his eyes, it is transformed into mini-machines of plot and dark twists. He has a way with sound design as well, unique to his movies.
Count The Elephant Man and Dune (two of his more plot-driven films) among two great examples of narrative, but I would guess this element bothers Mr. Lynch, he's more interested in what's inside of your head than what outside actions can do. So, from Blue Velvet to Inland Empire what we have are magnificent assault to every part of your mind and in between you can almost hear him laughing when he makes something as wonderful, subtly moving and surprising as the appropriately titled The Straight Story. That's like, HA! FOOLED YA!
I would go on individually about each of his films, but I'd like to know more about what you guys like/feel/hate/vomit about his films and the guy himself. So bring in the comments! I say, it's all a matter of who you are, and what your take is in art, film, life (all synonymous to me). If you like your movies nicely wrapped in a package you can digest in minutes, and this is the only kind of film you like, and you believe anything else is just a huge ball of pretentiousness, thread carefully with Lynch. Well no, in fact, you know what? If that is the only kind of film you like, don't even bother, it's almost a given you're not going to like it.
I've had numerous people being critical of the fact that I dig Lynch, some of those coming from people who like strange things like Big House Momma 2, well... I would rather be shot with projectile diarrhea than watch that, but that's me. And then I'm the weirdo.
I just know that I dig David Lynch, I don't entirely have a coherent, facile reason for it, but I just know that I do.
Because I'm just weird like that.
