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Los Angeles City Beat's interview with Lynch.

I saw this yesterday afternoon and I have to say that Lynch's assertion that it makes "complete sense" isn't off balance in the least. Thematically, Inland Empire is a direct satire of overblown Hollywood drama pictures, celebrity politics, the cult of celebrity and media saturation. Unfortunately, it's a subject that for someone like Lynch is just too obvious a target. The jokes (and the film has lots of them) just aren't as funny as Lynch thinks they are. While the story is told as a film within a film within a film (that's the easiest way to say it) it just doesn't suit the simplistic attack that is at its core. Of course, there are the Lynchian scenes - a sitcom with rabbits among others - that fans will obsess over, but they are nothing on par with what he has done before either visually or emotionally.

The film does have its moments. Lynch does fiercely demand protection for how women are portrayed in the media and the musical numbers are a riot. Laura Dern wonderfully anchors the movie as well.

However, the movie is at least forty-five minutes too long. There is no reason it has to run as long as it does, and it ends about a half dozen times before finally wrapping up. But oh, how it does wrap up, with a credit sequence that is riotously fun and campy --- I only wish Lynch had let loose for the rest of the film.

Antoine Doinel wrote:The jokes (and the film has lots of them) just aren't as funny as Lynch thinks they [are].

Harry Dean Stanton bumming money off most everyone else in the film? Hilarious.

rumz wrote:

Antoine Doinel wrote:The jokes (and the film has lots of them) just aren't as funny as Lynch thinks they [are].

Harry Dean Stanton bumming money off most everyone else in the film? Hilarious.

Of course, it would've been funnier if it wasn't done twice.

For me, the funniest moment was when the Butler clasped his hands and lifted his leg when Dern got the part.

The (relative) absence of Lynchian camp was actually one of the more appealing aspects of this. Still, I did love the end credits. Too bad he couldn't get Naomi Watts to appear.

Antoine Doinel wrote:Thematically, Inland Empire is a direct satire of overblown Hollywood drama pictures, celebrity politics, the cult of celebrity and media saturation.

I know he's a big fan of Sunset Blvd. Did it feel like a present influence?

Antoine Doinel wrote:The jokes (and the film has lots of them) just aren't as funny as Lynch thinks they are.

Sounds like Dumbland.

By the way, your review makes me very sad. I've been more excited about this film than any other this year (except maybe the new Svankmajer) and haven't let the critics with their extremely negative reviews convince me otherwise. Your review seems more balanced and therefore more reliable.

Then again, I am known for loving films everyone hates. Hell, I own The Million Dollar Hotel.

By the way, how's the score? I know Badalamenti had little involvement and am expecting it to be a lot like the ambient Rabbits score [which I love] and the Blue Bob sound.

Also, how did the film look on the big screen? It's hard to judge based on a YouTube video. I know the Room to Dream thing was terrible, but I've heard fans say this looks much, much better than that.

montgomery wrote:For me, the funniest moment was when the Butler clasped his hands and lifted his leg when Dern got the part.

Yeah, that was pretty fantastic.

Jason wrote:I know he's a big fan of Sunset Blvd. Did it feel like a present influence?

Then again, I am known for loving films everyone hates. Hell, I own The Million Dollar Hotel.

In retrospect, it definitely could've been a large influence on the film.

But also bear in mind I thought The Fountain was great, so what do I know?

Jason wrote:By the way, how's the score? I know Badalamenti had little involvement and am expecting it to be a lot like the ambient Rabbits score [which I love] and the Blue Bob sound.

Also, how did the film look on the big screen? It's hard to judge based on a YouTube video. I know the Room to Dream thing was terrible, but I've heard fans say this looks much, much better than that.

The score was ok, but nothing outstanding. Just the usual speaker blowing orchestrations. At times I felt it was used to bolster weaker scenes. However, I found the use his use and placement of pop songs both fascinating and hilarious (and I can't begin to guess how he got clearance for some of theses tracks in the situations they are in.)

On the big screen, it looked like a YouTube video, but I think for many of the sequences this was intentional and really didn't bother me. For the segments of the film with Jeremy Irons, Laura Dern and Justin Theroux everything is noticeably sharper and cleaner, while the more surreal moments are washed out and pixelated.

Antoine Doinel wrote:

rumz wrote:

Antoine Doinel wrote:The jokes (and the film has lots of them) just aren't as funny as Lynch thinks they [are].

Harry Dean Stanton bumming money off most everyone else in the film? Hilarious.

Of course, it would've been funnier if it wasn't done twice.

That was exactly what made it so funny.

From the trailer it looks pretty "homemade." Not that this is a bad thing, I commend Lynch for endorsing this open technology...but I do believe that this is one film that will look better on DVD as opposed to theatre projection. Although I do hope to see it in a theatre.

Meanwhile, what are some of the songs he uses? Oldies?

Dylan wrote:Meanwhile, what are some of the songs he uses? Oldies?

the "Loco-Motion" and Beck's "Black Tambourine" are two that immediately come to mind

Dylan wrote:but I do believe that this is one film that will look better on DVD as opposed to theatre projection.

That depends on whether the DVD is mastered from the original digital elements or not. The 35mm being projected in the theater shows all kinds of digital artifacts (and displays jaggies all over the place), which I think is a result of the digital-to-analog conversion. Maybe this can be bypassed. Who knows.

souvenir wrote:

Dylan wrote:Meanwhile, what are some of the songs he uses? Oldies?

the "Loco-Motion" and Beck's "Black Tambourine" are two that immediately come to mind

Etta James "At Last"
Nina Simone "Sinnerman"

Lots of Penderecki -- a la THE SHINING -- and a Blue Bob song possibly with Lynch singing...... strangely, no Badalementi.

justeleblanc wrote:strangely, no Badalementi.

From a Q&A session:

David Lynch wrote:Angelo played a string part, but I don't think he wants a credit for what he did.

Seattle gets it (and Lynch) at the Cinerama on January 17th...I for one can't wait.

In four years time [and I'm sure far longer than that], Todd Solondz is the only notable director to travel with his film to Alabama. I hate you fortunate artfilm states.

French trailer

Wired magazine's interview with Lynch.

David Lynch is a reputable filmmaker and Mulholland Dr. is possibly the most discussed American film made in the past few years. Why is it that Inland Empire is having such a low-key, quiet release? I looked everywhere and still have no clue whether it's coming to Florida or not.

Michael wrote:David Lynch is a reputable filmmaker and Mulholland Dr. is possibly the most discussed American film made in the past few years. Why is it that Inland Empire is having such a low-key, quiet release? I looked everywhere and still have no clue whether it's coming to Florida or not.

Well, reputable and discussed or not, three hours of DV experimentation and abstraction is not a wide sell, especially since Lynch is still very much a "cult" entity. I don't know anyone who saw Mulholland Drive in theaters.

Mr_sausage wrote:I don't know anyone who saw Mulholland Drive in theaters.

Well I saw Mulholland Dr. at a local multiplex when it came to Orlando only a month after its release in NYC.

Wild at Heart, Fire Walk With Me and The Straight Story were also widely released and I saw them at multiplexes in cities smaller than Orlando.

INLAND EMPIRE is MUCH more abstract and experimental than Mullholland Drive, and is (I imagine) going to appeal to a much smaller audience. For me, it is also less compelling and about 20 minutes too long. Plus, I'm still not sure what it's about, a week after seeing it. I feel like I can't make a real judgement about it until I see it again.