Friday, December 22, 2006

If you are a David Lynch fan...

...and need poetic inspiration for the Christmas holidays, you could try writing something for a new anthology of poems based on Lynch's movies, Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive.

I have both movies on DVD and it's been a pleasure watching them again and reflecting on them. Every time I watch Lost Highway, I notice something that escaped my attention before - the number 26, the music playing on the garage radio, Mr Eddy's shift of identity - it's an astonishing conception.

The deadline for poems is 31 December. So not much time.

6 comments:

C. E. Chaffin said...

I love David Lynch, but except for the soundtrack, I think Lost Highway his most inferior work, except perhaps for Eraserhead. Lost Highway simply fails to entertain except for the most rabid fans. I've heard his new movie is much better. I agree about Mulholland Drive--wonderful movie, cyclical, replay it and replay it and it goes in circles.

Rob said...

CE, I actually like Lost Highway. It's a perplexing and mind-boggling movie, but I've a theory about it that makes some kind of sense, to me at least - to do with half the action being imagination and desire, not reality.

That said, it's easier to write poems about Mulholland Drive. I haven't seen the new movie yet, but I've also heard it's good.

Rob said...

I've checked and have found that Inland Empire, Lynch's new movie, isn't due to be released in the UK until March 2007. It was premiered at the Venice Film festival in September 2006 and has done the festival circuit, and appears to be showing in some parts of the USA. The reviews are very good.

Hoey D said...

Lost Highway's my favourite Lynch. I thought Mulholland Drive was a poor man's Lost Highway... ah well. For me, the atmosphere and visual tone of Lost Highway is mesmerising.
It also contains my favourite Lynch line: "I'm in your house right now."

Cheers!

Joe

Hoey D said...

Oh, and my sister just walked in, she says it's her favourite too. She says: "It's most honestly about what all Lynch films are about - what is evil?"

Joe

Rob said...

Joe, yes, that scene from the party is classic. My favourite line is "Call me!" mainly for the expression on the mystery man's face when he says it - there can't be many more sinister grimaces in film history.

I also think Lynch is examining evil. Also desire. And the way each human being contains many sides. And other things too. His films are so multi-layered.

Anyway, I wrote a few poems and sent them in. It was initially easier to write on Mulholland Avenue, but after a struggle the ones on Lost Highway seemed to come out OK. But I'll know when the acceptances/ rejections arrive.