I can’t stand this bloody series. ‘It’s art for the sake of art’. ‘This is really Lynch’s gift to all subsequent media’. ‘There is so much we owe to this series.’
What the hell. It’s just random pieces of script written by monkeys on a typewriter, slapped together. No part of the story is ever finished. ‘Ah but that’s where the depth resides!’. Rubbish. Anybody can write a story that doesn’t properly finish.
Oh I know I will introduce 20 new characters, this will add so much depth. Yeah, they have no motives, no character development BUT I will add this random surreal thing that happens to them, for additional depth. But what happens to X? Who knows! And to Y? You have to guess! And to Z? No one can tell!
Maybe using steel-faced actors will improve the plot? I know I will cast myself in one role with quirky details because it’s so fun. Yeah I don’t know how to act, why? Is it necessary?
And the goddamn music is unsufferable. ‘You can’t separate Lynch’s work from Badalamenti’s music’. Yeah I know they’re both shit. Oh and the effing gigs in the sequel of the series. Aaaaaah!
But at least there is some symbolism! Yes, what is it? Who fucking knows!
I share this opinion! I really don’t like Lynch’s work. All the best to everybody who enjoys it, but it isn’t for me.
My main reason (please feel free to relentlessly mock me) is that his films feel like they are hovering in this hybrid point between being “mainstream” and art house. As a result, they just fall flat on both fronts.
I also feel that he pretends that there’s more depth behind some of his arbitrary decisions than there really are. Its fine to be instinctual in filmmaking, to do stuff that’s random, and play with ambiguity, but often it seems like he will play coy and imply a lot of thought went into incidental elements. These points are often contradicted by BTS footage.
Fellini feels Lynchlike to me, but I think Fellini’s weirdness feels so much deeper and more nuanced because he isn’t afraid to really openly discuss his thoughts and reasoning.
Still, I will admit that Lynch had great style. I’m glad he pushed many people towards stranger cinema. On that front, he’s world class.