Monday, April 30, 2018

Wild at Heart Analysis - Renegade Cut

Now we approach Renegade Cut's video essay analyzing one of the most amped up and crazed films of David Lynch's career, Wild at Heart (1990). Wild is a bizarre pulp crime romance crossed with The Wizard of Oz (1939), making it a strangely inspired dark comedy that showcases Nic Cage, Laura Dern, Diane Ladd, Harry Dean Stanton, Willem Dafoe, and a slew of other talented actors with performances turned up to maximum overdrive.

Friday, April 27, 2018

Blue Velvet Analysis - Renegade Cut

Blue Velvet (1986) might just be the Lynchiest Lynch-Film that ever got projected at movie theaters. It is a movie that perfectly unfolds a mystery before your eyes with an adept use of surrealism that somehow winds up enhancing the reality of the drama rather than diminish it. Blue Velvet is a voyage of the mind and soul that is fully complete, although keeps you wanting more.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Dune Analysis - Renegade Cut

The world was David Lynch's oyster and with all the good will he earned after The Elephant Man (1980), he took an offer by Rafaella and Dino De Laurentis to direct one of the most anticipated film adaptations of all time Dune (1984). Although David Lynch would later regret his lack of Final Cut and having to shave an hour worth of film to try to come in under the two hour and fifteen minute mark set by Dino for the Theatrical Cut.

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

The Elephant Man Analysis - Renegade Cut

David Lynch's The Elephant Man (1980) is a true cinema classic and is typically the first David Lynch film most people watch in the course of their life. As I mention in my book series 40 Years of David Lynch, although it is just the first conventionally shot film of David Lynch, The Elephant Man remains his most Oscar nominated film of his entire forty-plus year career.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Eraserhead Analysis - Renegade Cut

Our look at the David Lynch-related video essays at the YouTube channel Renegade Cut continues with the director's first highly experimental feature film Eraserhead (1977). David Lynch's passion for cinema was cemented here while living unconventionally at the American Film Institute Conservatory while preparing what is essentially an extended, glorified film school project. Over the years it would gain a reputation as one of the biggest underground cult classics of Midnight Cinema.

Monday, April 23, 2018

Understanding a David Lynch Film - Renegade Cut

Four simple guidelines to watching films made by director David Lynch. How to initially approach them and how to revisit them to get more and more out of them over time. The art of analysis and interpreting dream symbolism for oneself. And the enjoyment of oneiric (dream-like) art in general.

Friday, April 20, 2018

re:View - Fire Walk with Me (1992)

In anticipation of David Lynch and Mark Frost returning back to television with their classic cult series Twin Peaks (1990-91) on Showtime's Twin Peaks: The Return (2017), Red Letter Media brings the prequel film Fire Walk with Me (1992) under the magnifying glass on their cult classic discussion and review series titled, "re:View."

Thursday, April 19, 2018

re:View - Eraserhead (1977)

The online movie show re:View takes a nostalgic look back at older cult movie titles and examines them from multiple angles. This show is done by the same guys at Red Letter Media, who most famously did the hilarious Mr. Plinkett's Reviews of the Star Wars Prequels. If you ever felt like venting about Star Wars Episodes I through III, then that is the video essay series for you.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

David Lynch Talks About the Cowboy Scene from Mulholland Dr.

David Lynch discusses in this interview snippet how some of his personal beliefs bleeds into The Cowboy's dialogue during the classic ranch scene set in Hollywood Hills in his most critically acclaimed film to date: Mulholland Dr. (2001).

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

David Lynch Talks About Stanley Kubrick & George Lucas

I discuss these anecdotes in greater detail in my book series 40 Years of David Lynch, but nothing beats hearing the stories of his interactions with Stanley Kubrick and George Lucas from the mouth of David Lynch himself. Listen to the gifted storyteller talk about these fascinating run-ins from his early film career.

Monday, April 16, 2018

David Lynch on How a Milkshake Obsession Inspired Frank Booth from Blue Velvet

David Lynch is a fun public speaker in part because he is a unique storyteller. And nowhere is this more apparent than in this anecdote he shared once in public regarding his 7 year daily routine of eating at L.A.'s famous burger joint Bob's Big Boy, and how it led him to see a man who inspired the character of Frank Booth later in Blue Velvet (1986).

Friday, April 13, 2018

Lost in Space (2018) Netflix Reboot Season 1 Released Today!

In the tradition of Stranger Things (2016-Present), Netflix has produced a new family friendly science fiction series. But Netflix decided to pick its latest series out of relative modern obscurity, offering a complete reboot / remake of the classic TV show Lost in Space (1965-68). And from the cast selected to the marketing material, it looks like Netflix has spared no expense in modernizing the story for our times with the latest technologies and special effects.

Kyle MacLachlan Acting Career Interview with Alec Baldwin

Kyle MacLachlan's acting career is the fascinating topic of discussion in this episode of Alec Baldwin's interview podcast Here's the Thing. Kyle discusses his early childhood, in which his parents limited him and his siblings to watch only Disney films. And follow his journey as he matures into an excellent actor.

Thursday, April 12, 2018

Naomi Watts and David Lynch Interview

Naomi Watts and David Lynch have one of the strongest collaborations in Hollywood history through their unique work on Mulholland Dr. (2001), which Sight & Sound Magazine declared as the best film of the 21st century, so far. Their fun working chemistry comes through in this delightful interview with the two, which you can find below, that was conducted about 15 years later.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Mulholland Drive: How Lynch Manipulates You

Painting by Ise Anaphada
Evan Puschak (a.k.a. The Nerd Writer) has carved out a great niche for making brief, yet informative videos wherein he analyzes art, cinema, television, and popular culture. One such nugget is found in Puschak's analysis of David Lynch's directorial style in the acclaimed film: Mulholland Dr. (2001).

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

Lost Highway: How Video Manipulates Us

Another informative video essay by What's So Great About That? on YouTube. She discusses David Lynch's examination of objective reality through video recordings and how they might not be quite as black and white as they appear to be. She explores some great ideas about Lynch's dichotomy of memory and video evidence and whether either can be ultimately more truthful than the other when confronting a complex reality.

Monday, April 9, 2018

David Lynch: The Treachery of Language

Below is an informative video essay recently created by What's So Great About That? on YouTube. She discusses David Lynch's complex relationship with the written language and how it relates (or does not relate) to his oneiric visual dreamscapes on film. She raises some good points and introduces some interesting parallels from other writers and artists, particularly on the topic of translating ideas to different mediums.