Here's a question for you (and I apologize if this has been done before -- I did a quick search to check and couldn't find anything, but maybe I missed it): I want to have a David Lynch film party as a way to get my friends who are Lynch fans together as well as to introduce my other friends to the weird world we love. If you were me, what films/TV series would you show, in what order, and why? Would you show everything he's done? Would you start chronologically? Would you ease the noobs in with something a little less avant-garde and work your way up to some of the weirder stuff? Would you group them by theme or some other criteria entirely? Or would you just go at random? Or by running time? Or something else?
I'm asking not only to get help with my party idea, but also because it's fun! And I'm new here and would love to get to know a little more about y'all! So have at 'er!!!
“I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.”
So, I am certain opinion will vary, but I will give you two answers. If your friends are more conventional, then I would suggest option 1. If more alternative then option 2, but the order can certainly be tailored to your liking or availability of the projects. Let me say for the record that I exclude Dune, The Elephant Man, and Straight Story from my lists. This is NOT to imply that those are not good film on their own right, but they do not in my opinion "exist within the same world" as I feel most of Lynch's films do. The most intriguing part of Lynch outside of the individual films as how we all feel they potentially relate/exist together. Option 1 below is in line with my Lynch experience and I would not change it, but I do belive that age and preferences can alter this. For reference I am 37 and was a Senior in High School when Twin Peaks aired. It changed my whole perception of what I expected from entertainment, and has made me a fan of all things Lynch.
Option 1 (Conventional)
Twin Peaks - Series. Never met a single person that was not hooked once they watched at least the Pilot and the next two episodes. The dream sequence is the "hook". Game changer and arguably the televison event that "kicked off" the 90's and forever changed TV.
Blue Velvet - Great thing here is that it offers a perspective on "what is to come" in regards to certain aspects of Twin Peaks. I actually found Blue Velvet to be "Better" after viewing Twin Peaks.
Lost Highway- This is a great "hybrid" of Lynch's that offers both conventional story telling, as well as the bipolar disorder that would be seen in Lynch's later films. It to me was the great intro into Lynch's movement toward "non-linear" story telling.
Mulholland Drive- Simply gorgeous, and definitely viewed well in conjunction with Lost Highway. While not directly related, the themes are much easier to digest if LH is somewhat understood.
Eraserhead- After viewing all of the films above, Eraserhead becomes a cous de gras of sorts. The themes from Erasehead echo throughout all of Lynch's works; however, the subtlety in which they are seen makes viewing Eraserhead last much more powerful and fun to see how it so obviously relates to David's later works.
INLAND EMPIRE- You must be a Lynch fan. This movie requires both patience and the willingness to "let go". You will interpret this different upon each viewing. It is without question Lynch's most "layered" story. The real fun is simply sitting back and enjoying the insanity without analyzing too much. Just revel in the "Lynchness" of it all that can only be appreciated in the context of his body of work.
P.S. Fire Walk With Me- This one is polarizing. I for one think it is one of Lynch's best and Sheryl Lee's (Laura Palmers) performance is beyond words. It IS very different from the show and is hard to compare to Lynch's other "movies" because of it's relation to the larger world of the Twin Peaks series. I am not sure where this one falls in the order of viewing.. Certainly it should be viewed ONLY AFTER THE SERIES; however, how/when it will grab new Lynch viewers in relation to his other works is not clear to me.
Option 2 (Your friends are alternative, crazy, and not easily shocked)
Eraserhead- Truly disturbing and wonderful as an intro; The thematic seeds for all of Lynch's work later is planted here. Broken elevators, numb arms, carpet patterns, curtains etc.
Twin Peaks - Series. Never met a single person that was not hooked once they watched at least the Pilot and the next two episodes. The dream sequence is the "hook". Game changer and arguably the televison event that "kicked off" the 90's and forever changed TV.
Lost Highway- More overtly commercial in style/music themes than Lynch's other works, but definitely the "I got your ass confused about timelines/state of consciousness don't I?". This sets up well for the next two:
Mulholland Drive- Simply gorgeous, and definitely viewed well in conjunction with Lost Highway. While not directly related, the themes are much easier to digest if LH is somewhat understood.
INLAND EMPIRE- You must be a Lynch fan. This movie requires both patience and the willingness to "let go". You will interpret this different upon each viewing. It is without question Lynch's most "layered" story. The real fun is simply sitting back and enjoying the insanity without analyzing too much. Just revel in the "Lynchness" of it all that can only be appreciated in the context of his body of work.
Blue Velvet - Since everyone will already love Lynch at this point, you can just watch and appreciate Hopper at this point and reflect on the clear genesis of Dale Coopers charachter in Jeffrey Beaumont.
P.S. Fire Walk With Me- This one is polarizing. I for one think it is one of Lynch's best and Sheryl Lee's (Laura Palmers) performance is beyond words. It IS very different from the show and is hard to compare to Lynch's other "movies" because of it's relation to the larger world of the Twin Peaks series. I am not sure where this one falls in the order of viewing.. Certainly it should be viewed ONLY AFTER THE SERIES; however, how/when it will grab new Lynch viewers in relation to his other works is not clear to me.
In closing, I can only really imagine option one, but that is based solely on my experience. The bottom line is that the FIRST movie you show your friends must be what you deem as the best hook based on their style. Eraserhead transcends generations and is appealing to almost everyone with an alternative perspective/aesthetic. However, as I stated above, for me, Twin Peaks was the lightning in a bottle. All items before/after were simply that much more powerful because of it.
OMG, I forgot Wild At Heart. I am ashamed.......WAH should be viewed in proximity to Twin Peaks if for no other reason than the great cameos and filiming timeline relative to the TP series.
Smiling Bag: your second order is pretty much the same order I want to show them in anyway! It's nice to get some verification from elsewhere about this Cheers!
“I have no idea where this will lead us, but I have a definite feeling it will be a place both wonderful and strange.”
