David Lynch in Chicago

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garmonBOZia
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David Lynch in Chicago

Post by garmonBOZia »

I've been such a frequent visitor to dugpa.com for so long, I thought I'd try and do my part to get discussions rolling in here...

I live in Milwaukee, WI, and drove down to Chicago last Saturday to see INLAND EMPIRE at the Music Box Theatre. It was my first time at the theater, and I thought it was a great place to see a Lynch movie (it reminds me somewhat of the Oriental Theater here in Milwaukee).

I actually caught two showings - I was there in time to see the 4:00 show, and I also had a ticket for the sold out 8:00 show, where David Lynch was going to make an appearance.

I thought the movie was fantastic, and I'm glad I had the chance to see it twice. It is far more abstract than most Lynch films and the second viewing offered some insight to me in making sense of it all, but not as much as has been the case when I've viewed Mulholland Dr, Lost Highway, etc. This movie felt like a 21st. century Eraserhead to me - perhaps not quite as claustrophobic, but a similar abstract style which built upon many of his previous themes.

Mr. Lynch came out just after 8:00, and had someone start things off with a short improvisation on the Music Box's organ at the front of the theater. He then gave a quote, which I've seen posted before on the IE messageboard, so I'm assuming he does this often:

"We are like the spider.
We weave our life and then move along in it.
We are like the dreamer
who dreams and then lives in the dream.
This is true for the entire universe."

After the movie, he came back out for a Q&A session. Much of it was material he's addressed before (ideas, consciousness, etc.), but there were a few interesting stories. I had not previously heard the story about where the title "INLAND EMPIRE" came from. He said he had been talking with Laura Dern, who mentioned Ben Harper (her husband) and the Inland Empire area of California. When he heard her say that, he thought that would be a great name for the new movie. Shortly after that, his brother had been cleaning up a (family?) cabin, and sent David a journal. It was David's journal, from when he was a child. When he opened it, the first thing he saw was a picture of Washington (state), with the caption "Inland Empire". He said he saw that as a good sign.

The questions had to be cut off, since there was also a midnight screening, and they had to clear the theater to get the next group in. As people left the theater, the long line of people outside started to cheer, because it was COLD outside! I felt sorry for them, but I'm sure it was worth it.

Can anyone here give any insight into how the midnight show went? Was there another Q&A?

Anyway, glad to see a forum here on dugpa.com - keep up the great work, and thanks for so much info over the years! This has always been my "go-to" place for Lynch information.

garmonBOZia
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Annie
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Post by Annie »

Welcome! I love that poem. I have a friend that was also in Chicago and took pictures of David on the stage with red curtains. Did you get to have some of his coffee? Sounds like a great time!
Keep your eye on the doughnut, not on the hole.
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garmonBOZia
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Post by garmonBOZia »

Thanks for the welcome. I would love to see those pictures! I tried to get a few with my cell phone, but the camera is terrible. I did catch him reading that poem as a video on my cell phone, but I don't know how to transfer it to my PC.

I did not try the coffee. He (or the theater owner) mentioned it was in the lobby, but I didn't want to leave the theater to get some. However, I see it's now on sale, so I may have to get some. I love the tag line "It's all about the beans... and I'm just full of beans".

It was a great time, and well worth the two hour drive each way, even in the blowing snow on the way home after midnight. I know from the IE message board people were coming in from a lot farther away than Milwaukee!

Oh, and on a side note, I picked up the Dynamic:1 DVD at Best Buy yesterday... can't wait to make some time to sit down and watch it. I did pop it in to see the menus and such - I liked the little clip before the menu, from the Blue Bob days (at least I think it was from when they were making one of the videos).
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Post by Annie »

I'd post those pictures if I could, but they're really big, and I don't have any sophisticated equipment to resize or post pictures. Sorry!
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Post by danielle »

I also drove from Milwaukee to go to the 8pm Chicago showing. It was such a great night. Having David introduce the film with the poem and then saying "Ladies and Gentlemen, Inland Empre" was a very neat moment.
I went to the booksigning on Friday night as well. I was so thrilled to meet him and get a picture with him. I couldn't really speak! I thought the Q&A was really interesting. My favorite story was when someone asked what kind of milkshake he had every day for 7 years at Big Boy. He said it was chocolate and one day he wanted to know what the ingredients were because it was so tasty. So one day he dove into the dumpster to read the label. Just the matter of fact way he told the story was very endearing. Another highlight was when someone said they have an argument with their boyfriend on the meaning of MD - he thinks its a dream, she doesn't. He said, remember that commercial, Certs is two mints in one? Well that always applies to my films. There was a ton of other great comments but I'll keep it short. It was a great weekend!

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Post by garmonBOZia »

Those are really great stories, danielle - thanks for sharing! I think I recognize you from the Chicago thread on the IE messageboard... I like the Certs quote. I usually tell people that I think of Lynch films like a great song. You may hear the same lyrics as everyone else, but you make your own interpretation out of it.

I had no idea there was a booksigning on Friday; I'm so upset I didn't know about it. I would have driven down for it. I didn't see any mention of it on the IE board or anywhere else. Alas.

Cool pic! It must have been a blast to meet him. I was thrilled just chatting with him on DL.com (I was a member when the site went live, but cancelled after a few months). I thought it was so great that he'd frequent the chat rooms. I did get to meet Sheryl Lee at the Grand Avenue Mall back when she was making in-store appearances for The Diary of Laura Palmer.
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Post by danielle »

Hi Garmonbozia - yeah I kept looking for news on a book signing or another appearance in Chicago and heard nothing until Friday morning. I took a half day off of work and got down there at the last minute. It was posted on the IMDB board on Friday. Luckily my husband put up with driving to Chicago twice in one weekend. I'm sorry you missed it.

Yes I used to post on DL.com too but after a year when there wasn't any new content I didn't renew my membership. I was thinking of renewing now but I'm still not sure since the content up there hasn't changed since I originally joined! But I guess talking to David is worth it. I used to like chatting with the other members too.

I don't know why my picture didn't work?
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Post by Annie »

Keep your eye on the doughnut, not on the hole.
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garmonBOZia
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Post by garmonBOZia »

That's a cool clip, Annie.

danielle - I don't know why the tags for your image didn't work, but I could copy and paste the URL in a browser and it worked fine. BTW - did you see the link on dugpa for the new release dates for IE? It looks like it's going to be coming to Milwaukee in March (just days before my birthday, what a nice present). I will have to see it again...

Also, did you know about the Francis Bacon exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum? Lynch said, about Bacon, "to me, the main guy, the number one kinda hero painter". I definitely want to check that out. More here:

http://www.mam.org/

and some examples of Bacon's art here:

http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/bacon/
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Post by dugpa »

Here's a picture that Annie sent me to post:

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garmonBOZia
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Post by garmonBOZia »

Thanks dugpa and Annie!
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