David Lynch VS David Cronenberg

[brokentiny]

Yes I too feel there are some close links in Eraserhead and FWWM. The endings are similar and both heartbreaking in a good way, similar redemptive quality to the end of Mullholland Drive as well. For a long time FWWM was my fave Lynch film. Not sure now.

[mike retter]

Yeah FWWM was my favourite Lynch film too. I do not know what would be now, proberbly Eraserhead. I can see flaws or cliches in FWWM that I would not have before but I will always hold it as a special film. The thing with Lynch is he makes the same film over and over like a painter working the same subject. There is nothing wrong with that infact I really liked that about him. I think Eraserhead is perhaps the best because of the labor behind it. It was a hard slog. 7 years on and off. Frustration. The black dog has a genuine presence in the film because it ran along side the production. He tried very hard to put his ideas on the screen with little money and the work paid off. Inspiring. I think he even lived on the set at one point sleeping in the bed!

Another film that has something that is real it about, in the sense that something is happening in the making of the film not too different from the actual story, is Fitzcoralldo. I equally love the doco making of -"Burden Of Dreams".

Also, unrelated, but related to Cronenberg and CRASH - see "SAFE" (1995) I must insist everyone find this film and watch it twice.

Mike Retter