Friday 28 September 2007

Inland Empire



David Lynch has outdone himself here with an epic, chilling film about...well I don't know. The truth is I have no idea. It is so complex and flitting that the true meaning of the story is very hard to get at. Its core plot is based around cast and crew who are making a film which is said to be cursed. All the lead roles who have played the film have died under suspicious circumstances in the past.

Lynch makes it very difficult to distinguish dream from reality and from reality to script. The whole film grips the viewer from start to finish despite it being three hours long and leaves you with a dizzy feeling. I was totally speechless. I didn't even know the questions to ask to begin to understand the film, and I think that it's because of this that the film is such a success.

The film is both written and directed by Lynch and stars a spattering of big hollywood names such as William H. Macy which disappointingly is seen as much in the film as in the trailer. Jeremy Irons plays a small but important role, whilst the rest of the film is dominated by female lead Laura Dern who also starred in Lynch's Blue Velvet and who co-produced Inland Empire.

It is the kind of film that I would never watch again but which I will always remember. If anyone has any theories on what deeper meaning of the film is intended, please enlighten me.

2 comments:

richard. said...

lynch made it up as he went along

i don't think there are any specifics to be deciphered

just lynch indulging himself

which is fine by me

richard. said...

there are tens of complex theories about the concept/plot/meaning

even some that aren't completely nonsensical

but i feel that it's kind of a redundant concept to read into someone else's understanding of a film

i think the film was damaged aesthetically by the fact that lynch chose to shoot entirely in dv

not lynch's best

but still amazing