A lot of David Lynch's work does have a plot, but there isn't a plot in season 3. The only reason anything happens in this season, is because the script says it happens. The problem with this season is not that it takes time or multiple views for it to click, it's that it's written so didacticly and so shallow everything clicks instantly. There is nothing to think about. Story content and puzzle pieces are not the same thing -- each episode gives out a few puzzle pieces, but no content or drama. All the dialogue is either cute but irrelevant, or simple exposition. The characters in this season don't interact with one another or talk with one another, they speak exposition at one another. The writing is incredibly lazy -- it's one of the reasons it appears that Lynch just went through the motions on this project. But to be fair, all artists eventually dry up and age into irrelevance. People talk about Lynch as if he is an independent filmmaker, but he hasn't been since Eraserhead. He's a Hollywood director through and through and Hollywood generally destroys the passion to create relevant art. Lynch seems to have burned out after his Mulholland Drive masterpiece.
I'm enjoying the journey. That's not to say I haven't been annoyed by some of it but I can't wait to see the next episode to see what's going to happen (if anything).
Having read a few Lynch shooting scripts, I have figured out one of his tricks for creating the Lynch atmosphere. He actually writes scenes that make (relative ) sense and then, in editing, he removes key pieces of expository dialog and voila - you get the mysterious Lynch atmosphere. If there are shooting scripts for this season, I hope they surface.
You sound like quite an optimist. Sitting through fifteen hours of no plot, content, or drama but still hoping for a strong ending.
well as I recall you are a Lynch fan who didn't like this series from the start ,I feel the Opposite ,while I don't think the second half of this super long movie is as good as the first ,it still very good , " Lynch just went through the motions on this project" sorry but What?? hes burned out ??? other directors should have as great a track record today as Lynch ,sure that film shot on toilet paper wasn't a high point,But He clearly in fine form now,and I want another season !!!!!
I stated the idea that Lynch is burned-out badly. I don't imagine he is burned out as an artist (he's certainly not short on ideas), but as an artist who works in the Hollywood system, facing a constant uphill battle with Hollywood mediocrity and the Hollywood system's resistance to ever take a real chance on anything artistically, he's probably worn out. With Inland Empire and TP The Return, he seems to be waving a white flag. Resigned to projects that are far less ambitious than Lost Highway or especially Mulholland Drive -- his artistic peak. In my view, nothing else in the third season has come even close to episode 8. Comparatively, the rest of the season is filmmaking Lynch could shake out of his sleeve -- with the exception of flashes of brilliance, like slowing down Moonlight Sonata when the Woodsman show up to aid Evil Cooper.
I prefer this to both those,its clearly is better looking ,and it's far longer I don't get the less ambitious comment,and think Blue Velvet is his high point As for Hollywood ,both those films are studio films,and so like you said all but Earserhead ,which I like but don't think is his best work
There could be more context to this. In her conversation with Marc Maron on his WTF podcast that was released last week, Jennifer Jason Leigh went into a bit of candid detail that one of the challenges of this season was that the budget was extremely tight, and Lynch had to really push to get some of his vision through, even as he was doing things like delaying production because they didn't get the exact stool he wanted for a set. We know he fought with Showtime over money and that it almost meant he wasn't going to do the series, but that's pretty surprising that it was still tight. I'll also add that there have been not-a-few conspicuous product placements (cars, watches, etc.), so it's clear they were really trying to squeeze every dollar into this production.
Yeah, I agree, Blue Velvet is phenomenal. An argument could be made that either Eraserhead, Blue Velvet or Mulholland Drive is his best work. But the more amazing thing, in my view, is that all three films are so different. I don't really like Lost Highway, although I do admire the ambition of the writing and the look of the film. I guess what I meant by less ambitious, is that Lynch is recycling ideas and film technique in Inland Empire and TP The Return -- which blunts the impact of both projects. They feel like demos for the finished project, rather than refined, complete work.
Lynch has recycled ideas before Inland Empire, it's nothing new. Small town that seems innocent on the surface, but has an evil underneath. Main Characters turn into different characters partway through the film. An object is "a ticket" to "another world" If I wasn't tired, I could type more examples. Also, let's not forget that Mulholland Drive itself was recycled from a tv pilot, and that the original idea for Mulholland Drive was a spinoff show for Audrey Horne. And Lynch has used elements from unproduced scripts, like Ronnie Rocket, on Twin Peaks (even on the original series). For example, this dialogue: GIRL I got idea, man...you take me for a walk ( she moves closer to the guy) under the sycamore trees (closer) the dark trees that blow, baby. In the dark trees I'll see you and you'll see me...I'll see you in the branches that blow in the breeze...I'll see you under the trees.
Very true, especially the statements in bold. I envy fans who enjoy this season as much as the previous 2 or his other works, but The only disagreement would be the indie vs. Hollywood thing: Lynch made a masterpiece out of his first Hollywood assignment (Elephant Man) and continued to do so in and out of the studio system for the next 20 years. It's just about burning out naturally, not necessarily a studio thing.
Yeah, I agree. No matter how this season ends, episode 8 alone justifies the entire project, in my view. I would even go so far as to say that E8 was all that needed to be made and added to the story; the perfect coda to S1 & 2 and FWWM. Everything else is cool, but I really don't think any of it enhances the story, nor does it deepen the mystery. But a lot of people like and want all of it, so more power to them. I've always wondered why ultra-billionaires don't fund great artists like Lynch. If I had Bill Gates money, I would set up a bunch of grants for artists and let them create. It would be interesting to see what Lynch would produce if he had 75 to 100 million dollars and total artistic freedom.
You're right, Lynch has reused various themes in his work. But all of his projects, in my opinion, were vastly different from one another, even though all of his work has his fingerprints all over them. That said, with Inland Empire and TP The Return, it feels like we've seen all of this before. I think the best part of Inland Empire was The Rabbits -- which was a frightening series of short nightmares made independently of IE. There is a flat, tired feeling in IE and TPTR, that is largely missing from his previous work, except of course parts of Wild At Heart and Dune.
The only thing I would disagree with is the assessment of Lynch as a "Hollywood" director. He might work with big Hollywood budgets and release films through the studio system, but to my knowledge he's never taken an executive note on his films since Dune and if you're not taking notes or having a producer breathe down your neck than the "Hollywood" mandate is more or less meaningless. In that regard, the original Twin Peaks (and maybe Straight Story) was the exception not the rule. That's also not to mention how Mulholland Dr was in part financed by Studio Canal. I think Lost Highway was Studio Canal as well. And Inland Empire was of course done entirely outside the Hollywood system.
Lynch had plenty of money and total artistic freedom on this project and you're more or less calling it a bust. Hence, your sentiment here practically reads like a contradiction. Give the guy 100 million today and you might end up with 100 hours of gold shovels and floor sweeping scenes.
I think this season has been a mixed bag, not just from episode to episode but practically from minute to minute. And while I can't see myself ever watching it from start to finish ever again, I'm thoroughly engaged at times and still eager to see where it goes and that's good enough for me. My overall feeling is that when it comes to Twin Peaks (or maybe TV in general), Lynch can really use an editor and/or executive to keep his instincts in check. For example, if season 3 had abided by the original request of 9 episodes, I think it could have been fantastic (assuming Lynch used the mandate to trim the fat and crank up the pace).
the journey is almost (thankfully) over, 2 episodes on september 3 and it is done. let's just say i am not expecting anything to happen or be answered in any way shape or form, that way i won't be as disappointed as have been all season long.
On the "Welcome To Twin Peaks" site there's a thread with well over one hundred questions that are still unanswered, everything from "which Truman was the insurance man asking for, and for what purpose", to "why is Sarah Palmer's face in the Jumping Man when Mr. C visits the convenience store" to "where is Jerry's car".
