Lynch (2007)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

LYNCH Behind the curtain A film that gives us a rare glimpse into the fascinating mind of the man who created classic films such as Eraserhead, Mulholland Dr., Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me, Wild At Heart, The Elephant Man and more...

Plot:

Compiled from over two years of footage, the film is an intimate portrait of David Lynch's creative process as he completes his latest film...

Plot Keywords:

Cult Director | One Word Title

Cast

David Lynch	...	Himself
Krzysztof Majchrzak	...	Phantom
Phillip Patela	...	Boy
Weronika Rosati	...	Woman in factory

Runtime:

USA:84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Lodz, Poland

Company:

Absurda

A fly-on-the-wall visit with David Lynch

'Lynch' really reminded me of Pennebaker's "Don't Look Back" Dylan documentary. There's no set form or story holding the film together. It's more a series of candid vignettes. David Lynch spins yarns about his days living in Philadelphia, and in Idaho. Cut to: Lynch talking on the telephone, explaining Transcendental Meditation. Cut to: Lynch brooding in a sound studio, upset that he doesn't know what he's doing, and then chews out an employee for not showing up on time.

Nearly all the footage was shot in digital video. But don't let that turn you off. There's a very strong sense of mood and visual style in 'Lynch'. (With a director named 'blackANDwhite' how could the film NOT have intense, creepy, visual flair?)

What pleased me most about the film was the creative editing. Rather than clumping all the Philadelphia stories together, or clumping all the footage shot at one particular time, together - we just see a tidbit. Lynch relates a story form his past. Then cut to Lynch pondering a painting he's working on. This moment will linger for a while, sometimes accompanied by eerie atmospheric music (the sound design is fantastic.) Then we see him going on a photo expedition in Poland, or carving and painting wood in a workshop.

The scenes never grow tiring, because the environment and the activity constantly change.

I've seen some documentaries on David Lynch before, where they interview people on the set, and actors explain how he works, etc. 'Lynch' is NOT that kind of film. 'Lynch' gives you a fly-on-the-wall perspective on what it's like to be David Lynch. It's an ideal film companion piece to the book "Lynch on Lynch".