tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post8162052332933830780..comments2023-07-23T09:45:33.199-05:00Comments on the last lullaby (and) peril: 2001: Mulholland Dr. (David Lynch)Jeffrey Goodmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-11928217266058274412010-04-23T17:53:53.206-05:002010-04-23T17:53:53.206-05:00Thanks, Dave! Absolutely no apology necessary. Y...Thanks, Dave! Absolutely no apology necessary. You've been incredibly supportive from day one! <br /><br />We're totally on the same page with this one!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-64499109326872601182010-04-23T17:49:55.079-05:002010-04-23T17:49:55.079-05:00Sorry for checking in late on this one, Jeffrey, b...Sorry for checking in late on this one, Jeffrey, but there's not much I can add to already superb analysis for Mulholland Dr. It is EASILY my pick for this year and one of my all time favorite films.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07134196370913749544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-69758612450197843732010-04-22T17:53:42.615-05:002010-04-22T17:53:42.615-05:00John, thanks so much for the kind words! From you...John, thanks so much for the kind words! From your list, I like THE OTHERS, IN THE BEDROOM, and GOSFORD PARK although all a little less than the ones I mentioned. And I struggled a little with MONSTER'S BALL the one time I saw it.<br /><br />Thanks, John. Always great to have you here!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-82213847390870343782010-04-22T15:14:01.278-05:002010-04-22T15:14:01.278-05:00I have had a tough time choosing between MD and A....I have had a tough time choosing between MD and A.I. On Dave’s site I selected Spielberg’s film so to be fare I will give equal opportunity to Lynch this time (ha!). I really admire both of these works.<br /><br />Great points on the noir aspects of <br /><br />Mulholland Drive!<br />A.I<br />Mullholland Drive<br />Thr Others<br />In The Bedroom<br />Royal Tenenbaums<br />Gosford Park<br />Monster’s BallJohnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808503055317962289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-84702264910043707652010-04-22T12:49:16.202-05:002010-04-22T12:49:16.202-05:00Sam, I actually slightly prefer BLUE VELVET to MUL...Sam, I actually slightly prefer BLUE VELVET to MULHOLLAND DR. But I do love them both! And your #1 I only recently discovered, and it absolutely blew me away, too.<br /><br />Thanks, Sam! Really appreciate the great addition and kind words.Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-5317472484805835362010-04-22T12:46:47.382-05:002010-04-22T12:46:47.382-05:00JD, very well said. I absolutely agree that LOST ...JD, very well said. I absolutely agree that LOST HIGHWAY and MULHOLLAND DR. feel like sibling films. <br /><br />Good stuff! Thanks so much, JD.Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-87005218480433520932010-04-22T12:10:53.633-05:002010-04-22T12:10:53.633-05:00MULHOLLAND DRIVE, which ou Canadien writer James C...MULHOLLAND DRIVE, which ou Canadien writer James Clark reviewed superbly weeks back, is certainly a choice that seems to have unanimous concensus on, and Ed Howard, Donophon, Dave, John and J.D. (and Joel Bocko, Andrew Wyatt, Jamie and Allan Fish have made compelling cases for at one time or another). I'm afraid it's not my absolute favorite Lynch, but I respect its greatness, and know it regularly places at the #1 film of the decade in the most prestigious critical quarters. I think to this day I am still trying to solve it's cryptic context, which of course is a very good thing. Still, I have the film as the very first runner up of this year.<br /><br />Brilliant, lucid stuff here Jeffrey:<br /><br /> "I won't break down and analyze all the noir elements I see in Mulholland Dr. But I will at least make a quick mention of them: the theme of amnesia, a deep relationship to a specific city and locale, a serpentine plot, a non-linear narrative, a femme fatale, a fatalistic tone, obscurity in favor of clarity, elements of crime, and an emphasis on the nocturnal."<br /><br /> Own #1 Film of 2001:<br /><br />A. I. Artificial Intelligence (Spielberg; USA)<br /><br /><br />Runners-Up:<br /><br />Mulholland Drive (Lynch; USA)<br />Oui Mais (Lavender; France)<br />The Fellowship of the Rings (Jackson; New Zealand; USA)<br />Spirited Away (Miyazaki; Japan)<br />Atanarjuat (Kunuk; Canada)<br />Y Tu Mama Tambien (Cuaron; Mexico)<br />Gosford Park (Altman; USA)<br />In the Bedroom (Field; USA)<br />What Time is It There? (Ming-Liang; Hong Kong)<br />The Devil's Backbone (Del Toro; Spain)<br />Beijing Bicycle (Xiaoshuai; China)<br />The Piano Teacher (Henecke; France)<br />Band of Brothers (Spielberg; USA)<br />The Royal Tenenbaums (Anderson; USA)Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-6188397841261618692010-04-22T11:13:38.956-05:002010-04-22T11:13:38.956-05:00MULHOLLAND DRIVE is good one and certainly my top ...MULHOLLAND DRIVE is good one and certainly my top pick for this year. I really felt that in some respects, LOST HIGHWAY was a warm-up for MULHOLLAND DRIVE, exploring a lot of the same themes and, of course, wrapping it up a neo-noir look.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-64320995069473246652010-04-22T09:09:13.675-05:002010-04-22T09:09:13.675-05:00I certainly agree with Doniphon about the worth of...I certainly agree with Doniphon about the worth of the Godard film, which was unfairly dismissed because Godard had the gall to poke fun at Steven Spielberg, an unforgiveable crime apparently. It shows Godard continuing to grapple with images and representation, with history and the Holocaust, with the nature of love. It really is a great film, especially the scene where Godard himself delivers a lecture about the image, inserting his own metafictional commentary into the film. And the use of digital effects is amazing, as Godard continues to push the capabilities of new technology in unexpected directions, exploiting the specifically digital, artificial qualities of video.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-4797280885332946802010-04-22T09:08:54.040-05:002010-04-22T09:08:54.040-05:00Doniphon, great heads-up! You know, I haven't...Doniphon, great heads-up! You know, I haven't seen this Godard yet. In fact, I think the last one of his films I saw was FOREVER MOZART. Thanks for bringing this one to the fore. Always great to have you here!Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-48638896508795491652010-04-22T08:59:59.688-05:002010-04-22T08:59:59.688-05:00I love Mulholland Dr. too, as well as Millennium M...I love Mulholland Dr. too, as well as Millennium Mambo and Fat Girl and Ali and Va savoir and What Time Is It There and several others. But my pick would probably be Godard's In Praise Of Love. It's one of his best films, and unfortunately it's been largely dismissed in this country because of its alleged anti-Americanism, whatever that means. It's such a beautiful film, and although it deals with a French director trying to make a movie and researching Catholics in the Resistance, it's really not about narrative. I recommend it, there is extraordinary depth of feeling present.Doniphonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407443845368110678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-38578898001646510502010-04-22T08:42:37.732-05:002010-04-22T08:42:37.732-05:00Ed, well put. I've never thought of KISS ME D...Ed, well put. I've never thought of KISS ME DEADLY directly, but now that you say it, it makes a ton of sense. <br /><br />Great addition, Ed! Thanks so much.Jeffrey Goodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464544798603030406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2361395648458719073.post-50746101872078347602010-04-22T08:32:26.157-05:002010-04-22T08:32:26.157-05:00Great choice, of course, and no contest for me sin...Great choice, of course, and no contest for me since this is one of my favorite few films of all time. And yes, Lynch owes a great debt to noir, which inflects much of his work. I've long argued that <i>Kiss Me Deadly</i>, specifically, was a big influence on <i>Lost Highway</i> and <i>Mulholland Dr.</i>: the exploding cabin, the mysterious Pandora's box, the clench between Mike and Velma reflected in Betty's acting audition, the garage with its flamboyant owner. Elements of the Aldrich film weave through both of these Lynch masterworks.Ed Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18014222247676090467noreply@blogger.com