hardly a mention of this oddity in the lynch catalog, so here's a topic. i just watched it for the first time and found it entertaining but not something i would want to re-watch often. farnsworth was so natural and believable in the part during his talk with the other WWII veteran i could hardly believe he was 'acting' and not ACTUALLY this guy. the ending was nice too. since joining this board, Lynch was the director i needed the most catching up on so i've been moving through his flicks with only (Dune and Fire Walk With Me next, as well as ANY of Twin Peaks). since a lot of you are lynch-heads, how do you feel about this film? if i had been a few years older and more into lynch when a few years ago and you had told me that after Lost Highway he was making a G rated movie for Disney i would've NEVER BELIEVED YOU. and yet, here it is. a true oddity for Lynch.
a true oddity but shows he can disguise himself and also tell "straight" stories and not just lynch stories -- it shows his range and what a truly good filmmaker he is......tho it does have a few subtle lynch touches to it
I think this film and Eraserhead are directly related to each other...cousins, or even (more appropriately) brothers, in the family of Lynchian films. Unfortunately, I'm slightly tipsy at the moment and will refrain from expounding further upon this topic until a later (sober) time.
I went to a 3 session seminar by Mary Sweeney and I have to say that The Straight Story is her movie, not Lynch's.
She wrote, produced and edited the film. It took a lot of convincing for her to get him to direct the film.
With that said, this is probably, next to Mulholland Dr, m yfavorite Lynch film simply because it has heart.
Quote from: SHAFTRShe wrote, produced and edited the film. It took a lot of convincing for her to get him to direct the film.
why didn't she just direct the damn thing herself?
Quote from: Pwhy didn't she just direct the damn thing herself?
i'm thinking of something witty to say. :(
Saw it at the theater and it was my first Lynch film (I already knew about him, but couldn't find any of his old films until much later), I swear that from the first frame when the camera is moving from the roof (IIRC) to the garden or so, I immediately thought what a great director he is.
Anyway I enjoyed it thoroughly, really beautifully shot, agree 100% with you about Farnsworth, he was that guy.
Quote from: PQuote from: SHAFTRShe wrote, produced and edited the film. It took a lot of convincing for her to get him to direct the film.
why didn't she just direct the damn thing herself?
Exactly.
Quote from: Fernando
Quote from: PQuote from: SHAFTRShe wrote, produced and edited the film. It took a lot of convincing for her to get him to direct the film.
why didn't she just direct the damn thing herself?
Exactly.
Because she wanted him to direct it. She is the one who got the project started, wrote it, got everyone involved and finally edited it. She gives much credit to Lynch, but I am just saying that it's more her own picture than his.
Quote from: SHAFTRQuote from: Fernando
Quote from: PQuote from: SHAFTRShe wrote, produced and edited the film. It took a lot of convincing for her to get him to direct the film.
why didn't she just direct the damn thing herself?
Exactly.
Because she wanted him to direct it. She is the one who got the project started, wrote it, got everyone involved and finally edited it. She gives much credit to Lynch, but I am just saying that it's more her own picture than his.
Quote from: SHAFTR
I went to a 3 session seminar by Mary Sweeney and I have to say that The Straight Story is her movie, not Lynch's
Your first comment looked like you were diminishing Lynch's vision of the film, even if he 'only' directed it, still I'm sure he had to make a lot of decisions along the way (during the shoot).
How was that seminar btw? I bet it was great.
Quote from: Fernando
How was that seminar btw? I bet it was great.
It was pretty good, interesting. Nothing groundbreaking although I do have copies of some of the pages of the production notebooks for Mulholland Dr & Straight Story. I think she is going to be here for one of my classes again this spring.
....this film is groovy.....even if this wasnn't lynnch project the full 100%...he still directed this and therefore he had his creative lynchian innput inntoi the is film and its evident by the fact that the film itself is pure gennius (which is what annyone would expect going into a lynch directed film0...and the odd camera movements.......(the beginnign)...the trademark oddball characterss..the(deer lady)........the music .....and lok of the film overall is so "neat"......and the ennding could have been cheesed out.....but lynch ends it perfect.IMO........and lastly.....my ffavorite scene is the part when its rsaining and he pulls off the road and unnder the shed...and lights up one of the swishers..and just sits there......beautiful.....lynnnch captured that just right...everyone has sheltered themselves from the rainn.......and sometimes when you do you look out at the rain and the overcast....and it just makes you think ...and sometoimes can give you the chills.......
Quote from: mogwaiQuote from: Pwhy didn't she just direct the damn thing herself?
i'm thinking of something witty to say. :(
u should have said:
"pfft... women can't direct!"
I really liked it since it deviated from his norm. And Angelo Badalamenti's original music was still Lynch-esque for this film......like the eerie background hum that I noticed right away in certain parts.
This is actually one of my favorite Lynch films (although I would by no means call myself a Lynch-head). Farnsworth's performance is just so genuine and moving (and genuinely moving???). I also really liked the slow-pacing of the film.
It's just a great film, I'd say.
Is it wrong that I thought this movie was hilarious?
Quote from: Jeremy BlackmanIs it wrong that I thought this movie was hilarious?
Yes. Go see the passion.
Quote from: Jeremy BlackmanIs it wrong that I thought this movie was hilarious?
..it does have its moments......(i.e. deerlady)......
and the ever popular .."quick !!!, whats the number for 911?!"
Quote from: NEON MERCURYQuote from: Jeremy BlackmanIs it wrong that I thought this movie was hilarious?
..it does have its moments......(i.e. deerlady)......
and the ever popular .."quick !!!, whats the number for 911?!"
I was thinking more about the supposedly serious moments, like the heart-to-heart meetings with suburban midwesterners. In the same way the beginning of Blue Velvet is funny.
Although I have to admit the WW2 scene and the final scene really worked as sincere moments...
I actually don't find this film to be a departure for Lynch at all. And just because the actual script wasn't written by him, doesn't mean that it is not 100 percent a Lynch film. I find Alvins journy in this film to be very similar to Jeffry's in Blue Velvet, Henry's in Eraserhead, or Sailor and Lula's in Wild At heart. They are all just tryijng to solve their own problems and find love. SS just uses the subject of old age and brotherly love, rather than sex and the dark underbelly of america as in the other films I mentioned. It is certainly a Lynch film from start to finish. Sometimes I even think it is his most "Lynchian". Lynch, himself, has said that he considers it his most experimental film. And I don't think he says that because it was a departure for him. I think he says it because he used almost all the themes and feelings he has used in most his other films, but was able to explore them a little further in SS.
Quote from: LostEraserI actually don't find this film to be a departure for Lynch at all. And just because the actual script wasn't written by him, doesn't mean that it is not 100 percent a Lynch film. I find Alvins journy in this film to be very similar to Jeffry's in Blue Velvet, Henry's in Eraserhead, or Sailor and Lula's in Wild At heart. They are all just tryijng to solve their own problems and find love. SS just uses the subject of old age and brotherly love, rather than sex and the dark underbelly of america as in the other films I mentioned. It is certainly a Lynch film from start to finish. Sometimes I even think it is his most "Lynchian". Lynch, himself, has said that he considers it his most experimental film. And I don't think he says that because it was a departure for him. I think he says it because he used almost all the themes and feelings he has used in most his other films, but was able to explore them a little further in SS.
8) .. damn, you know your lynch..we need more of your kind around here....
Quote from: LostEraserI actually don't find this film to be a departure for Lynch at all. And just because the actual script wasn't written by him, doesn't mean that it is not 100 percent a Lynch film. I find Alvins journy in this film to be very similar to Jeffry's in Blue Velvet, Henry's in Eraserhead, or Sailor and Lula's in Wild At heart. They are all just tryijng to solve their own problems and find love. SS just uses the subject of old age and brotherly love, rather than sex and the dark underbelly of america as in the other films I mentioned. It is certainly a Lynch film from start to finish. Sometimes I even think it is his most "Lynchian". Lynch, himself, has said that he considers it his most experimental film. And I don't think he says that because it was a departure for him. I think he says it because he used almost all the themes and feelings he has used in most his other films, but was able to explore them a little further in SS.
yes,. good stuff there. it was lynch turned inside out.
Quote from: LostEraserI actually don't find this film to be a departure for Lynch at all. And just because the actual script wasn't written by him, doesn't mean that it is not 100 percent a Lynch film.
that doesn't make sense, you are saying that it's 100% Lynch?
I guess True Romance is 100% Tony Scott.
PS: I'm not saying the film doesn't have themes of a Lynch film, but the fact remains that the project wasn't his...he just came in and directed it. I think it's ridiculous that you give no credit to the writers.
Quote from: SHAFTRQuote from: LostEraserI actually don't find this film to be a departure for Lynch at all. And just because the actual script wasn't written by him, doesn't mean that it is not 100 percent a Lynch film.
that doesn't make sense, you are saying that it's 100% Lynch?
I guess True Romance is 100% Tony Scott.
PS: I'm not saying the film doesn't have themes of a Lynch film, but the fact remains that the project wasn't his...he just came in and directed it. I think it's ridiculous that you give no credit to the writers.
Oh no, no, you misunderstand me. I know that film is a collaboration and I think that if all the colaboraters of the film give their all to it then it is 100 % of all of them. So SS is also 100 % Mary Sweeny just as much as it is 100 % David Lynch. Does that make any sense? lol! hmmm... maybe not.
I guess what I mean is, Davuid Lynch put 100 % of his creative energy into SS just like he did with all his other films. Just because he didn't write the film himself doesn't mean that it's less personal to him as an artist.
David has often said that even when he writes a film himself it isn't really his own idea or story anyways. The story just came about and he doesn't know where it came from. He just caught it in his brain somehow. He describes it kind of like fishing. So no matter where he gets his stories form - his own head, books, or scripts written by other people - if he falls in love with that story he gives it 100 % of himself as an artist. And SS is no different.
Are their any books analysing the Straight Story?
Leao