Dir.
David Lynch, France/US, 2001, 147 mins
Cast: Justin Theroux,
Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring
Review by Carol Allen
Compared to Lynch's new film Inland
Empire, Mulholland Drive,
Lynch's last feature film made over five years ago, is almost
a model of linear storytelling. However, when it was first
released here in early 2002, many people found it's complex
story telling totally puzzling. It's certainly intriguing.
It has the style and atmosphere of a forties film noir but
in a modern setting, as you can tell from the clothes, artifacts
and no-smoking notices and it's set in Hollywood, land of illusion,
dreams and role playing, which is the key to unravelling this
riddle of a film.
The story begins with a young woman
in full evening dress (Harring) escaping from the burning
wreck of a car. She hides out in what she thinks is an
empty apartment but her solitude's soon interrupted by
Betty (Watts), a would be actress, whose aunt's lent her
the flat, while she tries to break into movies. The intruder
explains she's lost her memory, takes the name Rita from
a poster on the wall of Rita Hayworth and the two become
friends, and then later lovers. There's also the mystery
of the bag stuffed with money and a strange blue key that "Rita" brought
from the wrecked car. Meanwhile a young film director (Theroux,
who also stars in Inland Empire) is being pressured by a
spooky figure in a wheelchair to change the casting of his
movie. And then there's the inept assassin, who shoots three
people, when one would do and a dead girl, who might have
held the key to Rita's identity. Startlingly towards the
end of the film, we move into an alternative scenario, with
the same actors playing different parts, which are also variations
on the Hollywood game.
It's all very stylish, beautifully
shot, frequently baffling but never boring. Harring and
Watts are both excellent, and Watts in particular, at that
time a new face to most filmgoers, shows a very wide performance
range from naïve wannabe
to accomplished actress, which is demonstrated in a memorable
scene, where she's auditioning for a film opposite an ageing,
alarmingly orange tanned former star. It's a versatility
which she has since confirmed in her wide variety of subsequent
roles. One disappointment is Robert Forster, who had proved
himself capable of carrying a lead role four years earlier
in Jackie Brown and is still waiting for another part worthy
of his talents. His role as a detective investigating the
murders is tiny and one wonders whether there was originally
more to it.
Maybe that will be answered in the extras on the DVD. As
to what is the "meaning" of the film, the clue
I reckon is in the blue box and the "conjur man" figure
associated with it. Just as Hollywood and film itself is
about illusion and dreams, so is life itself, could be the
argument. When you're telling a story you can take it anywhere
you want. Is it possible we can do the same with real life?
 Extras:
Making Of, Exclusive interviews with
Mary Sweeney (subtitled) and
Angelo Badalamenti (English language), Cannes 2001 press conference,
Trailer, Inland Empire trailer, Lynch on Lynch book extract
Tech Specs: Cert 15 / Feature Running Time: 146 mins / Aspect Ratio: /
Colour / Pal / Region 2 / English Language / Stereo 5.1 / Cat No: OPTD0736
/ RRP: £17.99 |
