just saw david lynch’s ‘inland empire’ yesterday and must say it is more than just a movie. for those unfamiliar with lynch’s work, ‘inland empire’ will seem convoluted, but it does operate under rules making sense in terms of logic set up by lynch. although, i was not won over by the mini-DV look that lynch chose to shoot with, it is effective in conveying imagery, which is very evocative of a dream or fear of what lies in the dark or conjuring up the imagery of a scary story told to you at sleep-over when you were a kid. plus, the edward hopper homage in the theater is expressed fairly well by digital video. lynch offers many riddles about hollywood, and the imagery of ‘inland empire’ is an allegory for those riddles. i just think lynch should recut and offer another version that is shorter and leaner to resonate stronger. i thought some shots were too prolonged and the different plots kept expanding, which took it further away from closure, plus it got redundant after a while when laura dern is wandering around dark hallways or staircases (to illustrate lynch’s haunted house metaphor) and then entering a different story. anyways, i still don’t think i am completely dialed in (but that’s a typical reaction, seeing a lynch film the intial viewing), but i was definitely fascinated by it and would revisit it at my next most convenient opportunity.
