Wild About Ladd

I was very pleased to see that StinkyLulu's monthly Supporting Actress Smackdown awarded their 1990 prize to Diane Ladd for her, ahem, batshit crazy performance as Marietta in David Lynch's, ahem, batshit crazy Wizard of Oz Wild at Heart. Ladd's performance is one of my all time favourites. It is just so bonkers, and so over-the-top, and so unhinged that I can't help but love it. Last year I wrote about The Black Dahlia and mused "Fiona Shaw plays a character that is so unhinged that it’s amazing she even exists in his movie, or any movie at all for that matter", well I must've let Ladd's performance slip my mind because those two are kindred spirits I tellsya.

I am actually a fan of the film itself, whereas many seem to enjoy Ladd's histrionics but not the film. Wild at Heart, I would go so far to say, is David Lynch's most hated film. It really does bring out the anger in people. I love it. If I were Jewish I'd say it has chutzpah, but I'm not so I'll simply say it has balls bigger than Texas to do what it does. It sure does have a visceral impact. Turning The Wizard of Oz into a sick road trip fantasy erotic horror soap opera? Getting Diane Ladd to cover her face and hands in bright red lipstick while extolling southern gothic Dynasty-esque words and wearing colossal reinventions of trendy outfits? Sherilynn Fenn giving one of the greatest cameo performances ever? It's insane and it's bizarre but I can't not love it. Even the bit where Willem Dafoe... well, if you've seen Wild at Heart you know the moment where things really go off with a bang (omg I'm so freakin' funny!)


Obviously it's not a movie for everyone, just like all Lynch films. It's not even a movie for Lynch fans in a lot of ways. But whenever I think of Ladd's performance, or that of her off and on screen daughter Laura Dern I can't help but think they are two of the most masterful performances of the 1990s. Add that to everything else about the film and Wild at Heart is actually one of my favourite David Lynch films. The movie received wild cheers and jeers (famously by Roger Ebert) upon winning the Palm d'Or at Cannes in 1990, probably more a testement to Lynch himself and not the film consdidering his followup Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, which has equally maddening violence and over-the-top insanities, was famously booed nearly out of the competition.

Below is a clip from Wild at Heart. The scene is, most likely, the movie's most famous and one in which Ladd's performance really reaches for the higher stratosphere. Her whispering voice in joint force with the... the... unique design of herself just makes it stand out. There's another of Ladd's moments that I could watch over and over and it's the "Buffalo huntin'? What the fuck does that mean" scene. "The fucker split!" Lynch does so many crazy things with the sound design and Ladd's performance up to 100. Yikes.

It still surprises and delights me to this very day that Ladd received an Academy Award nomination for this performance when the role is so bonkers and the movie had nothing else going for it in terms of awards (however unfortunate that may be). If you don't own Wild at Heart on DVD (I do! Special Edition!) then just watch this scene over and over again with the volume blaring and you'll get the idea pretty darn quick. Even down to the final moments when the munshkin costume makes a cameo! Bloody brilliant!

Questions in a World of Lynch

If you are like me and are a die hard Twin Peaks fanatic then David Lynch's latest interview with MTV (in which he discusses Inland Empire, cooking, The Bourne Ultimatum and digital video) gives us hope that one day - ONE DAY! - we may finally get to see all those long lost deleted scenes from the Twin Peaks movie prequel Fire Walk With Me. The infamous scenes are handpicked by Lynch his apparent five-hour version of Fire Walk With Me that featured story strands from many many more characters that featured throughout the television series, but were deleted from the film because they didn't relate to the Laura Palmer storyline. The reclusive scenes have been tied up in a bitter legal debate between MK2 Films in Europe and New Line Cinema, who released the film. There were rumoured the scenes would show up on some Europe edition of the film, but nothing has come from it.

But, as I said, Lynch (notorious for being stingy on DVD goodies) has given us hope.

MTV: Are you planning to go back to any of your earlier work and add bells and whistles to the DVDs?

Lynch: The only one that's been talked about is "Fire Walk With Me." There are many short scenes that weren't in the final film that on their own are interesting. They just never fit in the film. There's talk of me editing and mixing those. There's a scene with Jack Nance. It's a short scene with Ed [Wright], who played Mr. Mibbler. I loved this guy. He was in "Wild at Heart" as well. Both of them are gone, so to fix those scenes, for the memory of them, it's real important.

It would be great if us Peak tragics could finally get the final piece of the Twin Peaks puzzle. The last footage (that is known to exist) never seen by anyone. There are several pictures on the internet from these scenes and there are online petitions and even MySpace page.






Now that I think of it, there is one more thing we Peaks fans would like, and that would be the release of Angelo Badalamenti's second series score. The first soundtrack is the highest selling television soundtrack of all time, but it was released for the first season and there are many beautiful pieces of music that were used in the second series that are currently only available in random places. The MySpace page I linked to above includes a piece of music entitled "Shelley Quits" and it's magic.

Five Random Observations/Thoughts

I'm terrified of clowns. I refuse to watch It because of it. The only clown I like is the one Bill Murray plays in Quick Change, but it helps that Quick Change is hilarious and brilliant. But, you know what's even worse than clowns. Clowns with painted on frowns. I mean, really. And today my supervisor mentioned clowns and then I had the clown theme music stuck in my head for ages and then all I could think of was how do they get so many clowns in those tiny cars?!?

Today I had a really bizarre moment at work. I started speaking in am American accent. Only three words ("where are you"). I'm not sure how, it just came out that way and it felt incredibly strange and I didn't like it. I'm not used to pronouncing my Rs so predominantly. Needless to say I snapped right out of it and went on my merry way. Next perhaps I'll start saying "tuna fish" (is it not tuna if you don't say "fish"?) and be wanting to go to summer camp.

I have two scars on my face that I don't remember getting. I have a vertical one above my left eyebrow and one horizontal one under my bottom lip. They're not very prominent at all, but I still wish I knew how they got there!

I'd really like someone to take a screengrab of that moment in Inland Empire where Laura Dern runs at the camera with that horrified look on her face. And how long will it be for David Lynch to make another movie, I wonder?

The Crying Game is amazing.

That's all.

Jesus Fucking Christ

Sorry for that incredibly blasphemous title, but that's the first thing that came outta my mouth when I viewed the below video. All you need to know is that it's directed by David Lynch (hence, "Jesus fucking Christ!") Enjoy... er, I guess.

One Day To Go!

There's only one day until I get the chance to see David Lynch's three-hour experimental opus Inland Empire, which I have not had the chance to see for nine months. Actually, as of this very moment it it one day, one hour and one minute exactly until 9pm on Tuesday the 7th of August, the time of the Melbourne International Film Festival's first screening of two (the next screening is, I think, the 11th). I'll be there mightily early in order to get a prime seat for the sold out session at ACMI.

David Lynch: My mental wellbeing is in your hands.

Bringing the Synthesised Score into the 21st Century

This is my entry into the Film Music Blog-a-Thon over at Windmills of My Mind. Enjoy.

Fact, Angelo Badalamenti's "The Voice of Love" is my favourite piece of film music ever. It's from the score to one of director David Lynch's very best (yet, very underrated) films - Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and it is featured in the very last scene of the movie as Laura Palmer, realising her fate, sits in The Red Room. I've included the clip below. Don't worry if you haven't seen the movie (or, more importantly, the television series) as there aren't any spoilers other than - shock - Laura is dead, but if you didn't already know that then I assume you a) don't know the first thing about Twin Peaks and b) you don't care. So no matter what you position in the Twin Peaks universe is (Masterly Scholar or Peak Virgin) watch the clip below and enjoy some beautiful music. If you are new to the Peaks universe then surely this clip will entice you.

Just for the record, this scene probably takes the top spot on my non-existent theoretical Best Ending Scenes of All Time list. It's so beautiful and moving and haunting and Sheryl Lee is amazing.



Now, the 1980s were a very exciting time for those two love, cherish and worship synthesised music scores. The two most famous composers of this variety of film score were Vangelis (Chariots of Fire - you know that music - and Blade Runner - simply amazing) and Angelo Badalamenti who has an incredibly tight relationship with David Lynch ever since he worked on the music to Lynch's 1986 masterpiece Blue Velvet.

Below is a scene of that movie featuring the song "Mysteries of Love". Music by Badalamenti, vocals by another Lynch frequenteur Julee Cruise.



I could write an entire essay on the music to the television series Twin Peaks (y'all know that opening theme music), but this is a film music entry, so I'll skip.

As the synthesised score died, it seemed only Lynch and Badalamenti continue to utilise it in film. Jumping forward to 15 years after Blue Velvet and nine after Fire Walk With Me, Badalamenti produced one of the finest film music scores ever, again for a David Lynch film - Mulholland Drive.

In a day and age where synthesisers can sound incredibly dated (they will never grow old for me), it seems like a risk to make one as the major hooks of your film. And it is just that, a hook. Film scores these days rarely have such a defining place in a movie. Sure, they're important and sometimes they can be amazing and sometimes they're not, but it's not common to find a film is actually better for having it's score in place (think of the likes of Psycho or Jaws or any other film that has one of those clear and definable themes).

Badalamenti's Mulholland Drive music doesn't have one singular piece of music that defines the rest of the score, but the culmination of Badalamenti's work on the film raises the film. Can you imagine this movie with any other music? I would think not. Can you imagine being set with such atmospheric unease as "Mulholland Drive"? Or that ending as being so romantically tragic without "Love Theme"? Or would the Silencio sequence be less enigmatic and scary without Badalamenti's bass-filled terror enducing "Silencio"? Would Betty's (Naomi Watts) arrival to LAX be as good without the hopeful beauty of "Mr Roque - Betty's Theme"? I truly doubt it. Badalamenti's score is such an intricate key to developing the dreamlike mysterious world of Lynch's Los Angeles.

Below are two clips from Mulholland Drive. One is the afore-mentioned Club Silencio sequence, which is a masterpiece in it's own right of the mix of visuals and audio. Then we have a fan-made clip using "Diane and Camilla" put over the top of various scenes from the movie.





I hope that Badalamenti continues to work with Lynch and that their partnership brings around many more equally amazing music. And here's hoping that the synthesised score makes a return! I've mentioned before about how happy I am that electronic music is being used again for film scores (The Fountain and Danny Boyle's Sunshine) so we're just one step away! Obviously, it's not to say that synthesisers are the only tricks up Badalamenti's sleeve. He routinely uses other more traditional forms of scoring in Lynch films as well as outside of the Lynch world. But, it's just a fact that when discussing Lynch and Badalamenti the mind instantly jumps to this sort of sub-section of music.

PS; How shocking was it that Badalamenti still has no Oscar nominations to his name. He's one of the most note worthy film composers out there. Even his work in the '80s, when synthesised scores were all the rage, he didn't have any luck. That crazy music branch will surely be making it up to him someday.

Two Thumbs Down

In my casual trevails throughout the never world of the internet I came cross an amazing website LynchPosters.com which is all about movie posters for David Lynch films. I had already seen about 90% of them, but one that I had never seen was the below ad poster that was used for Lynch's 1997 bizarro film Lost Highway in which Jeff Daniels apparently murders Patricia Aquette and then he turns into Balthazar Getty (back on the acting scene thanks to a role on the quite great tv series Brothers and Sisters) who is dating Patricia Arquette... or something. The film also has Robert Blake giving the greatest cameo performance of all time. If you haven't seen it, do so. If you're in America then you'll have to deal with a dodgy-arsed DVD, but regions 4 and 2 have great two-disc editions (like me!).

Anyway, back to the poster. Roger Ebert has been a famous detractor of Lynch's work - Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart and Lost Highway in particular - and he, along with his reviewing partner Gene Siskel, gave the film "Two Thumbs Down!"

Lynch being the sneaky devil that he is used it to his advantage and employed this rating as part of the advertising for Lost Highway. God, he's a genius.



And while we're on the topic of Lynch, while I am sitting here being incredible jealous at Adam (grrrr) I found this in Today's HiT about the situation of his latest INLAND EMPIRE. Unfortunately, it merely confirms the constant state of limbo that it lies in. Seriously, Dendy or whoever it distributing. RELEASE IT NOW!


I tell ya though, if I see the film is going to be playing at the Melbourne International Film Festival I'm gonna do my darndest to get tickets. Eep.

A Documentary

Over the course of two years we were allowed to film David Lynch as he worked on his latest film INLAND EMPIRE. Over 700 hours of footage was gathered both on location and in David's home. This film will give the most current perspective on one of cinema's greatest directors and will bring to life his creative process and joy for living life to its fullest potential.


The director began filming David in December 2004 when he went to Lodz, Poland to work on INLAND EMPIRE and photograph abandoned factories. In February of 2005, the director travelled to Los Angeles where he lived at David's residence and filmed him on a daily basis for seven months, documenting not only David's filmmaking process but also each of his other creative interests. After primary filming was completed, the director spent the next year isolated in a mountain home in Guffey, Colorado. He would leave twice to film David, first travelling to Lodz in January of 2006 and then to New York City in October of that same year. In December of 2006 the director returned to Los Angeles to complete the film.

Watch the trailer here

Sorry

Nothing for you today. I have work and I'm very sick (but I need the $$$ so no sick days for me) so I'm not going to have the energy. But, to celebrate the DVD release today of not only my favourite television series of all time (the second season of Twin Peaks is finally released) but also my favourite movie of all time (All That Jazz comes out in a brand new special edition) I give you two YouTube clips.

The first is one of the single scariest moments ever, and it's from the Twin Peaks pilot. I remember seeing this for the first time on grainy VHS over five years ago (after seeing Mulholland Drive I went on a David Lynch spree) and it terrified me. Trust David Lynch to make even a traffic light ominous. But, the truly scary bit is... well. I'm not really sure what it is. But it sends shivers up my spine. Grace Zabriskie's screams are just so... loud. Don't whatever you do go to the clip's page and click on ANY of the other clips down the side though. They will ruin the mystery of Who Killed Laura Palmer.

The second clip is a song from All That Jazz. It's the big final number with Roy Scheider and Bob Vereen. Don't watch it if you don't want the ending spoiled. I guess you won't even know what's going on for most of it though.





How crazy is it that Twin Peaks and All That Jazz are released on the same day? I had pre-ordered them off Amazon so they should be arriving in a week or so. EEP!

...

...*explodes*

It's not on their official site, but the mere fact that DendyFilms have picked up Inland Empire for distributions means it won't be 2010 by the time we get to see it. This mysterious April 26 date mentioned on the IMDb forum sounds logical. Well, that it's a Thursday (the day that movies are released here) is the only real clue, but it feels legit.

Man, if that is true though... April 26 can't come soon enough. I'll catch the train up and see the very first session. eeeeeee! So excited. Also, The Notorious Bettie Page is out on March 1. We're finally getting it!!!

Holy Smokes!

April 10
$36.99(US)
6 Disc Set

!!!!!!!

The Australian release in November last year came and went without anything eventuating and now the Australian websites (like ezyDVD) say "Release Date Unknown". But I got an e-mail today from Amazon showing me the one thing I need to complete my life is going to finally be released.

Now, take note that its a) not a special edition, b) there doesn't appear to be any special features at all at this stage and c) it's only six discs, which means the quality will be lower than on Season 1. Season 1 had four discs for SEVEN EPISODES. Season 2 is a proper full-length season and it's six discs, so... yeah.

But, I'm just so excited. OMG! It's already #1 on Amazon's best seller list and it's only in pre-orders!

Now, there doesn't appear to be any word on the rumoured Complete Series box-set, which was to be released in Australia along with the second season late last year. That was to include the entire series (two seasons) and special features for the first season that weren't available when that was released a few years back.

This will totally be the sort of release that they'll do twice. I can just tell. Thing is? I'd probably buy it 20 times just so I could have everything.

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

Mulholland Drive theory...

Okay, so I'm watching Mulholland Drive right now (i'm at the audition scene, yowza) because all that analysing made me wanna watch it again. But, I've just cottoned on to something.

I think Camilla was pregnant

As Coco says: "If there's trouble get rid of it" (hello, abortion!). And that would be even more explaination as to why she was so sudden to dump Diane and go with the director Adam. It would also be another explaination as to why Diane so violently attacks Camilla's genitals. And that could have been the tipping point for Diane. Knowing Camilla was pregnant with Adam's child meant there was no chance of them ever getting back together and so she then decided to hire someone to kill her.

Or

Just as likely:

Diane was the one who was pregnant

But not by anyone in the movie. No, but due to a rape or sexual abuse by someone in her family (a theory that is very popular within Mulholland theorists) or somebody she was with when she worked as a prostitute (another popular theory, and one that I think is very likely). Again, the line "If there's trouble get rid of it" sticks in my mind. And maybe it was people who she knew who told her to "get rid of it". Coco is almost like a mother-figure to Diane so she could represent Diane's mother (back in "Deep River Ontario") or she could represent a sort of pimp like figure.

God, watching this movie just fills your head with ideas.

Ideas like: Where would it have gone as a tv series? This one always plagues me. I mean, it's obvious that the detective nature of the film would've been to the forefront (with Robert Forster's character being much more. Having seen the pilot episode, he was indeed already supposed to feature more.) Would Betty and Adam fall in love as "Sixteen Reasons" scene would have indicated. Rita would have been the Laura Palmer/Fire Walk With Me character. Her character probably would have descended into some weird spiral dragging Betty down with her until... something?

Oh god, i dunno. I need to go back to the movie now. Silencio is up, people. SILENCIO!!!!

Underrated Movie of the Week

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, 1992, dir. David Lynch, starring Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Moira Kelly, Madchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Phoebe Augustine, Eric DaRe, Miguel Ferrer, David Lynch, Chris Isaak, Keifer Sutherland, Peggy Lipton, James Marshall & David Bowie

*explodes*

I think my head just exploded over these new pictures from David Lynch's Inland Empire. If we're to believe the reviews so far and the word from cast members, Empire is Lynch's most bizarre outing yet, and considering his recent Cows Do Hollywood and LeBrea escapades I have to think that it will be confusing up the wazoo.

Anyway, check out Cinempire for all the rest of the pictures. It's hard to tell whether some of these are actual shots from the film or just behind-the-scenes shots because there are a few of those on there. Am definitely loving the look of Lynch regulars Laura Dern and Grace Zabriskie.

Without Cheese There Would Be No Inland Empire

David Lynch RIGHT NOW is sitting on the corner of Hollywood and La Brea with a cow on a leash and a picture of Laura Dern that says For Your Consideration. He also has a sign that says "without cows there would be no cheese in the Inland Empire". This is one of those things that a person needs to see. I wish I wasn't chained to a desk.

The sign obviously says something along the lines of "without cheese there would be no Inland Empire" not "without cows there would be no cheese in the Inland Empire", but whatever. How fuckin' crazy is this. I doubt anything will come out of this, but I'd love to see Laura Dern up again for Oscar. For more of my writings about Inland Empire you can click here. There's a lot. Can you tell I wanna see this movie? It was my #1 most anticipated film of the year all the way back in January...

[src]

edit - OMFG! A video has now surfaced of the publicity stunt! Check it out! Turns out the sign says "Without Cheese There Wouldn't Be An Inland Empire" CHEESE IS MADE FROM MILK! I... have no idea.

Nathaniel's Movie Meme

I got tagged. And by none other than Nat. This movie-themed meme is gonna be super-fun. Enjoy. I get to tag three people at the end, so you better do it, bitches.

1. Popcorn or candy?

Well, it depends. If I'm about to sit down to a serious movie, I kinda prefer neither. If I'm seeing a movie by myself I prefer candy (typically maltesers). But if I'm with friends (which is usually the case) and we're not seeing something like United 93 then it's popcorn. Popcorn all the way!

2. Name a movie you've been meaning to see forever.

I've seen a few of these movies over the last year or so (such as The Godfather trilogy), but there are still a whole tonne of them. I think the title that I keep trying to see but never actually doing so is Schindler's List. Many other classic titles are either hard to find down here or not available at all.

3. You are given the power to recall one Oscar: Who loses theirs and to whom?

I'm gonna limit this to stuff that's occured in my Oscar-watching years. Otherwise i wouldn't know where to start. Now, I'm not going to take it off of Halle Berry for Monster's Ball because, well, there are just so many other worthy contenders for the prize and I suppose the whole "first black woman" thing was good. I'm not even gonna take it off of Renee Zellweger for Cold Mountain because if she didn't win it then she would've been nominated another 2 times since. And, shock of shocks, I'm not even going to steal it off of Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby or Jamie Foxx for Ray - two of my most despised winners of recent years because without them to insult and barrate who else is there (apart from Paul Giamatti?)?? So, no, I'm going to take it off of RON HOWARD for his "direction" (read: followed the template from a directing-for-dummies book) of A Beautiful Mind. I would then give it to the best director of our generation, Mr David Lynch for his work on Mulholland Drive. That is directing, folks.

4. Steal one costume from a movie for your wardrobe. Which will it be?

Okay, I wouldn't look anywhere near as cool, fashionable or sexy in it, but the red jacket, white tee and denim jeans worn by James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause? How about a Hell Yes!

5. Your favorite film franchise is...

Hmmm. Whenever I consider this question there are always too answers: The Scream franchise and the Terminator franchise. I even heart the third installments of each of these series, despite the general concensus being that they're shithouse.

6. Invite five movie people over for dinner. Who are they? Why'd you invite them? What do you feed them?

I'm excluding dead people, unfortunately

1. Hugh Jackman, cause duh. He's Hugh freakin' Jackman. Plus he and Meryl (see below) could do a duet
2. Jamie Bell, cause then I could try and turn him homo and we could live forever and ever (remember, we're only 5 months apart in age)
3. Gina Gershon, cause we need some sexy profanity-laced laughs, plus me and her can recreate my favourite Showgirls scenes as light entertainment between meals
4. Nicole Kidman, so I can be in her presence. She and Hugh would be able to share many a story cause they're old friends.
5. Meryl Streep, cause she's a hoot and she's smart and she's probably really interesting.

I'd serve them whatever my cook decided to make (cause bitch plz, if I'm living in a world where famous people can come to dinner with me, I also live in a world where I have a chef working for me, okay!)

7. What is the appropriate punishment for people who answer cell phones in the movie theater?

They should have to stand at the exit of the cinema when the movie finishes and people can take their suitable brand of justive out on them. They're horrible cretenous creatures.

8. Choose a female bodyguard: Ripley from Aliens. Mystique from X-Men. Sarah Connor from Terminator 2. The Bride from Kill Bill. Mace from Strange Days.

Well, The Bride knows the five point palm trick (whatever it was called) so that would be pretty damn useful, but I can't see her getting away with carrying around that giant sword in many places. Still, she knows how to handle a gun as well, so The Bride it is. I mean, she can take of 88 crazy Japanese men, that's pretty darn impressive!

9. What's the scariest thing you've ever seen in a movie?

The final scene of The Blair Witch Project. Terrifying.

10. Your favorite genre (excluding comedy and drama) is?

Well, musicals and horror are two genres that, when I really like the films, I REALLY like them. But they are filled with just as much crap as good stuff. But, I'd still say them because I get a general thrill outta watching them and I actively seek them out (unlike comedies or whatever) and I like to see as many as possible even if they are bad.


11. You are given the power to greenlight movies at a major studio for one year. How do you wield this power?

I greenlight a bunch of musicals with good directors and stars (think Hugh Jackman). I greenlight some good horror titles. I rid Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen, Hilary Swank, Jamie Foxx, Paul Giamatti and various others from my studio. I axe all comedies that cost over $75 million. I axe all dramas that haven't cast someone talented in the lead. I will create several titles that cost a small amount, but that would play well in the arthouses and eventually be great Oscar candidates but would appear to be surprises and I could go "Wow! We just didn't expect this film to do as well as it is. It's the little movie that could!". I'd limit CGI animated movies to 2 a year. One in the first half, one in the second - but they must be of quality and must not be filled to the brim with NAMES, cause that's just lazy and boring. I wouldn't greenlight a single remake unless it was of something that was crap in the first place and that would actually turn out good this time around (so no When a Stranger Calls moments of crapiness first AND second time around). Also, sequels will be kept to 2 a year, so as that way not to burn out all possible franchises in one go (too many sequels in one year means people get tired of them all bar a few)

12. Bonnie or Clyde?

Clyde cause... ya know... he's Warren Beatty.


13. Who are you tagging to answer this survey?

I tag Adam, Emma and Simon. DO IT!!!