tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8293273378239831747.post3909298357792343342..comments2024-02-18T08:45:16.295-08:00Comments on The Film Connoisseur: Lost Highway (1997)Franco Macabrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10994905312221715861noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8293273378239831747.post-6468549921467808142013-12-09T11:28:14.268-08:002013-12-09T11:28:14.268-08:00True J.D., he has said that the film came as a sub...True J.D., he has said that the film came as a subconscious result of the OJ Simpson trials, we can obviously see some parallels with the story there. <br /><br />I saw it as a film about a man who had the ability to steal peoples bodies and take over them, but didn't know he could do it. He didn't know he could be so violent, he didn't know he could kill. He didn't know he could steal Pete's body and take over it, which happens at that moment when Pete dissapears from his home as his girlfriend screams at him. <br /><br />But, same as in Mulholland Dr., he might have changed bodies, but he still ends up meeting up yet again with the love of his life, Renne. Or at least he thinks its Renne, I got the impression that it was her twin sister, at least thats what I got from that scene where Alice looks at a picture with Alice and Renne together, then Alice points at the blond one and says "thats me". But she never says if the other one is her sister or what.... <br /><br /><br />Your idea of purgatory being the road was interesting, a lot of people seem to think that the cabin is hell. Other interpretations say that the Mystery Man is Satan! I think the Mystery Man is a figment of Frank's own psyche, evidenced by that moment when he suddenly dissapears from Franks side....one thing is clear, same as in Mulholland Dr., in Lynch's films, evil doers pay for what they've done...as a sort of Karma for their evil actions. The girls in Mulholland Dr. do not have a happy ending either, in fact, it is my understanding that they go to hell at the end of the film! <br /><br />So many interpretations for one movie! Franco Macabrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10994905312221715861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8293273378239831747.post-89120415768294258472013-12-09T10:34:32.767-08:002013-12-09T10:34:32.767-08:00Nice review! Love this film as well and I believe ...Nice review! Love this film as well and I believe Lynch has said that LOST HIGHWAY was his reaction to the whole O.J. Simpson murder thing so it is interesting to watch it with that in mind.<br /><br />This film is brilliantly constructed because it reveals more of itself upon subsequent viewings but can't be tied down to any single theory.<br /><br />Best as I can surmise, Fred is trapped in purgatory as symbolized by the lost highway he is forever doomed to travel. He is trapped in an endless loop where he tries to warn himself but is doomed to repeat the same scenario over and over again. A rather fitting punishment?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8293273378239831747.post-52723658073205440912013-12-08T10:22:10.693-08:002013-12-08T10:22:10.693-08:00Robot Geek: Agree on Mulholland Drive being his be...Robot Geek: Agree on Mulholland Drive being his best one! <br /><br />Roman J. Martell: The cabin in the dessert is like hell; same as the blue box in Mulholland Drive. Agree, he has commited the ultimate sin, murder...so now he pays for it, similar in that way to what Betty and Camilla go through in Mulholland Drive. <br /><br />Yeah, I like the lighting on this one as well, shadows over power the film, this is what gives Lost Highway it's unique look and fell, it exists within shadows for most of its running time. <br /><br />Agree on the dread as well, it's all over this thing. That scene where we see the footage of Frank and Rennee sleeping in bed as someone tapes them...eeerie stuff! <br /><br />Franco Macabrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10994905312221715861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8293273378239831747.post-47330712981185410972013-12-08T09:15:45.797-08:002013-12-08T09:15:45.797-08:00As I mentioned in your Mulholland Drive review, I ...As I mentioned in your Mulholland Drive review, I think Mullholland Drive is his best made film, but "Lost Highway" is my favorite. <br /><br />You mentioned something that I really believe, "Lost Highway" and "Fire Walk With Me" are horror films done in David Lynch's wonderful style. "Fire Walk" is the horrors of Laura's life and destruction. "Lost Highway" is the horror of letting jealousy consume your mind, body and finally soul. In a way it is Lynch's surreal take on the play "Othello".<br /><br />I believe that Bill Pullman's character, Fred, is an insanely jealous man. Hard not to sympathize, because as you point out Patricia Arquette is just oozing sexuality and is so damn alluring. I'm with you in thinking she is the most deliciously diabolical of all of Lynch's sirens. Fred can not imagine anyone else having her - in any way. So he snaps completely, and destroys any and all people that could have any power over her.<br /><br />To do this he personifies his anger into a cold, cruel and angry man - the mystery man. This personification of anger drives Fred to destroy his wife, and then grants him the power to destroy the other men who had power over her. But as Fred transforms so does the Mystery Man. Now Fred is younger, more virile. And mystery man has become the blonde bombshell version of Arquette. She is still a personification of Fred's anger, but now is uses sex and lies to drive him and destroy others. <br /><br />After all the offending men are dead, Fred drives through the desert and returns home. His mission is complete, and he must tell himself this. "Dick Laurant is dead". It almost become a signal to Fred to unleash his anger.<br /><br />But Fred drives away pursued by the police and starting to change again - or maybe starting to deconstruct. I think the finale is showing that his anger has consumed his mind, caused him to embrace his horrific anger and now it is taking its toll. He is falling apart, mentally, physically and caught in a loop of his own making, forced to dwell in hate and rage for eternity - a very unique and horrifying Lynchian version of hell.<br /><br />That's my take on it any way.<br /><br />I love the camera work in this one. You captured some of my favorite noire images. This film drips with darkness. There are scenes where shadows literally absorb characters. The lighting in this film is used with amazing skill to create one of the best but rarely used emotions in horror films - dread. That is something this film (and Fire Walk with Me) excel at. You can feel something horrible is going to happen, and in those slow pressure cooker scenes, that dread builds and builds. <br /><br />I could go on and on, but I just love this dark excursion into the depths of rage. I can revisit this film time and again and love that journey into hell, so beautiful and horrific it all is. :)Roman J. Martelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09545497713474664555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8293273378239831747.post-65620029585049213722013-12-06T14:03:12.186-08:002013-12-06T14:03:12.186-08:00Nice one man. I really enjoyed this one as well. I...Nice one man. I really enjoyed this one as well. It took me a while and lots of discussions to put it all together, but I think I have a good grasp of what the story is supposed to be. Even then, it doesn't necessarily make sense. But overall, a great film. Definitely one of his best. I think I still consider Mulholland Drive as my favorite of his though. robotGEEKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00355070295108163031noreply@blogger.com