Digging Deeper Into David Lynch's World, "Lost Highway" Takes You Farther Than Any Of His Films Hitherto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        Just like Alice plunging down that rabbit hole, where things get more bizarre and reality more distorted, so too does David Lynch's 1997 "Lost Highway."  With its duality of men and women (Bill Pullman and Balthazar Getty, and Patricia Arquette playing Renee Mason and Alice Wakefield) the film definitely foreshadows "Mulholland Drive," in which feminine duality is explored further.

                                         The film opens with a fast ride down a dark road as the credits roll, leading the viewer to think this will be some sort of continuation of "Wild At Heart," but that is farther from the truth as any this film has.  "Lost Highway" is a series of dreamlike fragments, all having to do with Fred Madison's guilt/reluctance/remorse? over having murdered his wife Renne, played by Patricia Arquette.

                                           But like all of Lynch's films, it is the imagery that counts, and "Lost Highway" gives plenty, starting with that road ride, constant images and references to fire, heightened sexual passion, and, my favorite, Robert Blake as the Mysterious Man.  This, along with Jack Nance as Phil and Richard Pryor (what a surprise!)  as Arnie, the auto shop owner where Nance's Phil works, were the final performances of these three actors, and I am so happy they went out on a high note!  David Lynch was always able to get good actors for his films and get them to give him their best; I so wanted to work with him myself, but he left us all too soon.

                                             The film runs two hours and fourteen minutes but moves at an unbelievably fast pace; more so than "Wild At Heart," which was not as long.  More and more Lynch seems to be moving farther and farther from the narrative thread established in "Blue Velvet," pushing the viewer closer and closer to the edge.  It will be interesting to see, as I continue to explore his work, how far to that edge he will take us.  Or will we topple over it?

                                                "Lost Highway" is especially for Lynchians like me, who are drawn to the secret underbelly, maybe because there is a little bit of it in all of us.  The furnishings, dark lighting, and quick edits are all hallmarks of Lynch.  I was amazed to see he scripted this with Barry Gifford, who wrote the novel "Wild At Heart," which Lynch adapted into that film.  Lynch was also the film's sound designer.

                                                   Casual viewers may not make it through or come out of the film asking WTH.  My advice is to sit back and enjoy the perverse but compelling ride Lynch takes the viewer on.

                                                     How many of us have traveled this highway in our dreams????????