The Future of David Lynch's Surreal Dimensions

In looking at the use of surrealism by most contemporary filmakers the doorways to these dimensions are usually choppy and filled with poor choices. For Example, M.Night Shylaman with "Lady in the Water", has Paul Giamitti as a super looking for paranomal behavior from the pool he overseas. Shylaman tries so hard for the film to be groundbreaking, but he fails to make the viewer care about any of the characters in the world he creates. Another talented filmaker Richard Kelly utilized water for The Box to be symbolic of a supernatural corridor into another dimension. Although The Box had some fantastic ideas the picture never seemed to crystallize.

I invite readers to argue with my points made about Shylaman and Kelly. The overarching theme with both directors is they could not establish a concrete sense of place to launch of into their surreal enviornments. Geographic place for any feature film is of gargantuan importance, especially if the director attempts to coral ideas that are very other wordly. Without a sense of location the viewer is lost along with the characters, the script, and the point of why are they watching this film?

In sticking with the topic of surrealism I am going to bring up a director who is a cinematic heavyweight in establishing a sense of place. The greatest champion of cinema coming out of the red room of Twin Peaks is none other than Mr. David Lynch. He creates a sense of place in Twin Peaks in the state of Washington that is unparralled to any cinematic town. Using locations like diners, the woods, and the sherrifs station he creates a breathing world. In order to create the Red Room with jagged black lines on a white floor, red curtains, inhabited by a midget who speaks backwards it is pivotal to establish a clear sense of space for the town of Twin Peaks.

In the view of the American Highway that is inhabited by Sailor Ripley and Lula Pace Fortune in Lynch's Wild At Heart, every stop on there road tour is anchored with a sense of place. For example the couple is in New Orleans for a very brief period in the film. However with one shot of a cast iron building with toilet paper whipping in the wind off a stucture. The viewer is automatically grounded in Louisiania.

In looking at both Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire both extremely surreal features are grounded in Los Angeles just simply by using unique shots of the Hollywood sign. In Mullholand Drive there is what appears to be a helicopter shot of the summit of the sign. In Inland Empire to switch locations from the winter of Poland the sign is shown backwards and the viewer is instantly back in Los Angeles after just having been to Eastern Europe.

One of the most common techniques utlized by directors for New York city is a yellow taxi cab. And for Europe the tool of the sound of European ambulances. With either image or sound a viewer can be teleported back to a particular place.

And that leads me to my last comments today on the Future of David Lynch's Surreal Dimensions. At the water cooler the rumor mill has started that there quite possibly could be a Mulholland Drive 2. In reading what most of the ADD hacks have been writing on IMDB they are all concerned on how could the characters portrayed by Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring be resurected because many writers seem to think they died in Mulholland Drive.
Many writers are looking for the ending of Inland Empire in which Laura Elena Harring is blowing kisses at the viewer as an indicator for Mulholland Drive 2. Cinefiles have also cleverly pointed out that the rabbits in Inland Empire were both Laura Elena Harring and Naomi Watts.
Not to take any of the thunder out of these lovers of film lightning rods, but I think you guys are missing the point on the possibilities for Mulholland Drive 2.

We are taking about a man who could bring a cowboy to Beachwood Canyon and come of as perfectly logical because the location of Los Angeles is established flawlessly. A director who can sum up the heart of Hollywood by shooting a bungalow and a bird of paradise. I trust David Lynch can navigate the subconcious world of Los Angeles and continue the surreal dreamscape of Mulholland Drive.

The main issue in talking with fellow cinefiles was they argued whether Inland Empire was a linear or a non-linear script. The issue is not this!!! The film is art and does not have to be solved like a riddle. All Laura Elena Harring has to do is look into the dark undertow of the blue cube or for the image of her red satin pillow to fade to black. Lynch will instantly create a second phase to the story from these concrete locations. As a viewer I can't wait for the wild ride Mullholand Drive 2.