Rating of
1/4
'The feel-good movie of the year!'
memento_mori - wrote on 09/22/13
This movie is ugly. Not in an artistic way. Not in a fascinating way. Just in an ugly way.
This was David Lynch's cinematic debut and it really shows. The direction is poor, it looks like the editor fell asleep and the acting consists mainly of people sitting down and staring at each other.
Jack Nance looked like he didn't know he was in a movie. I've never seen a performance more unsure about itself.
Nothing in this movie is near comprehensible or makes any sense. Don't get me wrong, I like artistic and intellectual films, but the intellect only works in the story if someone else than the director is able to make some freaking connections. I'm not the kind of guy who likes to laugh at things that are intended to be serious, but who can't crack up at a person turning a bar on a wall, while his head is replaced with a worm? WHAT IS THIS? It has no structure, definite story or characters, or a beginning, middle or an end. Thus, I beg the question: What is this?
The sound in this film is unbearable. The whole movie sounds like an airplane taking off. It's not atmospherical, it's obliterating to the ear drums. It also has such slow, ineffective editing. It's been described as one of the most traumatizing movies ever made, and I can certainly agree that it made me not only shiver, but laugh hysterically at some of these stupid scenes.
The film also suffers from severe pacing issues. One more awkward silence and I was ready to shut the TV off. Nothing irritates me more in a movie than an unused space of runtime; that's probably why the film is only 85 minutes long. Not every moment of silence is to be cherished.
And let's not forget the highly acclaimed song sequence… Words cannot express the genius of this milestone in lyrical writing: In heaven, everything is fine.
In a way, this film is shocking to watch, almost painful. I just can't stand this magnitude of metaphysical filmmaking. It's deterrent to the eyes, aching to the ears and nauseating to the senses.
Not everyone's cup of tea, and most certainly not mine.
