Video Voyeur

Rating: 10/10 (6 May 2004)

David Lynch has comfortably sat on my "Top 10 Directors" for the last dozen years or so and for a very good reason. He insists on twisting our reality into his surreality. One man's banal TV show or simple joy becomes Lynch's devilish delight.
This is your only spoiler warning...
Yes, this is the real Best Director of 2001. We had two of the world's finest craftsmen (Scott, Lynch), two interesting wannabes (Altman, Jackson), and one stew-for-brains. And who won? Take a big fat guess.
Anyway, enough Academy-bashing, Lynch isn't solely focused on social commentary or visual splendor. They help, but aren't necessary in his work. No, he's interested in twisting our perspectives. Hollywood is presented as people with poor dialog and worse logic. The director character (of course) is the driving force.
Complaints often state that this is confusing, but I had no problem deciphering the contents. It's about parallel & entwined lives, reincarnation, fantasizing, and "trading spaces." I know that doesn't make much sense, but Lynch gets a kick each time we go "HUH?!" That's his ulterior motive, not entertaining with cheap tearjerkers like the talentless Howard.
We see events not as omniscient beings (like in a DePalma movie), but as voyeurs. We peer over people's shoulders and shuffle through hallways like a P.I. Our observations contain what little information the scene wants us to have. Meanwhile, we have films within films and infusions of greed. That's intelligent work.
So this is definitely a well-crafted piece full of Lynch-isms. I recommend it to writers and fans of 'The Shining.' Kubrick wanted this for his movie, but his energy and focus was dying. The music is also competent.
Final Analysis = = Learn from this...