Lost Highway... What the fuck!!!!

[psycho-man_666]

I just saw that movie a couple of minutes ago and I still don't get it. Am I stupid or what?? During the whole movie I was waiting for the end to clear my head but nothing came out. I like weird movie but that one doesn't even make sens. And by the way, what the fuck does Marilyn Manson in this movie??

If somebody understood that piece of shit maybe could you explain it to me, please!!!

[Cinemaniac]

Lost Highway is one of my favorite films, one the best and most original movies of the 1990s. But, hell, I don't even have it all figured out.

I think that's part of the film's allure. It's one of the few films that's easily comparable to a nightmare. That fact that David Lynch doesn't tie everything up neatly at the end and explain everything is part of what makes Lost Highway so perfect. It's obviously making you think -- and that's probably what Lynch was going for.

I stumbled upon a website awhile back that had theories from people on Lost Highway, explaining everything. Some of the theories I read were quite plausible and interesting. But I'd like to know what David Lynch's own thoughts are about it. Did he make this movie just to fuck with our heads or is there a method behind his madness?

WARNING! SPOILER ALERT!

But just so this post isn't a total tease (without revealing any theories about the film), I'll tell you about one theory I found intruiging. This is just a theory, of course, so don't take it as the definitive meaning behind the film.

Perhaps Fred Madison (Bill Pullman) really did kill his wife (Patricia Arquette) and was sentenced to death. The whole body-switching episode (in which Pullman becomes Balthazar Getty) is nothing but a dream, or nightmare, it never happened. At the end, when Fred is driving, being tailed by the police, and then he starts to freak out like he's being electrocuted (right before the end credits), that's him being fried in the electric chair.

Now I don't agree with that theory, but it is kinda interesting. I prefer to see the movie as a nightmare, plain and simple, it doesn't have to make sense. Lost Highway is a nightmare on celluloid, it's as simple as that.

[psycho-man_666]

Thanks man I agree with nightmare thing cause this is the only thing that can explain all the story.

[Tuukka]

Lynch himself has said that Lost Highway is not supposed to make sense. He wanted to make a mystery that is unexplainable.

[Bud_Fox]

I have commented on this film a million tmes, and no many how many ways you dice it, no matter what Lynch says, no matter how many times you see this movie- The Bottomline is it is a FUCKING PIECE OF GARBAGE. What fucking moron writes an unsolvable mystery? And not an unsolvable mystery a'la Memento where you draw your own conclusions, not an unsovable mystery like a real-life Jack the Ripper where the killer is never caught, but an unsolvable unwatchable mystery where guaranteed even the writer himself doesn't know what the hell is going on! This is a classic example of a screenplay written by soemeone under the influence cause only someone who is extremely medicated could write such misdirected, non-sensible, zero-plot-structure Fucking Shit. This movie is a disgrace and I feel ashamed and embarrased for everyone involved in making what is hands down the biggest piece of garbage to every grace the silversreen.

This Movie should come with a warning level- Warning: this movies can and will cause your I.Q. level to drop 20-30 points after having watched it.

Lost Highway 0/10

[Cinemaniac]

Dude, you're looking at the movie the wrong way. It's not supposed to make sense. It's a fucking nightmare, it's as simple as that. Does it not succeed as a nightmare? I think it does.

And many people would argue against your claim that the film is unsolvable. There are plenty of theories out there -- and some very good ones, too, that make perfect sense. Is it such a crime to make a movie that lets the audience draw their own conclusions? A movie that might actually make people, um, I dunno... think?

I know Lost Highway frustrates a lot of people, but I think it's a brilliantly made and executed film. Try to name a few other films that come close to so aptly resembling a nightmare.

[This message has been edited by Cinemaniac (edited 05-21-2001).]

[Bud_Fox]

If the movie is "Pointless" than what is the "Point" in watching it?? It is also pointless to think or theorize about what the end is, or about what actually occured throughout the movie because even the creators of the film have no clue as to what is going on and OPENLY ADMIT IT! This movie is a PURE MIND-FUCK, a LYNCH PRACTICAL JOKE AND I AIN'T LAUGHING. I WANT MY RENTAL MONEY BACK, INCLUDING THE 2 HRS AND 15 MINUTES OF MY LIFE THAT WAS WASTED! This is not entertainment, this movie is not intelligent story telling, this is a Director being an Ass just cause he can.

[Cinemaniac]

The movie isn't about having a "point." It's about creating a mood, an atmosphere... a nightmare, like I said. Nightmares often don't make sense, but sometimes the peices can be put together to form some strange understanding of what occured and why. That's the beauty of Lost Highway -- the many ways it can be interpreted and make some sort of weird sense.

Whether or not David Lynch has some kind of method behind his madness -- who really knows for sure? I'd personally like to here Lynch's own take on what the hell Lost Highway was about. Sure, I know he was trying to capture a nightmare on celluloid (and I think he succeeded), but do the events in the film make some kind of sense to him? We don't know for sure.

[Bud_Fox]

I guess its kinda like the kid in American Beauty filming the plastic bag and crying that there is so much "Beauty" he could almost not bare it. I see "Beauty" in fields of flowers and in the smile of a young girl playing with a puppy- not a plastic bag.

I also can't see the beauty in a film that has NO closure and does not identify itself. If the movie clearly identified itself as a nightmare than I would be able to appreciate and see an inkling of an idea of the beauty of it all. But I don't /ubb/frown.gif
I wish I did.

[JoBlo]

I hear what you're saying Bud Fox, I thought that the TWIN PEAKS movie was one of the shittest pieces of shit (yes, it was that bad!) that I had ever witnessed, but as is with most films, God knows how I'll feel about it years from now.

In regards to LOST HIGHWAY, I too absolutely LOVED the flick. I totally got into its "atmosphere", was blown away by its use of songs, lighting and sound to pave its way through the story and yeah, even liked the fact that it was all a little "fucked up".

The Arrow and I actually spent a couple of hours talking about this film after we saw it and even though we didn't completely solve its mystery (which is what Lynch wanted anyway), we did figure out the basic idea behind it, which was this:

I've said this before and I'll say it again...think O.J. SIMPSON

Dude loves his wife but is extremely jealous. Dude kills his wife in passionate rage. Dude goes to jail for the murder of his wife. While in jail, dude doesn't remember (or chooses not to) that he killed his wife and REALLY believes that someone else was behind the murder. Suddenly...he "transforms" himself into another reality (either fantasy or dream) in which he is a younger dude. But even in his dream/fantasy, dude cannot escape his wife (who returns with a different shade of hair). Once again, he falls for her and eventually cracks as his jealousy comes to the forefront once again...

THE POINT: No matter how hard you try, you can never change your true self.

I don't know...at least that's kinda what I got out of it. That...and awesome visuals, a truly haunting style and a raunchy-paunchy soundtrack. Definitely a classic, but also DEFINITELY not for everyone....

PS: I've been known to enjoy "darker" movies more than the next guy... /ubb/wink.gif

[Ld Shier]

It's a great trip. If your not into getting high and taking wild rides in your movie watching, then Lost Highway is lost on you.
It doesn't make sense- nor should it. I think it's just beautiful. ( and you get to see Miss Arquette's kedittles- worth the price of admission alone)

[psycho-man_666]

I don't know what to think? I love dark and fuck-up movies normally. But the movie have to touch me in some way. I have to care about the character and what is goin on. In that movie the story bored me and the character(except the weird guy with the white face)!!!I just didn't give a fuck about them.

In fact the soundtrack really got me in and the transformations sequence too but as for the rest, I though it was a really bad movie and I didn't enjoy it. Especially if the movie is a nightmare!! I mean it could have been a way lot better. By example, If the movie would have been shot in the Darren Aronofsky style, then it would have become a lot more weird and darker. The way Lynch direct some of the scene it just look like an average movie. Maybe I'm too hard to impress!!

Lost Highway: 4/10 and I'm generous!

[vexu]

Hehe... I gotta say that I love the Lost Highway. One of my favorites from the 90's too. And it's a fact that most people won't appreciate it.

Lynch is without a doubt one of my all time favorite directors.

I was fun reading in one interview how Lynch himself sees the story and the transformation of the lead character.

[matthew gosse]

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[matthew gosse]

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[psycho-man_666]

Hey I agree with sayin that Lynch is niot the best director there is but sayin that Oliver Stone is untalented is pure crap. And sayin over this that U-turn failed is full of shit!!!!!

[matthew gosse]

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[JoBlo]

Psycho-man_666:

Try to be CONSTRUCTIVE in your retorts. Telling a fellow poster that his opinion is "full of shit" ain't what this board is about. Why don't you agree with him? What is it about Stone that you like? Etc, etc...

Remember that we only have ONE RULE on our boards and that is the RESPECT of others.

[Ld Shier]

Read "Oliver Stone's USA" (a university text)
in which he debunks every critcism hurled at him. You will come to the conclusion that Oliver is smarter than his critics and most filmgoers- he sure as shit taught me a lot in that book. Like his films or not, he has a logical reason for every single scene, and you will look at his movies VERY differently after this tome.
***I know this is a Lynch thread, but I just had to post this***

[psycho-man_666]

Hey Matthey I'm sorry I didn't read your post correctly. You see I'm not totally bilingual. And I don't think that your opinion is shit but I get really oofens when somebody attack one of my favorite director. My fault!

Oliver Stone is clearly an intelligent man with amazing skills. You just have to watch JFK and Nixon to know what I'm talking about.

[Mexican]

jejeje, Joblo is <b> el hombre </b> the man!!!

nice moderating Jo!!

how the heck do you bold?

[This message has been edited by Mexican (edited 05-30-2001).]