Subject: Re: the 50's and Lynch From: ii7gjg0b@serss0.fiu.edu (Jim Stafford) Date: 1991-05-10, 15:41 Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks In article <1991May5.033422.10673@watserv1.waterloo.edu> alternat@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Ann Hodgins) writes: > >David Lynch seems to have formed his artistic vision in the > >50's and early 60's - a time of great confidence, security and > >optimism in the United States. > > > >The americans emerged from WW2 feeling like world heros, feeling that > >in the form of Hitler they had defeated evil for all time. > >The german anti-christ had been destroyed and those american > >soldiers responsible for this accomplishment felt > >very sure that they were living in the best of all possible > >societies, the free world. > > > >Their children, however, saw the world through different eyes. > >They saw that evil still flourished, even in America. David Lynch > >was one of those children. His vision of the evil that lurks under the > >bright surface is the dominant theme of his work. > > > >ann h. I find it interesting to compare Lynch's work with another American director that is obsessed with the same era, John Waters. I guess I am interested in the two of them at least partially because I am a bit obsessed with the same period, which coincides with my childhood, and partly because I just like Lynch's underlying creepiness and Waters' overlying vulgarity. There are obvious similarities: both started with low budget films which are now cult classics, they use music of the period extensively (and effectively) in their films, and they both seem to take the view of the outsider, be he a FBI man or a 300lb transvestite. Lynch has his Log Lady, Waters his Egg Lady. Lynch's characters seem to be folks that are caught on the edge between "gee, life sure is swell!" and "fire, walk with me!". Life looks great until you roll it over with your foot, see all the worms and bugs. On the other hand, Waters' people know that they're the worms and bugs of society, and seem to be saying "Hey! turn that goddam light off". They know what they are; the plots of his movies involve confrontation between straight and sub- cultures, and the subs always win. I think Lynch is the better "serious" director, but there's something about Divine snarfing dog poop off the backyard ('Pink Flamingoes') that is such an insult to everything civilization stands for that you can't help but cheer and vomit at the same time. jimbo