Subject: Re: the 50's and Lynch
From: alternat@watserv1.waterloo.edu (Ann Hodgins)
Date: 1991-05-12, 08:43
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

In article <3549@kluge.fiu.edu> ii7gjg0b@serss0.fiu.edu (Jim Stafford) writes:
> >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. 
>> >> 
> >
> >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.
> >
> >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.
> >
                                                       >jimbo
 
I'm not positive about Lynch, but I'm sure that I personally don't look
on Divine as a bug. I don't see the sub-culture as the bugs.
I see Oliver North as a bug. I see the young Kennedy/Smith guy as a bug.
But this may be where my view parts company with Lynch's. 
 
a.h.