A few replies here...
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Originally Posted by demonrail666
As punk rock as cinema gets, IMO.
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I like that. BASKET CASE is definitely a "punk rock" film, especially in the completely awful (in a good way) stop motion of Belial. I was OBSESSED with Henenlotter back in the day. I still credit him as one of my biggest inspirations -- a very smart guy. We're "friends" on "Facebook", and he actually responds to msg's. I ask him random ass shit, even. Like "When you worked for SOMETHING WEIRD, what was your favorite of 'Henenlotter's Sexy Shockers'?" You know, his re-release video label that put out like 200 movies (which reminds me, isn't SOMETHING WEIRD such a crazy company? They have very very few "Hit" films -- maybe some of the H.G. Lewis stuff -- yet they just keep trekking on; when other DVD companies fail, they get even stronger. They must cater to a very very specific demographic. That reminds me -- what is everyone's favorite SW DVD? I'll go with GORE GORE GIRLS....). Cool dude.
Trying to think of a film that's more "punk rock". Eh.. street Trash and Slime City come close. New York! I dunno. I'll think about this one. SLIME CITY is a classic, btw. Just amazing.
One thing about BASKET CASE... you know the beginning when they first enter NY and that guy goes up to him and is like "YOU WANT SOME HEROIN? COKE?" etc etc? Is that a Taxi Driver reference? (the guy with the gun who says he can get this and that and the other; the line is very very similiar to that one) It has to be. Ah, if only NY was still like that...
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Originally Posted by tw2113
I'll get shit for this, but I just didn't find Blue Velvet all that compelling. I quite enjoyed Twin Peaks, but BV just didn't do it for me.
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I want to go further with this one. I find Lynch somewhat overrated all in all, which isn't to say I dislike him or anything... quite the contrary -- LOST HIGHWAY was a film I saw in its theatrical engagement, I actually had to have a family member take me to another city to see it because it wasn't playing here.. I had been a fan of THE PERFECT DRUG video/song, you see, haha... anyway, this film completely blew my mind, and I've been a fan ever since; specifically his early short films like THE GRANDMOTHER.. then, ERASERHEAD, STRAIGHT STORY, and TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME seems like a pretty perfect trifecta of all of his strengths in filmmaking... those 3 definitely seem like "perfect films" to me... though he hasn't shown much growth since FIRE WALK WITH ME, and as much as I like LOST HIGHWAY, it feels kinda like an artistic deadend. His last 3 films have been extremely similiar in theme, ideas, characters, even titles (all named after a place). That's not to say I don't find things to like about them, but let's face it, here's a guy who has made like 10 films in like 40 years (!). And he hasn't made anything good since MULHOLLAND (though "Rabbits" and "Dumbland", while minor works, are pretty neat in their simplicity). Jesus, have you seen of his recent shorts, like BOAT, DARKENED ROOM, etc? Just awful. Completely awful. So, anyway, I like Lynch, and I wanted to point out your quote in particular because of "I'll get shit for this." Indeed. Even as a FAN of Lynch, any time I criticize him to some of my friends, they get pissy. Though some have come around. Haha. He seems to be one of those sacred idols, that is above criticism... to many many people. Whatever.
Anywho, I think BLUE VELVET works because of its simplicity. I actually think Lynch works best with simple stories -- his strongest moments are when he injects things that are simple with a bit of absurdity. His out-and-out "experimental" works -- aside from his first 3 short films -- don't always work for me, I think INLAND EMPIRE is pure shit (though it took me many many watches to come to that conclusion). Just improvised crap, he shot 55 hours (!) of footage for it and that's the best 4 1/2 hours (counting "MORE THINGS THAT HAPPENED") he could come up with?
Anyway
9/10