by Samantha Scott
Daily Lobo
David Lynch films are filled with intense imagery, layered plotlines and enigmatic characters. And his latest, "Inland Empire," is no different.
Lynch has advanced his work, taking it closer to the edge by shooting the movie on digital video. The result finds the director's talents at their most formidable. "Inland Empire" sees Lynch in total command as a filmmaker, using a medium that utterly suits him and allows him to flourish.
Lynch made his name in Hollywood by making films that stretched the limits of just about every aspect of moviemaking known, defying convention as he created. Calling his early works experimental would be an understatement. Though later movies, such as "Blue Velvet" and "Wild at Heart," came closer to bridging the gap between understandable narrative structure and artistically nonlinear construction, Lynch has always let the latter reign.
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"Inland Empire" distills those tendencies and further explores themes Lynch has approached in his other works, including the idea that there are things - ideas, actions and worlds - operating beneath the surface of what we observe. Though films like "Blue Velvet" visit this theme using solid narrative references to back up the underlying subtext, "Inland Empire" pushes this dreamlike world to the forefront, freeing Lynch and viewers to explore.
"Inland Empire" features Laura Dern as Nikki, a troubled actress embarking on a new project. Diane Ladd, Dern's real-life mother, makes an appearance as an overconfident talk show host who questions Nikki's fidelity. Nikki becomes involved with a troupe of performers and a renowned director (Jeremy Irons). The cast and crew are remaking a movie that was never finished; a movie whose plot and previous production might be cursed.
The events of this involvement serve as a catalyst for everyone on the set to begin deconstructing themselves and their situation. Subplots and digressions seem to surface at every turn. Nikki contemplates a romantic involvement with her co-star, Devon (Justin Theroux), as she also begins to channel the actors from the previous production. In addition, a story about Polish circus performers is played out on the peripheries of the main narrative, while Lynch simultaneously leads us into a surreal dreamscape that involves a sitcom featuring human actors dressed as rabbits.
All of this action is linked together with an ominous and alarming soundtrack that seems to indicate that trouble is perpetually right around the corner.
Lynch uses his newfound medium to make the most of all of this chaos, weaving together a film that is visually stunning, thought-provoking and entertaining because of its complexity and eccentricity. Lynch uses the digital lens to instill in Inland Empire a directness and candor that is genuinely creepy.
"Inland Empire" is top-notch DVD-rental material, particularly because of the included extras disc. The disc features behind-the-scenes stills, some fancy dancin', a surreal quinoa cooking lesson, film trailers and storytelling and filmmaking collages, presented as only Lynch can deliver.
