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Lost Highway

Director: David Lynch.
Screenplay: David Lynch, Barry Gifford.
Starring: Patricia Arquette, Bill Pullman, Balthazar Getty, Robert Loggia, Robert Blake, Gary Busey, Richard Pryor, Jack Nance, Michael Massee, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Jack Kehler, Michael Shamus Wiles, Lucy Butler, Mink Stole, Greg Travis, Scott Coffey, Giovanni Ribisi, Henry Rollins, Marilyn Manson.

“l like to remember things my own way”

Whenever you approach a David Lynch film, you really have to be prepared for a surrealistic, mind-boggling challenge. His films rarely come as an easy pass to answers or entertainment and can even frustrate to the point of absolute bewilderment. Lost Highway is no different and ranks alongside Inland Empire as, probably, Lynch’s most difficult film to date. 


Jazz saxophonist Fred Madison (Bill Pullman) awakes one morning to find a video tape lying on his doorstep. He and his wife Renee (Patricia Arquette) watch the tape only to find that someone has been filming the inside of their house. The tapes appear with increasing regularity, each time revealing more and more footage. This only adds to Fred’s suspicions of his wife and her friendships outwith their marriage. Not before long Fred is drawn into a labyrinthine plot with a Mystery Man (Robert Blake), ferocious gangster Mr. Eddy (Robert Loggia), pornography, murder and teenage mechanic Pete Dayton (Balthazar Getty) who may, or may not, be involved.


Working on the script alongside Wild At Heart author Barry Gifford, Lynch crafts an experience that truly is a hallucinatory nightmare and one of the most effective horrors I’ve ever seen. It’s a great combination of noir and horror with shady characters, femme fatales and downright freakish oddities and there’s an ambience that’s classic Lynch with his very unsettling and minimalist approach. The man can craft sinister from absolutely nothing; bare lamps, shadows and vacant spaces speak volumes and he’s aided considerably by – regular collaborators – Angelo Badalamenti’s foreboding score and Peter Deming’s hugely effective cinematography (which was supposedly shot in one of Lynch’s own L.A. homes).


Some critics have been harsh on Lost Highway, claiming that it’s self-indulgent and lacks depth but it’s one of those films where you really have to pay attention. Even the minutest detail can be so important to unraveling the mystery.

It’s a film of two halves and the trick is in trying to piece the two to make a complete whole. The first half of the film is fairly linear but in the second, a metamorphosis takes place that really is a bizarre and confounding plot twist. From that moment on, nothing is as it seems and it just gets weirder and weirder. Only Lynch can get away with this kind of mind fuck. And get away with it he does. It’s a hugely involving and complex piece of work. So much so, that you actually question whether you’re intelligent enough to understand it at all.


Is there a point? Who knows for sure. I have my theories as I’m sure many others do but the beauty in this film is that it’s a transcendental piece of art. Does there need to be a point or is it like all other great art, whereby you interpret the voids for yourself. The voids where the artist isn’t readily giving you clarity. How it affects each viewer will, no doubt, be different and unique and there’s not many filmmaker’s or artists out there can still achieve such an impact.

If you’re reading this review, looking for definitive answers, then you’re looking in the wrong place. If I did offer my answers to the conundrum, it would only rob you of your own experience. And anyway, like all great works of art, you already have the answers. The answers that make sense to you. They’re not mine, they’re not anybody else’s, they’re yours. And that’s what I love about this filmmaker. There’s no-one quite like David Lynch and his idiosyncratic genius.


One things for sure, it explores the themes of sexual insecurity, jealousy and paranoia but when it operates on a metaphysical level that’s when things get very challenging. You could view it from a schizophrenic angle, it could be an alternate reality, an underworld purgatory or you could be trying to interpret dream hallucinations and suppressed memories. It could be many things and although I have settled on a particular meaning, my reasoning could be entirely different to another’s. Put simply, it’s open to interpretation and will depend on each and every individual viewer and what they bring to the experience themselves. You just have to open yourself up and embrace it. And therein lies the art.


You could argue that this is Lynch’s most cerebrally nihilistic film to date and a variation on the same themes explored in Mulholland Drive and Inland Empire. Like those films, I have seen it many times and each time I manage to decipher another piece of the puzzle. For years, I couldn’t make heads nor tales of it but now I have a better grasp on what (I think) it’s all about. However, trying to work it out is not in the slightest bit easy. All I know is that I love the experience, each and every time, and sometimes I even question why.


Mark Walker

Trivia: David Lynch said he has only recently (2002) realized what subconsciously inspired the film: the O.J. Simpson trial. He said that the trial was a major influence on his mind during the stage of writing this script, which deals with a man who killed his wife. Curiously enough, Lynch cast Robert Blake to play the Mystery Man, who is a major character in the film – years later, Blake would be put on trial for killing his own wife.


This entry was posted on August 16, 2016 at 11:28 am and is filed under Film-Noir, Horror, Mystery. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

61 Responses to “Lost Highway”

  1. ckckred Says:
    August 16, 2016 at 11:47 am

    Nice review Mark. This is one Lynch’s finest in my view; I’ve never quite fully understood this, but every second is gripping and the Mystery Man is one of his finest creations. What kept this from getting a full 5 stars?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Mark Walker Says:
      August 16, 2016 at 11:51 am

      Thanks Charles. I reckon this is one of Lynch’s best too. Yet, it’s criticised and classed as lesser Lynch. I’m still struggling to grasp it in its entirety but what a film, man. The reason I never gave it full marks (although I was very tempted) is exactly just what we’ve said. I can’t put my finger on it all. That’s the only reason I’ve got.

      Liked by 1 person

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  2. Stu Says:
    August 16, 2016 at 2:03 pm

    Great stuff mate. I agree it’s unfairly criticised, and although I wouldn’t quite put it up there with Mulholland Drive or Blue Velvet it’s certainly one of Lynch’s better films and far superior to most of the pap that gets released each year. I don’t think I’ve ever fully understood it either – especially the switch – but just enjoying the mood and texture is just fine by me.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Mark Walker Says:
      August 16, 2016 at 2:13 pm

      I think it’s just been far too baffling for many people, Stu. That’s understandable, though. After many viewings I still struggle with aspects of it but I have a reasonable enough idea about the switch. It’s just some smaller plot revelations that I struggle to fit into my perspective of it.

      It’s been a while since I’ve seen Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet (which are still my favourites from Lynch) but it is definitely among his best work. One of my favourite horror films as well.

      Liked by 1 person

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  3. Keith Says:
    August 16, 2016 at 2:12 pm

    Solid write-up Mark. I’m hit or miss with Lynch but have always wanted to see this one. It is a void for me. I’ve always felt it sounded intriguing though.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. cineflek Says:
    August 16, 2016 at 7:31 pm

    Sounds amazing! I haven’t reviewed any David Lynch and have admittedly just been getting in to David Lynch with Twin Peaks, but I’d absolutely love to see this! Thanks for the review

    Ethan, Cineflek
    http://cineflek.com/

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Mark Walker Says:
      August 16, 2016 at 9:00 pm

      Even though I’m a huge Lynch fan, it’s just dawned on me that this is actually my first David Lynch review. His films certainly aren’t the easiest to write about as it’s hard to stay away from spoilers.

      Glad to hear you’re getting into Twin Peaks. That’s one of my favourite series’ and I can’t wait for more next year.

      Thanks for dropping in Ethan. I’ll be sure to stop by your establishment too 🙂

      Like

      Reply
      • cineflek Says:
        August 17, 2016 at 12:49 am

        Thank you so much! I appreciate it. And absolutely, I just finished Season 1 but I am planning to finish the show before the reboot comes out.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Mark Walker Says:
        August 17, 2016 at 8:01 am

        I have to admit that Season 2 isn’t as strong. It’s still got some great stuff going on but the story takes a slightly different direction that left it feeling a bit drawn out. I still love it, though.

        Like

  5. 70srichard Says:
    August 17, 2016 at 1:05 am

    I only saw it the one time when it opened. I was fascinated by it but my wife walked out and would not speak of it again.

    Liked by 1 person

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  6. Dan O. Says:
    August 17, 2016 at 1:58 am

    Nice review. Saw this movie a few months ago and am still trying to figure it all out. But then again, with Lynch, when is that not a problem?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • Mark Walker Says:
      August 17, 2016 at 8:03 am

      Indeed, man. Lynch is always a brain teaser. I think I’ve worked out a good bit of it but there’s still some plot strands that I’m pondering. It’s a fantastic experience, though. Cheers Dan!

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      Reply
  7. vinnieh Says:
    August 17, 2016 at 10:33 am

    I’ve seen quite a few David Lynch movies, yet have somehow missed this one. It sounds like another surreal ride into a world of darkness and things not being what they seem. Cheers for reminding me of this film.

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. Zoë Says:
    August 18, 2016 at 7:23 am

    Never seen this, and after my feelings after Mulholland Drive, been a little wary of more of his work. Maybe I should just bite the bullet and give it a try. Great write up as always, of course!

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. Jordan Dodd Says:
    August 20, 2016 at 8:33 am

    Awesome review man. I’m not sure if Mullholland Dr or this was my first Lynch experience, but boy what a movie. Its been years, I really need to get back into Lynch and dig deeper into his filmography. And I think I’m with you, this is a movie you can watch over and over and you pick out new things each time. I think I’m long overdue for a re-watch, but ech my watchlist is so long!

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. Anna (Film Grimoire) Says:
    August 22, 2016 at 1:42 pm

    Fantastic write-up. This is one of my favourite Lynch films!

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. Three Rows Back Says:
    August 28, 2016 at 5:25 pm

    Great trivia (as always). Although considerd one of Lynch’s lesser works, Lost Highway is wonderfully weird and, like all of his films, demands to be seen multiple times. The video stalking scenes towards the start are genuinely creepy stuff.

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