Thursday, August 14, 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Instructor: Paul Wright, Ph.D., Main Line Classical Academy
With the passing of director David Lynch, cinema lost a giant of postmodern filmmaking. Fortunately, Lynch’s distinctive vision lives on in a body of work that will continue to inspire filmmakers and audiences. Hand in hand with Lynch’s stylistic innovation is his fascination with the mysterious, unnerving worlds beneath the surface of our everyday realities. From his early days as a visual artist all the way to his final effort to refute easy closure in Twin Peaks: The Return, Lynch was positively allergic to cookie-cutter narratives and easy explanations of plot or character.
None of Lynch’s films better exemplifies this than his enigmatic puzzle-box Mulholland Dr. (2001). The film begins ostensibly as the story of a would-be actress (Naomi Watts) arriving in L.A. with dreams of stardom, only to befriend a troubled woman (Laura Harring) wrestling with amnesia after an attempt on her life. As their bond intensifies and deepens, so does the mystery surrounding their relationship in a film that defies plot summary in favor of embracing the many paradoxes of identity, intimacy, and existence itself. J. Hoberman famously called the film a “poisonous valentine to Hollywood,” and it is as much a meditation on the business as the art of filmmaking. Join us for a closer look at a modern classic that continues to befuddle and bewitch viewers no matter how many times they have seen it.
Are you interested in “just” seeing this movie? Visit the public screening page here.
Cinema Classics Seminars offer an entertaining and engaging way to learn more about some of the true classics of world cinema. All students receive an introductory lecture before the film and a guided discussion after the film. In addition, those in attendance receive a ticket to see it on the big screen, as well as popcorn and a drink. Please note: the screening associated with this seminar will be open to the public, as well.
Please contact BMFI Programs and Education Manager Jill Malcolm with any questions.
$25 for members, $35 for non-members
Schedule