By: debbie lynn elias
It is always a privilege for me to watch a filmmaker’s progress. One such filmmaker is Joe McClean. I first met Joe some years ago when his short film THAT FALL debuted at Dances With Films. McClean’s writing was interesting and cohesive with spellbinding imagery impeccably conveying emotion. I knew then McClean’s was a voice to watch. Then he wowed me again in 2009, with the irreverent MONEY, PLEASE!, a short film written and directed by him. Using basic filmmaking techniques, minimal characters and set, Joe gave us a hilarious look at what, in fact, turned out to be closer to truth than fiction with its release during our nation’s financial collapse, with a fictional family living life over the decades through a Monopoly game. His attention to detail was meticulous and the performances he elicited from his cast, spot on.
Now McClean turns his attention to one of the most talked about filmmakers of our time – David Lynch. There has long been debate on whether Lynch is a genius or just someone who has gained recognition with convoluted, unconventional and indiscernible storytelling. In short, his films and fans generally fall into two categories – either you get it or you don’t. With this in mind, McCleanfs fertile minefield of ideas posits this seriocomic mockumentary, HOW TO MAKE A DAVID LYNCH FILM.
Calling on iconic elements of some of Lynch’s well known films, McClean cleverly weaves together a parody of an old “how to film” as Patricia Rossellini and Bill “Eraserhead” MacLachlan get ready to enjoy a quiet intimate evening at home. Finding a mysterious package on the doorstep, Patricia wonders what it is and if they should watch it. Bill, a bit more excited, eagerly says yes. Riveted to the television, an energetic voice blasts from the screen. Do you know David Lynch? Have you seen Blue Velvet? “Lost Highway?” “Mulholland Drive?” What about Twin Peaks? How does he do it? How can you, too, make a David Lynch film? Well, let me tell you!
As if in a trance, Patricia and Bill learn all the elements of making a David Lynch film and even find themselves becoming part of the process. Included are iconic Lynch characters such as the White Face Man, the Elephant Man, a Dennis Hopper-like mobster, not to mention necessary evils like sex, nudity, murder, madness and mayhem. Oh yeah, and the unending monotone staccato dead pan dialogue which distinguishes a Lynch film from all others.
We learn along with Patricia and Bill, HOW TO MAKE A DAVID LYNCH FILM, and have a whole lot of fun in the process.
Written and directed by Joe McClean, from the outset, one can’t help but note similarities between Lynch and McClean, starting with meticulous detail and perfect timing. McClean is so intimately familiar with Lynch’s work and attention to detail, that from frame one, he doesn’t miss a beat. With the opening scene and the arrival of the mysterious envelope, McClean immediately gives the illusion and potential for the idea that Lynch’s films are so convoluted that even his own characters don’t understand his films. The visual of the opening scene alone (and that set!!) is immediately recognizable and establishes the “Lynchian” nature of the film. With Bruna Matsin and Dane Bowman perfectly mimicking the iconic Lynch sequence of “Lost Highway” with Bill Pullman and Patricia Arquette, the details of the actual Lynch film not only sets the tone and pace of HOW TO MAKE A DAVID LYNCH FILM, but confirms to the viewer that McClean knows his material.
With a directing style that’s simple, basic and clean, shooting with the HPX300 McClean seamlessly interweaves B&W/color, and makes great use of lighting to create effective, story propelling shadows. Without the benefit of CGI, McClean uses numerous basic technical elements to achieve countless visual effects. Important to the visual aesthetic of the film is the set itself and McClean spares nothing in recreating the living room sequence from “Lost Highway.” Had I not known this was McClean’s set, I would have thought I was taken back in time to Lynch.
I was fortunate enough to be on set for some of the filming and must congratulate the entire cast and crew for their work. On a tight schedule, each knew their character, their lines…and David Lynch films. However, the real joy was in watching McClean. Totally focused on the task at hand, one can see the wheels turning as he frames a shot and then in a flash, seeing it’s not effective, thinks on his feet and without missing a beat, repositions and frames within mere minutes. He is a director who not only knows what he wants, but he has a great visual eye and knows how to achieve what he wants. Also editing the film, McClean proves again he has a perfect sense of timing and visual aesthetic.
From a story standpoint, HOW TO MAKE A DAVID LYNCH film is a funny, funny subtle parody that can be embraced by all – even if you’ve never seen a Lynch film in your life. Characters are well defined and identifiable. Dialogue is funny and made even funnier by the delivery timing of the cast.
As for the performances, I have to first turn to Phillip Kelly’s White-Face-Man aka Dean Blake. A compilation of Lynch’s Robert Blake and Dean Stockwell characters, Kelly is even creepier and more evil on film than seeing him in full make-up in person. And his laugh…..it will send chills down your spine! Veteran thespian Chas Mitchell is the perfect embodiment of mobster Robert Hopper, a blend of the stalwart Lynch actors Dennis Hopper/Robert Loggia, while Barry Finnegan easily fills the shoes of Lynch’s Balthazar Getty as Balthazar Watts. And not to be overlooked by any means is the newest film noir vamp to grace the silver screen, Bruna Matsin, as Patricia Rossellini. Based on the oft seen Lynchians Patricia Arquette and Isabella Rossellini, Matsin oozes liquid sex appeal and mystery. A must see performance is that by Sarju Patel as the “head in the table.”
Marking its world premiere at Dances With Films 2011, folks, it’s time to get lynched – lynched with laugher with one fantastic film – HOW TO MAKE A DAVID LYNCH FILM.
Bill “Eraserhead” MacLachlan – Dane Bowman
Patricia Rossellini – Bruna Matsin
Dean Blake – Phillip Kelly
Robert Hopper – Chas Mitchell
Balthazar Watts – Barry Finnegan
Written and Directed by Joe McClean.
