David Lynch's "The Straight Story"

Alacrates's picture

Has anyone on the boards here seen David Lynch's "The Straight Story"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ3HsuQcnaQ

I think it might be aligned with a lot of the values held by participants on these boards. The film focuses on the importance of family bonds and on small town life, particularly in the fly-over states of the U.S. Agricultural regions.

Very poignant to see the journey of an elderly man driving a lawn-mower to see his estranged, ailing brother, before they die. I think there is also a subtle backstory implied in this, related to WW2 and "The Greatest Generation" that gives this film great power.

I remember going to see this film in 1999, with my mom & sister, having read an article in Time Magazine speaking with David Lynch, having directed his first G-rated, Disney film, how the elderly Richard Farnsworth was like a new James Dean. The absolutely beautiful instrumental soundtrack, paired with the fly-over shots of American farms overwhelmed me, I was almost in tears watching it, thinking back on long family drives through states like these in my childhood. For me, definitely a great movie, and that seems to be echoed by anyone I show the DVD to.

Alacrates's picture

The soundtrack for this film is one of my all-time favorites, composed by Angelo Badalmenti, the same musician Lynch worked with for Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejNSERbhmCk

Justin Patrick Moore's picture

I actually bought a DVD of this for my dad for Christmas two years ago & then the missus and I went over and watched it with him and my step-mom last winter. It had been about 15 years or so before since I'd seen it last. Even though it is a family movie you can still tell it's a David Lynch film, between the dialogue and the way he shoots the landscape. It's a real ode to the land and people of the midwest. All based on a true story too, an amazing story. This would be a good film to show to a family. If you know someone with a projector it would be good to play it outside in a backyard or something. It definitely has and shows some values that have been lost. A great story of reconciliation between brothers... and of the people he meets and lives he touches along the way. This makes me want to view it again. A beautiful film.

Alacrates's picture

I completely agree that, despite this being a family-friendly movie, it is also entirely a David Lynch film...

A lot of the imagery Lynch settled on connects into his other films and artwork... the starry sky at the beginning and end, the deer, barking dogs entering a shot at certain moments, the colors red & blue, flashing electricity, the house on fire when Alvin loses control of his mower... all these & more seem to connect into the symbols Lynch has used in other films...

It's interesting to me that apparently Lynch had no role in the screenplay, it was written as a project for Lynch by his wife/editor Mary Sweeny and a collaborator, amazing he managed to incorporate it into his style as well as he did. It kind of reminds me of the reverence Lynch showed to the forests of the Pacific Northwest in Twin Peaks, to the small town life of Lumberton in Blue Velvet, or maybe to Buckhorn, SD/Twin Peaks, Washington State in the new season...

I wish I could remember the journal who published an article on the the film within a few years of its release... it did a lot to uncover the hidden backstory in the film... notice that the bundle of sticks that Alvin relates to the strength of family is very similar to the symbol of the fascists... and the constant references to house fires & children... Actually it was in the "Film Quarterly", I think the full text is available here: https://archive.org/stream/TwinPeaks_201706/davidlynch.de-Film%20Quarter...

Anyways, agreed that it is a great film to watch with family, I think my girlfriend borrowed my DVD to watch with her parents...