INLAND EMPIRE (New David Lynch Film)

[Otha Star]

Todays' Variety has an article on Lynch's new film:

Lynch invades an 'Empire'
Digital pic details a mystery
By ADAM DAWTREY

David Lynch is making a new movie with StudioCanal. In fact, he's already been shooting it under the radar for two years. Titled "INLAND EMPIRE" (in capitals, though Lynch doesn't explain why), it stars Laura Dern, along with Justin Theroux, Harry Dean Stanton, Jeremy Irons and a host of others Lynch won't specify.
In fact, there's still very little the enigmatic Lynch is comfortable to reveal about the movie.
"It's about a woman in trouble, and it's a mystery, and that's about all I want to say about it," he comments diffidently.
The title refers to the bleak residential area on the edge of the desert near L.A. -- the antithesis of the tony locale of his last movie "Mulholland Drive."
Lynch has shot much of his latest film in Poland with local actors, after making friends with the organizers of the Camerimage festival in Lodz. He's now back shooting in and around Los Angeles.
Even at this relatively advanced stage of production, Lynch is cagey about when it will be finished. But it's understood that StudioCanal is aiming for a world preem at Cannes next year.
"Making a film is a beautiful mystery," Lynch says. "You go deep into the wood, and you don't want to come out of that wood, but the time is coming very soon when I will have to."
Lynch has financed the production to date from his own resources, with his wife and longtime artistic collaborator Mary Sweeney producing. The budget is unknown.
StudioCanal, which financed "Mulholland Drive" and "The Straight Story," has come aboard "INLAND EMPIRE" to handle worldwide sales.

Digital convert
What Lynch will reveal -- and indeed, waxes lyrical about -- is the fact that he's shooting the movie on digital video.
"I started working in DV for my Web site, and I fell in love with the medium. It's unbelievable, the freedom and the incredible different possibilities it affords, in shooting and in post-production."
"For me, there's no way back to film. I'm done with it," Lynch says. "I love abstraction. Film is a beautiful medium, but it's very slow and you don't get a chance to try a lot of different things. With DV, you get those chances. And in post-production, if you can think it, you can do it."
DV has clearly given Lynch the freedom from having to clarify his intentions -- to financiers, or even to himself -- before he starts shooting.
"The explaining of things in words is always a huge problem," he confesses.
He characterizes the DV production process as a journey of "huge exploration" to discover what his film will be.
"I'm writing as I go," he says. "I believe in the unity of things. When you have one part, and then a second part that doesn't relate to that first part, it's very curious to find that they do relate after all. It's a most beautiful thing."
He also believes that it produces a different kind of performances from actors. "When you run out of film, you have to stop and reload, and during that time the heat sometimes goes off. But with this medium you can keep that heat, and it builds, and it's beautiful to see."
He says that Dern, in particular, has benefited from this freedom. "She's the most incredible actress. Some people get roles and do their thing, but some have a lot more inside and don't usually get the chance to show it."
As for the quality of the DV image, Lynch says, "It looks different. Some would say it looks bad. But it reminds me of early 35mm, that didn't have that tight grain. When you have a poor image, there's lots more room to dream."
"But I've done tests transferring DV to film, and there are all kinds of controls to dial in the look you want."

Woohoo!!!! :big grin: :big grin:
Finally some news about a new movie!!!

[editman]

Moved thread to the correct forum. (You're not a newbie, Otha Star. So what's your excuse?)

[Otha Star]

Moved thread to the correct forum. (You're not a newbie, Otha Star. So what's your excuse?)

General insanity. That's what I get for doing to many things at once.

[Otha Star]

Inland Empire Update

Dark Horizons has a brief report from the set of Lynch's new film, Inland Empire. Here it is:
"Inland Empire" Eyewitness Report
Posted: Tuesday August 16th, 2005 2:12pm
Source: Dark Horizons
Author: Garth Franklin
'ME' just completed two days as a featured extra on the new film, "Inland Empire" directed by David Lynch and starring Harry Dean Stanton, Laura Dern and newcomer Terryn Westbrook. Here's his full report:
"The film has been filming since 2003, at which time my sister-in-law was an extra. Having taken off time from work to have a baby, she only did the couple of days In Dec '03 when Lynch shot for several days just out of LA (most of the film was shot in Poland) and did no more. When the opportunity arose for extras again - she declined, but I decided to look into it. What do you know? I got two days work.
I didn't get the script, we were only given a BREAKDOWN of our scene, and that's all. Lynch said very LITTLE to us on both days. The DP was more sociable, and the casting director was lovely. What I can gather is that it's a Twin Peaks-like mystery about a woman that dissapears near the San Gab mountains.
We did auditorium scenes - crowd, typical red-robed curtains behind lounge act - which went over three days, though I was only available for two. The task was to basically sit, in awe, of the performance in stage - played, comically - though I'm assuming my smile will be overshadowed by my look of awe. Not that you'll see my in the finished cut, I'm row P - right-back, near entrance. It's a REALLY dark theatre (though not theatre, just a set near San Gabriel mountains here) too.
We do hear music BUT it's not coming from the singer's mouth. She lip-synches, and I believe they fix it all later - - - or something. I didn't recognize the singer/actress. An older man was there directing ? her music.
The film was shot on Digital Video, so I imagine it's going to look VERY cool. It's an experimental film for Lynch, so it is hard to say how it will go (and at one stage I believe it was going to be made for DavidLynch.com only), but it will be interesting to see the finished product - no less.
Laura Dern was on the set on the second day, I think she's going to be playing a role in the film too - maybe even a starring one? - and Kyle MacLachlan (barely recognizable, because of his SILVER hair!) turned up too late afternoon on the Thursday.
The DP, who I'd met at lunch on the Wed and talked to a group of us (he was GREAT!) said David and Kyle are thinking about doing some "Dale Cooper" telemovies - the dude he played on TV. Nothing to do with Twin Peaks, I guess, just that character."
Thanks to 'M'
http://www.darkhorizons.com/news05/050816c.php

This is some more great news. I've also heard that Julia Ormond is going to be in it and that there is some "bizzare sex scenes", but what David Lynch movie doesn't have those?

The news that really gets my interest though, is the possible Twin Peaks spin-off. That would be too cool!!! :big grin:

[Otha Star]

New production photos (courtesy of lynchnet & canal +)...

[Otha Star]

[Mithrandir01]

"Most of the film was shot in Poland" - yes. David Lynch like Lodz - city known from "Camerimage" - a festival of cinematographers. In "Inland Empire" plays polish actors. I'll try to find some photos.

[Mithrandir01]

poster:

[Mithrandir01]

Next posters: