Industrial Symphony #1 

(Home Video)

David Lynch takes an ambiguous approach, reminiscent of  his "Eraserhead" to producing a performance art piece set to the music of Angelo Badalamenti. Julee Cruise sings.

This 50 minute video filmed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera ouse n November of 1989 begins with a pre- filmed segment featuring Laura Dern nd Nicholas Cage shot during Lynch's production of the feature "Wild at eart." Immediately the pacing is at the slowest speed possible. Watching this ilm is like listening to a 78 record on 16 (Yes turntables actually once had speeds 78 and 16.)

Although Lynch gives us several insights into his personality, it is much the same insights we gained watching "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks." Lynch, ho as from Missoula, Montana, is very influenced by the logging industry. He likes unusual characters - the diminutive Michael J. Anderson appears sawing a log. Lynch also seems to be interested in good and evil - there is an angel figure and a devil figure. And Lynch is heterosexual - again he shows woman as slut/victim.

The titles of several characters gives further insight into what Lynch is trying to say. Julee Cruise, the angel figure, is billed as "The Dreamself of the Heartbroken Woman." Michael J. Anderson is billed as "Woodsman (Twin #1)" while a clarinet player is billed as "(Twin #2)" and the devil figure is actually called "Tall Skinned Deer."

As in "Eraserhead," Lynch seems to make a statement about heterosexual reproduction here as well. At one point several baby dolls are suspended from the rafters and then slowly ascend back up into heaven. A lot of this video reminded me of "Eraserhead." But, alas, this is nowhere near
as interesting.

David Lynch is brilliant, this piece is not. Even die-hard Lynch fans, like myself, will have a hard time sitting still through this monotonous piece. The only remarkable thing about it is that it makes 50 minutes seem like 2 or 3
hours. Let's hope Lynch and Badalamenti were optimistic when they called this "Industrial Symphony #1" and there won't be any further pointless productions like this one.

Note: The segment titles of the piece, listed on the videocasette, in order, are:
"Up in Flames, I Float Alone, The Black Sea, Into the Night, I'm Hurt Bad, Pinky's Bubble Egg (The Twins Spoke), The Dream Conversation, Rockin' Back Inside My Heart, The Final Battle, The World Spins."

Report Card

Script: D

Acting: B-

Cinematography\Lighting: C

Special Effects\Make Up: B

Music: A+

Final Grade: B+