The Spider and the Bee (2020)
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Why watch this film?
Few filmmakers could film a spider eating a bee and call it art. Even fewer would put that footage on the internet for general appreciation. And only David Lynch would be praised for it. That's what happened with 'The Spider and the Bee', a short film Lynch shot and released during the new coronavirus pandemic while he was self-isolating at home. Here, over 12 minutes, Lynch captures a spider in full attack mode on a bee. What could have been banal, however, becomes a chilling product with custom sound editing, giving depth to the home video. It's obviously no 'Eraserhead'. But it's still something worth noting. Available for free on YouTube.
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A look from David Lynch about a bee on a spider web.
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From the same director
Blue Velvet
It is impossible to classify David Lynch's filmography into specific concepts and definitions, and it is extremely difficult to determine which of his films is the ideal starting point to dive into it. But this starting point could be 'Blue Velvet', perhaps the one that most concentrates his aesthetic and thematic interests in a more digestible, though no less strange and disturbing way. Just like 'Twin Peaks' would do years later, 'Blue Velvet' proposes a Dantesque journey to the dark depths of the American way of life, behind the facade of peaceful neighborhoods with white fences, colorful gardens and united families, a direct and bold look at all the dirt that lies beneath the roses.
What Did Jack Do?
Anyone who knows David Lynch's films knows that his style is instantly recognizable and, at the same time, unclassifiable and hard to describe. The filmmaker has also not made a feature since 'Inland Empire' in 2006, so any new work, however brief, is welcome by his fans. Filmed in 2016 and presented for the first time at the Festival of Disruption (curated by Lynch himself) in 2017, 'What Did Jack Do?' is a peculiar short film that brings back the same strange and absurd style that characterizes the director, similar to his first film 'Eraserhead' (especially for its sinister setting and black and white photography) or the return of the acclaimed series 'Twin Peaks'. Does the plot make sense? Maybe not at first - and maybe not even on the second or third viewing. But one thing is certain: you've never seen anything like it.
Wild at Heart
David Lynch (‘Dreams of Empire’) loves to play with elements and styles of classic cinema, such as noir, 1930s monster movies, and the like. In 'Wild at Heart', the filmmaker makes a kind of reinterpretation and counterpoint to the classic 'The Wizard of Oz'. To do this, he tells the story of a couple (Cage and Laura Dern) who must flee after the woman's mother hires professional assassins to kill her husband. The journey is strange and psychedelic, surrounded by traditional elements of Lynch's cinema. Cage's performance, taken to the extreme, helps to give texture to the story that, as it is being concluded, gets closer and closer to Dorothy's plot in the Land of Oz. And who would have said: together with Dern, he formed one of the most interesting couples in Lynch's filmography.
How Was Your Day Honey?
Throughout the quarantine caused by the new coronavirus pandemic, filmmaker David Lynch has dedicated himself to shooting a series of shorts, many of them simple and experimental. But none is as abstract and experimental as 'How Was Your Day Honey?', made available for free by the filmmaker on YouTube. Here, he plays with the expression - traditionally used at the dinner table, in family, after a long day of work - with shapes, provocative music and a strange character. It is, without a doubt, a short that should bring more interpretations. But, being Lynch, obviously no one should get close to his intentions with this work. To appreciate, feel and try to understand something.
Scissors
The films of David Lynch often divide opinions: you either love them or hate them. The director has a peculiar way of adapting his ideas - bordering on nonsense and dark. 'Absurda' is disturbing and strangely captivating. It is worth noting that surrealism is present, a very common trait in Lynch's works. Those who have followed the series 'Twin Peaks' or watched 'Eraserhead' will notice the very Lynchian traces. The film is part of a collection entitled 'Cada Um com Seu Cinema', a special to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, released in 2007, which also features collaborations from other directors. At the time, the production was titled 'Absurda', but the director released the film with the name 'Scissors' on his YouTube channel - which is available to be viewed for free.
Dune
The novel 'Dune', written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965, is considered one of the most ambitious works of science fiction literature. It is a deep story that not only launched an entire book franchise, but delved into various topics ranging from environmentalism and ecology, spirituality, the Arthurian model of heroism, and colonialism in human history, among others. For its depth and breadth, it has long been considered an impossible work to adapt to the cinema, though this has not stopped filmmakers like Ridley Scott and, especially, Alejandro Jodorowsky from trying. 1984's 'Dune' was the first attempt at entering the cinema, but could hardly be called a success. Though with quite innovative visual effects for the time, it was a production with pacing and structure problems in its screenplay, an attempt to condense five hundred pages of literature into just over two hours. The film was a terrible box office flop and only achieved cult status for having attempted the impossible. In retrospect, it is unusual in the filmography of its director, David Lynch, as the only multi-million dollar megaproduction in his career after his independent debut with 'Eraserhead' and the modest 'The Elephant Man'; although it was also the film responsible for introducing him to actor Kyle MacLachlan, with whom he would have much more fruitful collaborations in 'Blue Velvet' and 'Twin Peaks'. The cast also drew attention, with talents like Patrick Stewart ('Star Trek'), Virginia Madsen ('Candyman Mystery'), musician Sting and Sean Young ('Blade Runner').
Documentary
Money Shot: The Pornhub Story
Adult entertainment, especially in the internet age, is a topic that inevitably becomes complicated when ethics, freedom of expression, commercial interests... and crime are mixed. And of course, no name is bigger in this industry than Pornhub, the site not only the biggest in its field, but on the entire internet. Money Shot: The Pornhub Story is a Netflix exclusive documentary that attempts to unravel this complicated web: on one side, the lack of legislation and protection for consensual sex work; on the other, the accusations that the site hosted illegal content and even facilitated sex trafficking, while executives looked the other way. These are too complex topics and the documentary fails to shed enough light on either of its two narratives, but at least manages to bring them to the table and present interesting arguments.
The Elephant Whisperers
An elephant calf becomes orphaned, and a couple from southern India dedicate themselves to caring for it. That is the simple premise of 'The Elephant Whisperers', a beautiful short documentary film exclusive to Netflix. However, in this simplicity lies a lot of beauty and strength in its brief duration, portraying the purity of animals and the power of their bonds with humans. After watching it, you too will feel compelled to dedicate your life to the protection of elephants.
