The themes, images and cultural vernacular of Victor Fleming’s THE WIZARD OF OZ continue to haunt David Lynch’s art and filmography — from his very first short, The Alphabet, to his latest series, Twin Peaks: The Return. Arguably, no filmmaker has so consistently drawn inspiration — consciously or unconsciously — from a single work. Is David Lynch trapped in the Land of Oz? If so, can we derive a new appreciation for Lynch’s body of work from taking a closer look at how it intersects and communicates with THE WIZARD OF OZ? In turn, do MULHOLLAND DRIVE, LOST HIGHWAY or THE ELEPHANT MAN have something to say about the enduring resonance of one of America’s most beloved classic movies? Through six distinct perspectives and narrated by some of contemporary cinema’s most exciting voices, LYNCH/OZ will take us down the proverbial rabbit hole, helping us re-experience and re-interpret THE WIZARD OF OZ by way of David Lynch, and delivering a whole new appreciation for Lynch’s symbolism through the lens of his greatest influence.
LYNCH/OZ deploys a number of well-known figures in film to offer their insights in episodic form. Critic and podcast host Amy Nicholson sets the stage, John Waters provides priceless observations as usual, and Rodney Ascher — whose ROOM 237 is itself a clip-heavy exploration of THE SHINING — links OZ to Kubrick and a host of others. Karyn Kusama, Benson and Moorehead, and David Lowery round out the duties.
“If THE WIZARD OF OZ is one of your favorite movies, and if Lynch is one of your favorite filmmakers, then watching LYNCH/OZ is like seeing two old cinematic friends sitting around talking to each other.” —Owen Gleiberman, Variety “For a Lynch diehard, LYNCH/OZ will be catnip. For any average moviegoer, it digs into the well of American cinema history with enough fascination that it’s worth a watch.” —Michael Frank, Film Stage
