Monday, February 23, 2009

Fondling the Details

In my attempt to fondle the details, I managed to fill up 4-and-a-half pages of observations. I didn't want to miss anything important. So, here are a a few from my list that I thought were especially interesting, puzzling, r just downright funny.

1. We see Jefferey in the field where he finds the ear twice. Once when he is on his way to see his dad, and then again on his way home, when he finds the ear. I just thought it was real weird that when he is going to visit his dad he's just leisurely strolling along, not even in a hurry to check up on his dad. I figured this maybe had to do with his boredom with his cookie-cutter existence.

2. The part when the coroner says it looks like the ear was cut with scissors, and then the following shot of the police tape being cut wit scissors was sooooo creepy to me for some reason. Even from the beginning, Lynch is showing that evil can lurk anywhere and that it can even infiltrate the police.

3. Both times the ladies are watching TV, the content of the show is 'evil.' All these people know about evil criminals is what they are shown on TV.

4. When Jefferey does the "chicken walk" for Sandy I almost died laughing. What a goober!

5. The few times that they show a shot of Arlene's diner, a log truck always rumbles in front of it. Not sure what this signifies.....

6. Starting from the very first time Jefferey goes to Dorothy's apartment, they show him in the stairwell. Then every single time after that, if he is going to Dorothy's he is always shown coming and leaving in the stairwell. We obviously know that this is how he is getting up there, but WHY does Lynch show it every single time?? This really perplexed me.

7. In the scene where they first go watch Dorothy sing, you can tell that Sandy is immediately uncomfortable with the sultry, sexy singing, and Jefferey has lust at first sight. But then something crazy happens, and I can't tell if it is intentional, or if it was a cinematic blooper. When Dorothy is first shown singing, she has on a black v-neck dress and there is full band behind her. The camera then shows Jefferey and Sandy, but when it goes back to Dorothy, she has on a different dress and all of the band save the piano is no longer on stage! WTF??? I didn't notice this in my first viewing, but the second time, I was like, wait a minute! I thought this was real weird and I wish I could figure it out.... any theories??

8. When Dorothy first discovers Jefferey, she is demanding and in control. She is standing and he is on his knees. Then when he undresses, the switch positions. He stands and she kneels, and from that point she is no longer demanding or in control. I thought that was pretty significant.

9. I noticed that in her first encounter with Jefferey, Dorothy says a lot of the things that Frank says to her when he rapes her. "Don't look at me! Don't touch me!"

10. When Frank pulled out those scissors I almost threw up! I thought he was going to maim her with them, but then they just disappeared, where did those scissors go??!

11. When Jefferey is on the phone with Sandy at the hardware store, a scene flashes in the middle of their conversation where a big lumberjack looking man is buying an ax. I guess in the midst of all those crazy weird events, normal life still goes on around them.

12. I noticed that Sandy is always wearing bright shiny, colorful clothes, and Jefferey has a more neutral to dark color palette to his wardrobe. Symbolism, anyone?

13. I thought it was so funny how quick Sandy dumps Mike, even though she was soooo in love with him before. Typical broad.

14. The scene when that Ben guy lip-synchs to that candyman song is sooooo hilarious. Frank always loses himself in songs, but I just laughed at the whole set-up. Oh, and that guy on the couch in the background, is he wearing a KKK mask over his head?? Or a sheet or something? Soooo random!

15. All the candle flickers still perplex me. I can't decide what they mean.

16. I really just hate Sandy. She's sooo overdone and melodramatic. During the "I love you" scene at the party, and during the car chase, and when Dorothy is at her house, she drives me crazy she's so annoying! I want to slap her when she starts crying, and then when she is so quick to forgive Jefferey on the phone. What a dumbass!

17. One of the only parts that really creeped me out was when Dorothy was like "He put his disease in me." Yuck! Creepy!

18. I like how Jefferey always reverts back to the closet at Dorothy's place, he is always on the outside looking in.

19. I am still intrigued with how the "yellow man" is still standing at the end. I thought that was interesting and also pretty cool.

So, those are the details that I chose to fondle, but a lot of them I still don't quite understand. I'd love to hear some other opinions!

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