Cellophane Memories

[1989]

Just to be clear, I didn’t mean to say I love everything David Lynch does without question. For example I love Peaks 3 but I don’t really like the extreme violence, I think it goes too far and is a bit unnecessary. There are quite a few things I’m not really into from Lynch but I can still appreciate them.

But this latest stuff seems to me like some of his darkest and coolest, most surreal work that puts you down deep into a world of undergrowth and low rumblings where nothing is certain and even scary, but exciting at the same time—like finding yourself in the boiler room of a factory in the industrial revolution where you’re not supposed to be. Or out in the dark woods past bedtime. That’s dread and ecstasy at the same time. The kinda stuff I really like.

 

[Ickles]

Now for me to be clear: I don't think the new Cellophane Memories songs/videos are bad, by any means. Not like I'm sitting here stuffing my fingers into my ears going "make it stop!" Like I said, it's perfectly fine. I don't think I've ever come across a piece of David Lynch art that was a total 0/10 dud. It just more hasn't grabbed me in a way that most of his other stuff has. Not even just comparing film to music work too because the video/song for Crazy Clown Time is still deeply embedded in my brain. I haven't seen that music video in literal years and I can still visualize the guy in the red shirt on the bench rhythmically pounding his fists, the barbecue with fire shooting out of it, the topless woman writhing around on the grass, etc. I watched these last couple Chrystabell collab videos within the last month and I honestly couldn't recall a single standout moment/visual to you with a gun to my head.

I know it's just a different vibe and maybe the days of Lynch casting a band of weirdos and misfits to do some crazy Lynch shit in his backyard are gone but there's just something that feels kind of bland about these new visuals that doesn't evoke any feelings for me.

I'm actually envious of you, 1989, that you have found such a profound evocation in it. I wish I picked up on something that transported me elsewhere but as it is right now it's mostly been "oh, that's kinda cool. Good tune. Anyway..." I'll still buy the album to support the man and he always has my undying support but some of his projects just work better than others for me and I'm okay with that.

 

[eraserJoe]

 

[Jordan Cole]

THAT is one of the best things Lynch has ever made. Hysterical. More, please.

 

[secretlettermkr]

 

[Ickles]

Some more context:

 

[Rigpa]

Enjoy!

‘Sublime eternal love exists within each one of us’: David Lynch on music, friendship and life’s biggest mystery

The director, along with his collaborator Chrystabell explain – or try to – their new album Cellophane Memories and the magical marriage of music and film

www.theguardian.com

 

[fatecolossal]

New: the greatest work of Lynch's career, unquestionably...

 

[eraserJoe]

New: the greatest work of Lynch's career, unquestionably...

Nice! This footage (for anyone who is wondering) is from the 1945 film noir "Detour." It's a tight little movie, a little nasty, and recommended to all. It's in the public domain, so no wonder Lynch could use it for free. Just beware of colorized versions out there. Criterion has the best version on their streaming service and on disc.

 

[AXX°N N.]

"A washed butt never boils" is genuinely incredible wordplay. Also I like the (mistake?) of the image manipulation tool windows open for the ant zapping.

Nice! This footage (for anyone who is wondering) is from the 1945 film noir "Detour." It's a tight little movie, a little nasty, and recommended to all. It's in the public domain, so no wonder Lynch could use it for free. Just beware of colorized versions out there. Criterion has the best version on their streaming service and on disc.

I was wondering, thank you!

 

[Mr. Reindeer]

Nice! This footage (for anyone who is wondering) is from the 1945 film noir "Detour." It's a tight little movie, a little nasty, and recommended to all. It's in the public domain, so no wonder Lynch could use it for free. Just beware of colorized versions out there. Criterion has the best version on their streaming service and on disc.

I didn’t immediately place it, as I haven’t seen the film in years, but it is indeed a good one! It makes me wonder how Lynch is finding this footage. Is Sabrina just cue-ing up PD stuff for him to choose from, or is he down a rabbit hole of watching old films lately?

 

[eraserJoe]

I didn’t immediately place it, as I haven’t seen the film in years, but it is indeed a good one! It makes me wonder how Lynch is finding this footage. Is Sabrina just cue-ing up PD stuff for him to choose from, or is he down a rabbit hole of watching old films lately?

That's a good question. I don't know where any of the footage from previous promos for the album came from but I would imagine they're all in the public domain. It's free and easy and you can do your own voice-overs.

With regards to Detour, I do imagine Lynch seeing it in the 50s possibly at a drive-in (The second "B" movie picture projected at a double feature) maybe with his childhood sweetheart Judy. But what I imagine isn't necessarily true. (I like to remember things my own way...heh) It's just a film that screams Lynch and I don't think this promo was happenstance. And if he only saw it for the first time recently, pushed by Sabrina, then I imagine him exclaiming "So that's what I meant by that!"

 

[fatecolossal]

I don't know where any of the footage from previous promos for the album came from

Paradise Express (1937) is the source of the first two promos (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Express); it's also in the public domain.

Lynch likes classic films and I think he definitely has long been familiar with Detour; possibly also with Paradise Express, also, but who knows, I suppose it's possible he was cruising YouTube for public domain films.

 

[secretlettermkr]

Nice! This footage (for anyone who is wondering) is from the 1945 film noir "Detour." It's a tight little movie, a little nasty, and recommended to all. It's in the public domain, so no wonder Lynch could use it for free. Just beware of colorized versions out there. Criterion has the best version on their streaming service and on disc.

DETOUR has a few things in common with Lost Highway

 

[secretlettermkr]

 

[Ickles]

Some more context:

Just a reminder this takes place in about half an hour.

 

[1989]

I told ya. Cellophane Memories, pure heroin Lynch. Needs a midrange dip though, but great.

 

[Mr. Reindeer]

Had a really good first listen. I lay on the floor with my eyes closed letting it wash over me, as a thunderstorm came closer and closer outside, with the room becoming progressively darker and more ominous as the album progressed. I think "haunting" is the main word I'd use to describe it. There's a permeating sense of longing and loss on most of the tracks, but there's also something oddly soothing about it. Almost meditative. Chrystabell's vocals embody a sense of worldly acceptance, embracing the sadness. The give-and-take between the overlapping vocals, the ebb and flow of dissonance and tonic, is almost hypnotic. "Reflections in a Blade" is the track that stood out the most to me on a first listen. A very different vibe from most of the other tracks, and very cool and creepy.

 

[Steffernie]

I'm still new to this site so hopefully this goes here. In the 2 months leading up to the release, Lynch released 7 new vids related to the album on his David Lynch Theater YouTube channel. There are two vids in particular that are throwbacks to movies that have influenced his movies. One in particular was pretty awesome -- "Detour" -- which has an opening very similar to Lost Highway. So naturally I combined the Lost Highway intro audio ("I'm Deranged" -- the song name and an honest self-evaluation) with the video from Detour's intro. I have no video creation experience and pretty much hoped for the best, so if anyone is so inclined, feel free to use this to make a better version.

TLDR: they're only a few mins long so it's worth checking out the 7 "new" vids on his channel. rock on

 

[Steffernie]

You never finished Inland Empire?

Polish Poem has to be one of my favorite musical moments in film. I've generally liked her other stuff, and I think Lynch's sensibilities match her style really well--like if there was a lounge singer not just in the Roadhouse, but in the much seedier Pink Room.

I've found that me and my friends' disagreements on bands/albums will often be entirely related to a singer's voice, even if everything else checks out. And in Chrysta Bell's case, the genre of "torch singer" is liable to cause immediate rankle because it's a style of singing that leans into certain exaggerations of technique many are liable to say aren't techniques at all and are just "objectively" poor vocal control.

Björk has what I consider one of the most beautiful voices imaginable, yet Family Guy was of the opinion it was indistinguishable from a caterwauling Bobcat Goldthwait. MadTV lampooned her in similar ways. I've often seen people casually say they dislike her because she "can't sing at all" despite formal training that began at the ideal age of, like, 5. And it's the same issue--she intentionally flouts what are often considered the "rules" of good singing, and places odd emphasis on syllables outside of the expected time signatures.

IE is one of my favorite movies of all time! I was cleaning out my stuff today to make space and I found several notepads of my theories and analysis, as well as the transcriptions I did of several portions of the film, which is something I never thought I'd admit. I still don't understand the layout of this site yet, so I hope you see this! If you do, and you want to talk IE, please let me know!! (btw I of course still don't understand it and I never will and that's okay)