Lynch/Oz
Lynch/Oz is a 2022 American documentary film directed and written by Alexandre O. Philippe that explores the influence of the film The Wizard of Oz (1939) on the American filmmaker David Lynch.[1]
| Lynch/Oz | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Alexandre O. Philippe |
| Written by | Alexandre O. Philippe |
| Produced by | Kerry Deignan Roy[1] |
| Cinematography | Robert Muratore[1] |
| Edited by | David Lawrence[1] |
| Music by | Aaron Lawrence[2] |
Production company | Exhibit A Pictures[1] |
| Distributed by | Dogwoof |
Release date |
|
Running time | 108 minutes[3] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $8,278[4] |
Synopsis
Lynch/Oz examines the influence of the 1939 Victor Fleming-directed film The Wizard of Oz on the work of American filmmaker David Lynch.[2] The concept for the film originates from a response Lynch gave during a Q&A panel at the 2001 New York Film Festival following a screening of his film Mulholland Drive. When asked about the impact of Fleming's film on his work, Lynch said, "There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about The Wizard of Oz." Lynch/Oz attempts to reevaluate the filmmaker's extended filmography within this enduring influence, from his very first short film, The Alphabet (1969), to his latest series, Twin Peaks: The Return (2017). The film was officially described as an exploration of "one of the most fascinating puzzles in the history of motion pictures: the enduring symbiosis between America's primordial fairytale, The Wizard of Oz, and David Lynch's singular brand of popular surrealism."[5][6]
The film is divided into six chapters, each narrated by a different filmmaker or critic who provides their own perspectives on the subject.[5] Among the narrators are filmmakers Karyn Kusama (Jennifer's Body), Rodney Ascher (Room 237), and the cult filmmaker John Waters (Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble).[7] The film incorporates hundreds of film clips to illustrate the connection between David Lynch and The Wizard of Oz.[8][3]
Cast
- Amy Nicholson
- Rodney Ascher
- John Waters
- Karyn Kusama
- Justin Benson
- Aaron Moorhead
- David Lowery
Release
Lynch/Oz was selected to be screened in the Spotlight Documentary section of the Tribeca Festival,[9][10] where it had its world premiere on June 9, 2022.[11] Before its premiere, Lynch/Oz was picked up for worldwide release by Dogwoof, a British film distributor specializing in documentaries.[1] The documentary had its UK premiere during the BFI London Film Festival. It received a limited UK theatrical release by Film 4 on December 2, 2022. The film will be distributed by Janus Films in North America.[5]
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 92% based on 37 reviews, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads, "Thoughtful and absorbing, Lynch/Oz offers an appropriately unique analysis of one of cinema's most idiosyncratic artists."[12] According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 65 out of 100 based on 10 critics, the film received "generally favorable reviews".[13]
Screen Daily's Tara Judah wrote, "With its impressive array of hundreds of film clips, frenetic editing and whip-smart narrators, Lynch/Oz offers an exciting prism through which to view Lynch's oeuvre."[8] David Ehrlich of IndieWire wrote, "Lynch/Oz is less compelling for any of its individual theories or observations than for how it frames movies as permeable membranes that flicker between personal obsession and the collective unconscious."[14] Variety's Owen Gleiberman wrote, "Lynch/Oz is bursting with ideas [...] but the movie is too pie-in-the-sky to quite make it over the rainbow."[3]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BFI London Film Festival | October 16, 2022 | Grierson Award for Best Documentary | Alexandre O. Philippe | Nominated | [15] |
| Denver Film Festival | November 13, 2022 | Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary | Nominated | [16] |
References
- ^ a b c d e f Ramachandran, Naman (April 30, 2022). "Dogwoof Boards David Lynch, 'The Wizard of Oz' Tribeca Doc 'Lynch/Oz' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ a b DeFore, John (June 9, 2022). "'Lynch/Oz': Film Review | Tribeca 2022". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ a b c Gleiberman, Owen (July 17, 2022). "'Lynch/Oz' Review: Alexandre O. Philippe's Latest Dive Down the Rabbit Hole of Film Obsession". Variety. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ "Lynch/Oz (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ a b c Bergeson, Samantha (October 4, 2022). "'Lynch/Oz' Trailer: David Lynch's Fascination with 'The Wizard of Oz' Is Unmasked". IndieWire. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ Murray, Andrew (November 28, 2022). "Lynch/Oz". The Upcoming. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ Ferrier, Aimee (November 28, 2022). "'Lynch/Oz' Review: a weakly argued collection of glorified video essays". Far Out. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ a b Judah, Tara (June 9, 2022). "'Lynch/Oz': Tribeca Review". Screen Daily. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ Goldsmith, Jill (April 19, 2022). "Tribeca Festival Lineup Includes 'Corner Office' With Jon Hamm, Ray Romano's 'Somewhere In Queens', More". Deadline. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ Jeffrey, Andrew (April 19, 2022). "Tribeca Film Festival reveals 2022 lineup". Realscreen. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ Rogers, Jamie (June 9, 2022). "'Lynch/Oz' Poster Debut: Alexandre O. Philipp Examines David Lynch's Obsession With 'Wizard Of Oz' [Tribeca Exclusive]". The Playlist. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ "Lynch/Oz". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ "Lynch/Oz Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ Ehrlich, David (June 9, 2022). "'Lynch/Oz' Review: A Fun Essay Film Explores David Lynch's Single Greatest Obsession". IndieWire. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ Ravindran, Manori (October 4, 2022). "BFI London Film Festival Unveils Competition Juries". Variety. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
- ^ "DFF45 Program Sections". Denver Film Festival. Retrieved March 27, 2023.