Emory Cinemateque: “Lost Highway” (1997)

From the venue:

Emory Cinematheque Presents “The Cinematic Worlds of David Lynch”

Following a five-year hiatus from feature-length filmmaking after the polarizing double-punch of Wild at Heart and Fire Walk with Me, Lynch released this psychological neo-noir thriller. Cowritten by Lynch and Barry Gifford, the film’s opening atmosphere is ominous, austere, and moody, mirroring the stilted, unfulfilling relationship between professional saxophonist Fred Madison (Bill Pullman) and his enigmatic wife Renee (Patricia Arquette). In an incredibly bold maneuver, Lynch swerves Lost Highway to pick up the story of Pete Dayton (Balthazar Getty), a young, virile auto mechanic whose world contrasts the darkness of the Madisons until Pete begins a dangerous affair with the alluring Alice Wakefield (also played by Patricia Arquette), Renee’s blonde and deceptive doppelganger.

Featuring standout performances from Pullman, Arquette, and newcomer Getty, in addition to crucial supporting roles from Robert Blake and Robert Loggia, Lynch’s seventh feature remains one of his most complex and ambiguous, seemingly beginning at its end. While far from a major hit, Lost Highway marked Lynch’s filmmaking reemergence featuring new partnerships with collaborators such as Trent Reznor (who produced the soundtrack) while doubling down on his unwillingness to comprise his vision for popular approval.

White Hall, Room 208
301 Dowman Dr, Atlanta, GA 30322