Francis Ford Coppola introduced the screening of his Robin Williams vehicle Jack. Since this was the Festival of Disruption, Coppola said he wanted to “disrupt” by screening his worst film, according to critics. After the screening, he graciously held a Q&A with the audience, speaking like the head of the dinner table, entertaining a full room of enraptured guests.
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United Artists Theatre at the Ace Hotel
Iconic filmmaker David Lynch believes that “we are all light bulbs” who should be radiating our internal light. Transcendental Meditation (TM), which the David Lynch Foundation is based on and supports, helps us tap into the endless waves of consciousness and turn on that inner light. On October 13 and 14, Lynch’s Festival of Disruption landed at the historic United Artists Theatre at Los Angeles’ Ace Hotel for its third year, promoting peace through TM via talks, screenings, exhibits, and live music. Each day was three acts: the first act was conversations with a celebrity who practices TM and how it benefits them, then a screening. The second act was another screening and Q&A and a panel. The third act was live music, which doubled as a sort of outro for the day. Where last year’s festival focused on fantasy vs. reality, a theme that permeates Lynch’s work, this year was futuristic vs. traditional, with Saturday having the more futuristic notes, while Sunday tapped into traditional art.
Dr. Norman Rosenthal in conversation with Mario Orsatti
Dr. Norman Rosenthal kicked off Saturday in conversation with Mario Orsatti, Director of the Center for Leadership Performance for the David Lynch Foundation. Rosenthal touched on how being creative requires persistence, but it has to be the right kind of persistence. The same holds true for practicing TM. Persistence is key in order to achieve the highest levels, according to Rosenthal. One of his points was that utilizing TM can be like practicing Tai Chi: you do a lot with little movement. The act seems effortless and simple, but it’s powerful. Rosenthal was followed by a screening of Wild at Heart and a Q&A with writer Barry Gifford conducted by John Horn of The Frame. Next was a screening of Bloodlight and Bami, a documentary about the grand dame of high art and divaliciousness, Grace Jones. The film juxtaposes her conservative upbringing in Jamaica with her outrageous lifestyle as a performer. During a scene when she’s having a champagne breakfast, she notes that if she’s performing and there’s a power outage, she can keep performing, even in the dark – because, as she says, her talent is the power. She needs “no trimmings,” no bells and whistles. She was there for a Q&A with Judith Casselberry.
Grace Jones in Bloodlight and Bami (screenshot)
When asked what she considers the difference between spirituality and creativity, Jones said, “Spirituality is something from a higher place that comes down and lifts you up. With creativity, you have to reach up to bring it down.” Always ahead of her time, bridging the gap between the surreal and the futuristic, Graces Jones’ fabulousness is evergreen and unmatched.
RZA
The music set for Saturday night started out with Justin Johnson, followed by Dylan Carlson and Katya. Next, Mike Patton and DJ Qbert turned things up a notch with their dark romp through electronica. RZA capped off the night with his weirdly kitschy 36th Chambers of the Shaolin, which he scored live. It was art-house kung fu movie meets hip-hops beats. Wu Tang forever.
Sunday started off with a screening of Godfrey Reggio’s 1982 film Koyaanisqatsi, a beautiful study in random cohesiveness that Francis Ford Coppola helped present and distribute. There are echoes of the film in Lynch’s work; he uses images of broken humanity as a “medicine” for the eyes, injected into the consciousness to aid in spiritual healing. This was followed by a panel on the TV version of Twin Peaks comprised of Scott Cameron, Michael Horse, Kimmy Robertson, and Samantha Sutherland, who spoke with Jonathan Cohen about their adventures and challenges working on this ground-breaking show.
Francis Ford Coppola introduced the screening of his Robin Williams vehicle Jack. Since this was the Festival of Disruption, Coppola said he wanted to “disrupt” by screening his worst film, according to critics. After the screening, he graciously held a Q&A with the audience, speaking like the head of the dinner table, entertaining a full room of enraptured guests.
On the value of rehearsal: “Rehearsal is very important. Characters are just phantoms looking for someone to possess them. Rehearsal helps this process along.”
On regrets: “I only have two regrets. That cinema isn’t being turned over to younger generation in better shape is one. It’s harder than ever to make an indie film. The United States doesn’t have a Minister of Culture, but could use one. I’m 79 years old and have been married for 55 years to my first wife. Only having two regrets isn’t bad! My second regret is that I didn’t use video assist, which was created by Jerry Lewis, when working on One from the Heart.”
On motivation: “Whatever work you do, make it personal. Add your own unique stamp. I love talking to students because they’re always learning and so am I. I’ve never taught a master class because I don’t think I’m a master of anything. I’m always a student, always learning.”
On the usefulness of social media: “Social media is a waste of time. It’s not content. Cinema is. The ownership of the film industry will eventually change hands and be owned by Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix.”
On what art is: “I question algorithms and deep AI, which is predictive. The petroleum of the internet is data. Algorithms shouldn’t be used to predict movies. Movies should be made from the guts of the filmmaker. Art is about RISK. Risk is the sex of creativity. Art is supposed to be fun, it’s a pleasure. If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
David Lynch followed in discussion, with John Horn queuing the questions from audience members.
John Horn and David Lynch
On success vs. failure: “With failure, there’s nowhere to go but up. There’s a certain freedom to that. Success can be beautiful, but dangerous. You can start second guessing yourself, trying to live up to the bar you’ve set for yourself.”
On his worst film: “I’d have to say Dune. I died two deaths with that film, at the box office and with the critics.”
On the inspiration for the Twin Peaks font and logo: “Ponderosa pine forest.”
On what makes a good script: “If you don’t laugh, the audience won’t laugh. Meaning, if it doesn’t affect you, it won’t affect others.”
On painting: “Right now I’m in a phase that’s a bad, childish organic phenomenon.”
On the current state of the world: “We’re all flowers from the same soil. We should all be happy and getting along. Not divided. What’s going on now is b.s.!”
TOKiMONSTA
The final night ended with a melange of musical acts, including Richard Reed Parry, Mercury Rev and Dover Quartet. Saint Motel and TOKiMONSTA’s DJing set the mood, the EDM otherworldly yet groovy. This year the DJs added a funkier edge to the show, but it would improve the scene to let the audience dance while they’re playing. Despite their obvious talent, the DJ segments sometimes felt like filler. Last year’s shows bookending mellow groups and hard rock seemed truer to Lynch’s aesthetic.
Twin Peaks VR experience at BOLD
Another new element this year was the Twin Peaks VR, a taste of the full game that will be released in 2019 in conjunction with Collider and Showtime. It is appropriately spooky, giving the feeling that Bob might jump out of a corner at any second.
Erik Martin, Vice President of Creative & Sponsorship for the David Lynch Foundation and former music agent, suggested the concept of the Festival of Disruption to Lynch. When asked what his definition of art is, Martin returned to the TM concept: “It’s something that helps us transcend and explore the various levels of our being.” This is why the annual festival is a must for anyone interested in new approaches in the arts, as seen through the radical sensibility of curator David Lynch.
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Unless otherwise indicated, all images are courtesy of The David Lynch Foundation.
