WILD AT HEART

US, 1990, 127 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Diane Ladd, Willem Dafoe, Isabella Rosselini, Harry Dean Stanton, Crispin Glover.
Directed by David Lynch.

Wild at Heart won the Best Film award at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival - with a great deal of controversy. It was written and directed by David Lynch - the cult director of Eraserhead, Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks.

Lynch seems to be something of an American Ken Russell. He uses a great deal of conventions from soap opera television genres - and then twists them against audience expectations. So, while the characters mouth cliches and trite comments, yet their characters come alive and at times go over the top. Lynch, as with Blue Velvet, seems to be wanting to say something about the dark side of the American psyche underneath the cliche surface.

Nicholas Cage and Laura Dern give intense performances as the central couple. Diane Ladd, Laura Dern's mother, gives an extraordinary over-the-top performance as her mother in the film. There is a very strong supporting cast with Willem Dafoe as one of the ugliest of screen villains, Harry Dean Stanton as a genial private detective and Isabella Rossellini looking blonde and bizarre as a prostitute.

This is a film that people will either admire or hate. It is not to be wandered into casually - rather it is a film buff's movie or a film for those who like exploring the odd side of the human psyche.

1.The acclaim of the film, awards? Controversy?

2.The work of David Lynch, content, style?

3.The title, the reference to Sailor, to the world? Wild at heart and weird on top?

4.Lynch's use of well-known genres: prison, romance, the chase? Gangsters and contracts? New Orleans and voodoo? The comic dialogue, the straight interpretation of the dialogue? Black humour? Earnest cliche?

5.The symbol of the Wizard of Oz, the yellow brick road, the American quest and dream? The talk about Oz, the visions of the wicked witch and the kind witch? The kind witch and the solution? The background of Elvis Presley, Sailor's snakeskin coat? Singing Elvis songs? The singing of `Love Me Tender'?

6.How well did Lynch use the conventions of these genres expectedly and unexpectedly? For laughter, seriousness and shock, mixture of both? Mocking? Over-the-top performances? Distancing the audience by giving places and accurate dates? The presentation of sexuality, of violence - verbally, visually? The initial killing, the death of Bobby Peru?

7.The straightforward narrative and the experiences of Sailor and Lula? The insertion of the memories? The complexities of the plot? Character development? Solving of the puzzles?

8.The opening credits, the match and the flame, the sound effects? The reprising of the fire sequences, the burning house, the burning father? The smoking of cigarettes - and the dialogue about different brands?

9.The use of music, the range of songs, Elvis Presley songs?

10.Nicholas Cage's portrait of Sailor: introduction to him, meeting Lula, Marietta and her jealousy, the attack in the foyer, his vicious response, brutally killing his attacker? The time in prison, being let out? Phoning Marietta, meeting Lula? The insertion of his memories of Marietta, her approach to him, in the rest room, her violence? His working as a driver, the death of Lula's father? The deals? His snakeskin and his explanation of his personal freedom? His southern style, gentlemanly cliche? The relationship with Lula, the sex scenes and the pastel colours? The dance, the fight, demanding the apology, singing the Elvis song? Leaving town, driving through the countryside? The dialogue and his talk with Lula, subjects of conversation, ordinary, trite, communication? New Orleans, their staying there, sense of menace? Going to Texas, the visit to Perdita, the discussion about the contract? Believing her? At the motel, Lula sick and not cleaning up, his comments on the smell? The pornography movie people, discussions at the meal, Bobby Peru and his bizarre aspects? Normality for Sailor, going for a beer, the proposal to rob the bank, with Perdita, the car, the bank robbery, Bobby Peru attacking him? Peru's death? Lula's pregnancy, her mother coming to get her? His going to jail, the passing of the years, meeting Lula again, the formal meeting with his son, leaving Lula, walking along the street, the gang, his calling them faggots and their bashing him? The vision of the witch, his return, singing `Love Me Tender' and his commitment to Lula? A future for them both? Soap opera style, genre - but the characters having a life of their own?

11.Lula, her age, her memories of being 13 and the rape by her uncle, her fear, the blood, her mother watching? Love for her father and seeing her father die horribly? Present with Sailor at the manslaughter? Defying her mother, going to meet Sailor, going off with him? Her youthfulness, commitment to Sailor? The cliche of her mentality, comments on life? Yet sincerity and intensity? Sexuality and passion? The dance and the apology? Smoking, talking about cigarettes? Her memories, seeing her mother as the wicked witch from The Wizard of Oz? Wanting to go to New Orleans? Her pregnancy, sick and tired? The crash on the side of the road, the encounter with the girl, her bewilderment, dying? Bobby Peru and his attempts at seduction, the impact on her, succumbing, her fear? Defying her mother - and her mother taking her away after the robbery? Her son, the passing of the years, her mother's photo disappearing? At the station to meet Sailor, happy yet reluctant, his leaving, the return, her happiness?

12.Marietta, over the top, glamorous in the past and trying to retain her glamour, setting up the attack on Sailor? Stern with Lula, getting Johnny to search for them, wanting Sailor killed? Going to Santos, the relationship between them? The contract on Johnny as well? Her fears, the phone calls, bizarre behaviour - the lipstick over her face? Seductive on the phone to Johnny, going to New Orleans, his being taken? The relationship with Santos? Taking Lula back? Her haggard appearance at the end and her being defied? The wicked witch?

13.Santos and the mob, relationship with Marietta, killing her husband, the contract on Johnny, the pursuit, Johnny's death, getting Lula back?

14.Johnny as more genial, relationship with Marietta, bewildered by her, talking, travelling along the road and listening to the radio, checking the whereabouts of the couple, watching the television and the beasts of prey eating, Marietta's coming to New Orleans, his being taken, the bizarre behaviour of the voodoo group? Countdown to his death?

15.The crazies in New Orleans, voodoo, Juana and Reginald? Their relationship? To the brothel, to their rituals, the thugs associated with them, torturing Johnny and killing him?

16.Perdita and her relationship to Juana and Reginald? The phone call to her, in the town of Big Tuna, the contract, Bobby Peru's girl, lying to Sailor, in the car, talking to the policeman, the robbery and her getaway?

17.Bobby Peru and the pornography, his manner of talking, Vietnam experiences, ugly, moustache, teeth? Seductive with Lula and then leaving her? Taking Sailor to the bar, the proposal, the job, with Perdita? The silver dollar for the contract? The bank robbery, his turning to shoot Sailor, the extreme violence of the picturing of his death? The head?

18.Mr Reindeer, contracts, the mob, sexuality and the girl attendants, the brothel and its style?

19.The glimpse of the accident on the road, the dying girl and her bewilderment, the reaction of Sailor and Lula, her death?

20.The town of Big Tuna, dead, the people there, the surface, underneath?

21.The presentation of American values, on the surface, underneath? Disturbing? Drives, codes, sick society? Apocalyptic images of fire?

22.Impact of the film, what was the audience left with?