LYNCH / OZ

Alexandre O. Philippe continues to make a name for himself for his thoughtful deconstruction and analysis of directors and their bodies of work. After Alfred Hitchcock (⁷⁸⁄₅₂), Ridley Scott (MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN) and William Friedkin (LEAP OF FAITH), Philippe takes a deep dive into David Lynch’s obsession with THE WIZARD OF OZ and the profound impact it has had on his career. Structured as six chapters narrated by Amy Nicholson, Rodney Asher, John Waters, David Lowery, Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead, and Karyn Kusama, each segment examines and compares OZ to Lynch’s work, from the prevalence of red shoes to the importance of curtains. The chapters cruise through world cinema, intercutting clips of Lynch’s movies with films including: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, SUSPIRIA, GONE WITH THE WIND, PAN’S LABYRINTH, and THE BIG LEBOWSKI. Philippe takes us on a journey between dreams and reality, suggesting that more movies than we might realize are linked to THE WIZARD OF OZ and its fish-out-of-water protagonist, Dorothy. As with his previous documentaries, Alexandre O. Philippe offers cinephiles and movie lovers the opportunity to revisit classic movies and to look at them in new and thoughtful ways. Obviously fascinated by Lynch himself, Philippe pays a great tribute to an iconic director and delivers a dynamic documentary that never feels too academic or imposing for any audience. (ANNICK MAHNERT)