Genres

Visitors Review

silverzero 2012-05-24 17:24:50

Joltingly violent, shockingly erotic retelling of `The Wizard of Oz'.

Upon hearing the words `David Lynch', dozens of words spring to mind.`Weirdo, bizarre, insane, articulate, violent, erotic, and above all else,crazy'. Such is the case with the cult classic `Wild at Heart'- the moviewhich epitomises his very existence. The styles and characteristics rank toa very acquired taste. If you are the slightest bit squeamish, then givethis film a miss. But if you can take it, then you'll find `Wild at Heart'to be one of the oddest cinematic experiences in history.The plot may seem simple enough, but there are plenty of surreal andindefinable elements thrown in, to make sure that you will not forget thismovie for a long, long time. As he has done in the past, the notoriouslyperverse director explores the underbelly of sex and violence that lurks insouthern America. He definitely succeeds in what he sets out to do –single-handedly destroy the American dream. Not only that, he tramples overit several times and then shreds it up in a lawnmower. The end result is ableak, over-violent road movie given the extra surreal touches along withfar too many ferociously explicit sex scenes. This is a very loose retelling of `The Wizard of Oz', and one that certainlywon't have you look at the former the same way again. Our two maincharacters – Sailor and Lula are the star-crossed lovers who travel acrossthe country (the road supposedly representing the Yellow Brick Road), muchto the chagrin of Lula's mother (the Wicked Witch?). By the end, they'veencountered many deranged psychos and even a delightfully odd visit fromGlinda the Good Witch. For the most part, this is a guilty displeasure (ifsuch a thing exists). One receives a voyeuristic sense whilst watching themovie. Instead of being compelling, this is more often mind numbing, but asthe scenes become increasingly insane, you can't stop watching it. And bythe end, it leaves a surprisingly good taste despite all that proceeds.Never funny enough to make you laugh, never realistic enough to leave youshocked but never boring enough to have you repelled. It continuouslydizzies the mind enough to make you believe that through all the blood andperversity, there is an invigorating story. Effectively eccentric performances all round from a good cast. NicholasCage, snakeskin jacket in tow, is always believable as the parolee- turnedcriminal. And what a beautiful singing voice (hee-hee). A 35-year-old LauraDern doesn't for a second pass for a 20-year-old. But the accent istop-notch and the white-trash characteristics are exemplary. An Oscarnominated Diane Ladd makes for a thoroughly engrossing character. But WillemDafoe steals the show as ultra-psycho Bobby Peru- intimidating, odd andpsychotic. Underused support is generated from a supporting cast includingCrispin Glover, Issabella Rossellini and Harry Dean Stanton. The abnormalbravura styles of David Lynch leave their mark, bringing the movie style,violence and surrealness, but no heart. A captivating, often insane and consistently shocking cinematic experience,this bleak oddessy through a hellish landscape is audacious and deserving ofits status of a cult-classic. While it will probably only appeal to about 6%of the world, this is a dazzling, dark and strangely vivid movie. My IMDbrating: 7.4/10.

2012-05-24 05:11:54

Probably Lynch's most character and story driven work

This review is from: Wild at Heart (DVD) As far as Lynch goes this is easy watching, metaphor seems to take a back seat here to the overall Oz theme. Its a very bright and vibrant film punctuated with brief periods of extreme darkness. To me this is Lynch's most 'happy' work. Having said that in the film there is rape, murder, dismemberment, and plenty of tragedy. But in many of his other films, you get the feeling that theres horror just off the screen, this pulsing horror waiting to devour you. In this film you feel the opposite, you feel a certain light around the main characters protecting them. Hard to describe if you havent seen a lot of Lynch's films. If your looking for a conventional Hollywood film, definitely buy this you've been shortchanged for too long. Get yourself some Lynch.

Noel 2012-05-21 11:10:34

Entertaining David Lynch Movie

This film came out around the same as Twin Peaks made David Lynch ahousehold name. I'm not a HUGE fan of his early work, but as a general ruleanything by Lynch is worth seeing at least once.It stars the brilliant Nicolas Cage as ex-convict Sailor, who is obsessivelyin love with Lula (Laura Dern). The two of them set out on a road trip toescape from Lula's evil mother and her croneys, and plenty of Lynch-styleweirdness ensues. To top it all off there are numerous references to 'Wizardof Oz' in the story.It's not an easy film to watch -- lots of violence, gore and unsettlingscenes as you'd expect from this director, and most of them don't really addanything to the film. Nevertheless, there's some great stuff here and I'ddefinitely recommend it to Lynch fans.

garbage king 2012-05-21 02:41:41

Definitive Lynch flick...

This was actually the second Lynch film I saw...Lost Highway being thefirstand after seeing Wild At Heart, I found myself wondering why Lynch madesucha piece of crap like Lost Highway (which I didn't mind till I saw this)Thisis simply put, a strange, strange movie and I wouldn't watch it any otherway. The plots a little hard to put into words but in a nutshell, it's alove story with Nicholas Cage who put a new spin on a character he'd beenplaying many times by now and Laura Dern who is a welcome additon to anyindy movie she lends her name too. The two go on the run and are pursuedbynumerous people most notably the mother from hell. Rounding out the castisthe usual band of Lynch weirdos featuring Crispin Glover and WilliamDafoe.First off, what gets you right into this movie is the dialogue. Every lastline is worth paying attention to and even when it seems incredibly out ofplace and this tends to happen a lot it's still entertaining.Next up on the great aspects of this flick once again brings me to thecast.Nicholas Cage a few years before oscars gives a performance that's oscarworthy in itself. Laura Dern is terrific as always, William Dafoe givestheonly performance of his that I liked and everyone else falls into placeperfectly and keep things moving. Music is also another perfect for thismovie as I didn't like all the songs they used but all of them where stillbang on.The only downside to it as due to it's sheer strangeness...causal viwersmaybe turned off by this or pass it over completly. Still, this movie whichpays homage to numerous things most notably Wizard of Oz is worth at leastone shot as it's another classic example of a good independentmovie.

2012-05-19 23:50:53

One of lynchs underrated classics

The thing with this film is that even some die hard lynch fans don't like it (i'm not a die hard fan, but I still can't figure out what why the hell he made dune). Too mainstream? hardly. This is definately a weird period in lynchs career, he was trying formal narratives, and using storys, unlike "Eraserhead", a great film, but essentially it goes nowhere. He made that, completely surreal, then tried this, which has a moving story, then decided it would be best to stick with surreal and did Lost Highway. I'm saying I like all these films, just this one doesn't get the respect it deserves. It's not as weird as all his other films, but weird nonetheless. Great performances all around, and in the end when cage is beat up by the gang for calling them homosexuals, his apology is one of the greatest lines he's ever delivered.

The_Wood 2012-05-19 10:48:28

David Lynch does David Lynch 8/10

Before there was Natural Born Killers and True Romance, there was DavidLynch's Wild at Heart. Wild at Heart is a graphically violent and damn sexyfilm that really isn't called for, but what the hell, it's entertaining. Istill can't figure out the whole Wizard of OZ theme, but I dug the overallfilm. Willem Dafoe, is of course, the standout in thefilm.

2012-04-26 20:01:13

Terrible !

This review is from: Wild at Heart (DVD) hi..I have no idea where the positive reviwes came from, i mean this movie was terrible, it was pointless!I think it is highly over rated, very very boring, drags alot and pointless movie.people speak of surrealizm and bizzarness, and that it made the movie worthwhile, well, it sure is bizzare, but in a really bad way.Violence ? what violence ? just one or two scenes of shoot outs and they call it violence !!! i've seen much more before !!And whats with the repitive sex scenes, again pointless !!its basically a story of two couples enjoying themselves and running and going on a poitnless road trip, nothing more or less, no plot !! And whats all the hype about the wizard if OZ reference, it didn't add anything special to the movie !!!Sorry, but i can't see what is good about this awful movie !!!i want my money back please !!!

mrn87 2012-04-26 01:59:31

Like the country

I first saw this film when i was well under the 18 rating. But thanksto early facial hair, parents who knew nothing of David Lynch exceptthe elephant man and Dune and very lax staff at the local video shop Igot to see it. I loved it as soon as I saw the back of Bobby RayLemon's head with the brains trailing out. And of course Bobby Peru.I've watched it many many times partially due to writing a long essayon it in media studies A level and in part due to really liking it.With hindsight it is not one of Lynch's best although it's not hisworst either. Stubbornly weird but blessed with a hypnotic visual charmit really is very watchable.Supporting turns by Harry Dean Stanton and Willem Dafoe are both greatand the leads have us rooting for them. In fact the majority of thecast master the disassociated Lynch house style.A hotchpotch of film references and atmosphere enhancing vignettes keepit ticking over between bouts of physical and/or psychologicalviolence.We learn cars are not our friends and that you should never questiongang members' sexuality no matter how much leather they wear.While a touch style over content it is very watchable if you likewilful oddity and menacing situations.

KineticSeoul 2012-04-24 09:55:25

Weird and yet engrossing love story

Now I had no idea what this movie was about, but decided to check itout since I heard this movie has Nicholas Cage when he was actuallypretty good. He was good in this, but the set up and everything is sortof weird in some aspects. In fact just about every character in thismovie is a bit awkward, but the style of this movie makes it reallystand out. The plot is sort of random and it's a bit of a random roadmovie in some aspects. And has snakeskin jacket wearing Nicholas Cagewho isn't a necessarily a villain in this movie, but still a bit of acrazy character. And is facing the obstacle of loving someone and goingthrough some tough times while on the road. And he manages to pull itoff pretty well, he makes the character entertaining to watch.Sailor(Nicholas Cage) also has a contract out on him for a reason andit all goes in a road movie with a bit of adult fairy tale in it.Overall this is a engrossing movie, weird but engrossing and kept myinterest most of the way through. I am giving this a 7.2 because it wasbleak and dull sometimes.7.2/10

fnord_one 2012-04-24 07:02:46

genius or bulls**t?

Watch it and decide for yourself! I remember when this film was firstreleased and a french exchange student at the college I attended (bigfilm fan like me) had seen it before I got the chance. We were having acocktail at a club and I asked him what he thought of it. In hisbroken, but somehow beautiful English he responded, "Maybe genius ormaybe bulls**t." I've seen it over a half dozen times and I'm still notsure.It's probably my least favorite movie by Mr. Lynch (excluding Dunewhich I don't count). I think that's because it's too straight forwardand is a very faithful adaptation of Gifford's novel. It isn't pureLynch. I don't really care about Sailor and Lula like Mr. Lynch's otherfilms' leads: they're just too stupid. Lula is particularly annoying.So why the high ranking? Because Mr. Lynch still makes one hell of amovie filled with unforgettable scenes and characters. Wild at Hearthas an intense visceral charge from beginning to end. There are momentsthat I will never forget:Bobby Peru making Lula beg for it; and every other second he's onscreen. Dafoe absolutely explodes in this role. Marietta Fortune's facepainted with lipstick, doing the wicked witch. Girl in Accident worriedabout her purse. Uncle Dell: "Making his LUNCH!" Johnnie Faraggut'sgosh darn school boy infatuation with the wicked witch. 00 Spool: "Mydog barks some. Mentally you picture my dog, but I have not told youthe type of dog which I have. Perhaps you even picture Toto, from TheWizard of Oz."All great, which makes the movie great, just not quite as good as Mr.Lynch's true masterpieces. The film is a tour de force: technically,perhaps his most brilliant. No one can shoot and edit like Mr. Lynch.Terrific sound and music. It's still great fun after repeated viewings.

2012-04-21 12:31:22

Violent, Rauchy Romance anyone???

AWESOME MOVIE!!!Im a huge David Lynch fan! I own all his movies and most everything he's ever touched/helped work on. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!! Even those who don't know or like David Lynch films... will LOVE this movie. Totally Violent, raunchy, campy, dark, comedic (dark), and noir. This is a totally CARNAGE CLASSIC that needs a place next to PULP FICTION!In the tradition of TRUE ROMANCE, its a totally mash up of Tarantino, John Waters, and David Lynch's signature style. TOTALLY RECOMMENDED to the select collector!Oh, and Nicholas Cage sings 50's rockabilly music including an Elvis song... and Im not a Huge Nicholas Cage fan, but he does pretty damn well... I was shocked!

emdragon 2012-04-20 23:03:55

Don't turn away from love Sailor

In what I personally consider to be a great masterpiece of shock-likedream-work film-making, Wild At Heart explodes onto the screen in asurreal swirl of intense absurdity. Yet the plot and characters followa true love story through a wonderfully shocking realism that literallydigs into the viewers soul. I love this picture above all others. WhenNicholas Cage (Sailor) sings "Love Me Tender" to Laura Dern (Lulu) atthe end of the picture I find myself bubbling, burbling and sheathed ina great and glowing light of rapturous wonder. David Lynch has come toan epiphany of self creativity with this picture, and yet one has to bea little "wild at heart, and weird on top" perhaps to truly appreciatethis film's luster. Strange and absurd characters abound throughout,and every scene is significantly twisted into it's own fabric ofintensity. With a grand diversity of musical rifts this movie rocks.The Wizard of Oz and Elvis are metaphors that keep cropping up in thisfilm. Diane Ladd, who plays Lulu's mother, Marietta, carries much ofthe emotional surrealistic tone with her wonderful portrayal ofmotherly jealousy and hatred toward her daughter's chance at a truelove she could never find. Harry Dean Stanton, Willem Dafoe, IsabellaRossallini, Grace Zabriske, Sheryl Lee (as the good witch), and theentire rest of the cast all shine in this perfectly consistent tale oftwo lovers trying to find what ever happiness they can "down thatyellow brick road" as they desperately try to escape their twistedpasts. Driving their way toward California via New Orleans and Texasthey run out of money in the town of Big Tuna Texas, as they are chasedby forces wickedly employed by Lulu's mother and her evil associates.Sailor is forced into the choice of committing a crime against hisbetter judgement, and it turns out badly. But after this violentlytroubling episode there is a happy and wonderful ending. It is stillweird and wild of course when Sailor finally gets to meet his son Paceafter a 6 year stint in prison (which takes about 3 minutes in movietime). In one of my favorite scenes near the end of the picture Sailordoes'nt think he can fit in and care for his family like he shouldafter he gets out of prison, so decides he will give his little sonthis advise. "If ever things don't seem right to you. . .remember whatPoncho said to the Cisco kid. 'Let's win before we're dancin at the endof a rope' ". then he walks off intent on leaving before morewonderfully absurd circumstances bring him out of his delerium and backto his true love, Lulu. It is really weirdly and consistently funny andfun to watch, and I truly loved it.

Miyagis_Sweaty_wifebeater 2012-04-19 23:12:36

The World of David Lynch: Wild at Heart.

Wild at Heart (1990) was David Lynch's revision of the Wizard of Oz. Atale about to lovers (Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern) who were never meantto fall for each other. Their road to happiness lies past a gauntlet ofodd fellows and psychopaths who want to ruin their happy future. Noteven the threat of death or incarceration will split these two lovebirds. Another surrealistic drama from the master of the oddity andmadness David Lynch. Brilliant cinematography and solid acting from theentire cast makes this one a watchable winner.This movie has to be seen to be believed. A cast filled with a wideselection of actors (Wilhem Dafoe, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, andCrispin Glover) who all mesh in nicely under the effective direction ofDavid Lynch. WILD AT HEART was made during his Twin Peaks phase of hiscareer. He was juggling the t.v. series and a couple of films duringthis period. Like his other films, WILD AT HEART was ignored at the boxoffice. Pretty soon his T.V. show suffered the same fate.Highly recommended.

2012-04-19 19:05:36

An existential stew of american mythologies...

Why'd I wait so long to rate this film? One of my top favorites for sure. Sort of the other side of GWTW if you get my drift. What a cast & what a set of totally honest very powerful performances starting with Mr. Cage who has never been better. This is one of those movies, like Gummo, that separates the real film freaks from the film class trend-followers. You can tell who the latter are cause they throw Blue Velvet up at you as a more logically structured entity. Or something.Anyway this is a very artful peek behind the door that most folks like to keep shut. A real cultural gem!

the Psychonaut 2012-04-08 09:48:09

Definitely a memorable movie.

With a cast of highly skilled professionals directed by Lynch, this movie is nothing short of amazing.You will definitely remember this movie after you see it.

2012-04-07 15:19:21

Film of the Future

Lynch uses cinema the way it should be used. It's a naturally surreal medium, something only Lynch has truly understood, ever since Salvador Dali made Un Chien Andalou, all those years ago. Wild at Heart is totally coherent, as many reviewers have realised, even if only partly and subconsciously. All I would like to know is this: is the American South really the raw and mindless hell on earth that it seems to be in almost every film I've seen located there?

2012-04-07 12:29:54

I love this movie!

It was the first R-rated movie I ever saw, and I loved it! The chemistry between the two actors was amazing. The first thing I wanted to do after I saw it, was find my own true love. I think this movie has a few aspects of film noir, and I love film noir.

pekinman 2012-04-07 00:33:27

The Wizard of Weird

If any of David Lynch's films could be called "sweet" or"heart-warming" 'Wild at Heart' might be the one. It's bizarre anddeeply disturbing which is part and parcel of watching a Lynch work,but it has an underlying fancifulness that kept me from turning away,except sometimes, from the Lynch's through-a-glass-darkly view of theworld around us. There is only one character that gave me the absoluteheebie-jeebies and that is Willem Dafoe's Bobby. Dafoe usually gives methe creeps anyway but here he plays an utterly dangerous and insanemaniac at loose in the depths of the Texas desert. IsabellaRossellini's Dorothy Vallens from 'Blue Velvet' has relocated fromSouth Carolina to Big Tuna, Texas and has not improved her lot in life.Her mother is played by the great actress Grace Zabriskie, they toooffer a few moments of cringing repulsion, but all in all the storycenters around the deep and abiding love of Sailor and Lula, Cage andDern. Nicolas Cage gives a highly engaging performance of basically good soultrapped on a nasty path, he's also very sexy. I didn't think Laura Dernhad such 'reach' in her acting abilities but she is tremendous in thisrole.I found myself sympathetic to their plight resulting from poor Sailornot having proper parental guidance as a child and Lula having one ofthose horrible vampire-mothers. Diane Ladd gives Marietta (mom) ajaw-dropping performance and rips the big screen away from everyoneelse when she appears. This is still a film that will make you squirm and probably shouldn'tbe watched too soon before going to bed, a rule of thumb for all Lynchmovies, except Dune, which doesn't count. 'Wild at Heart' is not at all difficult to follow, unlike 'LostHighway' and Mulholland Drive'. It has a clear-cut story with a sweetunder-tone based on 'The Wizard of Oz'. It's a modern, sleazy version of 'Romeo and Juliet' the Lynch film thatI have watched the most of them all, aside from 'Twin Peaks' to which Ihave become addicted.Recommended for those who have shied away from Lynch-World, but not forthe kiddies.

anonymous 2012-04-06 12:30:29

Another Lynch Masterpiece

Lynch has made another bizarre masterpiece delving once again into lostsouls on a journey to the emerald city trying to overcome the wicked witchand the psycho bobby peru. hahahaha but let me tell you why this moviestrikes a chord with the viewer. it's got to be the overall surrealness of thefilm from crispin glovers disturbing performance to david patrick kellysmenacing presence you soon won't forget wild at heart

Graham Greene 2012-04-06 09:23:50

A stark trip into the heart of the weird and not so wonderful.

It's true to say that Wild At Heart is perhaps one of David Lynch'smore-flawed cinematic endeavours, with many of the scenes and indeed,the film as a whole, seeming incomplete or lacking any real purpose.One criticism of the film that tends to crop up most often is that thewhole thing smacks of "weirdness for weirdness sake", with Lynchfailing to tie his strange characters and their surreal situations toany kind of real narrative, which, I suppose, is true. However, despitethese flaws, the film is still a great deal of fun, and although thewhole thing is ultimately very silly, it still has enough bizarrehigh-points, set-pieces, sight-gags and cameos to make the whole thingultimately worthwhile.I suppose the film is best described as a vicious black-comedy, thoughthe emphasis there is on 'vicious'. Lynch also makes allusions to the'lovers on the run' genre of crime film-making popular in the 60's and70's, taking it all further into the realms of the bizarre through hisown cinematic obsessions (like deformities, arson, small-townAmericana, detective fiction, good versus evil, car-accidents, etc), aswell as more arcane references to Elvis, voodoo, incest, and the Wizardof Oz. It's a surreal trip, best summed up by the film's repeatedmantra "wild at heart, weird on top" with Lynch seemingly revelling inthis carnival of grotesques, whores, thugs and criminals, all gatheredtogether in small-town New Mexico under a haze of blood and sex.American film critic Roger Ebert mockingly referred to the film as a"lurid melodrama, soap opera, exploitation put-on, and self-satire",which to me, sums up the film's most successful attributes. The plottakes off from films like Thieves Like Us, Bonnie & Clyde and Badlands,pre-dating Oliver Stone's similarly over-the-top dark-satire, NaturalBorn Killers, with two star-struck lovers hitting the road in anattempt to escape from the pressures of the modern-world (parole,poverty and an over-bearing mother). Lynch lays on the melodramaticclichés in broad stroke, to the point where all narrative referencesare to be taken with a pinch of salt... for example, it's not enoughfor our hero Sailor to be a murdering jail-bird from the wrong-side ofthe tracks, but he has to have a loving, sex-kitten girlfriend from awell-to-do neighbourhood with over-protective loved-ones. Admittedly,Lynch does subvert this almost saccharine depiction of moral familyvalues by offering a flashback, in which our heroine, Lula, isassaulted by a predatory uncle, while her mother is later revealed tobe a drunk, manic-depressive with mafia ties, which again, is all partof the joke.There's also the spirit of the 50's, with Fredrick Elmes' colourfulwide-screen cinematography bringing to mind the Technicolor melodramaof Hollywood's golden age, and the films of people like Nicholas Ray,Elia Kazan and Douglas Sirk. There's also the obligatory references tothe feckless youth of Brando in The Wild One, or the self-awarepastiche of Coppola's great film Rumble Fish, with the characters herelooking and sounding like they've walked out of the pages of a luridslice of pure pulp fiction. Of course, this is another problem thatsome viewers have had with the film, with Lynch offering no realcharacters - as he had done with masterpieces like The Elephant Man andBlue Velvet - and instead relying on arcane ciphers and bizarrecaricatured grotesques. Again, this is all part of the fun and notreally intended to be taken entirely seriously, with Lynch and hisactors keeping the film moving from one out-burst of random surrealismto the next; with a number of humours and/or terrifying iconicperformances from this esteemed, though certainly eclectic, cast ofcharacters. The centre of the film, and indeed, the real focus of ourattention, is established and sustained well through the relationshipbetween the characters Sailor and Lula, which is developed surprisinglywell through the strong and fearless performances of Nicolas Cage andLaura Dern. Dern has never looked more stunning in a film as thesensual and unhinged Lula, whilst Cage reminds us of what a strong andintense character actor he used to be in the days before he switched toshallow Hollywood blockbusters. Both actors have a great chemistry witheach other, and create a believable relationship in spite of theover-the-top abstractions and dramatic flourishes called for by Lynch'sscript. Amongst the supporting players, Harry Dean Stanton is a joy asthe hound-dog private-investigator Johnny Farragut, who is sent lookingfor Sailor and Lula by his lover, Lula's mother Marietta Fortune, whois brought vividly to life with a grand-standing over-the-top relish byDern's real-life mother, Diane Ladd.Add some bizarre cameos from Lynch regulars, like Sherilyn Fenn, JackNance, Freddie Jones, Grace Zabriskie, Isabella Rossalini, Sheryl Lee(here continuing the Oz references with her climactic appearance as thegood witch), J.E. Freeman, Crispin Glover (in one of the film's mostbizarre scenes, as Lula's troubled cousin Dell), and an extendedappearance by an unrecognisable Willem Dafoe, who's character BobbyPeru meets one of the most outlandish and overly violent sequences everwitnessed on screen. Certainly this film doesn't quite floor-me withit's madness as it used to when I was 14 or 15 (and would watch thisand Blue Velvet pretty much religiously), with Lynch subsequentlyout-doing himself with the modern masterpiece Mulholland Drive.However, this film is probably more fun, and doesn't take as muchconcentration to really follow or get into it.Ultimately, the film works depending on how much of Lynch's bizarrecreations you can stand; with the film falling somewhere between thedarkly-comic satire of Twin Peaks at it's most wittiest and the dark,industrial nightmare of Lost Highway, only with a more linear plot. Istill think it's a great deal of fun, and will undoubtedly appeal todie-hard Lynch fans or those with an interest in cult American cinema.