Dumbland
(David Lynch Animated Shorts)
Picture: C
Sound: C- Extras: D Episodes: D
After viewing this Internet series, I'm not quite sure how
to word my feelings on it. I most
definitely wasn't pleased, and I sure as hell wasn't enlightened at all by
Lynch's dumbed-down representations of our Larry-The-Cable-Guy-Lovin' culture -
despite how much anger and holier-than-thou attitude he seems to have tried to
punch into the webisodes presented here.
The show might also be seen as a crude attempt at mocking shows like South
Park and various web cartoons - shows that David Lynch might see as
unredeemable and unrewarding. So he
forges ahead and pulls together something even more stupid, more crude, just to
point out to everyone how lame all this is, and how easily we give our minds
over to this mass idiocy, and even pay for it to boot. Well, if you've already paid for this
half-hour steaming pile, you'll have noticed that the MSRP is about thirty
bucks, and the average store pricing hovers around twenty bucks. I'd say that if this sells (and I know it
will), Mr. Lynch would be making quite a pretty penny, especially with how
little he invested in the creation of both the show and the DVD itself.
On this disc, you'll find no extras, no insight - hell, no
liner notes or even a summary on the back. That's a pretty ballsy move on his
part, considering that the only thing to invigorate anyone's curiosity at all
before purchase is his name, which is placed quietly beneath the title. However, he is aware that that's just enough
and anything more might be taken as overkill, as thousands of fans were
doubtless clamoring over this one at the mere thought of a fresh and mostly
unseen Lynch creation.
I can't really even grade the 1.33 X 1 picture and simple stereo
audio quality on this one, as the video is pretty bland, and the audio muddy
and crowded with noise and sounds. And
though all of it was very poorly done, it was likely done on purpose to drive
people out of their skulls even further.
I won't argue with anyone who finds this a worthwhile and
artistic presentation - everyone is entitled to his or her thoughts. But even those who think of this as
something intelligent and worthwhile can't honestly think that they weren't
gypped if they paid retail price for this.
Be wary - this is a pretty penny for something so short and
uninvolved... spend cautiously.
- David Milchick
