I have to admit that David Lynch was one of the more frustrating and polarising film-makers of his generation and somebody who tended to beat his own path. Whilst it was always curious to see what he is making, it was always a case of how far and willing film fans were going to travel with him in whatever movie he made.
Without a doubt, Lynch was a daring and talented independent-minded film-maker. His works over the years would always come under immense analysis and scrutiny as the years went on.
Works such as ERASERHEAD, THE ELEPHANT MAN, BLUE VELVET, MULHOLLAND DRIVE and INLAND EMPIRE, coupled with his TV series TWIN PEAKS (which established a number of talented actresses such as Sheryl Lee, Madchen Amick and Lara Flynn Boyle amongst others, always seemed to find their place with the more suitable audience, but what is an audience to a film?
Convention and a more linear approach to narrative and story-telling would go out the window, with left-field subversion and idiosyncracy very much part of his cinematic vocabulary. How does a film-maker make a seemingly impossible text like DUNE into an even more off-beat – and literally off-world – cult offering?
So, it is interesting to encounter THE STRAIGHT STORY, Lynch’s 1999 release, which has got a 4K restoration courtesy of StudioCanal and one which Lynch supervised before his passing back in January 2025, a year which saw the loss of many other considerable talents including Gene Hackman and Robert Redford. It is impossible to imagine a world before or since without these three.
Based on the real-life story of Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth, in the latter stages of illness when he made this) who in 1994 drove his lawnmower 240 miles from Laurens, Iowa to Blue River, Wisconsin (although in the film Alvin drives to Mount Zion), THE STRAIGHT STORY focuses on his trials and tribulations as he crosses the seemingly-impossible path with limited means. Due to poor eyesight and advancing health issues – and years – Alvin cannot have a driver’s licence. His daughter Rose (Sissy Spacek) has her own challenges, having lost her children, but remains loyal to her father.
The locals of Laurens are bemused by his plan, but Alvin is determined to make the trip to see his brother Lyle. During his trip, he encounters all manner of types, including a hitch-hiking girl runaway, but his life experience and reflection does win them over as they continue to be fascinated by his pilgrimage for his ailing brother….
THE STRAIGHT STORY is very much a film that focuses on the fact that it is the journey is very much as important as the end goal. Farnsworth is very good as Alvin, as is Spacek as his daughter. However, the film for all its’ wonderful scenery and a well-structured script co-written by his long-time partner (and briefly his wife) Mary Sweeney and John E. Roach, is a bit slight and does leave you wanting more at times, with lingering shots of cornfields and harvesters scattered throughout and the novelty of driving a long distance on a lawn mower doesn’t really extend too well across a near two-hour narrative
Still, for those of you wondering what was so considerable about David Lynch as a film-maker, as well as whether or not he was worthy of his reputation, THE STRAIGHT STORY might be the inroad you are looking for.
STUDIOCANAL will release David Lynch’s THE STRAIGHT STORY on 4k UHD (for the first time in the UK) and Blu-Ray on February 9.