the toy box

Discussion of Mulholland Drive

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the woods
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the toy box

Post by the woods »

a few years ago i was perusing the dvd section of tower recrds and going thru the rack devoted to releases from mike vraney's wonderful seattle-based "something weird video" company. i came across a dvd of a movie called " the toy box" originally released in 1971. when i saw that director was ron garcia, the director of photography of FWWM and the twin peaks pilot, i decided i better pick it up.
when i got home and watched, i was amazed to find that it is sort of a shoestring version of mulholland drive with a whole lot of ridiculous softcore sex thrown in. to me, the similarities between the two films are so great, and considering lynch's and garcia's working relationship on FWWM - that i can't believe it is a coincidence. a few shots in the film are strikingly reminiscient of a couple of shots in lost highway as well.
i warn you, in case you decide to see it -"the toy box" is a cheapy exploitation film and is mostly a lot of nudity and goofy simulated sex and violence, and while no way as explicit as modern pornography, i think it would still be very offensive to many people so please stay away if you are offended by films from the more unredemable lower dregs of hollywood of the past.
anyway, i started thinking about mulholland drive a lot today after reading an arguement about it on the non-spoiler twin peaks season three thread and just wondered if anyone else here had seen it. please excuse me if this has already been discussed - i looked over the board for it and didn't see anything, but could certainly have missed finding that discussion.
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Dead Dog
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Re: the toy box

Post by Dead Dog »

It wouldn't surprise me, as it certainly "borrows" from many a classic film. Of course the "Persona" shot might be the most noteworthy, but the movie is filled with what I like to think of as homages. Thanks for sharing the tip, I'll try and check this out some day.
claaa7
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Re: the toy box

Post by claaa7 »

reading up on The Toy Box it sounds like an interesting movie.. i wonder if Carl's line in FWMM "it's like Uncle's day at a whore house" was a funny little nod to Garcia
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the woods
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Re: the toy box

Post by the woods »

it might be - ha!

anyways, if you do see "the toy box", i hope you'll post again...i would like to know what people think about it and mullholland drive. again, there is a lot of nudity and violence, so be warned.
but to me, because of garcia's connection, it has to be more than just a little nod.
have either of you seen "the girl in black stockings" 1957 with mamie van doen, anne bancroft, and lex barker? it is often cited as being the inspiration for "twin peaks"...but is insufferable as far as watchability.
at least "the toy box" isn't boring.
next step: rocket science!
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TheAlien
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Re: the toy box

Post by TheAlien »

Very interesting, but I'll have to see it before making any further comments.

I've been intrigued by Lynch's references to Persona and the Wizard of Oz in the past :D
For I am I: ergo, the truth of myself; my own sphinx, conflict, chaos, vortex—asymmetric to all rhythms, oblique to all paths. I am the prism between black and white: mine own unison in duality.
― Austin Osman Spare
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