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★★★★
Directed by: #DavidLynch
Written by: #DavidLynch
Starring: #DavidLynch, #EmilyStofle
Just in time for his 74th birthday, The Elephant Man and Twin Peaks director David Lynch treated surrealism devotees with a 17-minute short film where he plays a cop grilling a capuchin monkey accused of murder – which is as ridiculous as it sounds. Released on Netflix without any anticipation, WHAT DID JACK DO? is Lynch's first project since the release of Ant Head in 2018.
The short was presented for the first time in 2017 at the Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain and then again at Lynch's Festival of Disruption in 2018. Since then, Netflix has decided to reach into their pockets and shelter Lynch's mind-boggling film on a platform where Lynchian enthusiasts can binge to their heart's content.
The short is in black and white, with the grainy picture making for a recovered artefact-esque aesthetic similar to the likes of Lynch's debut Eraserhead. Still, the familiar presence of coffee may remind nostalgic fans of the glory days of Twin Peaks. The filmmaker portrays a tough cop sitting across from a small monkey as trains rattled past. That's it, that's the plot. Filled with vividly nightmarish dialogue, a chicken, and a strained yet passionate musical number, this piece of work is Lynchian heaven. There is no point in trying to scrutinise the deeper meaning behind the story; surrealism is an all-consuming and immersive experience that should be void of critical thought.
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