Plot
After a bizarre encounter at a party, a jazz saxophonist is framed for the murder of his wife and sent to prison, where he inexplicably morphs into a young mechanic and begins leading a new life.

Release Year: 1997

Rating: 7.6/10 (54,297 voted)

Critic's Score: 52/100

Director: David Lynch

Stars: Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, John Roselius

Storyline
Fred Madison, a saxophonist, is accused under mysterious circumstances of murdering his wife Renee. On death row, he inexplicably morphs into a young man named Pete Dayton, leading a completely different life. When Pete is released, his and Fred's paths begin to cross in a surreal, suspenseful web of intrigue, orchestrated by a shady gangster boss named Dick Laurent.

Writers: David Lynch, Barry Gifford

Cast:
Bill Pullman - Fred Madison
Patricia Arquette - Renee Madison / Alice Wakefield
John Roselius - Al
Louis Eppolito - Ed (as Lou Eppolito)
Jenna Maetlind - Party Girl
Michael Massee - Andy
Robert Blake - Mystery Man
Henry Rollins - Guard Henry
Michael Shamus Wiles - Guard Mike
Mink Stole - Forewoman (voice)
Leonard Termo - Judge (voice)
Ivory Ocean - Guard Ivory
Jack Kehler - Guard Johnny Mack
David Byrd - Doctor Smordin
Gene Ross - Warden Clements

Official Website: davidlynch.com [United States] |

Release Date: 21 February 1997

Filming Locations: Amargosa Hotel & Opera House, Death Valley Junction, Death Valley National Park, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend: $212,710 (USA) (23 February 1997) (12 Screens)

Gross: $3,796,699 (USA) (20 April 1997)

Runtime: 134 min

Trivia:
As of 2010, this is Robert Blake's last film appearance.

Quotes:
Arnie: Pete! Where've you been? It's really good you're back! A lot of people are gonna be glad you're back, including me!
Pete Dayton: Well, it's nice to be back, Arnie.
Arnie: Mrs. Smith is waiting for you.
Pete Dayton: Sure, I'll get right to her.
Arnie: And Mr. Eddy called every day asking about you. Can I call him and tell him you're back?
Pete Dayton: Sure, call him. Tell him to come on in. I'm back and I'm ready to work.
Arnie: You're ready to work?
Pete Dayton: I'm ready to work.
Arnie: [to the other garage employees] Pete is back!

For those, who try to understand the Movie

Rating: 9/10

First of all let me say, that it is not as serious, if you don't get the movies of David Lynch at once (or even never). Lynch is not a film maker who tries to make movies with a problem-solving message, but an artist. Moreover he started as a painter and so he tries to create an atmosphere more than to develop a story.

Most viewers will have realized that "Lost Highway" is a story about a schizophrenic murderer (even Lynch mentioned it). But that is not the complete clue to the movie. Cause everyone is aware of Fred's metamorphosis (although no one seems to really care about). So his mutation seems to be real and till the end no one proves the opposite! But "Lost Highway" is not a common movie about schizophrenia like "Beautiful Mind" or "Das weiße Rauschen" (Which is a must-see, too!). INSANITY IS NOT THE SUBJECT, BUT THE NARRATIVE PRINCIPLE OF THE MOVIE! In other words: The movie is not a presentation of mental sickness, but a complete sick presentation, which means that the subjective perception of the protagonist becomes the objective reality! You'll find this way of telling a story quite often in surrealistic literature (i.e Franz Kafka's "Die Verwandlung" engl.: "Metamorphosis" - just note the title!!).

All Lynch-Movies refer to mental illness or the state of dreaming: No character ever seems to care about the illogical and irrational twists of the plot(just like in dreams), the landscapes are unrealistic and change appearance or size and the story takes place at deserted areas (forests, claustrophobic rooms, industrial areas, desserts) far away from civilization or reality!

Insanity - Sanity/ Evil - Good/ Reality - Fiction are no longer categories one can rely on. The protagonists see their surroundings and environment always threatening, but they never question it! They act with such a matter of course, that one has to ask whether it is ignorance, naiveté or self-deception. Perhaps you don't have to ask yourself how far you are able to UNDERSTAND the message. Perhaps you have to ask yourself how far you are willing to ACCEPT the message. Be aware, that once you started seeing the world at a different way you will follow that white rabbit right the way in his burrow...

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