Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by rico (A) on May 22, 2006 at 12:56:47

David Lynch and the Disney organization make strange bedfelloows indeed but this gentle tale is a masterpiece. Richard Farnsworth, in his last role here (he was dying during filming) plays an aged mid-western man named Alvin Straight who travels on a riding lawnmower to see his estranged brother who has had a stroke. The trip is over 200 miles and takes several weeks. Along the way Farnsworth/Straight meets many people and has many adventures, some humorous, some very moving. Legendary Freddie Francis did the exquisite cinematography. The musical score by Angelo Badalamenti is also very effective. Sissy Spacek plays Alvin's "slow" (but not so) daughter. I especially enjoy showing this to people and have yet to do so without rave reviews. In typical Lynch fashion, there are no extras save for a trailer and there are no chapter stops.