I forgot for a second about Lost Highway – the not completely successful David Lynch film – in which he is the star. It’s a messed up film noir – terrifying, self-indulgent, annoying, whatever … I always liked it – mainly because of Patricia Arquette and how fascinating I have always found her. But Pullman is the star. The deep-down tormented deadpan husband of the temptress … he plays the kind of role that Fred McMurray played in the best noir of all time Double Indemnity. There’s a level of humiliation in men in film noirs … the women have all the cards, and they play them ruthlessly, trading on their sexuality, and emasculating men in the process. It’s all messed up. Lost Highway is a 1990s film noir.
In my post below about While you were sleeping I mentioned how appropriate I think it would be for Pullman to star in screwball comedies like they made in the 1930s. He has the requisite goofiness, sweetness, and clumsiness to pull it off.
But based on the evidence of Lost Highway (an imperfect film – I realize – just talking about his work, and the appropriateness of the casting) he is a fantastic noir anti-hero as well.
Need to see that film again.
Also, it’s always nice to see Patricia Arquette’s bodacious set of ta-tas.
Pullman: a man of tremendous range, actually – if you think about it. If you watched Lost Highway back to back with Sleepless in Seattle or While you were sleeping – it’d be a bit hard to believe he’s the same actor.
And now – off into the cold, off to the glimmering city across the Hudson!!
Ha! Fred McMurray! I was just trying to remember his name last week and everyone looked at me like I was crazy.
Found your site through a friend! Great place you have here. :)
Have you seen The Zero Effect, Sheila? If you haven’t, you should rent that. He plays a quirky, very private detective based on Sherlock Holmes—and he’s been hired to find a tycoon’s keys. It’s wonderful. You’ll be even more in awe of him after that movie than you were before.
Kathy – hahaha My brother MADE me see that movie when he heard I was into Bill Pullman – I so so agree with you – isn’t he terrific in it? I think it’s him at his very best. What a weird weird character.
It’s a wonderful movie and one of the few with Ben Stiller that I can actually stand. (I despise Stiller.) Bill’s wonderful in this film. He’s such a whackjob, but you can’t tear your eyes away from him, he’s just riveting in his nuttiness.
On a related aside, I actually sent in a letter to Ebert’s movie mailbag column about this movie. I’m sure it’s based on the Sherlock Holmes’ story A Scandal in Bohemia, with the Kim Dickens’ character in place of Irene Adler aka “That Woman!”, but it wasn’t credited anywhere—and it was bugging me, big time. I wondered if he’d noticed, and Ebert sent me back a note—on his personal stationery, no less—saying, essentially, “Dearie, put down the pipe because the crack isn’t doing good things for you.” He was sure that the filmmakers had credited Conan-Doyle. But he’s wrong—they didn’t. I searched for it many, many times and there is no credit.
So, there’s my fifteen seconds of fame as having beaten a world renowned film critic on a completely esoteric point. ;)
Of course, there’s always Lone Star!! He made a great parody of Han Solo!
*sigh* I so loved the treatise on Bill Pullman!! Thank you!!
Sharon – glad you liked it!!