Lost Highway (1997)

Director:

David Lynch

Writers (WGA):

David Lynch (written by) &
Barry Gifford (written by)

Release Date:

21 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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.

Plot Keywords:

Videotape | Prison | Death Row | Murder | Jazz

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
Balthazar Getty	...	Pete Dayton
F. William Parker	...	Captain Luneau
Guy Siner	...	Prison Official #1
Alexander Folk	...	Prison Official #2
Gary Busey	...	Bill Dayton
Lucy Butler	...	Candace Dayton
Carl Sundstrom	...	Hank
John Solari	...	Lou
Jack	...	The Dog
Al Garrett	...	Carl
Heather Stephens	...	Lanie
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Steve 'V'
Scott Coffey	...	Teddy
Natasha Gregson Wagner	...	Sheila
Amanda Anka	...	Girl #1
Jennifer Syme	...	Junkie Girl
Richard Pryor	...	Arnie
Robert Loggia	...	Mr. Eddy / Dick Laurent
Matt Sigloch	...	Assistant #1
Gilbert B. Combs	...	Assistant #2 (as Gil Combs)
Greg Travis	...	Tail Gate Driver
Jack Nance	...	Phil
Lisa Boyle	...	Marian
Leslie Bega	...	Raquel
Marilyn Manson	...	Porno Star #1
Jeordie White	...	Porno Star #2 (as Twiggy Ramirez)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Lynch	...	Morgue Attendant (scenes deleted)
Dru Berrymore	...	Blonde on Staircase (uncredited)
Roland Kermarec	...	Man on Bus (uncredited)
Bill McAdams Jr.	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Lou Slaughter	...	Slickster (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lynch

Writing credits (WGA)
David Lynch		(written by) &
Barry Gifford		(written by)

Produced by
Deepak Nayar	....	producer
Tom Sternberg	....	producer
Mary Sweeney	....	producer

Original Music by
Angelo Badalamenti

Cinematography by
Peter Deming		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Mary Sweeney

Casting by
Elaine J. Huzzar
Johanna Ray

Production Design by
Patricia Norris

Art Direction by
Russell J. Smith		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Leslie Morales

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Robert Bowen	....	makeup effects lab technician
Lynne Brinton	....	makeup effects assistant
Michael Burnett	....	special effects makeup coordinator
Hayley Cecile	....	assistant makeup artist
Shane Donahue	....	makeup effects lab technician
Dan Gates	....	makeup effects lab technician
Chris Hanson	....	makeup effects assistant
Chip Heller	....	makeup effects lab technician
Marlene Lipman	....	body makeup artist
Patricia Miller	....	hair stylist (as Patty Miller)
Kathleen Norris	....	assistant hair stylist
Vince Oddone	....	special effects makeup shop manager
Toni-Ann Walker	....	hair stylist
Henry Wilfredo	....	makeup effects lab technician
Debbie Zoller	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Desmond Cannon	....	post-production supervisor
Deepak Nayar	....	unit production manager
Sabrina S. Sutherland	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maria K. Battle	....	dga trainee
Scott Cameron	....	first assistant director
Simone Farber	....	second assistant director
Adam Rosen	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Jerry Brumley	....	art laborer
Chris Burch	....	art swing gang
Keith Cox	....	construction coordinator
Eric DaRe	....	art swing gang
Eric DaRe	....	property buyer
Morgan Flaherty	....	property maker
Craig Sherman Hall	....	property master
Jon Kazunaga	....	construction foreman
Robert A. Masini	....	property maker
Scott Miller	....	property maker
David C. Nute	....	construction gang boss
Frank A. Oliveri	....	painter
Dano Parker	....	art laborer
Andrew J. Peterson	....	art swing gang (as Andrew 'Skip' Peterson)
Mark Peterson	....	art laborer
Greg Polutonovich	....	sculptor
Alfredo Ponce	....	builder extraordinaire
Edmund C. Quintero	....	art laborer
David E. Robinson	....	lead scenic
Russell McCarthy Smith	....	production illustrator
David Storm	....	on-set dresser
Samuel J. Tell	....	assistant property master
David D. Wheeler	....	propmaker
Deborah Winship	....	lead person
Doug Wuitschick	....	painter

Sound Department
Javier Bennassar	....	sound effects editor
Tim Boggs	....	adr supervisor
Bill Brown	....	sound effects editor
Benjamin L. Cook	....	sound effects editor (as Benjamin Cook)
Louis Creveling	....	dialogue editor
Mary Erstad	....	foley mixer
Cormac Funge	....	sound effects editor
Frank Gaeta	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank Gaeta	....	supervising sound editor
Marilyn Graf	....	foley editor
David Grant	....	dialogue editor
Douglas Greenfield	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Catherine Harper	....	foley artist
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Dean Hovey	....	sound effects editor
Frederick Howard	....	sound effects editor
Thomas Jones	....	supervising dialogue editor
Ossama Khuluki	....	foley artist
Ann Kroeber	....	additional sound effects (as Ann Kroeber-Splet)
Kevin Kubota	....	boom operator
Laura Laird	....	foley editor
Chet Leonard	....	cable person
Paul Longstaffe	....	dialogue editor
David Lynch	....	sound designer
David Lynch	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Mann	....	foley editor
Derek Marcil	....	adr mixer
Derek Marcil	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Melhase	....	sound effects editor
Christopher Moriana	....	foley artist
John Ross	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joshua E. Schneider	....	foley editor (as Joshua Schneider)
Susan Shin	....	dialogue editor
Lucy Sustar	....	foley editor
Susumu Tokunow	....	sound mixer
Elmo Weber	....	sound effects editor
Jirí Zobac	....	sound engineer

Special Effects by
Bart Barber	....	special effects
Philip Bartko	....	special effects (as Philip D. Bartko)
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects coordinator (as Gary P. D'Amico)
David A. Poole	....	special effects (as David Poole)
Michael Wilmot	....	special effects (as Mike Wilmot)

Visual Effects by
Kurt Godel	....	digital transfer engineer

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts
David Barrett	....	stunts
Joey Box	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
John T. Churchill	....	stunts
Eliza Coleman	....	stunts (as Liza Coleman)
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (as Gil Combs)
Gene Hartline	....	stunts
Chris Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Chris Howell	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
Robert Jauregui	....	stunts (as Bob Jauregui)
Cole S. McKay	....	stunts (as Cole McKay)
Cole McLarty	....	stunts
Jim Palmer	....	stunts
Rick Seaman	....	stunts
Matt Sigloch	....	stunts
Mike Watson	....	stunts
Glen Yrigoyen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen Brooks	....	generator operator
Andrea Chesney	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Andrea Lee Chesney)
Andrea Chesney	....	second assistant camera (as Andrea Lee Chesney)
Tim Collins	....	dolly grip (as Timothy Collins)
William Roy Eckert	....	grip
Todd Griffith	....	grip (as Todd Mitchell Griffith)
Lisa Guerriero	....	camera loader
Lisa Guerriero	....	second assistant camera
Gene Hara	....	lamp operator
John Harmon	....	rigging key grip
Rick Herres	....	best boy grip
Paul Hughen	....	camera operator
John Joleaud	....	lamp operator (as John A. Joleaud)
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator
Michael LaViolette	....	gaffer
Stan McClain	....	aerial camera operator
Susan Pollack	....	camera loader
Scott Andrew Ressler	....	first assistant camera (as Scotty Ressler)
Mark Sadler	....	lamp operator
Philip Sloan	....	key grip (as Philip M. Sloan)
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Stephen Thorp	....	lamp operator
Donna Vega	....	rigging gaffer
Paul Wilkowsky	....	grip
John Willis III	....	best boy electric (as John 'Jay' Willis III)
Michael B. Corbett	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
David Presley	....	video playback operator (uncredited)
Brian 'Wheat' Villegas	....	cinematographer: interviews (uncredited)

Casting Department
Mary Jane Fendler	....	casting assistant (as Mary Jane Lavacca)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marisa Aboitiz	....	set costumer
Maurizio Bizzarri	....	costume supervisor (as Maurizio Bizzari)

Editorial Department
Eric Archer	....	apprentice film editor
Brian Johnson	....	first assistant film editor
Cassandra King	....	post-production assistant
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
Hilary Schroeder	....	second assistant film editor

Music Department
Barry Adamson	....	composer: additional music
Angelo Badalamenti	....	conductor
Angelo Badalamenti	....	orchestrator
Andrew Barrett	....	orchestrator (as Andy Barrett)
The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra	....	orchestra
Art Ford	....	music consultant
Jason George	....	assistant music editor
Stepán Konícek	....	conductor (as Stepan Konicek)
David Lynch	....	composer: additional music
Charles Samek	....	orchestrator
Tony Suraci	....	assistant music editor
Marc Vanocur	....	music editor
Trent Reznor	....	soundtrack producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Richard G. Almo	....	driver
Thomas P. Cantrell	....	driver
John Feinblatt	....	transportation captain
Felician Ghitescu	....	driver
Larry Hardman	....	driver: honeywagon
Ron Hardman	....	driver
Gary Hellerstein	....	driver
Billie E. Manning	....	driver
Alan Meyers	....	driver
Josue Meza	....	cook driver
H. Lee Noblitt	....	driver (as Lee Noblitt)
Michael Ralph Price	....	transportation co-captain
Arturo Ruvalcaba	....	cook driver
Paul Stanbrough	....	driver
Patrick Sullivan	....	driver
Sandra Thomason	....	driver
David Trevino	....	driver
Tom Winchester	....	driver
Allan Yamauchi	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Hilary Adahms	....	stand-in: Patricia Arquette
Jeremy Alter	....	assistant location manager
Margo Altman	....	office assistant
Robert D. Brugger	....	medic
Robert D. Brugger	....	remote control car wrangler (as Robert Brugger)
Caroline Burton	....	assistant: Deepak Nayar
Ted Chalmers	....	office manager
John T. Churchill	....	production assistant: David Lynch
Mark Conway	....	production intern
Kristin Dornig	....	assistant: Deepak Nayar
Julie Duvic	....	location manager
Missy Eustermann	....	second assistant production accountant
Ruth Fainberg	....	assistant: Bill Pullman
Cori Glazer	....	script supervisor
Gregg Goldin	....	office production assistant (as Gregory Goldin)
David Gould	....	assistant: Patricia Arquette
Teddy M. Haggarty	....	stand-in: Bill Pullman
William Jorgenson	....	production assistant: Asymmetrical
Joe Juneau	....	foam runner
Roland Kermarec	....	production intern
Cassandra King	....	production intern
Steven R. Kutcher	....	bug wrangler (as Steve Kutcher)
Kristi Lake	....	post-production accountant
Sarah Levy	....	office production assistant
Sheridan Liu	....	assistant production accountant
George Lowe	....	assistant: Tom Sternberg
John K. Meyer	....	office production assistant
Ed Morris	....	execution consultant
Tasha Oldham	....	assistant production coordinator
Anton Pardoe	....	location assistant
Sondra Peluce	....	craft service
Gilbert Perez	....	security supervisor
Gaye Pope	....	additional publicist
Gaye Pope	....	assistant: David Lynch
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance
Karen R. Sachs	....	production coordinator
Vance Strickland	....	stand-in
Jennifer Syme	....	receptionist: Asymmetrical
Mic Tomasi	....	stand-in (as Mick Thomason)
Scott Westgard	....	production intern
Cynthia Wise	....	production accountant
Deborah Wuliger	....	unit publicist
Leslie Jean Porter	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

Thanks
Tony Ciulla	....	special thanks
Charlotte Fraisse	....	special thanks
Ron Fruchey	....	special thanks
Fred Goldring	....	special thanks
Guadalupe Hurst	....	thanks: a real trooper
John A. Malm Jr.	....	special thanks
Tom McGuire	....	special thanks
Fred V. Murphy	....	special thanks
María Méndez	....	special thanks (as Maria Mendez)
Dana Ross	....	special thanks
Debby Trutnik	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• October Films
• CiBy 2000
• Asymmetrical Productions
• Lost Highway Productions LLC

Distributors

• Rialto Film AG (1997) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• October Films (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinemussy (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• REP Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Atalanta Filmes (1997) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (1998) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Polygram Filmed Entertainment (1997) (UK) (theatrical)
• NTV-PROFIT (1997) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Artistas Argentinos Asociados (AAA) (1998) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• AmaFilms (1998) (Greece) (theatrical)
• New Star (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Film (1997) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (1997) (Finland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (1998) (Italy) (VHS)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2001) (Italy) (DVD)
• Cinema Club (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (199?) (Australia) (VHS)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Future Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• MK2 Éditions (2010) (France) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Madman Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (all media)
• Noble Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• PlayArte Filmes (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Sandrew Film (1997) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Seville Pictures (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Siren Visual Entertainment (2001) (Australia) (DVD)
• Twister Digital Video (2004) (Russia) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (Finland) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2001) (2002) (Finland) (TV)
• Zima Entertainment (2005) (Mexico) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Michael Burnett Productions Inc. (uncredited)
• POV Special Effects (special effects equipment)

Other Companies

• Bill Young's Precision Driving Team  special thanks
• Briles Wing and Helicopter  helicopter
• Bugs Are My Business  bug wrangling
• C.A.S.T. Security  security
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Christopher Gray Casting  extras casting
• Coca-Cola Company, The  special thanks
• Digital Sound and Picture  post-production sound
• Digital Sound and Picture  re-recorded at
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Film Finances  completion bond
• Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren & Richman  production legal
• L.A. Mad Dogs  ADR voice casting
• Michelson Food Services  catering
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• RHH  insurance
• Smécky Studios  recorded at (as Studio Smecky)

Also Known As:

"Lost Highway" - France
"Carretera perdida" - Argentina, Spain, Uruguay (imdb display title)
"Estrada Perdida" - Brazil (imdb display title), Portugal
"Шоссе в никуда" - Russia
"Útvesztőben" - Hungary
"Hameni leoforos" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Izgubljena cesta" - Slovenia
"Izgubljeni autoput" - Serbia (imdb display title)
"Kayip otoban" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Lost Highway" - Germany
"Por el lado oscuro del camino" - Mexico
"Route perdue" - Canada (French title)
"Strade perdute" - Italy
"Zagubiona autostrada" - Poland

MPAA:

Rated R for bizarre violent and sexual content, and for strong language

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Italy:VM18 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | Brazil:12 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Mexico:C | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Poland:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

October Films

Trivia:

The three paintings visible above Fred and Renee's sofa are by Lynch's ex-wife. The text of the one wherein the woman reads a note from her child is reproduced in a David Foster Wallace essay regarding Lost Highway's production: "Dear Mom I keep having my fish dream. They bite my face! Tell dad I dont take naps. The fishes are skinny an mad I miss you. His wife makes me eat trouts and anchovys The fishes make nosis they blow bubbels. How are you [unreadable] you fine? don't forget to lock the doors the fishes [unreadable] me they hate me. Love form DANA"

Quotes:

[Pete, disturbed by the saxophone music on a radio, switches the channels]
Phil:What'd you change it for? I liked that.
Pete Dayton:Well, I don't!
Phil:I liked that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Spaced: Change (#2.2)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

This Magic Moment

An intense experience

Clearly, as with most of David Lynch's films, Lost Highway is not for everyone. It is, as Lynch intended it to be, a film realization of a dream. In this regard, it is comparable, in terms of artistry and raw intensity to Kurosawa's _Dreams_. Indeed, in terms of sensory experience - cinematography and sound, for example - Kurosawa and Lynch have few rivals. However, the comparison falls away rather quickly in consideration of the film's content. Lost Highway is really no dream, but a nightmare.

Let's face it, like it or not, everything Lynch does is intentional. This film has inspired polarized reviews here on IMDB. Those looking for a plot-heavy movie that they do not necessarily have to pay attention to tend to despise it. Those who are open to allowing this manipulative, intensely disturbing and thought-provoking film to carry them into its own parcel of hell love it. This is, in my opinion, what good art can do.

Like a dream, Lost Highway has as many plots as it does viewers with their own individual interpretations and perspectives. It forces itself upon you with a vengeance, but simultaneously encourages the kind of disengagement you experience when you are conscious that you are dreaming.

I recommend Lost Highway highly. See it with intelligent, open-minded friends who like to talk about film experiences. And expect that the conversation will keep you up way past your bed time.