Inland Empire (2006)

Director:

David Lynch

Writer (WGA):

David Lynch (written by)

Release Date:

7 February 2007 (Belgium)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A Woman In Trouble

Plot:

As an actress starts to adopt the persona of her character in a film, her world starts to become nightmarish and surreal.

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Polish | Shooting | Confusion | Blonde

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Laura Dern	...	Nikki Grace / Susan Blue
Jeremy Irons	...	Kingsley Stewart
Justin Theroux	...	Devon Berk / Billy Side
Karolina Gruszka	...	Lost Girl
Jan Hencz	...	Janek (as Jan Hench)
Krzysztof Majchrzak	...	Phantom
Grace Zabriskie	...	Visitor #1
Ian Abercrombie	...	Henry the Butler
Karen Baird	...	Servant
Bellina Logan	...	Linda
Amanda Foreman	...	Tracy
Peter J. Lucas	...	Piotrek Król
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Freddie Howard
Cameron Daddo	...	Devon Berk's Manager
Jerry Stahl	...	Devon Berk's Agent
John T. Churchill	...	1st A.D. Chuck Ross (as John Churchill)
Phil DeSanti	...	2nd A.D. Tim Hurst
Chamonix Bosch	...	3rd A.D. Sally Irwin
Sara Glaser	...	Script Supervisor Ellen Thomas
Neil Dickson	...	Producer
Edward St. George	...	Hair Stylist
Diane Ladd	...	Marilyn Levens
Melissa Lowndes	...	Marilyn Levens' Assistant
Marsha Lewis	...	Marilyn Levens' Hair Stylist
Jeremy Alter	...	Stage Manager
William H. Macy	...	Announcer
Austin Jack Lynch	...	Devon Berk's Driver (as Austin Lynch)
Jason Weinberg	...	Nikki Grace's Manager
Heidi Bivens	...	Devon Berk's Wardrobe Assistant
Randy Johnson	...	Studio Security Guard #1
Duncan K. Fraser	...	Studio Security Guard #2
Stanislaw Kazimierz Cybulski	...	Mr. Zydowicz
Henryka Cybulski	...	Mrs. Zydowicz
Julia Ormond	...	Doris Side
Robert Charles Hunter	...	Detective Hutchinson
Ewa Jerzykowski	...	Head Manservant
Scott Andrew Ressler	...	Camera Operator (as Scott Ressler)
Emily Stofle	...	Lanni
Jordan Ladd	...	Terri
Kristen Kerr	...	Lori
Terryn Westbrook	...	Chelsi
Jamie Eifert	...	Sandi
Kat Turner	...	Dori (as Kathryn Turner)
Michelle Renea	...	Kari
Adam Zdunek	...	Man on Street
Erik Crary	...	Mr. K
Wendy Rhodes	...	Salli
Mikhaila Aaseng	...	Tammi
Stanley Kamel	...	Koz Kakawski
Marek Zydowicz	...	Gordy
Michal Korolko	...	Circus Man #1
Kazimierz Suwala	...	Circus Man #2
Alfredo Ponce	...	Circus Man #3
Bryson Lang	...	Circus Man #4
Janusz Hetman	...	Circus Man #5
Michal Stopowski	...	Circus Man #6
Dominiya Grudzka	...	Woman #1
Pawel Kubisiak	...	Man #1
Dominika Biernat	...	Woman #1 (voice) (as Dominika Bievnet)
Marcin Brzozowski	...	Man #1 (voice) (as Brzozowski Marcin)
Scout Alter	...	Billy Side's Son
Alexi Yulish	...	Doctor
Lou Buchignani	...	Billy Side's Butler
Marek Szmigiel	...	Janek's Driver
Mary Steenburgen	...	Visitor #2
Leon Niemczyk	...	Marek
Józef Zbiróg	...	Darek
Marian Stanislawski	...	Franciszek
Charlene Harding	...	Roxi
Suzete Belouin	...	Mandi (as Suzette Belouin)
Lisa Dengler-Eaton	...	Club Dancer
Gail Greaves	...	Bartender
Joseph L. Altruda	...	Bassist (as Joseph Altruda)
Jay P. Work	...	Saxophonist
William K. McNeil	...	Drummer (as William McNeil)
Carolina Cerisola	...	Club Backstage Girl
Leah Morelli	...	Carolina
Helena Chase	...	Street Person #1
Nae	...	Street Person #2
Terry Crews	...	Street Person #3
Kris Kane	...	Nikki Grace's Wardrobe Assistant
Michelle Clark	...	Make-Up Artist
Brandon Reinhardt	...	Smithy's Son
Tracy Ashton	...	The Marine's Sister
Masuimi Max	...	Niko
Dominiquie Vandenberg	...	Trainyard Worker
Penny Hintz	...	Teacher
Nick 13	...	Archaeologist
Keith Kjarval	...	Lumberjack
Monique Cash	...	Lead Dancer
Latrina Bolger	...	Dancing Girl #1
Fulani Bahati	...	Dancing Girl #2
Ashley Calloway	...	Dancing Girl #3
Erynn Dickerson	...	Dancing Girl #4
Jovonie Leonard	...	Dancing Girl #5
Jennifer Locke	...	Dancing Girl #6
Nastassja Kinski	...	The Lady
Laura Harring	...	Jane Rabbit
Scott Coffey	...	Jack Rabbit (voice)
Naomi Watts	...	Suzie Rabbit (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lauran Doverspike	...	The Other Woman (uncredited)
Ben Harper	...	Piano Player (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
David Lynch	...	Bucky J (voice) (uncredited)
William Maier	...	Karolina's Friend (uncredited)
Greg Marcks	...	TV Cameraman (uncredited)
Weronika Rosati	...	Courtesan (uncredited)
Ole Johan Roska	...	Norwegian crew member (uncredited)
Heidi Schooler	...	Lilli (uncredited)
Odd-Geir Sæther	...	Norwegian crew member (uncredited)
Tarek Zohdy	...	Bar Bouncer (uncredited)

Directed by
David Lynch

Writing credits (WGA)
David Lynch		(written by)

Produced by
Jay Aaseng	....	associate producer
Jeremy Alter	....	co-producer
Erik Crary	....	associate producer
Laura Dern	....	co-producer
Lukasz Dzieciol	....	assistant line producer: Poland
Piotr Dzieciol	....	line producer: Poland
Janusz Hetman	....	co-producer: Poland
Lucja Kedzior	....	assistant line producer: Poland
Keith Kjarval	....	executive producer
David Lynch	....	producer
Ewa Puszczynska	....	executive line producer: Poland
Michal Stopowski	....	co-producer: Poland
Sabrina S. Sutherland	....	associate producer
Kazimierz Suwala	....	co-producer: Poland
Mary Sweeney	....	producer
Marek Zydowicz	....	executive producer: Poland

Cinematography by
David Lynch

Film Editing by
David Lynch

Casting by
Johanna Ray

Art Direction by
Christina Ann Wilson		(as Christina Wilson)

Set Decoration by
Melanie Rein

Costume Design by
Karen Baird
Heidi Bivens

Makeup Department
Colleen Campbell-Olwell	....	additional makeup artist (as Coleen Campbell-Olwell)
Michelle Clark	....	key makeup artist
Duke Cullen	....	special makeup effects artist
Anna Kieszczynska	....	key makeup artist: Poland
Marsha Lewis	....	hairdresser: Diane Ladd
Tomasz Sielecki	....	key hairdresser: Poland
Edward St. George	....	key hairdresser

Production Management
Erik Crary	....	production supervisor
Greg Spence	....	post-production supervisor

Art Department
Jay Aaseng	....	construction team
Jeremy Alter	....	construction team
Dianne Chadwick	....	art department assistant (as Diane Chadwick)
Erik Crary	....	construction team
Phil DeSanti	....	construction team
John Evans	....	construction team
Grzegorz Gulazdowski	....	property master: Poland
Gretchen Houk	....	assistant set decorator
Dean Hurley	....	construction team
David Kern	....	construction team
Austin Jack Lynch	....	construction team (as Austin Lynch)
David Lynch	....	construction team
Riley Lynch	....	construction team
Josh Mann	....	construction crew
Noriko Miyakawa	....	construction crew
Sara Philpott	....	art department assistant
Alfredo Ponce	....	construction coordinator
Jon Reynolds	....	assistant art director (as Jon Sheppard-Reynolds)
Jon Reynolds	....	construction team (as Jon Sheppard-Reynolds)
Ole Johan Roska	....	construction crew
Bob Schaefer	....	scenic painter
Anna Skarbek	....	assistant art director
Anna Skarbek	....	construction team
Swietlana Slawska	....	set decorator: Poland (as Svietlana Slawska)
Emily Stofle	....	construction team
Kory C. Victor	....	assistant art director
Kory C. Victor	....	construction team (as Kory Victor)
Jonathan Wenstrup	....	construction team
Christina Ann Wilson	....	construction team (as Christina Wilson)
Wojciech Wolniak	....	art director: Poland

Sound Department
Zane D. Bruce	....	foley walker (as Zane Bruce)
David A. Cohen	....	dialogue editor (as David Cohen)
Ronald Eng	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ronald Eng	....	sound supervisor
John Evans	....	boom operator
Sara Glaser	....	utility sound
Dean Hurley	....	sound mixer
Dean Hurley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dean Hurley	....	sound supervisor
Damian Jankowski	....	boom operator: Poland
David Lynch	....	sound designer
David Lynch	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ryan Maguire	....	foley mixer
John Neff	....	additional location sound recordist
Willard Overstreet	....	foley editor
Sean Rowe	....	foley walker
Daniel Sikorski	....	additional sound: Poland
Robert Troy	....	dialogue editor
Steve Tushar	....	sound editor
Sara Glaser	....	sound mixer: second unit (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gary D'Amico	....	special physical effects
Ken Rudell	....	special physical effects technician

Visual Effects by
George Koran	....	digital intermediate colorist
Stephen Lawes	....	main title designer & animator

Stunts
Thomas Dewier	....	stunt rigger (as Thomas DeWeir)
Dominiquie Vandenberg	....	stunt rigger
Garrett Warren	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jay Aaseng	....	additional camera operator
Jeremy Alter	....	additional camera operator
Erik Crary	....	camera operator
Eric Curtis	....	electrician
Peter Deming	....	additional lighting technician
Phil DeSanti	....	camera assistant
Josh Fritts	....	electrician
Maciej Jedrzejek	....	grip: Poland
David Lynch	....	camera operator
Mariusz Matuszewski	....	grip: Poland
Paul Postal	....	electrician
Bradley Reed	....	electrician
Tom Richmond	....	additional camera operator
Michael Roberts	....	still photographer
Ole Johan Roska	....	camera operator
Jozef Strycharz	....	grip: Poland
Odd-Geir Sæther	....	additional lighting technician (as Odd Geir Saether)
Odd-Geir Sæther	....	camera operator (as Odd Geir Saether)
Deverill Weekes	....	additional still photographer
Jonathan Wenstrup	....	gaffer
Maciej Zwierzchowski	....	gaffer: Poland

Casting Department
Monika Wendorff	....	casting: Poland
Wanda Wilgucka	....	casting: Poland

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Agnès B.	....	additional wardrobe (as Agnes B.)
Karen Baird	....	wardrobe
Heidi Bivens	....	wardrobe
Paulina Polom	....	costume supervisor: Poland
Rita Rago	....	wardrobe shopper: Laura Dern

Editorial Department
Bill Admans	....	digital assembly editor
Eric Bassett	....	post-production technical advisor
George Koran	....	mastering colorist
Mato	....	film color timer
Noriko Miyakawa	....	assistant editor
Noriko Miyakawa	....	post-production coordinator
Michael Riolo	....	digital assembly editor

Music Department
Marek Zebrowski	....	composer: additional music
Marek Zebrowski	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Lukasz Ciolek	....	driver: Poland
Marian Koper	....	driver: Poland
Witold Kowalewski	....	driver: Poland

Other crew
Jay Aaseng	....	production coordinator
Michael Brodersen	....	post-production project manager: FotoKem
Chandra Cohn	....	trainer
Phil DeSanti	....	key production team
Chad Dunn	....	trainer
Pierre Edelman	....	special consultant
Melissa Elliott	....	title designer: end titles
Marina Girard	....	financial consultant
Craig Glenn	....	additional production assistant
Matt Hosseinzadeh	....	additional production assistant
Ewa Jurkowska-Brzoska	....	assistant: Laura Dern, Poland
Kris Kane	....	assistant: Jeremy Irons
Norman A. Kellems	....	coordinator: LAPD (as Norm Kellems)
David Kern	....	key production team
Eric Ladd	....	main title designer
Jayme Lemons	....	assistant: Laura Dern (as Jamie Lemons)
Gillbert M. Loust	....	coordinator: LAPD (as Gil Loust)
Josh Mann	....	key production team
Malgorzata Marchinkowska	....	accountant: Poland
Mike Mitchell	....	additional production assistant
James Notari	....	additional production assistant
Joanna Prewysz-Kwinto	....	accountant: Poland
Michal Prewysz-Kwinto	....	key production team: Poland
Mark Sawyer	....	additional production assistant
Tomasz Sliwinski	....	public relations: Poland
Agnieszka Swoinska	....	caterer: Poland
Agnieszka Swoinska	....	hotel accommodations: Poland
Frances Tamaariki	....	assistant: Laura Dern
Yolanta Tensor	....	talking production assistant
Adam Zdunek	....	key production team: Poland
Marek Zebrowski	....	translation services: Poland
Pawel Zydowicz	....	key production team: Poland
Peter Deming	....	photographic consultant (uncredited)
Haylee R. Twombly	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Debbie Allen	....	special thanks
Patricia Norris	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Studio Canal
• Fundacja Kultury
• Camerimage Festival
• Absurda
• Asymmetrical Productions
• Inland Empire Productions

Distributors

• 518 Media (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Absurda (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• BIM Distribuzione (2006) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2007) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2006) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2007) (Germany) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Distribution Company (2007) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Kadokawa Herald Pictures (2007) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Sonet Film (2007) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Studio Canal (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• BIM Distribuzione (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Kadokawa Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2010) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Pan Vision (2007) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Rhino Entertainment Company (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Film Emporium Insurance Services  insurance by
• FotoKem Digital Film Services  digital intermediate (as FotoKem)
• FotoKem Film and Video  digital intermediate
• MPRM Public Relations  publicity
• Opus Film Studio  unit production services: Poland
• The Music Bridge  music clearances
• Unified Pictures  special thanks
• Working Wildlife  animal handling
• Wyman & Isaacs  production legal

Also Known As:

"Inland Empire: A Woman in Trouble" - USA (long title)
"El imperio" - Mexico
"Império dos Sonhos" - Brazil
"Imperio" - Argentina
"Inland Empire" - Portugal (imdb display title)
"Inland Empire" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Inland Empire" - Spain
"Inland Empire" - Greece
"Inland Empire - Eine Frau in Schwierigkeiten" - Germany
"Inland empire - L'impero della mente" - Italy
"Inland empire - Siseimpeerium" - Estonia

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some violence and sexuality/nudity

Runtime:

180 min | Poland:197 min (Camerimage Film Fest)

Country:

France | Poland | USA

Language:

English | Polish

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iran:18+ | UK:15 | Belgium:KNT | France:U | Poland:18 | Italy:T | Ireland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Spain:13 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | Australia:MA | Spain:18 (DVD rating) | Brazil:14 | USA:R (certificate #42975) | New Zealand:R16 | Iceland:14 | Chile:TE

Filming Locations:

Avalon Hollywood - 1735 Vine Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Studio Canal

Trivia:

Stars Laura Dern and Justin Theroux have both said they have no idea what the film is about.

Quotes:

Nikki:Hey... hey. Watch this move.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Chacun son cinéma ou Ce petit coup au coeur quand la lumière s'éteint et que le film commence (2007)

Soundtrack:

De Natura Sonoris II

Kieslowski Films Joyce

I saw this during a period of extreme emotional stress, probably the best possible mode. It was also surrounded by my listening to "Big Fish," Lynch's book, read by himself. The contrast is astonishing: Lynch's banal aphorisms in the book with rich, multilayered cinematic literacy in the film. Yet another lesson in relative articulation and the notion that an artist often is the worst authority on himself.

Let's have no mistake: this film is important. I place it on my list as one of the two films of 2006 that you must see.

There's a lot to say about this. I think I'll let others comment on Dern's attunements, and the general notion of the story having to do with guilt and sexual desire.

I'll comment only on two aspects which struck me. The first was how Polish this movie is. Its Polish within the story of course: a good half of the action involves Poles. The plot device is a Polish curse that somehow bends time and causality. And there are some Polish locations as well.

But the thing is shot using Kieslowski's mannerisms. Its a peculiar style that to my knowledge no one else has used. It focuses on two motions: that of the environment as space which governs and changes. And that of the characters in motion, but situated in the spaces. With Kieslowski, he literally splits these in the writer's mind by having his writing partner handle the noir bits, the controlling fate, and he handling the independently sprouting human seeds within. Lynch handles both sides by imposing schizophrenia.

But its Polish in other ways too. The actor as Golem. The environment as interleaved worlds, each creating the others by being. Its a Kabbalistic concept. Both are characteristically Polish, usually associated with Polish Jews, but more deeply Polish. You can see how Lynch understands this because he quotes "The Saragossa Manuscript," a Polish film about interweaving of kabbalistic worlds and the causal confusion that it brings.

The second thing is how he exploits this merger of folded narrative -- where actors write new worlds; layered emanations where worlds spawn others -- not parallel but linked in generative fate; geometric cosmology in which each act creates symmetries we encounter elsewhere.

He does all this by elaborating on the symmetries of cause. Ordinarily something causes something else, never backwards. Here it IS backwards, forwards, sideways -- all the eight dimensions that an advanced student of the Maharishi knows... causal symmetries that have a geometry that doesn't quite merge with the geometry of causality. Oddly, the story does make sense if you simply relax the causality a bit -- its much more accessible than the "Twin Peaks" meander.

I guess I should say that this is after the manner of the structure of "Finnegans Wake." Its not as elaborate of course. It didn't take 17 years and the deliberate intent of conflating all metaphors. But it is placed in a dream logic, a softening of the walls and hinges of what we make up as the logic of real life. Its Joycean through and through and not -- as some would say -- "surreal" as if anything not real is bent reality.

I know of a few filmmakers who can work with these notions: Medem, Greenaway, Madden, Ruiz. This is the most delicate and focused I've seen in a long, long while. You really must spend time with it. You must.

Here's a serious piece of advice though. See Lynch's "Rabbits" episodes first, separately, ideally a week or so ahead. Take them in as a standalone piece, a remarkable piece of film. Some of it is in this film, excerpted, extended, reshot and literally entered by all the Dern characters. But you'd be better having that anchor before starting this tempestvoyage.

Ted's Evaluation -- 4 of 3: Every cineliterate person should experience this.