My Thoughts On David Lynch's Rabbits (And Subcategory On Hidden Logic Systems)
Updated: 3 days ago
(The Subcategory:
Subcategory Notes
Due to the human reliance on patterns as a means to understand reality, a human mind that won't be able to detect patterns in a piece of media, could easily reject it as utterly absurd. However, looking beyond the Platonic Cave could help us understand better -- and embrace -- many weird pieces, and even people, as retaining logical consistency of some kind.
Should societies worldwide resume lambasting the value of philosophical exploration, we would deter ourselves from further expanding our minds into new cognitive territories, otherwise rejected as "too weird".
The Subcategory's Prime Example: A David Lynch Filmography Piece
David Lynch's "Rabbits" is a cinematic enigma that defies easy categorization or labeling. At its core, the film is a surrealist exploration of consciousness, challenging viewers to question their perceptions of normalcy.
It is a masterclass in the art of subversion, where the familiar is twisted into an eerie, yet strangely coherent, world. At its heart, the film presents a paradox: a seemingly chaotic narrative, which adheres regardless to a rigorous internal logic, obscured by an eccentric exterior.
Initially, the film's absurdity is overwhelming. The mixture of innocent childlike imagery of a rabbit family, with an underlying sense of dread and darkness is unsettling. However, upon closer examination, a method emerges from the madness.
Sensibility Within Absurdity
“Rabbits” has made me want to make a film that similarly explores the boundaries between normality and surrealism within a domestic scene. Lynch cleverly utilises film to create something horrific without any of the usual conventions or imagery such as gore or jump scares.
He scripts the language and the few props to portray something frightening and dark, which is something I want to explore -- making an audience on edge with something that is not quite right for some unknown reason. -- Lily Cripps
Lynch seems to be constructing a microcosm of society. It is there, where the familiar rhythms of domestic life are disrupted by inexplicable, anxiety-triggering occurrences we try to deny as we go about our days. The characters' repetitive actions and nonsensical utterances mirror the often-meaningless routines of our own lives. Rabbits, psychologically, are quite varied as humans are.
Rabbit personalities are as varied as ours. There are total sweethearts and those that are aloof. There are bunnies who are only comfortable around other rabbits and those that are only comfortable around non-rabbits.
There are those with anger issues and those that are always looking to see what sort of trouble they can cause. There are those that are moody. There are divas and goof-balls, and those who - I am quite convinced - if they were human, would aim for World Domination. -- The Educated Rabbit
Upon further research of both rabbits and the movie itself, we can understand better how even the most uncanny of things retain logical consistencies that can be compared to logic found in the real world. The more correct cross-references we make in information, the more sensible the multi-layers of reality can appear to us. As such, hidden logic systems like the one found in this Lynchian movie can become clearer, and are mainly hidden due to our own default, universal ignorance.
How the Bias of Fear Toys With Your Mind
The narrative, if it can be called that, revolves around three humanoid rabbits inhabiting a seemingly mundane domestic space. Their interactions are marked by an unsettling lack of attachment, followed by nonsensical dialogue and jarringly placed laughter tracks.
Lynch's signature blend of the ordinary and the uncanny is on full display, creating a disorienting atmosphere that lingers under your skin long after the credits roll.
The film's surface is dominated by the absurd, a prime element in existentialist philosophy. Anthropomorphic rabbits engaging in mundane activities without any purpose beyond waiting for an inevitable end of some kind.
As such, the consistent application of surreal elements create a framework that, while unfamiliar, is undeniably logical... Being a Surreal Horror film, it is defined by the fear of the incomprehensible. The emotional matrix of fear traps us in a fabricated reality, as our rational thinking gets compromised by the unreliability of what our hearts tell us is going on.
The stream of internal dread which we experience could be solved by keeping our minds calm, and therefore relaxed enough to break the mental matrix by asking questions and doubting our own impressions. Then, we can find out universes with rules redefined.
A Universe Redefined
Lynch's genius lies in his ability to establish a new set of rules for his universe. Once these rules are accepted, the film begins to make sense, although still unconventionally. The laughter tracks and the cryptic conversations, and the nonsensical dialogue are not random acts of absurdity but integral parts of this new reality. They are the building blocks of a language we are yet to fully comprehend, as all we left with are theories.
By obscuring this internal logic with a barrage of eccentric visuals and sounds, Lynch challenges the viewer to actively engage with the film. Puzzling us, we may be inclined to question our preconceived notions of narrative and meaning, encouraging us to look beyond the surface-level strangeness. In doing so, we begin to appreciate the intricate web of connections that underpins the film's seemingly chaotic structure. Such unity of connection and reason can be found in our own reality after all.
Conclusions
Through this surreal lens, Lynch invites us to reconsider our assumptions about reality. Perhaps the world we inhabit is just as illogical and arbitrary as the one presented in "Rabbits."? What if our world is far more complex than this film is? What if we're just used to absurdity in our own reality, and therefore we are biased towards what is merely seen as the unknown, as the seemingly devoid?
Ultimately, "Rabbits" is a provocative work that rewards repeated viewings. It is a film that refuses to be easily understood, forcing viewers to confront their own preconceptions about narrative and meaning. In doing so, it offers a unique and thought-provoking cinematic experience, without even using much effects nor props. The film was made in Lynch's garden.
The movie presents us the power of cinema to create entirely new worlds using very little, showing us how less can be much, much more. It is a film that rewards patience and close attention, offering a rich and rewarding experience for those willing to embrace its unique logic.
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