path that Streit travels. There is a scene in the film many times: under a clear sky, Mr. Streit drove an old weeder slowly on a straight, narrow road with no end in sight. , On both sides of the road are wheat fields full of Andrew Wise’s pastoral style. The warm sun is shining, and the entire United States seems to be a huge own garden. There is a good poem: "Why do I often have tears in my eyes, because I love this land so deeply", David Lynch is undoubtedly deeply in love with the land where he lives, so he Will repeat the aerial photography of the vast wheat fields so frequently.
As the aerial shots got higher and higher, the figure of Stritt driving the lawn mower alone curled up into a small point in the huge background, which made people feel a kind of extraordinarily lonely. Why does he insist on walking this path alone? Maybe he wants to take this to relive his long life, because embarking on a journey is not only a process of finding relatives, but also a way for the elderly to organize their thoughts and recall the journey of life. Therefore, the road here again symbolizes the journey of life, and even symbolizes the historical process of human struggle. In addition, the road to the beginning and end of sight also bears the extension of time: in the time that never passes, each of us is a hurried passer-by, and a single life entity can only intercept a short period of time. The lonely journey of Stritt's difficult journey is just like the life of each of us: everyone is destined to go on a journey alone from birth, after all, there will be no partner who can walk with you.
David Lynch uses his indifferent and intuitive lens language to convey to us a sense of desolation in the face of time and the sadness after seeing the landscape at the end of life. The road is the tragedy for our existence, the unspeakable truth of life, and the cold reality. Here, Lynch is undoubtedly pessimistic.
Starry sky
The starry sky is another reality beyond the long road. Stritt often looked up at the stars, because his soul could have a short rest there. The starry sky not only carries Strutt's dreams and hopes, it is also a carrier for mankind to transcend the ordinary and the world, and the great sentiment of mankind to overcome self, defeat destiny, and become one with the universe. The starry sky symbolizes philosophy, art, scientific exploration, and all the pure land that can temporarily rescue people from trivial life and fate. In the process of looking up at the starry sky, we gain peace of mind and become one with this mysterious and unknown world briefly. Under the dazzling starry sky, David Lynch is undoubtedly optimistic. He even used this form of reaching the same goal by different paths to embody the wonderful state of "the unity of nature and man" of ancient Eastern sages.
Stritt’s gaze
Stritt’s gaze is the golden key to our interpretation of the characters and the meaning of the film. His eyes are always full of rich expressions: when facing some mentally retarded daughters, he is kind, full of compassion and deep affection; when facing neighbors, he is firm and friendly; facing strange girls who need help, He is considerate and tolerant; facing the twin repairman who collects money from him, he is full of the cunning and simple sense of humor peculiar to the elderly; when looking up at the stars, his eyes are intoxicated; he recalls his comrade-in-arms who killed him by mistake. , His eyes were full of deep guilt and self-blame, and he couldn't help but feel sad; when facing his brother, whom he hadn't seen for many years, his eyes flashed with joy, but there was a bit of bitterness, a little relieved.
Unlike most elderly people who are accustomed to self-enclosure, Stritt always has an open heart when facing strangers. His eyes are full of the calmness and ocean-like tolerance after the vicissitudes of life in his twilight years. He raises his arms to say hello to the life individuals who pass by on each journey, even if the other person does not appreciate it, he does not care. We saw the old man's thorough understanding at the end of his life, and finally opened his heart to the world with confidence after the loneliness and sorrow. Maybe only at this age can we have such an open-minded and open heart!
In the end, Stritt met his younger brother who was as old as he wanted, and when the two of them sat and talked together as they did in childhood, I gave a knowing smile from the bottom of my heart. This touch is so simple, but so long aftertaste.
Mr. Stray is a unique old man in the history of world cinema. "Mr. Stray's Story" is a fresh and timeless poem by David Lynch after he has washed away his lead.
View more about The Straight Story reviews
