The Story Archive

Inland Empire

David Lynch · 2006 CE · Film · Modern / American · Contemporary

An actress is cast opposite a known co-star in a Hollywood melodrama, and the director tells them on day one that the picture remakes an unfinished Polish production whose leads were murdered. Rehearsal rooms open onto her own house, a Los Angeles street becomes a Łódź courtyard, and a sitcom acted by people in rabbit heads runs alongside. Lynch shot it himself on consumer digital video and distributed it without a studio.

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Attributes

Genre
PsychologicalMysteryHorror
Theme
Identity & SelfMadnessAppearance vs RealityArt & Creation
Archetype (Jung / Campbell)
The DoubleShapeshifterGhost
Plot structure
Nonlinear / FracturedLabyrinth PlotMetafiction
Symbol / motif
The ScreenThe MirrorThe HouseThe Mask
Conflict
vs Selfvs Supernatural
Mode / tone
GothicAbsurdist
Culture / tradition
Modern / American

Closest analogues