David Lynch‘s screenplay for Ronnie Rocket is the story of a small man who runs on electricity and who gets kidnapped for his singing skills; and also of the detective who enters Ronnie’s mindscape in order to try and save him. It dates right back to the beginning of Lynch’s feature film career, apparently written when he was in production on Eraserhead, but despite it being a genuine passion project, the director has never seen fit to put it before cameras. Actually – it might be because of this passion that Ronnie Rocket has remained on the page. It seems like Lynch has always been worried about not doing his idea justice.
In a new interview with Salon, Lynch says that he does pick the script up:
…from time to time … there’s always something I haven’t figured out yet. I want to make it; I love that world.
“Always something I haven’t figured out yet” – “something” singular, but “always”. Maybe Lynch is forever looking for a reason to not make the film.
But he says he wants to do it, and I can promise you, I want him to do it too.
At the moment, Lynch is not at work on a fiction film but making a documentary about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, leader of the transcendental meditation movement that the director so keenly supports. And, outside of the old day job, Lynch is now very successfully moonlighting as a musician. His debut album Crazy Clown Time came along a couple of months back and really does deserve a listen. It’s the sort of thing that, if you like it, you’re probably going to really love. Check it out on Spotify.
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Ronnie Rocket is Lynch’s next fiction film, somewhere down the line., but I wouldn’t bet on it. In fact, I’m not even convinced he’s ever going to make another feature film. Self distribution via the internet has opened up a lot of possibilities, and for Lynch, this seems to mean the freedom to doodle, and release those doodles, relatively free of pressure. I’ve got a hunch he might spend the rest of his career sketching, never taking anything further.
