The Controversial David Lynch Film that Marlon Brando Dubbed as Pretentious Nonsense

The Big Picture

David Lynch's abandoned film projects, including Dream of the Bovine, are often characterized by their absurdity and exploration of misunderstanding and stupidity.

Lynch's infatuation with Hollywood legends such as Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe played a pivotal role in shaping his artistic approach and had a profound impact on the evolution of his movies.

Against all odds, Marlon Brando's lack of enthusiasm towards the project gradually transformed into an unconventional bond with David Lynch, resulting in numerous visits to Lynch's home.

David Lynch, the renowned filmmaker behind works such as Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, and Blue Velvet, ventured into television with his collaboration with Mark Frost on the series Twin Peaks. This eccentric and captivating whodunit soap opera aired for two seasons from 1990 to 1991. Following the series, Lynch directed the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, shifting from co-creator Mark Frost to co-writer Robert Engels, allowing the movie to delve deeper into its surreal and abstract elements that were only lightly touched upon in the series. During the anticipation of the film's release in 1992, Lynch had the fortunate opportunity to select his next project, and he chose to collaborate with the iconic Marlon Brando.

In addition to Lynch's numerous books about his life, career, and transcendental meditation, there could be a comprehensive compilation of all the projects he almost pursued. During this period, Lynch and Mark Frost penned a comedic script called One Saliva Bubble, originally intended for Steve Martin and Martin Short. The screenplay depicted the residents of Newtonville, Pennsylvania, who encounter a bizarre situation after an airborne saliva bubble disrupts a confidential government satellite, resulting in a town-wide body-swapping phenomenon. Unfortunately, when producer Dino De Laurentiis' company faced financial troubles, the project fell through. Subsequently, Lynch reunited with Robert Engels to craft a new film titled Dream of the Bovine, specifically tailored for Marlon Brando.

What Would 'Dream of Bovine' Have Been About?

It is challenging to fully comprehend the essence of David Lynch's projects, even after their completion, let alone those that never reached production. His films often delve into nightmarish dreamscapes to explore the inner turmoil of his characters. Lynch once expressed to the American Film Institute that the beauty of film lies in its ability to convey abstractions. Cinema serves as a language where intuition can freely roam, and Lynch effectively employs its unique qualities to provide audiences with an experiential journey, rather than a mere plot explanation. Despite this, a few details regarding the plot of Dream of the Bovine have surfaced over the years. It has been rumored that the film would have been shot in black and white and partially set in Paris in 1911. According to writer Robert Engels, Dream of the Bovine would have centered around three individuals who were formerly cows, attempting to assimilate into life in Van Nuys. In his book Room to Dream, Lynch stated that Dream of the Bovine falls within the same realm as One Saliva Bubble, both exploring themes of misunderstanding and stupidity. However, One Saliva Bubble leans more towards a feel-good narrative, while Dream of the Bovine takes on an absurd comedic tone. Lynch himself was aware of the irony surrounding the project, describing it as a deliberately low-quality production intended to be absurdly bad. Similar to One Saliva Bubble, the film would have featured Marlon Brando and Harry Dean Stanton in the leading roles, although the overall lack of interest, particularly from Brando, hindered its development.

David Lynch Loves Hollywood Icons Like Marlon Brando

David Lynch has always been fascinated with the juxtapositions found in Hollywood. His collaboration with Mark Frost on an unfinished Marilyn Monroe biopic inspired the creation of the iconic Laura Palmer character in Twin Peaks. This led to another project, Mulholland Drive, which drew inspiration from the life of Judy Garland from The Wizard of Oz, instead of Monroe. These Hollywood icons heavily influence Lynch's directing style, with Kyle MacLachlan receiving the note, "Elvis! Think Elvis!" from Lynch himself. If Marlon Brando had joined Lynch's group of collaborators, it would have introduced a different aspect of Hollywood iconography into his filmography.

In his book, Lynch recalls his attempt to persuade Brando to work with Harry Dean Stanton on a project together. However, Brando vehemently rejected the idea as "pretentious bullshit." Despite this setback, Stanton went on to collaborate with Lynch on various projects, including The Straight Story and the revival of Twin Peaks, as well as acting alongside him in the film Lucky. The enigmatic Brando left Lynch unsure whether he was being sincere or simply messing around. At this point in Brando's career, he was losing interest in acting, leading to a reputation for being difficult to work with. Surprisingly, this encounter was not the end of Lynch's intriguing connection with the legendary star of On the Waterfront.

Marlon Brando and David Lynch Developed A Strange Relationship

Image via Columbia Pictures

Despite the failed project of Dream of the Bovine, a peculiar friendship bloomed between David Lynch and Marlon Brando in the following years. Lynch reflects in Room to Dream, "He visited my house a couple of times, which made me slightly anxious as I was unsure of his purpose or intentions. So, I decided to offer him some coffee, but as soon as he arrived, he asked, 'Do you have anything to eat?'" Lynch obliged Brando's odd requests, never fully comprehending the motive behind his visits. At times, he wondered whether Brando desired a collaboration with him and Harry Dean Stanton, albeit on a different project than Dream of the Bovine.

"During that period, Marlon occasionally dressed as a woman, and his ultimate desire was to have Harry Dean join him in this portrayal. They imagined having a teatime conversation while improvising. Just imagine that! It would have been absolutely incredible! I would have simply turned on the camera, but unfortunately, Marlon didn't follow through. It drove me insane. He should have done it!" Regrettably, only a select few had the privilege of witnessing this extraordinary experience. Marlon Brando passed away in 2004, followed by Harry Dean Stanton in 2017, meaning that this unique blend of talent can never be enjoyed by the general public. In 2017, after a long hiatus, Lynch returned to the Twin Peaks series, where he briefly pays homage to Brando by introducing the character Wally, portrayed by Michael Cera. Wally is directly inspired by Brando's character in the 1953 film The Wild One, a role Lynch had always wanted to direct.