Rabbits
Hurrah! After a little rooting around the internet, I was finally able to find a place that still hosted this, in this case as a single block as opposed to a series of short films. As mentioned in my previous post,
Rabbits was first brought to my attention by the usage of a few small scenes in
Inland Empire (which I'd definitely recommend, Nathander - I'd also been wanting to see it for a while, since they never screened it at my local cinema, and it was on my rental list for a bit before they sent it - I am planning to buy the DVD some time in the future, when the price is right).
As also mentioned above (and pictured below), the film revolves around a trio of anthropomorphic rabbits - Jack, Jane and Suzie - who inhabit a sinister sitcom-esque environment. Whenever one of them enters the room, applause is heard, and a laugh track plays at various points throughout, despite there being nothing at all comedic within their verbal exchanges, which are deeply foreboding and jumbled all over, so that whenever one of the rabbits speaks, it rarely pertains to what has just been said. Occasionally, one of the rabbits will stand before the audience and recite some kind of incomprehensible monologue, or they'll engage in what appears to be a kind of ritual, complete with burning torches.
Indeed, it's a very novel concept and, I felt, used to really great, chilling effect. Can't say I have much of a clue right now as to what any of it's supposed to mean (it
is David Lynch, after all), but it genuinely enraptured me, and the fearful, disconcerting little atmosphere it generated was beautifully sustained throughout, with a couple of moments that even made me jump. I can only hope that they'll consider giving this a proper DVD release of its own some time in the future.