The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988)

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This is goofy and weird but a bit less so once you know what it is. It's part of a French omnibus program about France seen through the eyes of foreigners. Lynch was commissioned among others. The original has now faded from view as these things tend to, the short has carried on as part of Lynch's catalogue. So that's how we ended up having a western short with a Frenchman by him.The first part is the work he turned out. A bumbling Frenchman arrives in a ranch, seemingly spat out by the bush. Ranch-hands take out bagels from his oversized suitcase, Eiffel tower miniatures, snails, everything that is meant to be weird and stereotypically French from the American view. The cowboys have no idea what kind of 'thang' he is, perhaps a spy, but are finally elated to find out he's French.It's Lynch lampooning his own cultural removal as a country boy from Montana, certainly not mocking America. Harry Stanton as the overseer has a hearing problem and repeats questions; Lynch would write the same quirk into the character he would reserve for himself in Twin Peaks.This part is some of the funniest work he has done, a hoot of deadpan delivery.The second part is Lynch indulging his love for weirdly incongruous performance, the scrapyard theatrics he fills both his actual films with and now then has fun with in side projects. We have singing and dancing, French and American form melting into each other, a horse in slow motion. Less interesting.

I recently had the opportunity to see all of David Lynch's short films (on a compilation entitled "The Short Films of David Lynch" narrated by the auteur himself, I love Lynch's art in any form I can get it.) The short films range from artsy to funny to sickening. The Cowboy and the Frenchman was certainly funny. If you liked On The Air, you'll love this film short. And if you get the opportunity to see the short films compilation, don't pass it up.

This is the funniest thing that I have ever seen. Seriously. The absurdity of the entire thing is hilarious - I love Harry Dean Stanton's "What the hell?" that is repeated SO many times.The plot: Cowboy meets Frenchman and they become quick friends. This film is one that everybody can appreciate.

This movie should be used at film schools across the world as an example of the Art of Filmmaking. This Lynch original keeps with the consistency of his other amazing contributions to the world of Entertainment.David Lynch is a gift to the vast world of story telling and will surely be looked up to by newer generations of entertainers and artists. The cast deserves a round of applause as well. Harry Dean-Stanton is a true professional. Even if you're not into Lynch styled movies, you will be highly entertained by this film.