robert altman's 3 WOMEN (1977)

here's a film that's as illuminating to another filmmaker's work as to its own: i've always been dubious about the more outré elements of David Lynch's work, drawing inspiration as he does from his dreams without the skill (or concern) to put these images and ideas to use beyond simple self-service, and Altman reinforces Lynch's folly with 3 Women by taking a curious dream and transforming it into something so detailed and delicate without sapping its unease. the end of the film finds Altman still unsure of its overall meaning, but the lengths to which he goes to discover it (and the overwhelming, if incomplete, degree to which he succeeds) makes all the difference.