What a world we live in. One day you can just wake up and there's Netflix waiting for you with a 17-minute black-and-white film by David Lynch, starring David Lynch as a detective who interrogates a tough-talking monkey named Jack, who may have committed murder.
I don't know what else to say, other than WTF? But also, thank you, David Lynch. And happy birthday?
Apparently What Did Jack Do? was filmed in 2016 and premiered overseas back in 2017. It was just released on Netflix today -- Monday, January 20, 2020 -- aka David Lynch's own 74th birthday. The synopsis is simple:
A detective interrogates a monkey who is suspected of murder.
David Lynch is that detective. He also wrote, directed, and edited the short film. "Jack Cruz" is credited as the monkey, but it's not clear who is actually doing the voice. At one point, Jack -- in a suit -- starts singing (badly) like it's a grainy old-school musical. What Did Jack Do? should probably not be watched sober, but it should be watched by David Lynch fans, since this kind of surreal story is his niche. "Odd" is a term he gets a lot.
David Lynch's most recent credited work is the short film Ant Head in 2018, but he also brought back Twin Peaks for Showtime in 2017. Two seasons of Twin Peaks are now on Netflix (maybe don't watch the second one), with David Lynch once again posing a question -- in that case, Who killed Laura Palmer?
I hope What Did Jack Do? isn't just a birthday tease but previews more of his movies coming to Netflix. Why not Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Mulholland Drive, or at least Dune, since 2020 will bring a new star-studded adaptation from Denis Villeneuve? I'm sure Netflix users would love to re-watch David Lynch's movie with Kyle MacLachlan to compare.
David Lynch got himself trending on his birthday for this gift to fans, and the Internet appreciated it:
Not that David Lynch cares what the Internet thinks of his movies. Watch What Did Jack Do? here on Netflix. Keep up with all of Netflix's 2020 premiere and return dates with our handy schedule. Here's a look at everything heading to big screen this year.
