David Lynch’s 22 Strangest ‘Otherworld’ Characters
3. The Rabbits: Inland Empire/Rabbits
I am going to find out one day. When will you tell it? There are many bizarre and surreal characters on this list, but none come close to Lynchs infamous Rabbits. First appearing in an online sitcom of the same name, Lynch ultimately re-employed them as otherworldly figures in the complex shape shifting narratives of Inland Empire. The sitcom, comprised of eight episodes, takes place entirely in one living room inhabited by three humanoid rabbits: Jack (voiced by Scott Coffey), Jane (voiced by Laura Elena Harring) and Suzie (voiced by Naomi Watts). Occasionally Rebekah Del Rio sings, taking Harrings place as Jane. The Rabbits converse in disjointed abstract phrases, often referring to a mysterious past and future that are never revealed: Were you blonde?; I am going to find out one day; I wonder who I will be. The entire atmosphere, soundtracked by Lynch at his dark ambient best, is eerie, enhanced by the fact that every time a character refers to time (what time is it?) the soundtrack is flooded with canned audience laughter. The audience also applauds as each character enters the room. There are many creepy one-off occurrences, including knocks and screams from the unseen space beyond the rooms only door. In Inland Empire, these sequences are interspersed with elements of the films actual story as if The Rabbits are somehow connected to the predicament of Nikki/Sue. Their jokes about time take on greater significance when placed in the context of the films disconnected narrative. It is as if The Rabbits whose presence naturally evokes the surreal rabbit hole narratives of Alice In Wonderland and Donnie Darko are mocking the characters and audiences attempts to locate temporal/spatial consistency in the film. Genuinely creepy.