I loved the cult classic/Lynchie vibes like you said. I found it amazing, it's the best game I've played this year.
Easy 10

Some reads of the story could involve the hand you play as being just as aspirational as the characters themselves, particularly in a way that both highlights the idea of breaking through obstacles but fitting into a grander greater plan for how everything fits together.

It's notable that Dawn rebels against this idea whereas Edwin reaches toward it, but not as himself. He wishes to become the thing he wants to be in tension with what Dawn does not want to be. Similarly, your hand is from the future attempting to stop what is to be so that something else can come to be.

I think one of the more fun questions of the game, and it may be highlighted by the endings, is whether the hand is more like Dawn or Edwin, and there is richness in exploring the tension between player and player character in some games.

Now that I've finished it I do have a couple questions:

1) It does feel like I need to understand a bit more wagner to understand some contours of the plot. But one thing that comes to mind is... What did he mean by "art that encompasses all life?" How did Greek theater do this and, in his opinion, his then contemporary art failed to do so?

2) Both the Nazi appropriation of Wagner and Operation Paperclip are crucial thematic points to the story, as well as Hitler himself following the pattern of Rejected artist becoming a monster. Yet the game seems desperate to not name Nazis and Hitler, using vague terms to imply them. None of the other historical facts are treated this way. Was this a concession for algorithm-wary streamers/youtubers to be able to cover the game, or was there a more deliberate purpose to this?