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David Lynch (1946-2025)



"My childhood was picket fences, blue skies, red flowers, and cherry trees - but then I would see millions of little ants swarming on the cherry tree, which had pitch oozing out of it... I discovered that if one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there's always red ants underneath."

Filmography

Theatrical Features
Eraserhead (1977)
The Elephant Man (1980)
Dune (1984)
Blue Velvet (1986)
Wild at Heart (1990)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
Lost Highway (1997)
The Straight Story (1999)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Inland Empire (2006)

Short Films
Six Men Getting Sick (1967)
Absurd Encounter with Fear (1967)
Fictitious Anacin Commercial (1967)
The Alphabet (1968)
The Grandmother (1970)
The Amputee (1974)
The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988)
Industrial Symphony No. 1 (1990)
Premonition Following an Evil Deed (1995)
Darkened Room (2002)
Ballerina (2006)
Absurda (2007)
Boat (2007)
Bug Crawls (2007)
Industrial Soundscape (2007)
Lamp (2007)
Out Yonder Neighbor Boy (2007)
Intervalometer Experiments (2007)
Lady Blue Shanghai (2010)
The 3 Rs (2011)
Idem Paris (2013)
What Did Jack Do? (2020)

Television and Online Series
Twin Peaks (1990-91, 2017)
On the Air (1992)
Hotel Room (1993)
Rabbits (2002)
Dumbland (2002)
Interview Project (2009-10)

Music Videos
Sparks - "I Predict" (1982)
Chris Isaak - "Wicked Game" (1990)
X Japan - "Longing" (1995)
BlueBob - "Thank You Judge" (1999)
Moby - "Shot in the Back of the Head" (2009)
Interpol - "I Touch a Red Button Man" (2010)
David Lynch - "Crazy Clown Time" (2011)
Nine Inch Nails - "Came Back Haunted" (2013)

Other Work

Solo Art Exhibitions
Vanderlip Gallery, Philadelphia (1967)
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (1983)
James Corcoran Gallery, Los Angeles (1987)
Leo Castelli Gallery, New York (1989)
Tavelli Gallery, Aspen (1990)
Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo (1991)
Sala Parpallo, Valencia (1992)
James Corcoran Gallery, Los Angeles (1993)
Painting Pavilion, Open Air Museum, Hakone (1995)
Park Tower Hall, Tokyo (1996)
Galerie Piltzer, Paris (1997)
Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain, Paris (2007)
Epson Kunstbetrieb, Düsseldorf (2008)
Max-Ernst-Museum, Brühl (2009)
Mönchehaus Museum, Goslar (2010)
GL Strand, Copenhagen (2010)
Galerie Chelsea, Sylt (2012)
Galerie Pfefferle, Munich (2012)
Galerie Barbara von Stechow, Frankfurt (2013)
The Photographers' Gallery, London (2014)
Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, Middlesbrough (2014)
Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane (2015)
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia (2015-16)

Albums
Lux Vivens [with Jocelyn Montgomery] (1998)
BlueBOB [with John Neff] (2001)
Polish Night Music [with Marek Zebrowski] (2008)
Crazy Clown Time (2011)
The Big Dream (2013)

Web Resources
DavidLynch.com
David Lynch Foundation
David Lynch Official Twitter Account
"David Lynch Keeps His Head" by David Foster Wallace (from Sept. 1996 in Premiere Magazine)
DavidLynch.de's extensive resource for further interviews and articles
[If anyone has any other resources that they feel are worthy of featuring here, please PM me! - mfunk9786]

Print Resources
Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity by David Lynch
David Lynch: The Unified Field (collection of his artwork)
Lynch on Lynch: Revised Edition
David Lynch: The Factory Photographs
Reflections: An Oral History of Twin Peaks
David Lynch: Lithos
Naming by David Lynch
Cahiers du Cinema Masters of Cinema Series: David Lynch by Thierry Jousse
The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series: David Lynch: Beautiful Dark by Greg Olson

Forum Discussion
725 Eraserhead
Wild At Heart (David Lynch, 1990)
Twin Peaks
Forthcoming: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Lost Highway (David Lynch, 1997)
Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
INLAND EMPIRE (David Lynch, 2006)
David Lynch: The Lime Green Set
Forthcoming David Lynch Region B Blu-rays
Lynch, Rivette, and the interpretation of their films

cafeman wrote:I think Blue Velvet is the absolute worst Lynch film. It looks like a film made by a very intelligent person trying to make a David Lynch movie. And failing.

It reeks of futile effort, and pathetic attempts to shock. I am generally a huge fan of his, but this one was all plastic, and no guts.

I'm no one to talk, but maybe it's posts like this that have driven Matt away...

cafeman wrote:It looks like a film made by a very intelligent person trying to make a David Lynch movie. And failing.

Except that the kind of 'David Lynch movie' you're talking about didn't exist until he invented it with Blue Velvet. I think you're looking down the wrong end of the telescope.

What does "all plastic and no guts" mean exactly?

it's a mixed mixed metaphor.

I think.

zedz wrote:Except that the kind of 'David Lynch movie' you're talking about didn't exist until he invented it with Blue Velvet. I think you're looking down the wrong end of the telescope.

For one, I beg to differ, as he made both Eraserhead and Dune before it, both very Lynchesque, especially Eraserhead which has the same or similar themes as BV, only more potently presented.

But even if I accept your point, it doesn`t mean that it`s a good movie, or that it`s better than his later works.

exte wrote:I'm no one to talk, but maybe it's posts like this that have driven Matt away...

I`m not sure what drove matt away, but I know that these types of snobby comments are the thing that will eventually make me go away. We`re talking about movies, for Chrissakes. Isn`t this supposed to be fun. I made a comment which was succinct, and perhaps a little unusual, but so what? So are most of Lynch`s films.

The Invunche wrote:What does "all plastic and no guts" mean exactly?

It`s more of a mood than a specific meaning.

cafeman wrote:For one, I beg to differ, as he made both Eraserhead and Dune before it, both very Lynchesque, especially Eraserhead which has the same or similar themes as BV, only more potently presented.

True, Eraserhead is probably Lynch's in his purest, most undiluted form but Blue Velvet, I believe, is his masterpiece because it is not only his most personal film after Eraserhead but also shows his mastery of his distinctive style -- the heightening of colors in the film's opening montage a la Douglas Sirk on acid, the use of music (who will ever forget Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" after this movie?), and the complex sound scheme that complements Lynch's images. For example, the unsettling "moaning hallways" of Dorothy Vallens' apartment building that seem almost organic in nature thanks to Alan Splet's disturbing soundscape.

Blue Velvet also marked the first time Lynch worked with composer Angelo Badalamenti who provides a fantastic score. To complement Frederick Elmes' Classical Hollywood look, Badalamenti's score mimics the melodramatic soundtracks of Sirk's films with its dramatic swells during intense moments and calm lulls with romantic interludes.

This is a great film that merges Lynch's thematic preoccupations with his atmospheric style in just the right way.

I find The Lost Highway much more advanced both visually and aurally.

I don`t want to say that BV is an awful film, just one which, despite all its objective qualities, just doesn`t come together in the end, and is the only Lynch film to date which is a chore to watch.

What about Willem Dafoe's and Diane Ladd's performances in Wild at Heart?

cafeman wrote:I find The Lost Highway much more advanced both visually and aurally.

I don`t want to say that BV is an awful film, just one which, despite all its objective qualities, just doesn`t come together in the end, and is the only Lynch film to date which is a chore to watch.

Fair enough. To each their own, I suppose. That's how I feel about The Elephant Man. It's a good film but one that I don't find very watchable.

cafeman wrote:I find The Lost Highway much more advanced both visually and aurally.

I don`t want to say that BV is an awful film, just one which, despite all its objective qualities, just doesn`t come together in the end, and is the only Lynch film to date which is a chore to watch.

I think Lost Highway would've been fantastic if it hadn't included the corny Marilyn Manson music video moments.

obloquy wrote:I think Lost Highway would've been fantastic if it hadn't included the corny Marilyn Manson music video moments.

Well, I will stipulate that AFTER Lost Highway, Marilyn Manson music videos had moments when they approached LH, but to say that as a criticism of LH is incredibly unfair and, in the end, incorrect. I can only guess which exact moments you consider Marilyn Manson moments, but the ones which I think you`re referring to are nothing short of staggering in the way they portrayed a warped psyche at a breaking point.

I mean, you have the right to think they`re bad scenes, or anything negative you want, but to even consider that Lynch would direct a scene in a certain way just for the purpose of being stylish, and stylish in the Marilyn Manson vein no less, is just completely opposite of what I consider to be his general approach to film.

Do you realize that Manson is actually in the film, along with other band members? If I'm not mistaken, the scenes he's in have his music playing over them as well. That's all I'm referring to. It just pulled me out of the film (which I was thoroughly engrossed in up to that point) to see a corny shock-rocker being used for shock-effect.

obloquy wrote:Do you realize that Manson is actually in the film, along with other band members? If I'm not mistaken, the scenes he's in have his music playing over them as well. That's all I'm referring to. It just pulled me out of the film (which I was thoroughly engrossed in up to that point) to see a corny shock-rocker being used for shock-effect.

To clarify (hopefully): the "scene" is a film-within-a-film, one of Dick Laurent's productions. It does have Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Ramirez in it, but they have no dialogue. Music by Rammstein ("Heirate Mich") plays over it. It doesn't last longer than about 15 seconds, if I recall correctly. It's onscreen only as long as necessary; it just sort of plays as a fleeting, incoherent glimpse, a hint at the violence and perversion of the Laurent/Alice/Renee relationship. As a hint, I thought it worked quite well; I haven't seen the movie in about 5 years and this moment still stands out in my mind. Which could make it a deal-breaker for some, I guess. Perhaps as time moves Marilyn Manson the shock-rocker further into obscurity, the "cameo" effect of the scene won't be so strongly felt, and it'll play a little differently.

The larger issue here, I guess, is that the whole Nothing Records/Trent Reznor collaboration for the soundtrack was a bit uncharacteristic of Lynch? I don't know. This is another reason this movie needs to come out on DVD, as I really want to rewatch it in consideration of the cultural context of 1997 (nine inch nails and Marilyn Manson as household names, etc.).

Ahh yes, Rammstein. Good memory after 5 years.

The soundtrack decision is ok, but I would've expected Lynch to dig a bit deeper into the industrial genre, honestly, rather than skimming the pop icons off the top.

"Marilyn [Manson] is a guy who I think is sitting on a very modern thing and getting bigger every day"
-David Lynch

Foresight has never really been Lynch's strong suit.

obloquy, he actually kinda discovered Rammstein by putting their music in Lost Highway. They were virtually anonymous before that, and became household names (well, almost) overnight.

viciousliar, you strike me as the kind of person who understood Rabbits.

Well, I think Rabbits can make sense, if you feel the messages behind their [distorted] language. Some people have an automatic "descrambler" program in their brains; you may call it a mix of verbal intelligence and intuition.

viciousliar wrote:Well, I think Rabbits can make sense, if you feel the messages behind their [distorted] language. Some people have an automatic "descrambler" program in their brains; you may call it a mix of verbal intelligence and intuition.

What I said.

(and, seriously, I agree that it can make sense)

dekadetia wrote:To clarify (hopefully): the "scene" is a film-within-a-film, one of Dick Laurent's productions. It does have Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Ramirez in it, but they have no dialogue. Music by Rammstein ("Heirate Mich") plays over it. It doesn't last longer than about 15 seconds, if I recall correctly. It's onscreen only as long as necessary; it just sort of plays as a fleeting, incoherent glimpse, a hint at the violence and perversion of the Laurent/Alice/Renee relationship. As a hint, I thought it worked quite well; I haven't seen the movie in about 5 years and this moment still stands out in my mind. Which could make it a deal-breaker for some, I guess. Perhaps as time moves Marilyn Manson the shock-rocker further into obscurity, the "cameo" effect of the scene won't be so strongly felt, and it'll play a little differently.

True. Hell, I'm just impressed that Lynch got a decent performance out of the bland Patricia Arquette. However, I always felt that the weakest link acting-wise was Balthazar Getty who is barely tolerable. He has emoting ability of an ironing board.

The larger issue here, I guess, is that the whole Nothing Records/Trent Reznor collaboration for the soundtrack was a bit uncharacteristic of Lynch? I don't know. This is another reason this movie needs to come out on DVD, as I really want to rewatch it in consideration of the cultural context of 1997 (nine inch nails and Marilyn Manson as household names, etc.).

I think it was a canny marketing move on Lynch's part. I remember he and Reznor appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone around the time the movie came out. I'm sure he and/or the studio realized that this was going to be an extremely challenging film (as are many of his) and that collaborating with someone like Reznor might add a few more $$ at the box office. Sadly, I think that the soundtrack outpeformed the movie.

That being said, Reznor's work on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack album was top notch (and one of my faves of all time) so he probably seemed like a natural choice to work on a Lynch film -- both of them are into creating dark, foreboding soundscapes.

True, Eraserhead is probably Lynch's in his purest, most undiluted form but Blue Velvet, I believe, is his masterpiece because it is not only his most personal film after Eraserhead but also shows his mastery of his distinctive style -- the heightening of colors in the film's opening montage a la Douglas Sirk on acid, the use of music (who will ever forget Roy Orbison's "In Dreams" after this movie?), and the complex sound scheme that complements Lynch's images. For example, the unsettling "moaning hallways" of Dorothy Vallens' apartment building that seem almost organic in nature thanks to Alan Splet's disturbing soundscape.

I agree with you about Eraserhead being Lynch in his "purest, most undiluted" form. This remains my favorite Lynch film. I love Eraserhead and there's nothing like it anywhere in the world of cinema. But if looking at the whole body of Lynch's films, I would say that Blue Velvet is his most quintessential.. even though Mulholland Dr. could take that spot but I'm not sure yet.

Michael wrote:But if looking at the whole body of Lynch's films, I would say that Blue Velvet is his most quintessential.. even though Mulholland Dr. could take that spot but I'm not sure yet.

True... Also, I have a real fondness for Wild at Heart and Fire Walk With Me as well. So, it's a tough call.

For me, it`s a three way tie between Eraserhead, The Lost Highway and The Straight Story. Though I have varying degrees of fondness for all his stuff. In fact, the only ones I don`t absolutely love are all the animated parts of his early films, Rabbits, Darkened Room and Blue Velvet. I even like Dune very much, flawed as I must admit it is.

And, godard, mind-numbing stupidity? Ouch! I mean, you may not like it, but don`t you think that mind-numbing stupidity is a bit of harsh term?

For the record: I think it's a four-way tie between Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, The Straight Story and Mulholland Drive.

viciousliar wrote:and I "happen" to dig this film, beacuse it's so wonderfully over-the-top.

As do I. The film has an operatic quality to it that I really love. It also perfectly illustrates Lynch's love-hate relationship with America. The film is filled with beautifully shot iconography of Americana, like big convertible automobiles from the ‘50s and rock ‘n' roll music from the period. And then you've got Sailor and Lula as loving (albeit tweaked) homages to Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. In fact, Lynch has said that Wild at Heart is the film he wished Elvis had made.

Lynch's fascination with the dark underbelly of America is personified by the Bobby "Just like the country" Peru, easily one of Lynch's most disturbing psychopaths (right after Blue Velvet's Frank Booth). With his horrible teeth and slicked back hair he almost resembles a sleazy, greasy version of John Waters (in look only).

I also love the colour scheme -- bright reds and yellows, the continual fire motif and all those inserts of matches and cigarettes being lit. The cinematography Frederick Elmes is stunning... I always think of that scene where Sailor and Lula are driving along the stretch of highway, just before they come across the car accident and how rich the blackness of the night is in this scene. Incredible stuff.

And let's not forget the cast of cult actors: Crispin Glover ("I'm making my lunch!!!"), J.E. Freeman (I love his deep, gravelly voice), Calvin Lockhart, Harry Dean Stanton, John Lurie, and, of course, Lynch regulars: Grace Zabriskie, Sherilyn Fenn, Freddie Jones, and Jack Nance who almost steals the film with his cameo ("My dog is always with me!").

There is just so much going on in this movie (I haven't even gotten to the killer soundtrack) and it has such a great atmosphere to it (as does all of Lynch's films) that I love revisiting again and again. I was so pleased with MGM's (and Lynch approved) SE DVD. Great stuff.