When cinephiles begin talking about David Lynch, lines are immediately drawn. The surreal champion of storytelling created polarizing movies—and that was just the way he liked it. A revered filmmaker, actor, and musician, he lived life his way, and his art reflected that.
The moment David Lynch painted the silver screen with what many believe to be his opus Eraserhead, the art of moviemaking had to create an homage just to classify what people were watching. Just like that, "Lynchian" became a term. From short films to features, music videos to TV series, David Lynch had a unique signature all his own.
At that moment, David Lynch had arrived, but the world would still play catch-up.
The Vision of David Lynch
Many filmmakers have that one project for which they are known. David Lynch has a couple, but Twin Peaks is among the most popular. An unparalleled TV series, David Lynch was able to delve into the psyche of small-town America. Part murder mystery and part primetime soap, Lynch created a unique plot on TV, unlike anyone before.
Yet, "Lynchian" is the only proper adjective for his work. His films ran the gamut of suspense noir (Mulholland Drive, Inland Empire), thoughtful romcom (Wild at Heart), heartfelt G-rated storytelling (The Straight Story), and the undefinable. He was celebrated by fans, fawned over by critics, and hated by many. As a maverick, he wouldn't have had it any other way.
For example, his neo-noir psychological thriller Blue Velvet was a film no one was prepared to see. With Kyle MacLachlan, Laura Dern, Isabella Rossellini, Dean Stockwell, and Dennis Hopper, the experience was frenetic, violent, and abhorrent for several activist groups. Before this movie, sexual violence wasn't often shown on-screen in such a visceral way.
Before that, The Elephant Man graced Hollywood with the gut-wrenching tale of English artist Joseph Merrick, a critically-acclaimed masterpiece that earned eight Oscar nominations, including for Best Actor, Picture, and Director.
Despite the controversy, David Lynch was nominated for Best Director at the Oscars and Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes.
David Lynch is arguably the father of the cult classic. His filmography is littered with them—Eraserhead, Twin Peaks, The Amputee, Premonition Following an Evil Deed, and even his most divisive, Dune. In 1984, he tackled the unthinkable, bringing Frank Herbert's intergalactic saga to the big screen.
It came with its own glossary, was teeming with whispers of self-reflection, and had so many plotholes that describing it as "Swiss Cheese" is a compliment. It was metaphysical, surreal, and the remnants of a bad acid trip. It was Lynchian.
And now, he's gone, and there will never be another like him.