films seen
14
average score
3.25*
nationality
USA - 78 years old
status
Alive and kicking
more info

A man who needs no introduction. The king of the surreal, the weird and the unusual. His films are starting to show some technical decay, but his mastery of atmosphere is so powerful that his oeuvre remains largely unaffected by it.

Movies


Rabbits

2002 / 50m - USA
Mystery
Rabbits poster

It's a simple, one-trick project that offers very little in the form of tangible content. On the other hand it's superbly captivating and extremely mysterious, unlike any other film I know.


Mulholland Dr.

2001 / 147m - USA
Mystery
Mulholland Dr. poster

My only problem with Mullholland Dr. is that it just isn't as special anymore as it used to be.

Eraserhead

1977 / 85m - USA
Fantasy, Horror
Eraserhead poster

It's a dark, brooding, and weird film that still manages to out-gross some modern horror flicks, even when it feels weird describing Eraserhead as a straight-up horror film.


Inland Empire

2006 / 180m - USA
Mystery
Inland Empire poster

Inland Empire is still a pretty interesting film and if you've enjoyed Lynch's older films it won't be too much of a disappointment. But expect crappy video quality and less than preferable visuals.

Lost Highway

1997 / 134m - USA
Mystery
Lost Highway poster

Like most of Lynch's films, Lost Highway aged considerably. But while the visuals, the soundtrack and the score failed to impress this time around, the atmosphere has remained pretty much intact.


The Straight Story

1999 / 112m - USA
Drama
3.5*/5.0*
The Straight Story poster

No doubt one of Lynch's most accessible films, if you like your cinema slow that is. It's been ages since I last watched the film, and I can't say I was as wowed as I was the first time. I saw this very early in my movie fandom adventure when slow cinema was still something very special (for me at least), not a genre in and of itself.

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Alvin Straight is an old man. He hears that his brother, who he hasn't spoken to for a decade, is ill and so he wants to reconcile. Rather than take the car and drive there, he takes a small tractor and spends the next six weeks on the road. He meets various people along the way, who love to share their stories with him.

The performances are fine, the soundtrack is atmospheric, the film has a lot of heart and even though it's pretty slow, it never gets boring. But it's clear that this isn't really Lynch's forte. It lacks that extra layer of polish that can make a film like this truly special. Still, a worthwhile film, just not quite as special as I remembered it to be.

Blue Velvet

1986 / 120m - USA
Mystery, Thriller
3.5*/5.0*
Blue Velvet poster

Dune

1984 / 137m - USA
Sci-fi, Action
3.0*/5.0*
Dune poster

The Grandmother

1970 / 34m - USA
Horror, Experimental
3.0*/5.0*
The Grandmother poster

A dark and experimental film that shows the budding talent of David Lynch. While definitely a little rough around the edges, the gritty cinematography, challenging sound design and disturbing animations are sure to appeal to fans of Lynch's later work. The Grandmother didn't get better over time, but it's still an interesting watch.


Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

1992 / 134m - USA
Mystery, Thriller
2.5*/5.0*
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me poster

I went through 2 entire seasons of Twin Peaks just to watch this film. For years, it's been the only Lynch feature I hadn't seen, this Covid-dominated year was the perfect excuse to get that situation rectified. Was it worth it? Nah. But at least Fire Walk with Me wasn't at bad as the series.

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Don't watch it unless you've seen the series though. Lynch doesn't bother with introductions and if you don't know the characters, nor the plot of season 1 & 2 then the film isn't going to make any sense. It's pretty much a prequel that reveals the mystery on which the series is built (so big spoilers ahead), though not without introducing some mystery of its own.

The start of the film is pretty poor and it takes a while before it gets up to steam. Lynch is still half-stuck in TV mode, making this one of his lesser looking films. Badalamenti too isn't delivering his best work. But the finale is pretty vintage Lynch and even though it can't quite save the rest of the film, it easily bests the endless seasons that came before.

The Elephant Man

1980 / 124m - USA
Drama
2.5*/5.0*
The Elephant Man poster

Wild at Heart

1990 / 125m - USA
Thriller, Crime
1.5*/5.0*
Wild at Heart poster