What, you want a caption too? It's David Lynch and coffee. That should be enough.
Honorable Mention: Louie
Yes, I know that his work on the "Late Show" trilogy of episodes on Louie is him in front of the camera, but I just want to take this opportunity to say that Lynch is awesome as Jack Dahl, the man who is tasked with preparing Louis C.K. to potentially take over Letterman. He absolutely delivers on each single line of dialogue ("Tune in every night folks: it's The Crying Cleaning Lady Show!", "Listen here champ, that's short for champion", "Sent here? What are you, a letter?"). He also is great at being slightly menacing without ever really losing his temper. A marvelous piece of madness for every second that he is onscreen, and a performance that suggests that Lynch could've been a great character actor if he had decided to take that route.
Fun fact: His performance here was my first exposure to Lynch in any way, so I was a bit shocked when I found out about the types of films he made xD
12. Dune (2.5)
I wouldn't call this a complete strikeout by Lynch, but there's a reason the man himself doesn't look back on it fondly. It's a bland sci-fi venture by Lynch, which is the last thing one could expect from him. Having said that, the scenes with McMillan and Sting are amusing for sure, and it's nice to see Patrick Stewart in a pre-breakout role.
11. Inland Empire
Ahh this one. I'm sorry to say, but I just couldn't tap into the film's wavelength, so to speak. The film follows a Hollywood actress (Laura Dern, in one of her best performances I'll admit) as she and another actor (Justin Theroux) resume production on an unfinished film where the previous stars were murdered.
I actually do like the first hour of the film, as Lynchs atmosphere here evokes Mulholland Drive, yet never directly copies it. Jeremy Irons and ol' Harry Dean Stanton are solid, even if they don't get much to do. Past the first hour however, the films just proceeds to into several scenes that don't really cohere, and worse, don't have much meaning behind it since there isn't much of a story to support them. The second hour is a mess, and the final hour is marginally better, but still doesn't amount to much.
Apparently, Lynch wrote the film without a finished screenplay...and it shows.
10. Wild At Heart (3)
I wish I could like this film more, although I've never thought of it as a bad one. Wild at Heart follows Sailor (Nicolas Cage) and his girlfriend Lula (Laura Dern) as they go on the run after Marietta (Dern's mother here and in real life) sends a hit man to kill Sailor as she's desperate to keep them apart.
I'll start off by saying that the cast is great for the most part, as Cage is a perfect fit for Lynch's off-beat style, Harry Dean Stanton is memorable as private detective Johnnie Farragut, Willem Dafoe is a hoot as the psychotic Bobby Peru, and the rest of the cast (Isabella Rossellini, J.E. Freeman) is also solid. That said, I find the film to be rather messy for the most part, as the scenes don't really cohere as a whole, and they almost feel more like vignettes, although they're not without quality. Also, the cinematography of the film makes it seem a bit dated.
I'd honestly be a bit more negative, however, I do think the film saves itself by a bit by the climactic bank heist in the third act, and the final song-and-dance number by Nicolas Cage, as it is a rather good and funny ending. So in the end, it's a film I'm more lukewarm than straight-up positive on.
9. Eraserhead (3.5)
Lynch's debut, which is not too much more than a series of images with a plot, however, I did generally like this one. Lynchs' regular collaborator Jack Nance is good in the lead role as his character takes care of an infant that is definitely not from our dimension, and even though he's used more as a tool by Lynch as an anchor for the film, he is still fine in that regard.
The film also has compelling imagery that suggests the themes and topics that Lynch will expand upon later in his career, as the film has quite the aesthetic that he would also become famous for. It isn't one of the strongest debut films of all-time, but overall, it's a fine film.
8. Twin Peaks
Lynch's foray into television. The series details the aftermath of the titular town in Washington State after popular high school student Laura Palmer is murdered. Kyle Maclachlan in his finest turn is terrific as FBI Agent Dale Cooper, as he is the audience surrogate where he tries to solve the case, while never being overshadowed by the series either.
Besides Maclachlan, the series has many other characters that give a vivid life to the town, such as the idiosyncratic FBI agent Gordon Cole (Lynch himself), the young crowd (Madchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Lara Flynn Boyle) the adults (Michael Ontkean, Peggy Lipton, the underrated Ray Wise) and of course, Frank Silva, who I won't reveal who he plays here.
In regards to the series itself, I feel that Season 1 is the more consistent of the first two, as it has several memorable episodes/scenes that form the first integral part of the Laura Palmer mystery. Season 2 also has a couple of episodes that reach some of the highest heights in the show, yet the second half of the season is rather repetitive and feels more akin to a Villain of the Week series.
Nevertheless, I consider the first two seasons of Twin Peaks to be somewhat ahead of their time, as they provide a glimpe of what television can accomplish later on in show business.
7. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
The prequel to the first two seasons of Twin Peaks, Fire Walk with Me shows what happened on the actual night of Laura Palmer's death. The film works as an effective horror film, as we get a closer look at the life of Laura Palmer and her friends and family, along with a memorable trailer park operator in Carl Rodd (ol' Harry Dean Stanton). We also see an expansion of the FBIs' operations before the tragic event that kicked off the original series, as Chris Isaak, Miguel Ferrer, Kyle Maclachlan, and David Bowie in a kind-of-awesome cameo. The last thirty minutes of the film belong up there with some of Lynchs' best work, and the film serves as a good companion piece to the original series.
6. Lost Highway (4)
I wouldn't put this as quite on the level of one of his later mind-bending thrillers, however I do quite like this film. The film is a pretty good thriller where we see two intersecting tales (the first led by Bill Pullman, the second by Balthazar Getty), where we see Lynch themes of deception, infidelity, jealous and violence explored in alternate angles.
The aforementioned gentlemen both give good performances that lead their respective sections of the film, and the film also has a good supporting ensembles (Patricia Arquette in a dual role, Robert Blake in a surreal "man", Robert Loggia as a villain, Gary Busey in an against-type turn, and Richard Pryor.) The ensemble is good in detailing the lives that each of the two protagonists interact with.
The film also has great production value, as the outdoor scenes have a palatable sense of isolation, while the scenes set in Los Angeles also have a similar atmosphere in evoking that classic Lynch mystery, which is also helped by the cinematography. If I had one complaint about the film, it's that the film in the end doesn't quite feel as cohesive as Lynch intended, although not for a lack of trying. In the end, it is still a good thriller from Lynch.
5. The Straight Story (4.5)
An atypical film from David Lynch, and one that suggests that he really does see the good side in people, as some elements of his other works probably wouldn't. It's a great change of pace for Lynch, and I'd love to see him do another film or any work in general in this genre. Anyways, The Straight Story is based on the true story of Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth), as he rides a lawnmower from Iowa to Wisconsin to visit his estranged brother, since he's eyesight prevents him from obtaining a driver's license.
As mentioned, Lynch proves that he can handle more "family" material in this film, and he gets great performances from Farnsworth, yet another memorable performance from Harry Dean Stanton as Lyle, and Sissy Spacek as Alvin's daughter Rose (who also gets to expand her range here). The film has a palatable, yet inviting, sense of atmosphere as Lynch illustrates Alvins' journey to his brothers. For good measure, Lynch also throws in a couple of his trademark flourishes to the film, such as when Alvin's lawnmower breaks down at one point. That scene fits in perfectly with the film, as it does seem Lynchian, yet never feels out of place.
Overall, a great example of a sweet film done correctly, and a rewatch could bump this film up to a 5 for me.
4. The Elephant Man (5)
Lynch's turn at telling the story of a famous figure, and he makes one of the best statements in the genre. The film never feels hopeless, and with this subject, it could've been. Anyways, the film details the too-short life of Joseph Merrick (John Hurt in one of his best performances), as he demonstrates that he really is a kind and dignified person behind his deformity. Hurt is amazing in never letting the makeup distract from his performance, and he is great at illustrating the person Joseph Merrick was behind the public "face" everyone saw him as.
Hurt is terrific, I want to stress that enough, but I also would like to say that Anthony Hopkins is also great in one of his underrated performances as Dr. Frederick Treves, as the man with a kind heart who only wants to help and show that John Merrick is not a "monster". Hopkins does a great job as Treves, as the role in a lesser actor's hands might've come off as forgettable/bland, as it is the type of role that is handwaved fairly often. Plus, it is kind of amusing to see Hopkins play a gentle man, compared to his later villain turns.
Aside from that, the film is also well-made, as the black-and-white cinematography is stunning to look at, and the production design also helps detail the types of places where Merrick resided in 1880s Great Britain. Both of these elements go hand-in-hand with Lynchs' direction, as the film never succumbs to straight-up hopelessness, although we do see the brutality of how several people treated Merrick. Lynchs' deft hand here instead finds hope throughout the film, and finds a way to make the more uplifting moments feel truly earned. A great film, and I would like to see Lynch make another biopic...or any film really.
3. Twin Peaks: The Return
Third time's THE charm for some coffee and pie.
2. Blue Velvet
One of Lynchs' most iconic films and one of the greatest blends of style and substance that you'll find in the thriller genre. Of course, Blue Velvet follows the young Jeffrey (Kyle Maclachlan) as he finds a human ear in a field in his hometown. Jeffrey takes the ear to Detective Williams (George Dickerson) at the police department and what follows after that is one of the best directed films you'll see.
As usually is the case with Lynch, the film has a great ensemble. The aforementioned Maclachlan is very good here as the earnest Jeffrey who then segues into a young man who is overshadowed by the vile underworld of Lumberton. He is accompanied along by the Detective's daughter Sandy (Laura Dern) and she is also good throughout the film, although particular mention should go to her "robin dreams" scene. Dean Stockwell in his sole scene shows the type of person that Ben is, along with some of the best lip-syncing you'll ever see in a film. Brad Dourif and Jack Nance are also memorable as goons ("Here today...gone tomorrow...","I'm Paul...").
But of course, no appraisal of this film would be complete without mentioning the villain of the film: the psychopathic Frank Booth, played to the utmost perfection by Dennis Hopper. He doesn't quite steal the film per se, but he makes it even better by making sure that Frank is not dull at all, not even for a second. What makes it more impressive is that he really doesn't have all that much screentime, yet makes the most of it. For example, his first scene with Dorothy is one of the best (worst?) villain entrances of all-time, as he shows Frank to be someone who's always on an edge, as he barks orders at Dorothy. Later in the scene, however, he shows Frank to be completely depraved, and hints at some previous trauma in his life that we'd probably be better off not knowing. All of his other scenes are great at showing the character he is, but I also want to honorably mention "HEINEKEN?!" That moment is incredibly funny, yet scary, but I also love how he earnestly asks Jeffrey what beer he likes, as is suggests that Frank would probably be a cool person to hang out with if he wasn't...well, the way he is.
Past the performances, the film is impeccably directed (and written) by Lynch, as he creates an incredibly compelling thriller story-wise, yet adds in the perfect amount of substance to make the film stand out than it otherwise would've with more standard touches. One example can be found in the first "In Dreams" scene. Here, we see Jeffrey meet more people from the criminal underworld (Ben, the other women in the room, more material for the goons to work with), and also a moment that adds more to Dorothy (seeing her son briefly in a room off-screen). The style here comes with the production design, as Ben's apartment looks like any other, yet it has a slightly "off" feel to it. Also, the quick shot of Frank disappearing after yelling and laughing is so unique, yet feels right at home in the world Lynch has created.
A true masterpiece of a film, and I would also like to throw a quick shoutout to the sound mixing/editing of the film, as it is a great example of sound design helping to make a world seem and...well...sound more vivid.
1. Mulholland Drive
Perhaps interchangeable with Blue Velvet, and I may switch the top two one day, but for now, Lynchs' finest hour for me is also his most daring. Part of the greatness of the film is uncovering the films secrets and hints, as many people are still doing so even almost twenty years after its release, so I'll be a bit vague.
The story follows the aspiring actress Betty, (Naomi Watts) as she tries to untangle the backstory of the mysterious "Rita" (Laura Harring) as they cross paths in Los Angeles, after "Rita" being involved in a car accident and her not being able to remember who she is. As the film progresses, we see several other characters that one can typically see in films set in Hollywood, such as the egocentric Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux), who becomes a key part later on in both of the leading ladies' narrative arcs. Ann Miller is also quite funny as Coco, a landlady who welcomes Betty to her new apartment. Special mention should also go to the bumbling hit man played by Mark Pellegrino, as he demonstrates the bare minimum of professionalism that's convincing enough for someone to hire him, yet proves to be not really be as precise whenever he does a job. These and several other characters help to ground the story and add a layer of complexity that provides the needed substance for the narrative to resonate.
There is one scene that I want to highlight in particular, even if many have already done so: the man behind Winkies. It is one of the best jump scares that you'll experience in a film, and proves that the specific use of jump scares can be extremely effective if used properly. It is even greater once you further untangle the puzzle that is the film, as the moment has greater significance once you do so.
Anyways, credit should also go to Lynch for creating a Los Angeles that feels very unique, yet could plausibly exist. There are moments that show the city as a place where dreams can happen, particularly in the early part of the film (the first scenes with Betty), yet there are scenes that show the darkness and greed that many people in the industry can partake in (the latter part of the film).
It is a film that one can classify as daring as can be, and for me, it has the perfect amount of substance for the story to resonate, as it is a film that I will always think about. So much to uncover, so many layers to the film, yet it never once feels pretentious or hokey. Lynch swings for the fences, and hits a home run.
What is your favorite David Lynch film? Your least favorite?
