David Lynch
Actor | Cinematographer | Director | Producer | Composer | Writer
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David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound design. Indeed, the surreal and in many cases violent elements to his films have earned them the reputation that they "disturb, offend or mystify" their audiences.
Moving around various parts of the United States as a child within his middle class family, Lynch went on to study painting in Philadelphia, where he first made the transition to producing short films. Deciding to devote himself more fully to this medium, he moved to Los Angeles, where he produced his first motion picture, the surrealist horror Eraserhead (1977). After Eraserhead became a cult classic on the midnight movie circuit, Lynch was employed to direct The Elephant Man (1980), from which he ... Show more...
David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound design. Indeed, the surreal and in many cases violent elements to his films have earned them the reputation that they "disturb, offend or mystify" their audiences.
Moving around various parts of the United States as a child within his middle class family, Lynch went on to study painting in Philadelphia, where he first made the transition to producing short films. Deciding to devote himself more fully to this medium, he moved to Los Angeles, where he produced his first motion picture, the surrealist horror Eraserhead (1977). After Eraserhead became a cult classic on the midnight movie circuit, Lynch was employed to direct The Elephant Man (1980), from which he gained mainstream success. Then being employed by the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, he proceeded to make two films. First, the science-fiction epic Dune (1984), which proved to be a critical and commercial failure, and then a neo-noir crime film, Blue Velvet (1986), which was highly critically acclaimed.
Proceeding to create his own television series with Mark Frost, the highly popular murder mystery Twin Peaks (1990–1992), he also created a cinematic prequel, Fire Walk With Me (1992), a road movie, Wild at Heart (1990), and a family film, The Straight Story (1999) in the same period. Turning further towards surrealist filmmaking, three of his following films worked on "dream logic" non-linear narrative structures, Lost Highway (1997), Mulholland Drive (2001) and Inland Empire (2006).
Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, for his films The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, and also received a screenplay Academy Award nomination for The Elephant Man. Lynch has twice won France's César Award for Best Foreign Film, as well as the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival. The French government awarded him the Legion of Honor, the country's top civilian honor, as a Chevalier in 2002 and then an Officier in 2007, while that same year, The Guardian described Lynch as "the most important director of this era". Allmovie called him "the Renaissance man of modern American filmmaking", whilst the success of his films have led to him being labelled "the first popular Surrealist. Show less...
Filmography - Acting
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I Know Catherine, The Log Lady (2020)
As: Himself
An authorized feature documentary about Catherine E. Coulson, best known as the Log Lady in David Lynch & Mark Frost's "Twin Peaks".
Directed by: Richard Green
Stars: David Lynch | Grace Zabriskie | Catherine E. Coulson | Kimmy Robertson | Kyle MacLachlan
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019)
As: Himself
An exploration of the history, artistry, and emotional power of cinema sound, as revealed by legendary sound designers and visionary directors, via interviews, clips from movies, and a look at their actual process of creation and discovery.
Runtime: 94 min.
Directed by: Midge Costin
Stars: Steven Spielberg | Robert Redford | David Lynch | Ang Lee | Christopher Nolan
A Very Lovely Dream: One Week in Twin Peaks (2017)
As: Himself
One week in the making of David Lynch's 2017 continuation of his groundbreaking television series TWIN PEAKS, capturing the cast and crew as they revisited several locations from the '90s original.
Runtime: 28 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: Michael Cera | David Lynch | Kyle MacLachlan | Michael Horse | Mark Frost
Lucky (2017)
As: Howard
Follows the journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off-the-map desert town. He finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self-exploration.
Runtime: 88 min.
Directed by: John Carroll Lynch
Stars: Harry Dean Stanton | Tom Skerritt | Ed Begley Jr. | David Lynch | Ron Livingston
Behind the Red Curtain (2017)
As: Himself
Short documentary about the making of Twin Peaks: The Return. Focused on the set creation of the Black Lodge scenes.
Directed by: Richard Beymer
Stars: Robert Forster | Sheryl Lee | David Lynch | Kyle MacLachlan | Al Strobel
I Had Bad Milk in Dehradun (2017)
As: Himself
Short documentary about the making of Twin Peaks: The Return.
Directed by: Richard Beymer
Stars: Sheryl Lee | David Lynch | Ray Wise | Kyle MacLachlan | George Griffith
The Man with the Gray Elevated Hair (2017)
As: Himself
Behind the scenes of TWIN PEAKS: THE RETURN, with a focus on the work of David Lynch directing the actors.
Runtime: 30 min.
Directed by: Jason S.
Stars: David Lynch | Laura Dern | Sherilyn Fenn | Dana Ashbrook | Josef Maria Schäfers
Along for the Ride (2017)
As: Himself
A documentary chronicling the filmmaking career of Dennis Hopper.
Runtime: 90 min.
Directed by: Nick Ebeling
Stars: Dennis Hopper | Julie Adams | Damon Albarn | Samantha Fuller | Satya De La Manitou
The Black Ghiandola (2017)
As: Man In Black
The Black Ghiandola is a story about a young man risking his life to save a young girl he has grown to love, after his family has been killed in the Apocalyptic world of Zombies.
Runtime: 17 min.
Directed by: Sam Raimi | Theodore Melfi | Catherine Hardwicke
Stars: J.K. Simmons | Johnny Depp | David Lynch | Penelope Ann Miller | Laura Dern
David Lynch: The Art Life (2017)
As: Himself
An intimate journey through the formative years of David Lynch's life. From his idyllic upbringing in small town America to the dark streets of Philadelphia, we follow Lynch as he traces the events that have helped to shape one of cinema's most enigmatic directors.
Runtime: 89 min.
Directed by: Jon Nguyen | Rick Barnes | Olivia Neergaard-Holm
Stars: David Lynch
Shadows of Paradise (2016)
Since the death of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in February 2008, long-time practitioner of Transcendental Meditation and well-known film director David Lynch has been embraced as the movement’s chief international ambassador. Filmmaker Sebastian Lange, who himself was raised in the movement, presents an intimate look at this new phase in the movement’s evolution.
Runtime: 88 min.
Directed by: Sebastian Lange
Stars: David Lynch
Blue Velvet Revisited (2016)
As: Himself
30 years after the shooting of 'Blue Velvet', the classic film of David Lynch, the German filmmaker Peter Braatz revisits his original Super-8 material and numerous photographies, filmed 30 years ago on the set in Wilmington, USA.
Runtime: 85 min.
Directed by: Peter Braatz
Stars: Isabella Rossellini | David Lynch | Dennis Hopper | Kyle MacLachlan | Laura Dern
On Meditation (2016)
As: Himself
Peter Matthiessen, David Lynch, and Russell Simmons see among the many celebrity devotees interviewed in this case of Zen Buddhist meditation.
Runtime: 110 min.
Directed by: Rebecca Dreyfus
Stars: Giancarlo Esposito | David Lynch | Russell Simmons | Peter Matthiessen
The Reality of Truth (2016)
As: Himself
In this documentary, "Zappy" Zapolin interviews spiritual gurus, celebrities, and people of various faiths about the relationship between spirituality, religion, and psychedelics—in their beliefs and in their experiences.
Directed by: Laurent Levy | Mike Zapolin
Stars: Peter Coyote | Deepak Chopra | John Hagelin | Ram Dass | Tim Booth
Brand: A Second Coming (2015)
As: Himself
Comic Russell Brand uses drugs, sex and fame in a quest for happiness, only to find it remains elusive. As he explores iconic figures such as Gandhi, Malcolm X, Che Guevara, and Jesus, he transforms himself into a political antagonist.
Runtime: 100 min.
Directed by: Ondi Timoner
Stars: Russell Brand | Stephen Merchant | Oliver Stone | David Lynch | Katy Perry
A Fall from Grace (2015)
As: William Tabb
Detective Michael Tabb knows the city of St. Louis inside and out. He has felt its true heart, as much as its dark underbelly: but he does not know who, in both the dark and light - is taking the lives of young girls.
Directed by: Jennifer Chambers Lynch
Stars: Forest Whitaker | Tim Roth | David Lynch | Vincent D'Onofrio | Paz Vega
My Beautiful Broken Brain (2014)
As: Himself
A profoundly personal voyage into the complexity, fragility and wonder of the human brain, after Lotje Sodderland miraculously survives a hemorrhagic stroke and finds herself starting again in an alien world, bereft of language and logic. This feature documentary takes us on a genre-twisting tale that is by turns excruciating and exquisite - from the devastating consequences of a first-time ...
Runtime: 84 min.
Directed by: Sophie Robinson | Lotje Sodderland
Stars: David Lynch | Sophie Robinson | Lotje Sodderland
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (2014)
As: Gordon Cole
The long-awaited missing pieces from the original version of the film – nearly an hour-and-a-half of deleted/alternate scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me – often referred to as the “holy grail” of Twin Peaks fandom.
Runtime: 91 min.
Directed by: David Lynch
Stars: Sheryl Lee | David Bowie | Ray Wise | Mädchen Amick | Dana Ashbrook
It's a Beautiful World (2014)
As: Himself
Richard Beymer first met David Lynch when Lynch cast him as Ben Horne in the series Twin Peaks. Years later, Lynch saw one of Richard's documentaries on the founder of Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and asked him to come to India to document a journey he was making tracing Maharishi's footsteps from one end of India to the other. This film is not just a record of their 10-day ...
Runtime: 102 min.
Directed by: Richard Beymer
Stars: David Lynch
What is Cinema? (2013)
As: Himself
Using the words and ideas of great filmmakers, from archival interviews with Alfred Hitchcock and Robert Bresson to new interviews with Mike Leigh, David Lynch, and Jonas Mekas, Oscar-winning filmmaker Chuck Workman shows what these filmmakers and others do that can't be expressed in words - but only in cinema.
Runtime: 80 min.
Directed by: Chuck Workman
Stars: David Lynch | Robert Altman | Chantal Akerman | Costa-Gavras | Robert Bresson
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise (2013)
As: Himself
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise journeys through Brooks’ early years in the creative beginnings of live television — with Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows — to the film genres he so successfully satirized in Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety, and Spaceballs — to the groundbreaking Broadway musical version of his first film, The Producers. The documentary also delves into his professional ...
Runtime: 90 min.
Directed by: Robert Trachtenberg
Stars: Joan Rivers | Nathan Lane | Tracey Ullman | Mel Brooks | Carl Reiner
Meditation Creativity Peace (2012)
As: Himself
This documentary shot by film students follows David Lynch on a 16-country tour of Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America to spread the word about the individual and global impact of meditation. Meditation, Creativity, Peace shows the director’s commitment to Transcendental Meditation as way of changing the world, starting from within. The film also offers insight into Lynch’s creative process, ...
Runtime: 77 min.
Stars: David Lynch
Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction (2012)
As: Himself
An impressionistic portrait of the iconic actor Harry Dean Stanton comprised of intimate moments, film clips from some of his 250 films and his renditions of American folk songs.
Runtime: 77 min.
Directed by: Sophie Huber
Stars: Harry Dean Stanton | Kris Kristofferson | David Lynch | Sam Shepard | Wim Wenders
Side by Side (2012)
As: Himself
Since the invention of cinema, the standard format for recording moving images has been film. Over the past two decades, a new form of digital filmmaking has emerged, creating a groundbreaking evolution in the medium. Keanu Reeves explores the development of cinema and the impact of digital filmmaking via in-depth interviews with Hollywood masters, such as James Cameron, David Fincher, David Lynch, ...
Runtime: 99 min.
Directed by: Christopher Kenneally
Stars: David Fincher | Keanu Reeves | Martin Scorsese | David Lynch | James Cameron
2012: Time for Change (2010)
As: Himself
2012: Time For Change is a documentary feature that presents ways to transform our unsustainable society into a regenerative planetary culture. This can be achieved through a personal and global change of consciousness and the systemic implementation of ecological design.
Runtime: 85 min.
Directed by: Joao G. Amorim
Stars: Daniel Pinchbeck | Maude Barlow | Ariane Burgess | Gerald Celente | Policarpo Chaj
Great Directors (2010)
As: Himself
Features conversations with ten of the world's greatest living directors: Bernardo Bertolucci, David Lynch, Liliana Cavani, Stephen Frears, Agnes Varda, Ken Loach, Todd Haynes, Catherine Breillat, Richard Linklater and John Sayles. The film documents Ismailos' voyage of discovering the creative personalities behind the camera.
Runtime: 90 min.
Directed by: Angela Ismailos
Stars: Catherine Breillat | Stephen Frears | Bernardo Bertolucci | Liliana Cavani | Todd Haynes
David Wants to Fly (2010)
A documentary. David Sieveking takes the advice of his idol, David Lynch and tries out Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's transcendental meditation technique.
Runtime: 96 min.
Directed by: David Sieveking
Stars: David Lynch | Paul McCartney | David Sieveking | Donovan | Marie Pohl
When Lynch Met Lucas (2010)
This is an animated short made using audio of Film Director David Lynch telling the story of when he met George Lucas about possibly directing Return of The Jedi.
Runtime: 3 min.
Directed by: Sascha Ciezata
Stars: David Lynch
La traversée du désir (2009)
What was your first desire? What did you long for most? Arielle Dombasle put these questions to a wide circle of famous people.
Runtime: 71 min.
Directed by: Arielle Dombasle
Stars: Pierre Arditi | Fanny Ardant | Arielle Dombasle | Michel Houellebecq | Jean-Jacques Annaud
Crítico (2008)
A documentary about the nature of criticism in cinema, with dialogues between critiques, filmmakers and films.
Runtime: 80 min.
Directed by: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Stars: Aki Kaurismäki | Gus Van Sant | Carlos Saura | Michel Ciment | Walter Salles
A Slice of Lynch (2007)
David Lynch, Mädchen Amick, Kyle MacLachlan and John Wentworth reminisce about "Twin Peaks" while seated at a diner counter.
Runtime: 56 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: David Lynch | Kyle MacLachlan | Mädchen Amick | John Wentworth
David Lynch Cooks Quinoa (2007)
As: Himself
David Lynch prepares a delicious meal of quinoa, with enchanting stories, wonderful fun and wine.
Runtime: 20 min.
Directed by: David Lynch
Stars: David Lynch
Lynch (2007)
As: Himself
With footage shot during a period of more than two years, this documentary is an intimate portrait of David Lynch's creative process as he completes his film INLAND EMPIRE (2006).
Runtime: 84 min.
Directed by: Jason S.
Stars: David Lynch | Krzysztof Majchrzak | Jeremy Alter | Jay Aaseng | Phillip Patela
Boat (2007)
A journey into night.
Runtime: 8 min.
Directed by: David Lynch
Stars: David Lynch | Emily Stofle
Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments (2004)
As: himself
The inevitable fat cigar between his fingers, the American actor, director and fine artist Dennis Hopper (1936) self-mockingly looks back on his chequered life and career, at the request of Dutch director, photographer and fine artist Thom Hoffman. The latter sifted through the turbulent life story of Hopper, who is primarily known from the cult film Easy Rider (1969). Hopper went through as many high as ...
Runtime: 76 min.
Directed by: Thom Hoffman
Stars: David Lynch | Dennis Hopper | Wim Wenders | Sean Penn | Julian Schnabel
The Making of: Mulholland Drive (2004)
As: Himself
A short documentary about the making of David Lynch's film Mulholland Drive.
Runtime: 24 min.
Directed by: David Dessites
Stars: Naomi Watts | David Lynch | Laura Harring
Mysteries of Love (2002)
As: Himself (archive footage)
Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern and producer Fred Caruso are all interviewed for this 68-minute documentary that takes a look at David Lynch's Blue Velvet
Runtime: 71 min.
Directed by: Jeffrey Schwarz
Stars: Laura Dern | Angelo Badalamenti | Roger Ebert | Duwayne Dunham | Fred C. Caruso
I Don't Know Jack (2002)
As: Himself
Feature documentary about actor Jack Nance, who rose to prominence after starring in the cult classic 1977 film, "Eraserhead".
Runtime: 96 min.
Directed by: Chris Leavens
Stars: David Lynch | Catherine E. Coulson | Dennis Hopper | Jack Nance | John Achorn
Eraserhead Stories (2001)
As: Himself
David Lynch discusses the making of the film Eraserhead.
Runtime: 85 min.
Directed by: David Lynch
Stars: David Lynch | Catherine E. Coulson | Jack Nance
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money (1998)
As: Himself
An examination of the evolution of commercials as an artistic medium, featuring interviews with media luminaries who relate how the in-your-face stylistic conventions of commercials have influenced feature films and the visual arts. A documentary film talking about art and advertising divided in three parts: 1. Crossing Over - from cinema to ads from ads to cinema 2. Humour - How humour affects us in ...
Runtime: 170 min.
Directed by: Hermann Vaske
Stars: David Lynch | Spike Lee | Dennis Hopper | Dennis Hopper | Ridley Scott
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch (1997)
As: Himself
An in-depth look at artist/filmmaker David Lynch's movies, paintings, drawings, photographs, and various other works of art. Features interview footage and commentary by family members, friends, fans, and people he's worked with, as well as behind-the-scenes antics of some of his most critically praised efforts.
Runtime: 85 min.
Directed by: Toby Keeler
Stars: David Lynch | Patricia Arquette | Jack Nance | Robert Blake | Angelo Badalamenti
Nadja (1994)
As: Morgue Receptionist
This ultra-hip, post-modern vampire tale is set in contemporary New York City. Members of a dysfunctional family of vampires are trying to come to terms with each other, in the wake of their father's death. Meanwhile, they are being hunted by Dr. Van Helsing and his hapless nephew. As in all good vampire movies, forces of love are pitted against forces of destruction.
Runtime: 93 min.
Directed by: Michael Almereyda
Stars: Martin Donovan | Elina Löwensohn | Peter Fonda | Karl Geary | Galaxy Craze
Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff (1994)
As: Himself
An observation of the observations of Don Van Vliet by Anton Corbijn.
Runtime: 13 min.
Directed by: Anton Corbijn
Stars: David Lynch | Don Van Vliet | Sue Vliet | Anton Corbijn
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
As: Gordon Cole
In the questionable town of Deer Meadow, Washington, FBI Agent Desmond inexplicably disappears while hunting for the man who murdered a teen girl. The killer is never apprehended, and, after experiencing dark visions and supernatural encounters, Agent Dale Cooper chillingly predicts that the culprit will claim another life. Meanwhile, in the more cozy town of Twin Peaks, hedonistic beauty Laura ...
Runtime: 135 min.
Directed by: David Lynch
Stars: James Marshall | Sheryl Lee | Ray Wise | Mädchen Amick | Dana Ashbrook
Zelly and Me (1988)
As: Willie
A young orphan who lives with her grandmother in a large Virginian home infatuates herself with the voices of Joan d'Arc. Her French nanny seeks out the help of a rich suitor to take her and the orphan away when she realizes that the grandmother cannot offer the orphan the love that she needs.
Runtime: 87 min.
Directed by: Tina Rathborne
Stars: Isabella Rossellini | David Lynch | Joe Morton | Glynis Johns | Kaiulani Lee
Heart Beat (1980)
As: Painter
An exploration of the relationship between Beat Generation writers Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, and Cassady's wife, Carolyn.
Runtime: 110 min.
Directed by: John Byrum
Stars: Nick Nolte | John Heard | Sissy Spacek | Ray Sharkey | Ann Dusenberry
The Amputee (1974)
As: Nurse
A double leg amputated woman sits and writes a long meandering letter while her ineffective nurse attempts to attend to her stumps.
Runtime: 9 min.
Directed by: David Lynch
Stars: David Lynch | Catherine E. Coulson
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler (1967)
In 1967, a young David Lynch grabbed his new Bolex 16mm camera, to film his friend and mentor Bushnell Keeler and brother Dave Keeler sailing on the Chesapeake Bay in Bush's King's Cruiser. This was David Lynch's very first film, which he prefers to call a "home movie". It depicts a man, a painter, who changed David's life forever pursuing the artist's life, which he continues to this day.
Runtime: 3 min.
Directed by: David Lynch
Stars: David Lynch | Bushnell Keeler | Dave Keeler
Rocksteppy ()
As: Himself
Phil and Colin Beverly are two inept small-town brothers with big dreams, and a song-and-dance rock group to take them there. When they learn of a 'performance competition' in Austin, Texas called South by Southwest, they set out on a cross-country journey, followed by a camera crew of student filmmakers who document their quest to the top! The top of what, they have no idea.
Runtime: 77 min.
Directed by: McManus Woodend | Jake Dilley
Stars: David Lynch | Peter Farrelly | McManus Woodend | Jake Dilley | Jeff Dowd