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David Lynch, surrealist filmmaker known for ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Blue Velvet,’ dead at 78

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Renowned movie director David Lynch, whose unique and dreamlike films like “Twin Peaks,” “The Elephant Man,” and “Mulholland Drive” earned him an Oscar nomination, has passed away.

On Facebook, they shared the news of David Lynch’s passing on Thursday. This visionary figure, known for his artistic prowess, expressed his creativity across various platforms such as film, TV, music, and visual arts, and he was 78 years old.

In a heavy heart, I find myself compelled to share the tragic news: the enigmatic filmmaker, David Lynch, has departed from our world. As his family asks for solitude during this delicate moment, I cannot help but feel a vast emptiness where once his extraordinary presence resided. Yet, in true Lynchian fashion, he left us with one final poetic reminder: “Focus on the donut, not the hole.

The post added: “It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

2024 saw Lynch disclose that he’d been diagnosed with emphysema, a condition arising from prolonged smoking throughout his life. In a conversation with Sight and Sound, he admitted that his health restrictions had impacted his film-directing capabilities.

“I would do it remotely if it comes to it,” he said. “I wouldn’t like that so much.”

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Despite being confined at home due to his struggle with emphysema, a health issue that impacts one’s ability to breathe, David Lynch has declared that retirement is not in his plans.

Lynch’s filmmaking journey encompassed such works as “The Elephant Man,” “Blue Velvet,” “Inland Empire,” a controversial take on Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” and “Wild At Heart,” to name a few iconic pieces.

In his movies, you’d frequently find recurring characters, themes, and a blend of film noir elements like darkness, suspense, and eccentric characters. A significant figure in cinema, David Lynch often found inspiration from European directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and Federico Fellini. He tended to collaborate with the same performers, including Kyle MacLachlan, Jack Nance, Laura Dern, Grace Dern, and Harry Dean Stanton. Typically, his films unveiled themselves to Angelo Badalamenti’s eerie music scores.

David Lynch’s films frequently delved into “the enigma and insanity lurking within the ordinary,” as movie critic Pauline Kael described. The gruesome finding of a severed ear in “Blue Velvet.” The discovery of Laura Palmer’s lifeless body, wrapped in plastic, on the television series “Twin Peaks.” A solitary crash survivor, injured and lost amidst Los Angeles after a car accident. These startling beginnings led viewers into the bizarre realms concealed within seemingly ordinary big cities and small towns.

1946 saw the birth of Lynch in Missoula, Montana. Raised in multiple states, Lynch was the child of an English language instructor and a researcher for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As a result, the filmmaker and his family found themselves moving frequently, residing in Washington, Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Virginia at different times.

Following his high school graduation, Lynch pursued further education at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Subsequently, he enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and there, he produced his debut work, a 1967 animated short film titled “Six Men Getting Sick.

1977 marked the debut of David Lynch’s first feature film, the cult classic “Eraserhead,” which he directed while studying at the American Film Institute. This caught the eye of notable filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick and John Waters. Remarkably, even George Lucas considered Lynch for directing a “Star Wars” movie, but Lynch politely declined the offer.

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The richness of moods and textures, be they emotional or tangible, have deeply imprinted themselves onto the mind of filmmaker David Lynch, much in the same way that vibrant acrylic colors adhere to a painter’s canvas.

During the 80s, Lynch stayed active with projects such as “The Elephant Man,” released in 1980, “Dune,” a contentious adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel which premiered in 1984, and “Blue Velvet,” a film that came out in 1986 featuring Isabella Rossellini, Kyle MacLachlan, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern. He was recognized with Oscar nominations for the adapted screenplay and best director for “The Elephant Man” and for best director for “Blue Velvet.

He said about ‘Blue Velvet’ to The Times that the movie is like venturing into the depths of darkness and then emerging again. It shows disturbing aspects hidden in the world and within us that we must confront. You might be able to avoid them for some time, perhaps even a long period, but when you acknowledge them and give them a name, they lose their grip on you. Once you identify the source of fear, it becomes easier to manage.

1989 saw David Lynch teaming up with Kyle MacLachlan once more for the groundbreaking “Twin Peaks” series on ABC, a show that Lynch co-created with Mark Frost. In this production, MacLachlan played Dale Cooper, an FBI agent who had a fondness for coffee. The mysterious and unsettling portrayal of Washington state by Lynch gave rise to several iconic pop culture instances, such as Michael J. Anderson’s dance in the room with the distinctive red chevron flooring.

The initial “Twin Peaks” TV show lasted for two seasons and ended in June 1991. Not long before it was canceled, David Lynch jokingly hinted at keeping the series going in a conversation with David Letterman.

He expressed that conclusion, if necessary, is acceptable. However, if things don’t need to conclude, that’s even more favorable. In this case, he kindly requests everyone to pen a letter to Bob Iger, who is the head of ABC.

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In 1992, and again in 2017, Lynch revisited his “Twin Peaks” universe through the movie “Fire Walk With Me” and the Showtime series “Twin Peaks: The Return”.

(The aim here is to make the sentence easier to understand by breaking it down into simpler chunks and using more conversational language.)

“The TV series ‘Twin Peaks’ led to his enduring collaborations with the late musicians Angelo Badalamenti and Julee Cruise. Regrettably, they both passed away in 2022.”

Among the works by David Lynch during the late 1900s were the movies “Lost Highway,” “The Straight Story,” and “Mulholland Drive.

“The film ‘Mulholland’ (starring Laura Harring and Naomi Watts) won David Lynch the Best Director award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, and he was also nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Director in 2002.”

The last movie he made was “Inland Empire,” a 2006 psychological thriller with a surrealistic flair, which was simultaneously filmed and scripted.

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In the later stages of my career, I expanded my creative horizons, delving into various artistic realms. I directed captivating music videos, ventured into my own musical endeavors, and even showcased my abstract artwork to the public.

In addition to his assortment of other ventures, he initiated a series called “Weather Reports” around the mid-2000s, which he occasionally updated on YouTube during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. As expected, Lynch’s presentation was unconventional; he would face the camera, provide the date and temperature in both Fahrenheit and Celsius, followed by a general weather summary such as “It’s cloudy with a good deal of wind, have a nice day.

In 1999, when speaking with The Times, David Lynch noted that there’s a link between music, movies, visual arts, literature – essentially everything. It seems that the more diverse your interests, the more they tend to support and enhance one another.

I myself am an advocate for transcendental meditation, and in the year 2005, I established the David Lynch Foundation. The purpose of this foundation is to champion transcendental meditation within communities that face challenges, with the aim of enhancing their physical health, cognitive abilities, and overall life performance.

Lynch has been married multiple times. His first marriage was to artist Peggy Reavey in 1968, which ended in divorce in 1974. Subsequently, he wed Mary Fisk in 1977, a union that lasted for a decade. Then, in 2006, Lynch exchanged vows with filmmaker Mary Sweeney, but they divorced later on. Lastly, Lynch tied the knot with actor Emily Stofle in 2009. He is the father of three children named Jennifer, Austin, and Riley.

In the year 2019, David Lynch was bestowed an honorary Oscar during the Governors Awards. He graciously received this recognition from the stars of “Blue Velvet,” Dern and MacLachlan, delivering a speech in his uniquely enigmatic style.

To the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, I am grateful for this recognition, and to those who supported me throughout my journey. My sincere congratulations go out to all the honorees tonight. Now, let’s enjoy the rest of this wonderful evening! Before gazing at my Oscar, he playfully remarked, “You have quite an intriguing visage. Goodnight!

As a cinephile, I’m saddened to share that I leave behind my beloved wife and our three amazing offspring. Regrettably, at this moment, the David Lynch Foundation has yet to offer a statement on the matter, as they haven’t responded to my requests for comment from The Times.

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2025-01-16 22:01

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