The Surreal Legacy of David Lynch: Film Ranking
Editor’s Note: The Views expressed in this article are those of the author.
The legendary David Lynch passed away in January at the age of 78. He had been struggling with complications from emphysema only a few months ago, and he announced that he most likely would never direct again.
With his passing, he is leaving behind an unparalleled cinematic legacy. My first encounter with Lynch wasn’t through his films, but through his quirky tweets. Him talking about the weather and how it was once again Friday was amusing and strangely mesmerizing. It wasn’t until I became a cinephile that I truly discovered Lynch the filmmaker–a visionary who didn’t just make movies but crafted entire worlds.
Lynch’s style makes use of dream-like storytelling, unsettling visuals and open-ended conclusions. From redefining television with “Twin Peaks” to pioneering the midnight movie scene with “Eraserhead” and crafting Hollywood’s ultimate fever dream with “Mulholland Drive,” Lynch created deeply human and endlessly fascinating films.
10. “Dune” (1984)
Lynch’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic is somewhat of an oddity in his filmography–a studio blockbuster that clashed with his surreal instincts. The novel’s world-building and mysticism seemed like a natural fit for Lynch, yet the project was marred by studio interference, stripping it of his signature style. Disowning the film entirely, Lynch refused to attach his name to it for the only time in his career, using the pseudonym Alan Smithee instead. This is a pseudonym often used by directors who want to disown a project. While a fascinating misfire, it remains his only truly subpar effort–through no fault of his own.
9. “Wild at Heart” (1990)
If there was any good to come from the passing of Lynch, it is the general re-evalution of “Wild at Heart.” While it may have won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, it’s not a film for everybody. It is a hyper-violent road movie drenched in Elvis Presley worship with “The Wizard of Oz” motifs and Lynch at his most unhinged. Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern gave electric performances as star-crossed lovers on the run. A bizarre love story swinging between romance and nightmare, it’s certainly an acquired taste. While it may be at number nine on this ranking, it is an incredible one-of-a-kind film that is appreciated more with each watch.
8. “The Straight Story” (1999)
The aptly-named film is the most straightforward and accessible of Lynch’s filmography. It is an uncharacteristically gentle road movie made by Disney about an elderly man traveling by lawnmower to reconcile with his estranged brother. It’s devoid of any of Lynch’s trademark surrealism but rich in emotion, proving Lynch could craft deeply moving narratives without dipping in the macabre. It’s a quiet anomaly in his body of work but a touching one. It is by far the most underrated work of his and maybe even one of the most underrated films of all time that anyone can get into.
7. “Inland Empire” (2006)
When rewatching all of Lynch’s films for this ranking, this, along with a later entry, are the ones that grew on me the most. It is the most impenetrable in his filmography, a three-hour descent into digital nightmare logic. Shot on low-quality digital video cameras, the film follows Laura Dern through an increasingly fragmented and disturbing world where reality crumbles around her. It’s a challenging first-watch if you are not in the right mood or headspace to watch. However, it’s the type of film that once it clicks you’ll be hooked. It’s entirely hypnotic and an unforgettable experience.
6. “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me” (1992)
A box office bomb upon its release and initially panned for deviating from the style of the series, “Fire Walk with Me” has undergone a massive reappraisal in the last ten or so years. It strips away most of the quirky humor of “Twin Peaks” and replaces with much darker themes of drug addiction and sexual abuse. It is a prequel that depicts Laura Palmer’s final days, turning the mythic figure into a tragic, flesh-and-blood character. It’s a haunting, painful watch that deepens the 1990 show’s themes of trauma and cosmic horror. It is an incredible film that pairs incredibly well when watched after the series.
5. “Lost Highway” (1997)
Like “Inland Empire”, this film grew on me after rewatching. It is a noir-infused nightmare about identity, memory and doppelgangers and possibly Lynch’s most unsettling film, which is quite an impressive feat. It blends elements of surreal horror with a grimy, 90s neo-noir aesthetic and moves like a Rubik’s cube, constantly twisting and turning, further scrambling itself. It also features one of the most chilling villains of all time with Robert Blake’s portrayal of the Mystery Man. It is a hypnotic puzzle of existential dread and one that sits towards the top of Lynch’s work.
4. “The Elephant Man” (1980)
The most classical film Lynch ever made. Shortly after his bursting onto the scene, he was chosen by producer Jonathan Sanger to helm the film. It is a deeply empathetic biopic about Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man in Victorian England, who was used in freak show exhibits. It is shot in black and white and delicately balances Lynch’s love for grotesque imagery with a profound sense of humanity. It’s an emotional powerhouse, proving that even in his earliest mainstream efforts. Lynch had an unmatched ability to weave beauty into darkness.
3. “Blue Velvet” (1986)
His suburban nightmare, “Blue Velvet” rips open the veneer of small-town innocence to reveal a world of perversion and violence. Frequent collaborator Kyle MacLachlan’s naive amateur detective stumbles into the orbit of Dennis Hopper’s terrifying Frank Booth, one of cinema’s most deranged villains. It is another romantic, neo-noir masterpiece that cemented Lynch’s status as the next great American auteur.
2. “Eraserhead” (1977)
For a feature film debut, Lynch managed to rock the cinematic landscape forever. Created on a measly $100,000 budget, it flew under the radar upon its release. The premiere of the film only drew 25 viewers, and 24 the following day. However, Lynch’s film about themes of fatherhood, alienation and bodily horror became a legendary mainstay in the midnight movie world, further popularizing the practice. Undergoing one of the longest recorded production times spanning several years, “Eraserhead” feels like a transmission from another world, where grotesque creatures and eerie sound design create a constant state of unease. It remains one of the most original films ever made and an unshakable vision of existential horror.
1. “Mulholland Drive” (2001)
A film that defines David Lynch’s career as an auteur. Consistently rated as one of the greatest of all time, it is a masterpiece of Hollywood dreams and nightmares. What begins as a dreamy mystery transforms into a devastating meditation on identity, desire, and the underbelly of stardom. Naomi Watts delivers one of the greatest performances of all time and the film’s haunting, nonlinear storytelling makes it in my eyes not only an amazing film, but a perfect one.
Honorable Mention: “Twin Peaks” (1990-1991, 2017)
Even though it is not a film, I would be remiss to exclude what I think is Lynch’s greatest contribution to visual media. This series became a cultural phenomenon and completely redefined television, leading it to its golden age. The fashion of telling one overarching story across multiple seasons had never been done through a television series, with viewers tuning in every week wanting to know who killed Laura Palmer. It also pioneered one hour drama shows on television like “X-Files” and “The Sopranos.” The show blended soap opera melodrama with supernatural horror with a touch of comedy, making for a completely unique style of show.
Although the show was cancelled after the second season, partially due to executive mismanagement causing disinterest from creators Lynch and Mark Frost, the show returned to air in 2017 on Showtime for a third season. With this return being categorized as a film, it has been hailed as one of the greatest movies of the century. Once again pushing the boundaries of television and bringing closure to Lynch’s greatest work.