While David Lynch had an early ambition to become a painter, he found his calling as a filmmaker after studying at the Pennsylvania Academy Of Fine Arts. After making his first 60-second animation film, he directed Eraserhead in 1977, which became a critical success. Lynch is known not to constrain himself from the traditional Hollywood storyline but rather to use surreal yet bizarre imagery to confuse, baffle, and interest the viewers. His filming style has evolved into a genre within itself called Lynchian, which has trademark cinematography and violet sequences that astound everyone.
A true passionate fan of the cinema, David Lynch has only made movies personal to him. As he believes in his vision, he is not concerned about his movie performances at the box office. However, his films have still made millions due to his passionate fanbase.
10 Inland Empire (2006)
An experimental film where David Lynch showed his genius as a director, writer, producer, cinematographer, editor, and sound designer, Inland Empire follows the story of a Hollywood actress who embodies various personalities as the story progresses. The movie stars some of his regulars, such as Laura Dern, Justin Theroux, and Harry Dean Stanton. The film made $0.85 million at the box office and earned Lynch a National Society of Film Critics Award in the Best Experimental Film Category, as noted by IMDB.
9 Lost Highway (1997)
One of Lynch’s most compelling movies, Lost Highway, is an exciting movie about a troubled man accused of murdering someone while other plotlines interweave with the main story. Lynch co-wrote the neo-noir film with Barry Gifford, and it resembles Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo through its narrative. The movie was primarily shot in Los Angeles and made $3.8 million at the box office.
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8 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1992, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is a prequel to the hit television series Twin Peaks. The plot revolved around the murder of Teresa Banks and the world of drugs and violence. While the movie soared moderately in the theaters, it managed to make $4.16 million worldwide.
7 The Straight Story (1992)
A biographical road drama, The Straight Story earned $6.20 million at the box office and was a visually stunning movie starring Harry Dean Stanton and Richard Farnsworth. The film was based on the life of Alvin Straight, who traveled across states on his lawnmower. The light-hearted movie was a critical success for its well-written plot.
6 Eraserhead (1997)
David Lynch’s directorial debut, Eraserhead, combines various genres, including horror, science-fiction, and punk. The black and white movie took five years to produce and revolves around a couple who have a bizarre lizard-like baby, as stated by Rotten Tomatoes. The film was a commercial success, making $7 million on a $20,000 budget, and influenced Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.
5 Mulholland Drive (2001)
One of the most memorable art films created in the last few decades, Mulholland Drive earned Lynch an Oscar nomination in the Best Director category. A movie with striking imagery, it follows the journey of an up-and-coming actress who stumbles upon a car crash victim with amnesia. The movie made $7.22 million at the box office, a critical and commercial success.
4 Blue Velvet (1986)
A movie written and directed by David Lynch, Blue Velvet defined the neo-noir mystery genre with its psychological horror plot. According to the David Lynch Website, the movie has earned cult status, and Lynch was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director. Starring Isabella Rossellini, the film made $8.55 million at the box office and is considered one of the best movies of the 1980s.
3 Wild At Heart (1990)
The best black comedy movie made by David Lynch, Wild At Heart stars Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern as a couple discovering secrets about each other on a drive. The movie has a large fan following and even won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Wild At Heart made $14.56 million at the box office worldwide.
2 The Elephant Man (1980)
One of the most widely recognized films by David Lynch, the movie grossed $26.01 million at the box office and even got nominated for a whopping eight Academy Awards. Based on the true story of the real Elephant Man John Merrick, the black and white film was a critical and commercial success and helped Lynch establish himself as a successful director in Hollywood.
1 Dune (1984)
Based on a novel by Frank Herbert of the same name, Dune was Lynch’s highest-budget film and remade several times. It took over a decade of development to create the film, which has earned a cult of fan-following for its science-fiction genre. It is his most successful film and made $27.4 million at the box office, according to Screen Rant.
A prolific director with an imagination that goes beyond creativity, David Lynch has created some of the most stunning movies and inspired many generations of aspiring filmmakers. With his most famous work, Dune, the film inspired a remastered version in 2021 directed by Denis Villeneuve, which received positive reviews and is set to release a sequel in October 2023.
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Sources: IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, David Lynch Website, Screen Rant
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