Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, Dune and more: discover the films and series directed by David Lynch

Director, screenwriter, producer, visual artist, musician and even actor, the American David Lynch has marked the history of cinema and television.

One of the most acclaimed and influential directors of the past four decades, Lynch is known for his surreal, dreamlike and unconventional works. With a unique style, his films mix elements of horror, comedy, melodrama and suspense. For some his works are considered strange and difficult to understand; for others, they are stimulating sensory experiences.

Among the most important awards received by the director are the Palme d’Or and the award for best director at the Cannes Film Festival for “Wild at Heart”, as well as an honorary Oscar.

David Lynch passed away at the age of 78 on January 16, 2025, leaving a priceless legacy cherished by fans, viewers and critics around the world. How about celebrating your work? Check out below all the films and series that David Lynch has produced in his glorious career.

Eraser (1977)

David Lynch’s debut film, “Eraserhead,” is an independent production shot in black and white.

With elements of surrealism and body horror, the film has received critical acclaim since its release and has achieved cult status. The work has been selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in National Film Registrybeing considered “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant”.

In the plot, Henry (Jack Nance) and his wife have a premature and grotesquely deformed son. Unable to bear the child’s appearance, the mother abandons the family. Now Henry has to take care of him alone.

The Elephant Man (1980)

The drama “The Elephant Man” is based on the life of Joseph Merrick, a deformed man who lived in London in the late 19th century. Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt star in the production.

The plot follows John Merrick (Hurt), who was born disfigured and lives as an attraction in a freak show at the circus. However, his life changes when surgeon Frederick Treves (Hopkins) takes him to the hospital. John, an intelligent, sensitive and kind person, has the opportunity to regain his dignity.

One of the rare films in Lynch’s oeuvre accessible to the general public, “The Elephant Man” was a critical and commercial success. The film received eight Oscar nominations.

Dune (1984)

Before the more recent adaptations and Frank Herbert’s book, the space opera “Dune” had a version directed by David Lynch. Despite the book’s rich content and a renowned director at the helm, the film was a failure.

According to Lynch himself: “The film broke my heart. It was a failure and I didn’t make the final cut. […] It’s not the film I wanted to make. I really like some parts, but for me it was a total failure.”

The plot follows the rise of Paul Atreides as a messianic figure destined to save the people of Arrakis, a vast desert planet.

In the cast we have Kyle MacLachlan, a recurring actor in Lynch’s filmography, as well as Patrick Stewart and an iconic appearance from rock singer Sting.

Blue Velvet (1986)

Neo-noir thriller film full of mystery, symbolism and themes of sexual attraction. The work earned Lynch his second Oscar nomination for best director.

The story follows a young college student who, returning home to visit his father, finds a severed human ear. During the investigation, he discovers a criminal conspiracy linked to drug trafficking and a nightclub singer with a troubled past.

In the cast we have big names, such as Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper and Laura Dern.

Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

One of the most important TV series in the history of American television has the hand of David Lynch, who created the series together with Mark Frost. “Twin Peaks” revolutionized television productions with a plot that combined the clichés of American soap operas, horror, quirky comedy and surrealism.

The plot of the series revolves around the investigation conducted by FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) into the mysterious death of teenager Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) in the town of Twin Peaks.

With two seasons, the series received critical acclaim, but had an abrupt ending.

Wild at Heart (1990)

Road movie that mixes romance, violence and surrealism. “Wild at Heart” won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and is one of the director’s most emblematic works.

The plot follows Sailor Ripley (Nicolas Cage) and Lula Pace Fortune (Laura Dern), a loving couple on the run from criminals and Lula’s overbearing mother, while facing their own demons on a road trip.

In addition to Cage and Dern, the cast includes Willem Dafoe in a haunting performance as Bobby Peru, Diane Ladd (Oscar-nominated for the role), and Harry Dean Stanton.

Twin Peaks: The Last Days of Laura Palmer (1992)

This movie came out shortly after the series, but it’s not a conclusion. It is in fact a prequel focused on the last seven days of Laura Palmer’s life, events that occurred before the series. Actress Sheryl Lee returns to the role of young Laura.

The cast also includes Kyle MacLachlan, who returns as Agent Dale Cooper, as well as David Bowie and Harry Dean Stanton.

Lost Highway (1997)

With one of the craziest plots in a David Lynch film, “Lost Highway” features names like Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, Balthazar Getty and Robert Blake in the cast.

The story revolves around Fred (Pullman), a musician who begins receiving mysterious tapes from him and his wife (Arquette). He is later convicted of killing her.

Then, Fred turns into another man and takes a completely different direction in his life.

A True Story (1999)

A biographical drama based on true events, “A True Story” is one of Lynch’s softest and most emotional works, with fewer fantastic and surreal elements than his previous films.

The plot follows Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth), an elderly man who decides to travel hundreds of miles on a lawnmower to visit his ailing brother, who he hasn’t spoken to in years. During his journey, crossing the United States, Alvin meets several people who, in different ways, contribute to his journey.

Farnsworth’s performance was widely praised, earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The film also features Sissy Spacek in the role of Alvin’s daughter, while Harry Dean Stanton plays the protagonist’s brother.

City of Dreams (2001)

For many fans and critics, “City of Dreams” is the greatest masterpiece of David Lynch’s career. The film was a huge critical success upon its release, earning the director the director award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Director.

The film also often appears in lists of the best films of all time, such as Sight and soundwhere it occupies eighth position.

The plot begins with Rita, a woman who survives an assassination attempt that ends in a car accident. Without memory, he seeks refuge in a building where he meets Betty, a young woman recently arrived in Los Angeles who dreams of becoming an actress.

Together, they try to find out what happened to Rita. At the same time, we follow the trajectory of a director whose production of his film is controlled by the local mafia.

Empire of Dreams (2006)

The experimental “Empire of Dreams” is considered one of the most complex films in David Lynch’s work.

Laura Dern plays a Hollywood actress who begins to take on her character’s personality in a cursed production. The plot explores fragments and nightmares involving the protagonist.

Twin Peaks: The Return (2017)

Twenty-five years later, “Twin Peaks” gets a third season. In fact, “Twin Peaks: The Return” is an 18-episode revival that continues the events, twenty-five years after the abrupt end of the second season.

“The Return”, however, has an independent purpose from what was seen in the original series, with a much more experimental, radical and stimulating proposal for the public.

The series also received critical acclaim and, unusually, was selected by “Cahiers du Cinéma” magazine as the best “film” of the 2010s.

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Rose

Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.