For hours now, tributes have been pouring in to honor this great filmmaker who occasionally took on the role of actor. Undoubtedly, he was also one of the first influencers of his kind, offering, through his groundbreaking television series, food for thought to generations across the globe who eagerly consumed episodes trickling in week by week.
Generational musings on how to approach a narrative—on this front, David Lynch’s contribution reshaped cinema and television of the 20th century and beyond. Whether through science fiction, absurdist cinema, thrillers, or even nods to the Italian horror maestro Dario Argento, Lynch’s work—both his films and his television series—left audiences worldwide captivated. His second season of *Twin Peaks* famously provided no clear answers, while the third season, though ambitious, could not quite live up to its predecessors. And this is hardly surprising: like all great artists, Lynch was deeply rooted in his era. The intellectual climate of the ’80s and ’90s was light-years away from the sensibilities of the 2000s. As such, bridging the gap to appeal to a new generation proved an impossible task.
Lynch’s work was, above all, a sociological lens cast across epochs. Nearly every film bearing his signature seems to articulate societal concerns, decade after decade. To my mind, his greatest works remain *Eraserhead* (1977), *The Elephant Man*, and *Blue Velvet*. The latter, with its peculiar narrative and treatment, almost foreshadows *Twin Peaks*, which would arrive four years later. Through the prism of the strange and surreal, David Lynch opened doors to reflection on human relationships and our rapport with the supernatural—a foundation for a worldview that provokes deep thought.
Lynch was a pillar of genre cinema, a type of filmmaking sadly in decline today. In an age where deep reflection has waned, works of this nature are difficult to propose. Yet, many of today’s blockbuster films owe their DNA to filmmakers like Lynch, whose genre films were crafted to let technique serve the idea, not the other way around. If one series can be considered the spiritual successor to Lynch’s vision, it is undoubtedly *The X-Files*. In it, we find conspiracies, science fiction, strangeness—elements that kept the series alive for so long. Unlike *Twin Peaks*, however, *The X-Files* managed to thrive by offering episodic narratives with a beginning, middle, and end, even as some storylines intertwined across episodes.
As for Lynch’s films, those who sought to pigeonhole him as a horror filmmaker misunderstood him entirely. From as early as 1977 with *Eraserhead*, his gaze was far more attuned to the psychological than the horrific. His uncompromising perspective on the world around him served as a vehicle to critique societal flaws—an almost political stance. Unsurprisingly, his work was more readily embraced by Democrats, while Republicans often dismissed it as a parade of moral failings laid bare on screen.
In the end, it is difficult to say whether his television or cinematic oeuvre holds greater significance in understanding his intellectual legacy. Like the work of any major artist, Lynch’s output is uneven, containing both brilliance and moments that fall short. The third season of *Twin Peaks*—undoubtedly a season too many—arrived far too late. Nonetheless, David Lynch remains as vital to the evolution of modern cinema and television as figures like Spielberg, Cimino, and Cameron. His contributions to narrative technique, aesthetic innovation, and actor direction have left an indelible mark on the art forms we know today.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 16th 2025
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