David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001) has usually been celebrated for its weirdly oneiric narrative hijinks and its unsettling doublings of character. In 2012, the critic Miriam Bale identified the film as a key entry in a subgenre she coined the “persona swap” film, in which the personalities of two female characters become blended or swapped… Read more »
The television show Twin Peaks (David Lynch & Mark Frost, 1990-1991) is known for its music. Its otherwordly soundtrack transports the audience into a universe where retro nostalgia meets the fantastic. In this video, I look at how musical set-pieces are used to illuminate the character of Leland Palmer, father of murdered teen Laura Palmer.
I think every artist can learn something from David Lynch. He is a touchstone for many surrealists, but even more conventional writers and painters can learn something from his combination of visuals and sound. I’ve spent the last year making an odyssey into the majority of his filmography, and I’d highly recommend that you do… Read more »