The Owls Are Not What They Seem. Why We Love David Lynch So Much?

by Dara Morgan

The Owls Are Not What They Seem. Why We Love David Lynch So Much?

17 Jan 2025

The great master died at the age of 78. He was one of the most important directors of the 20th and 21st centuries, a visionary who brought absurdity and beauty together and pushed them to the limit. Today, we recall his works — each a reflection of David Lynch’s impeccable style: harsh, surrealistic, weird, shocking, and beautiful.

“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” read a Facebook post. “We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

In August 2024, Lynch revealed that he was suffering from emphysema after many years of smoking and that he could not leave home for fear of contracting COVID-19.

My favourite thing about Lynch was his disdain for explanation. “The film is the thing,” he said in a 2007 BAFTA interview. He perceived films like music — pure abstraction that one must feel rather than understand. This is why thousands of theories surround Mulholland Drive, yet none can fully encapsulate the deep horror, anxiety, and mesmerising hypnosis it evokes.

“A film is... when it is finished, all the elements together in a way that feels correct and feels complete. That’s what goes out. Since it’s complete, in my mind, nothing should be talked about more. It’s a big shame when something is finished and then people want you to translate it back into words, because it never will work. It will never go back into words and be what the film is. It’s like describing a piece of music. You do not hear the music; you just see the words, and maybe it conjures up a desire to go listen to that music. Some films may have a theme, but even if it has a theme, it may be a different theme for different people who see it. So it is better to let people come to their own ideas, having seen and experienced the film,” Lynch said when "explaining" one of his greatest work, Mulholland Drive.

Another fascinating aspect of Lynch’s artistry was how he never appeared to invent ideas but rather caught them, describing them as fish.

“Ideas exist,” he explained in an interview. “They are like fish. We catch them. There is an ocean of ideas waiting for all of us. But how to catch them — that is the trick. Sometimes they jump into your head when you are working hard on something else. Other times, you must sit, close your eyes, and fall into a kind of waking dream, descending into the space where ideas hover and catching them that way. It doesn’t always work, but sometimes it does.”

When asked if this process was a form of shamanism, he replied: “It is magic, pure magic. Ideas are responsible for everything. They are like cocoons or seeds, waiting to be planted somewhere. They exist in an abstract world. You cannot touch them, but they still speak to you. They are like electricity: they spark, fill you with enthusiasm, inspiration, and happiness.”

Rest in peace, David. Our weekend is planned: walking with you through the worlds of your dreams.

Twin Peaks (1990–1991)

The mystery drama series Twin Peaks is one of the most influential television series of all time. Countless classics of the modern TV landscape would not exist without this show, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. We all know who killed Laura Palmer now, but Twin Peaks is so much more than a detective series. It influenced an entire era.

The idea of a small town with dark and hidden secrets just beneath the surface inspired a generation of shows. The dreamlike and psychoanalytical probing into the consciousness of Twin Peaks’ Special Agent Dale Cooper has been utilised time and again in later series. The show’s influence is broad, with creators such as The Sopranos' David Chase citing Twin Peaks as a direct inspiration. Chase once remarked: “Anybody making a one-hour drama today who says he wasn’t influenced by David Lynch is lying.”

Source: imdb.com

Mulholland Drive (2001)

This film is so impactful that I could not sleep after watching it for the first time. Initially pitched as a Twin Peaks-style TV series, Mulholland Drive faced early rejection when ABC cancelled its pilot. However, StudioCanal stepped in, allowing Lynch to transform it into a feature film. The result was a noir-style mystery drama, a critical success that secured Lynch a third Oscar nomination for Best Director. In 2016, it was voted the best film of the 21st century.

Source: imdb.com

Blue Velvet (1986)

When Blue Velvet was released, critics were divided, with some arguing that its explicit content served little artistic purpose. Yet the film earned Lynch his second Oscar nomination for Best Director and won Best Film and Best Director prizes from the National Society of Film Critics. Over time, it achieved cult status. The film, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern, revolves around a college student uncovering a vast criminal conspiracy after discovering a severed ear in a field.

Source: imdb.com

Wild at Heart (1990)

Recently listed as a must-watch Valentine’s film by us, Wild at Heart is a bold and dramatic dark comedy. Adapted from Barry Gifford’s novel, it stars Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern in a haunting road movie with echoes of The Wizard of Oz. Premiering at Cannes in 1990, it won the Palme d’Or.

Source: imdb.com

Eraserhead (1977)

Lynch’s directorial debut, Eraserhead, is a body horror film that influenced the likes of Kubrick, Aronofsky, and the Coen Brothers. Produced over five years starting in 1971, it played in theatres as a midnight-movie curiosity for another four years before achieving cult status. The film’s eerie atmosphere and surreal storytelling remain a hallmark of Lynch’s genius.

Source: imdb.com

by Dara Morgan