David Lynch, non-dualist Thursday, news broke that David Lynch had died. Jada Yuan and I put together a primer focused on five essential David Lynch works: “Eraserhead,” “Blue Velvet,” “Twin Peaks,” “The Straight Story” and “Mulholland Drive.” Ty Burr wrote an appreciation calling him “the visionary of America’s subconscious.” And how! Lynch made work about the appeal and absurdity of the American Dream and about the chaos and violence that can unconsciously inform our desires. What separated Lynch’s vision from more facile critiques of America (I’m thinking of, like, Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” video) was that he didn’t frame the paradox of American violence and American optimism as hypocritical — it all came from the same id. For Lynch, it wasn’t about duality. David Lynch made “Blue Velvet” and David Lynch made “The Straight Story” and that’s actually not that weird if you think about it. We all have desires that we understand and desires that we don’t understand and they all play out in a private dreamworld that we can’t quite ever fully articulate. If anyone came close to articulating that dreamworld, it was Lynch. As Burr wrote: Lynch’s imagery flowed straight from his unconscious to his medium of choice — he was trained as a painter before moving into film and television — without stopping at the front office. | | | | I sigh. Trying to write this is driving home the point: I’m no David Lynch. No one else was, though many tried to be. If you happen to be looking for a deeper Lynch cut, I heartily recommend “Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted,” a lyrical video piece made with his longtime collaborator Angelo Badalamenti that featured the late, great Julee Cruise. It’s on YouTube and it’s only 50 minutes. But I also totally get it if you’re like, “No, I actually don’t need more obscure Lynch references, thank you.” David Lynch never made a musical in the traditional sense, but almost all of his films have indelible musical moments. His use of Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game” in “Wild at Heart” helped make the single a top-10 hit. I heard so many great songs for the first time thanks to Lynch: - “Llorando,” the a cappella Spanish rendition of Roy Orbison’s “Crying” performed by Rebekah Del Rio in “Mulholland Drive.”
- Another Roy Orbison Song, “In Dreams,” campily lip-synched by Dean Stockwell in “Blue Velvet.”
- “Song to the Siren,” a song he originally wanted to use in “Blue Velvet” but ended up in “Lost Highway.”
Actually, just put all of “Lost Highway” on that list. The credits open with “I’m Deranged,” an underrated song from David Bowie’s electronica era (remember when that was a thing?). There’s a scene with Bill Pullman skronking on a sax, playing acid jazz (remember when that was a thing??). The soundtrack, produced by Trent Reznor, was my introduction to Rammstein (remember when thaaaaaat was a thiiiiing???). The music video for “Rammstein” by Rammstein (shades of “Bad Company,” the hit single from the album “Bad Company” by Bad Company) is a collage of “Lost Highway” footage and live performance. The result is … not great. See? Even David Lynch can be involved in something that doesn’t work! Optimism! Bad and good. Scary and sensual. Corny and profound. Cheerful and menacing. Gentle and violent. We forget that it’s in all of us. David Lynch reminded us. | 
