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Poll

Where do you stand on the directing talents of David Lynch?

He is one of the 5 Best Directors Today.
10 (29.4%)
He certainly makes my list, but I can think of a dozen who are better.
9 (26.5%)
He is solid, and sometimes Great.
8 (23.5%)
He's okay.
2 (5.9%)
Not my kind of filmmaker.
3 (8.8%)
He's incredibly overrated.
2 (5.9%)

Total Members Voted: 34

Author Topic: Lynch, David - The Top Directors Working Today  (Read 3392 times)

1SO

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Lynch, David - The Top Directors Working Today
« on: July 31, 2008, 12:36:39 AM »
I can't imagine somebody on this site who hasn't seen a film by David Lynch.  He is with little doubt, the most artistic American filmmaker working right now.  (And by artistic I mean his image and sound work like a great painting, open to all kinds of interpretation.)  He has his weird stuff and then his Really Weird Stuff.  (A Straight Story was odd for coming off as quite normal.)

I was always kind of on the fence with Lynch, and after Lost Highway I thought I was through.  But Mulholland Dr. pulled me back in and I really liked diving into Inland Empire, his most Lynchian film since Eraserhead.  For those who don't like their cinema daring, love for Lynch probably stops at the border of "Twin Peaks", but I think Lynch is opening up new avenues for cinematic expression and he's not to be missed.

[It's worth noting that as the 80's came to a close, the two most acclaimed films of the decade were Raging Bull and Blue Velvet.  I think now, most would clearly pick Scorsese.  Might I suggest a Random Movie Deathmatch?]

[As long as I'm suggesting content, Lynch would also make for an interesting 'Director's Best/Director's Worst'.]
« Last Edit: October 28, 2010, 05:08:36 AM by pixote »

chesterfilms

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2008, 12:37:54 AM »
He certainly makes my list, but I can think of a dozen who are better.
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sdedalus

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2008, 01:18:09 AM »
Solid.

I like Lost Highway a lot.  Not so much the rest of his I've seen.
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karlwinslow

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2008, 02:05:40 AM »
while I think is Mulholland Dr is a really interesting film, and really enjoyed discussing it in my film theory class.....i don't really like it on it's own.

does that make sense?  I think it has some interesting things to discuss, but I wouldn't list it in any of my "top 5" or "best of" lists.

moush

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2008, 02:08:40 AM »
Overrated imo. I guess a lot of people like his movies because they're obscure and perceived as "deep".

pixote

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2008, 02:09:10 AM »
He is [erratic] but sometimes great.  (Solid just seems like totally the wrong word — though I voted that option.) Mulholland Drive is one of my favorite American films of this decade, along with Lee's 25th Hour and Linklater's Before Sunset. Hurray for the Ls!

I've got mad depth perception.

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skjerva

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2008, 02:14:10 AM »
Overrated imo. I guess a lot of people like his movies because they're obscure and perceived as "deep".

not really.  two of my faves are The Elephant Man and The Straight Story - two profoundly humane visions of personal relationships.  IE, MD and LH are all pretty interesting; and BV is pretty great (along with early TP).

i put him in Top 5, though don't hold me to it, Top 10 might be more accurate.
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moush

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2008, 02:17:21 AM »
I haven't really seen many of his movies, yet I really enjoyed Mulholland Dr. and I've been meaning to watch Blue Velvet.  It may just be I'm thinking too much about Eraserhead.  I really hate that movie and it amazes me when people claim how great it is.

1SO

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2008, 09:19:21 AM »
Eraserhead is Great.  I admit, i had no idea what was going on and I thought there was no meaning at all for about 40min.  Then I realized the entire world was being seen through the main character's prism of anxiety and fear and the film - all of it - made complete sense.  And the re-imagining of our banal world (dating, marriage, having kids) was simply masterful.

Kevin Shields

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Re: The Top Directors Working Today: David Lynch
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2008, 02:24:56 PM »
The only film I've never seen is Eraserhead.  I've seen parts of The Elephant Man and The Straight Story

I'll watch anything he does.  Even if it's going to be bloody awful.  He's always interesting, always trying to do something different.  He's in my top 5 great directors of now. 
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