FILM/CINEMA/DAY IN HISTORY

Director David Lynch Has Passed Away

Experimental director, musician, actor, artist and humanitarian

David Lynch at the Academy Awards, photo credit Oscars.com

One of the most influential directors in filmmaking, David Lynch, has passed away today. While I am not fit to discuss the body of his work, I am shocked and saddened this innovative, multitalented director has left us.

In 2007, The Guardian’s film critics had this to say about Lynch: “No one could fault the conclusion that David Lynch is the most important film-maker of the current era.”

Lynch is best known for Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, Elephant Man and the 1984 version of Dune. Lynch took incredible chances in his storytelling, using content, visuals and style which was not mainstream. Yet, he built an incredibly loyal audience and reputation for his work throughout his life.

He was known for his surrealist, dark, neo-noir, symbolic stories often cutting across genres silmutaneously. Many of his films didn’t attract mainstream movie fans, falling more into the midnight movie underground circuit. The strange hit Eraserhead was one of those films.