Great filmmakers are expected to know a lot about movies, from the classics to the latest hits. It’s like studying for a test, helping them grow in their craft. With so many geniuses in the industry, some stand out more than others. But what’s really surprising is that at least one of them doesn’t follow this trend.
David Lynch is known for some of the most remarkable projects in cinema history, but his techniques for creating and delivering his work likely come from a very unexpected and unusual habit, even for actors.
David Lynch Isn’t A Movie Buff
Watching movies and series is almost like a study technique for both actors and directors. It’s a way to understand what other professionals are creating, their perspectives, and even to reflect on and reinvent oneself. It’s more than just paying tribute to or admiring the work of peers.
It turns out that this tactic can be a bit more significant for filmmakers, since they’re the ones who are credited with the projects. It’s hard to picture someone like Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, or even Christopher Nolan not being cinephiles. However, David Lynch might be the one exception on this impressive list.
In an interview with The Guardian, the director was asked about his TV and movie preferences. His answer was rather brief, and when asked about his favorite film, he was silent for quite a while.
Um… I saw my son Austin’s movie [Gray House, a documentary] last year and I really liked it. I don’t think I’ve seen any other films. (…) I never was a movie buff. I like to make movies. I like to work.
Lynch mentioned that he enjoys watching crime shows and car shows, and big Oscar-winning films like The Shape of Water, Dunkirk, and Black Panther didn’t grab his interest. It’s undeniably strange, or perhaps just quite unexpected.
Tom Cruise, for instance, might find this statement a bit off-putting, especially since he makes it a point to watch movies every day. He’s also a big supporter of other artists, like Glen Powell. Cruise encouraged his Top Gun co-star in his latest film, Twisters.
Interviewed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2014, Cruise revealed that he loves and watches movie scenes much like some people listen to music. He mentioned that he enjoys admiring the structure of the scenes, the performances, and how everything was crafted for the screen — definitely a very specific focus that might be more expected from a director. (via Daily Mail)
David Lynch Says The Movie Business Is In Trouble
In a new interview in 2023, Lynch also commented on the new generation and how cinema is currently being affected by all the technology and changes in viewers’ habits.
According to him, the pandemic has contributed to the decline of cinema, suggesting that the experience of going to theaters is no longer something people desire:
Feature films are in a bad place, series have taken their place … You could sit down and actually have the experience of stepping into a whole new world. Now that’s all in the damn history books. It’s distressing.
I always say: people think they’ve seen a movie, but if they’ve watched it on a phone, they haven’t seen anything. It’s sad. TV is not bad. But saying goodbye to movie theatres is the hardest part. Art and experimentation are over. Theatre owners … continue for the love of cinema. There are still heroes fighting for it.
The truth is, despite great titles like Twin Peaks, Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive, and even the criticized Dune, David Lynch has become one of cinema’s great geniuses because of his unique approach. While it’s still quite peculiar coming from a filmmaker, it’s possible that his detachment from movies has been a key factor in his long-standing success.
