Three-time Oscar nominated director David Lynch dies, aged 78. Credit: FilmBayona, Twitter.
Revolutionary television and film director David lynch, popular with fans for Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks, has sadly died aged 78, only months after being diagnosed with debilitating respiratory condition emphysema. His iconic pieces of cinema and three Oscar nominations will live long in the memory, as his work cemented himself in the history of entertainment.
“There is a big hole in the world, now that he is no longer with us. But as he would say, keep your eye on the donut, not the hole.” These are the words written by Lynch’s family in a Facebook post, amid an emotional and tragic time for both those close to the star director, but also his many fans, who idolised him for his commitment to the unusual, the bold, the noir, the surreal, and the captivating.
Emphysema battles mark end to star-studded noir-film career
Speaking on his condition in November, Lynch told news outlets of how it was almost impossible for him to walk across a room because of his newfound breathing difficulties. “It’s like you are walking around with a plastic bag over your head.” It is believed that the disease was spurred on by the star’s aggressive smoking habit.
Over the course of his professional directing career, Lynch made a serious mark on the world of film and TV, etching his name as one of the most influential of his kind across an entire generation, and is best known for his taste for the mysterious, and the dark side of comedy and thrill.
Born in Missoula, Montana, in 1946, Lynch burst onto the cult film scene after producing experimental short movies whilst still studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating, he put the plans in place for his first feature film, Eraserhead, which was released in 1976. The highly erratic and strange black and white film baffled viewers initially, but later came to cement the director as a cult favourite, particularly among the ‘midnight movie’ circuit.
He then went on to direct well-performing, high-profile films, including The Elephant Man, after receiving an offer from Mel brooks’ production company to be the creative genius behind the project. After that, he directed noir-thriller Blue Velvet, which received unanimous praise and massive critical plaudits.
Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive considered his best works
In 1990, he released Twin Peaks, a joint effort with the help of Hill Street Blues writer Mark Frost. The perfect blend of small town comedy, police procedural and surreal dreamworld fantasy, the show was dubbed as “the most hauntingly original work ever done for American TV”. The murder-mystery series is widely believed to be Lynch’s most influential work.
Mulholland Drive was Lynch’s next big hit, which was managed by French powerhouse StudioCanal. The mysterious drama earned him his third Oscar nomination for Best Director.
He has worked with the likes of Nicholas Cage, Laura Dern, Kyle Maclachlan, Sheryl Lee, Naomi Watts and Harry Dean, and is thought to be a pioneer for the surreal, endearing but noir, with his work acting as the catalyst for many of the front-running films of the same nature today.
David Lynch will be missed by many, as fans and family come together to celebrate his fantastic life and career.
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