Intriguing Insights into David Lynch
7. An Unusual Collection of Frozen Creatures
David Lynch, renowned for his multifaceted artistry, understood himself first as an artist and later as a filmmaker. Throughout his life, he ventured into various disciplines, including photography and music, but his most notorious artwork emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Known as ‘kits’, these pieces featured disassembled animal parts, initially a fish and later a chicken, mounted alongside playful reassembly instructions.
In a candid interview, Lynch recalled planning a ‘mouse kit’, with the necessary parts stored in his freezer. Although this project never materialized, he continued to incorporate unconventional materials into his art, including dead bees and cigarette ashes, over the years.
6. A Brief Friendship with Stuffed Dolls
In 1981, while driving along Sunset Boulevard, Lynch spotted five Woody Woodpecker plush dolls at a gas station, leading him to execute a sharp U-turn to acquire them. He named them Bob, Dan, Pete, Buster, and Chucko, and kept them in his office for a dose of daily cheer.
“These guys aren’t just a bunch of goofballs,” he asserted. “They know there is plenty of suffering in the world … But they tell me there’s a pervading happiness underneath everything, and the more time I spend with them, the more I believe it.” Unfortunately, their companionship ended when the dolls began exhibiting negative traits.
5. Almost Joining the Star Wars Galaxy
Lynch was once in talks to direct the third Star Wars installment, Return of the Jedi. Following the success of The Elephant Man, he became the highly sought-after director of the moment, catching the attention of George Lucas. Their initial meeting led Lynch to immediately decline the offer, reportedly encouraging Lucas to helm the project himself.
However, writer Max Evry recently revealed that negotiations continued for weeks, with Lynch remaining Lucas’s preferred choice until he turned down the role in favor of another major project, Dune. Looking back, one could argue it was a fortunate outcome, as imagining Lynch’s creative vision for Jabba the Hutt’s palace feels quite unsettling.
4. An Injury Induced by Laughter
During a recording session for Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Lynch found himself in stitches at the expense of his longtime collaborator, composer Angelo Badalamenti. The humorous situation arose when Badalamenti was instructed to deliver lyrics in an exaggerated Midwestern accent.
So much laughter ensued that Lynch ended up in the hospital with a severe hernia, a testament to the duo’s comedic chemistry. The resulting soundtrack, however, has been celebrated as one of the best in cinematic history.
3. A Dive into Ancient Music
Despite his hernia setback, Lynch’s musical ventures continued into the mid-1990s. He eventually released an album of personal tracks in 2011, but earlier, he collaborated with Jocelyn Montgomery on Lux Vivens, an album inspired by the spiritual music of 12th-century nun Hildegard Von Bingen. The record featured choral hymns backed by a unique array of instruments and sounds, such as violin and guitar blended with sword and bull noises.
2. A Mad Men Enthusiast
Once skeptical of television, Lynch became an avid viewer in his later years, particularly of the critically acclaimed series Mad Men. His admiration for the show was so intense that upon meeting stars Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss, he referred to them exclusively by their character names, Don and Peggy.
“We went with it,” Moss recounted, highlighting the unique dynamic Lynch brought to their encounter.
1. Lynch’s Distaste for Large Tables
In a world where Lynch has built narratives and dreams, he also turned his hands to furniture-making, drawing on skills acquired during childhood. Having created props for several of his early films, he developed an interest in designing his own furniture, sometimes for use on set.
Despite this creative outlet, Lynch harbored strong opinions about table sizes. “Most tables are too big,” he complained. “They’re too high. They shrink the size of the room … and cause unpleasant mental activity.”
