FAQ -> David Lynch
David Lynch Questions:
L1. What are David Lynch's other movies/shows? L2. What music did DL write? L3. Has Jack Nance appeared in all of DL's movies? L4. What is "On the Air"? L5. What is "Hotel Room"? L6. What is "Ronnie Rocket"? L7. What is "Boxing Helena"? L8. What is Lynch up to these days? L9. Why are all DL's works so weird? L10. What is "One Saliva Bubble"? L11. How can I get in touch with David Lynch? Does he have an e-mail address? Answers:
L1. What are David Lynch's other movies/shows? 1. "Six Men Getting Sick" (1 minute, 1967) Although this is Lynch's first "film" (animated), it was really part of an experimental sculpture Lynch did at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. The sculpture/film won first prize in a student show. The work had "a rectangular screen with three gape-mouthed face fragments staring out while a fuller bust, jaw pressed to palm, leers disapprovingly. Onto the three-dimensional screen, Lynch projected a short film that, as then fellow student Bruce Samuelson recalls, was wound around long arms extended on each side of his second-hand 8mm camera, so the film literally ran in a loop on the squeaking, rattling contraption. Samuelsom remembers images of burning canvases and, prominently, vomiting heads; the crowd loved it, he says." "Lynch, never one to describe his work literally, characterizes 'Six Men Getting Sick' as '57 seconds of growth and fire, and three seconds of vomit. It started off with six heads and then arms and stomachs grew in. The heads caught fire and then all of the heads got violently sick and then it started all over again.'" "The use of a projector and the inclusion of the operating machine as part of the sculpture introduces an industrial element present in many subsequent Lynch works. The project also initiates Lynch's interest in vomiting, which will be graphically and frequently represented in his paintings as well as in his full-length films from 'Eraserhead' to "Wild at Heart.'" No videos or copies of this footage are known to be available, although a photo of the sculpture "screen" can be found in Kennth Kaleta's book "David Lynch", from which this description of "Six Men Getting Sick" was taken (see question P1 for book details). The attention Lynch received from this work led to a commision to create his next work, "The Alphabet" (see below). 2. "The Alphabet" (4 minutes, 1967) A 16mm color film, which includes animation, showing the 26 letters of the alphabet: "The drawings are accompanied by the 'Alphabet Song', changing from the rote children's jingle to the operatic to the ominous. The letters appear as characters, designs, and decorations, even animated into shapes suggesting moving symbols. These include life-cycle symbols: phallic symbols, tubes, and a birth-canal of the letter 'A' giving life to a litter of 'a's, letters in full bloom, and letters submerged back into the screen. "A woman (Peggy Lynch), in white kabuki-like makeup and large, dark sunglasses is cut live into the animation. The live action of the film includes shots of an exaggerated rendering of sultry lips, a prominent iron bed, and assorted body parts. 'Remember you are dealing with the human form' is enunciated by the woman in a tight close-up, breaking into the repetition of the alphabet. "Tension in the film is heightened by the dual structure of black-and-white photography with color animation. As animated figures decay, wither, and die, the black-and-white reality of the stylized dreamer is increasingly disturbed by the animation's darkening tone. Finally, live action becomes as disturbing. Red dots from the animation become blood spots splattering onto the sheets of the writhing woman in the bed. The pelting from the animation results in her vomiting blood." "The Alphabet" earned Lynch an American Film Institute grant to continue filmmaking. (Description from the Kennth Kaleta book "David Lynch"--see question P1 for details on the book.) See "The Grandmother" below for video availability. 3. "The Grandmother" (35 minutes, 1970) A 16mm film, with black and white live action and color animation, about a young boy who escapes his abusive parental environment by growing from seed a loving grandmother of his own. "The black and white live action has the look of early silent films: grainy shots, stylized makeup, exaggerated acting techniques, erratic pacing, diversity of lighting, and unassuming costumes. This similarity in look reinforces the feel is Lynch's early experimental films of Luis Bun~uel's surrealistic work with Salvador Dali. "The film already has the look, and more particularly the sound, of Lynch's later works. For example, a growing yellow spot on the boy's sheets mirrors the animated yellow orb of the sun and flows into a yellow shot of the boy's idealized grandmother. Lynch spins the webs of his visual fabric. The boy's elongated, pathetic screams of both ecstasy and misery, the thunderous downpour, and the parents' exaggerated enunciation and ominous clipped dialogue aurally reinforce the film's disquieting mood." "The Grandmother" earned Lynch a place at the American Film Institute's Center for Advanced Film Studies in Los Angeles, where he would spend five years making "Eraserhead". "The Alphabet" and "The Grandmother" have not been released on video. However, a poor-quality dupe of these two films can be ordered from Video Vamp, 1483 N. Mt. Juliet Road, Suite 142, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122. Cost is $19.95 + $2.00 postage (US orders), or $3.00 postage (foreign orders). 4. "Eraserhead" (feature film) 5. "The Elephant Man" (feature film) 6. "Dune" (feature film) 7. "Blue Velvet" (feature film) 8. "The Cowboy and the Frenchman" (short film) The French weekly Figaro Magazine produced a series of short films by foreign directors, on the theme "France As Seen By ..." Lynch was the only American to participate. The comedy is "set in a conventional Far West, in which rancher Slim (Harry Dean Stanton, making his first appearance in Lynch's universe) has been deaf ever since he was a teenager, when the firing of a large-calliber bullet shattered his eardrum. Slim goes out with his cowboy and Indian friends (among whom is Michael Horse, Deputy Hawk of 'Twin Peaks') and captures an odd creature wearing a beret and speaking a bizarre language. "Like a salesman, this individual is carrying objects as odd as a ripe, odorous Camembert cheese which Slim finds offensive, a loaf of French bread and some miniature Eiffel Towers. These tourist cliches about France are thus rehearsed and ridiculed, and the encounter between France and America ends with musical fellowship around a campfire, mixing French cancan and women singing country and western tunes, and giving rise to some noisy, dreamlike images." (Description from "David Lynch" by Michel Chion--see question P1 for book details.) Videotape/laserdisc availability TBS. 9. "Wild At Heart" (feature film) 10. "Lost Highway" (feature film) [Descriptions and videotape/laserdisc availability TBS] 11. "Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted" (musical/theatrical performance piece), music composed by Angelo Badalamenti, lyrics/visuals/staging by David Lynch, featuring Julee Cruise and Michael Anderson (who plays the MFAP in TP). A 60-minute one-time-only performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, incorporating TP/Julee Cruise-style music with unusual staging and visual effects by Lynch, as well as clips from "Wild At Heart". Recommended for TP fans. Published by Warner Reprise Video, catalog number 38179-3 (VHS), 38179-6 (LD) 12. "American Chronicles" (TV series) A short-lived series (13 episodes) on the Fox network in 1991, each episode contained one or two documentaries on American topics including: Hugh Hefner (see below), Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Manhattan After Dark, a high school reunion, a truck stop, a biker convention, etc. Available on videotape and laserdisc, catalog info TBS. 13. "On The Air" (TV series, see below) 14. "Hotel Room" (TV series, see below) Lynch has also directed a number of TV commercials and music videos: - Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" music video - Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" tour video - "Obsession" commercial for Calvin Klein - "Opium" commercial for Yves St.-Laurent TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L2. What music did DL write? David Lynch wrote lyrics for nearly all of Julee Cruise's songs (music written by Angelo Badalamenti). He was also a musician on some pieces. [Exact list TBS] TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L3. Has Jack Nance appeared in all of DL's movies? Every one since "Eraserhead" except "The Elephant Man" (to his regret) and FWWM (he worked on FWWM, but his scenes were cut). Regretfully, Jack Nance died in early '97 (see question G8). TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L4. What is "On the Air"? A short-lived comedy series on ABC about a live television variety show of the '50s, hosted by a has-been movie star (played by Ian Buchanan, who played Dick Tremayne in TP), and broadcast by the third-rate Zoblotnik network (represented by Miguel Ferrer, who played Albert Rosenfield in TP). While 7 episodes were produced, only 3 were shown before the show was cancelled. All episodes are available on video (Worldvision catalog no. 5065) and laserdisc. See the separate episode list written by Jim Pellmann. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L5. What is "Hotel Room"? A short-lived drama anthology series on HBO describing the occurrences in one particular hotel room over the course of many years. Only 3 episodes were produced and broadcast. They are available on video. See the article in issue #3 of "Wrapped in Plastic" (see question P4) for more info. Barry Gifford (author of the "Sailor and Lula" novels on which "Wild At Heart" was based--see question L1 above, and the author of "Night People"--see question L8 below) has recently published a book of the "Hotel Room" screenplays. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L6. What is "Ronnie Rocket"? An unproduced movie, set to star Michael Anderson (the MFAP, or the dwarf in the Red Room, from TP). [Description TBS] The script is available from various sources (see question P2), including: From: cparr@ix.netcom.com (C. Parr) Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: Ronnie Rocket Script Date: 25 Jan 1995 04:00:38 GMT Receive a copy of David Lynch's script RONNIE ROCKET (subtitled: The Absurd Mystery of the Strange Forces of Existence). A MUST for any Lynch fan. Send $20, for postage and copy costs, to: C. Parr 24 N. Webster St. #8C Madison, WI 53703 TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L7. What is "Boxing Helena"? A movie written and directed by David Lynch's daughter, Jennifer. A study of obsession about a emotionally dysfunctional surgeon (Julian Sands) who imprisons the woman of his dreams (Sherilyn Fenn, Audrey of TP, who replaced Kim Basinger at the last minute [who was successfully sued for $8.5 million for dropping out], who replaced Madonna) who wants nothing to do with him. To prevent her escape, he eventually has to amputate her legs and arms (no gore shown on screen). Critically and publicly panned, it lasted only two weeks in theatrical release. Jennifer (who also wrote "The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer" seemed to borrow heavily from her father's filmmaking style, while crafting a difficult piece that she says shows how both parties are victims in all relationships. It is available on video. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L8. What is Lynch up to these days? The best place to keep track of Lynch is on Mike Dunn's "LynchNet" web pages: http://www.mikedunn.com In '96 and early '97, he made the film "Lost Highway". In 95, he published a book called "Images" (see question P1). He also continues to be a producer and lyricist for Julee Cruise (see questions P2 and L1). On her latest album, "The Voice of Love", a photograph that he described on the Leno show graces the cover: finding his kitchen overrun with ants one day, he molded a tiny, hollow clay human head, which he filled with cheese, mounted on a toothpick, and left out for the ants to find; as the ants swarmed over the head and cleaned out the cheese, he took a series of photographs of their progress; one of the 'cheese head' shots is on the cover. He directed some music videos and TV commericals (see question L1). He writes and draws a weekly cartoon strip called "The Angriest Dog in the World", available only in a few alternative press newspapers in large cities. In late '94, he appeared on the National Public Radio program "Fresh Air", where he described his current work. You can order an audio tape of the show by calling 1-800-934-6000 and asking for the "Fresh Air" show of December 15, 1994 featuring David Lynch. The cost is $9.95 + $3.95 postage & handling = $13.90. He's not working on any further TP material of any kind, to our knowledge. :^( TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L9. Why are all DL's works so weird? Weird is in the mind of the beholder. TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L10. What is "One Saliva Bubble"? A film script that Lynch has been attempting to get produced since 1987. So far it has happened, but it sounds like classic Lynch: From: Mark Wasiel (mwasiel@genie.geis.com) Date: Sun, 22 May 94 01:41:04 PDT Subject: One Saliva Bubble I have a copy of the first draft of the Lynch/Frost script for "One Saliva Bubble". I noticed it wasn't listed in the FAQ so I figured I should mention that it existed, because you David Lynch fans would want to know. It was written in 1987 and is an absurd comedy which reminded me of the first episode (the good one) of "On the Air." Basically, a saliva bubble from this hick redneck working at a top-secret military base gets into a top-secret weapons system and short circuits the thing, causing it to fire upon a small rural town. This emission causes several of the townspeople to switch their personalities into different bodies, sort of like "Freaky Friday", but with more people. It's a very funny script and I thought it was better than "Ronnie Rocket". TOP of section ------------------------------------------------------------ L11. How can I get in touch with David Lynch? Does he have an e-mail address? As far as we know, Lynch does not have an e-mail address. Nor is his production company's address or phone number known. All we have is: From: jhbrown@athena.mit.edu (Jeremy H Brown) Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: Re: David Lynch mailing address Date: 17 Aug 1993 06:22:50 GMT This address was given to me once over this newsgroup, back when someone had volunteered to provide the equipment to get Lynch online if someone would contact him. I wrote, but never received a reply. If you have better luck, please let me know! David Lynch c/o Creative Artists Management 9830 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90201 ---------- From: at231@yfn.ysu.edu (Marc Plainguet) Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Date: 22 May 1994 06:23:25 GMT I'm Assistant Manager for a Waldenbooks and we got a book called The Address Book in which is supposed to be contact addresses for famous people. Here's one of interest.... David Lynch P.O. Box 93624 Los Angeles, CA 90093 TOP of section ============================================================