Biography of David Lynch
David Lynch was born on January 20, 1946, in Missoula, Montana. He studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art in Philadelphia. Being interested in painting, he tried himself in animation and became interested in shooting movies. Working on the script for the movie The Grandmother, he applied for grand offered by the American Film Institute, and fortunately for him, he managed to win. This short movie was very important for the director’s career.
The next movie David Lynch shot, was a full one. Working on Eraserhead, the director was refused in support as many people did not trust in the movie but did not want to stop the young professional. It should be mentioned that the attempt to present the movie at the Cannes Film Festival were in vain. The festival organizers did not trust the movie’s success.
The 1980s are considered to be the years in David Lynch’s life when his success became visible. The Elephant Man was one of the first great performances which made David Lynch successful. This movie was nominated eight times at Academy Awards, where David Lynch personally was nominated twice for the Best Director and the Best Adapted Screenplay. After this success, David Lynch became more assured of his talent and the possibility to create a movie that really deserves attention. The outside appreciation of the director’s success was proved by George Lucas’ offer to direct the 3rd film in the Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi. Even though it was a great offer, David Lynch refused. It was just the beginning of David Lynch’s career, which followed many other great movies, which gave the director popularity.
Five Films Directed by David Lynch
The Elephant Man
The Elephant Man is a story based on the books which were written about a prominent man of the 19th century, Joseph Merrick. This drama is about a person who does not look like others and suffers from this.
The Straight Story
The story is about a man who has got to know about the disease of his brother, who has decided to go and support him despite their quarrel ten years ago. Being almost blind, he uses a riding lawn-mower. The plot is based on the travel and people Straight meets during his driving.
Blue Velvet
Blue Velvet is a story about a young man who returns to his native father to stay with his sick father. He becomes a participant in the detective investigations as he is not sure that the police are interested in capturing the criminal. The story is not that simple as the main character begins romantic relationships with the women supposed to be connected with the criminals.
Mulholland Drive
Being presupposed as the series, Mulholland Drive was not accepted by the investors, and Lynch had to refuse the idea of shooting. However, he later took the shot material and created the movie, which was warmly accepted by the audience. The idea is centered on one girl who lost her memory.
Dune
Dune cannot be named the director’s best movie as most of the fans of David Lynch’s works remain dissatisfied with the film, even though it became cult with time. Being too different from the book on which basis it is shot, David Lynch explains a negative attitude to the movie by his absence while preparing the final scenes.
The “Wild at Heart” Film by David Lynch
Wild at Heart is the cult David Lynch’s movie based on Barry Gifford’s novel Wild at Heart: The Story of Sailor and Lula. The movie is about crazy love, fear, and courage, crime, hate, and desire. Having returned after prison for murder, Sailor goes to his lover Lula, and they have to run away as Lula’s mother cannot stand Sailor and does all possible to return her small daughter home. However, the lovers are too creative and fast, and the arranged private detective Johnnie Farragut can do nothing. Thus, Lula’s mother asks her ex-lover gangster Marcelles Santos to find them and bring them back home.
The lovers do not have an opportunity to settle somewhere as they always have to run for gangsters; however, it is impossible to say that Sailor and Lula are not happy. Being young and full of desire to stay together, they consider their persecution a great adventure, making their relationships more romantic. The feeling of danger makes the lovers more passionate, and their feelings become stronger. The adventures, love, and sex are the main themes of the movie. Even though the lovers have to stay in one-roomed hotels, even though they have to change the place they stay at every day, they are happy.
The movie was nominated for many awards even though the ordinary people of a great life in this crazy world is told. Having a too primitive plot, the movie became a masterpiece as only the genies could direct it this way.