If there is one thing David Lynch’s death on January 16, 2025 has been revealedit is that the film maker and artist had a great impact on many people. This is, on paper, surprising, given how esoteric and offbeat his work was throughout his career, not to mention how popologetic he was at this point. A genius, Lynch confounded and delighted many alike because he was that rarest of creatures: an American magician. Americans are used to European filmmakers using surrealism or symbolism; at the very least, they can eliminate foreign leaders if they come from a culture and tradition that they don’t know and don’t understand. Lynch does not allow people the comfort of that answer, as even a brief look at his film shows that it is rooted in pure Americana: the wind blowing in the Douglas Firs, the smell of fresh coffee, hot, black and cherry from. small town house, etc. These images, these things, are familiar to the American people, but Lynch was happy to change their meaning a little, finding dangerous and hidden secrets hidden behind every Hollywood facade and white fence.

One of the most popular stories surrounding Lynch comes from this an interview he gave with David Lean at BAFTAwhere he described “Eraserhead” as “his most spiritual film.” When Lean asked Lynch to explain, Lynch refused. This meme sums up Lynch’s usual approach to discussing his work, let alone putting it, the filmmaker was determined to let audiences interpret his films in their own way. Although this is not a new or unusual direction for a director to take – Brady Corbet is avoiding all kinds of interpretation questions during his press tour. “The Brutalists” For example, Lynch’s ethos is notable for the no-nonsense nature of his work and how he was steadfast throughout his career in not moving forward.

Don’t, that is, save a few rare visits. The more one digs into the additional material that Lynch has approved for official release, the more (slightly) clues one can find about his extraordinary technique and thought-provoking techniques. Things like his books (especially “Room to Dream”) and behind-the-scenes footage (especially those released on “Inland Empire” and “Twin Peaks: The Return” on home media) disturb the mystery of Lynch opening a little. Arguably the biggest clue to Lynch’s identity, however, came via a fly that he wrote himself to include “Mulholland Dr.” DVD, a document that, whether on the level or not, is a great starting point when it comes to opening up his work.

Of course, the first questions when faced with this document is why Lynch would choose to give a notice to change one of his films, and why “Mulholland Dr.” especially. After all, This movie is coming out at the 74th Academy Awardsas Roger Ebert sees Lynch in the press line and asks him a pointless question about how many people Naomi Watts plays in “Mulholland Dr.,” he sees Lynch refusing to answer Ebert’s question with “How ya doin’, Roger?” Then there is this other clipin which Lynch clearly explains his love of film as an art form and why he believes so much, the unique interpretation of his films is more important than his own.

A simple answer to why Lynch would write a flyer paired with “Mulholland Dr.” DVD (titled “Mulholland Drive: 10 Clues of David Lynch to Unlocking This Thriller”) is that Lynch’s career was a bit low when “Mulholland Dr.” was being made. The film began life as a TV pilot for Touchstone Television and ABC, and Lynch is looking to return to the small screen later. his breakthrough is “Twin Peaks.” After the situation, Lynch faced many financial problems and difficulties, while the beloved movies “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” and “Lost Highway” flopped, the sitcom “On the Air” was not possible. air, and his well-received movie that proved to be a perennial hit, “Straight Story,” failed to make back its budget at the box office.

After “Mulholland Dr.” was turned down by ABC, Lynch passed on the Hail Mary and decided to write and shoot some extras to make the pilot part of his closed (sort of) episode. Fortunately, the version of “Mulholland Dr.” received critical acclaim when it premiered at Cannes in 2001, and the buzz around it continued until it turned a profit when it was released by Universal Pictures later that year. So, Lynch must have been doubly shy about his work and his reception, which would have led him to start recording DVDs with his highlights.

However, Lynch seemed to have more control over the release of “Mulholland Dr.,” to the point that his instructions were sent to all theaters of the film and insisted that the DVD release not be held up. on the disc, which means that the film had to be watched in one continuous time. In this way, the supporting document is not Lynch’s acceptance of public demand but is part of the image of the movie and his work that he wanted.

For those of you who haven’t read “Mulholland Dr.” symbols, you may think that these pointers are clear instructions for the main meaning of The film’s stories are layered. Not so fast, as you can see:

1. “Pay special attention at the beginning of the film: Two props are revealed before the action.
2. Note the appearance of the red light.
3. Can you guess the title of the movie that Adam Kesher is reading for the actors? Are they mentioned again?
4. An accident is a very dangerous thing—see where the accident happened.
5. Who gives the keys, and why?
6. Notice the robe, the ashtray, the coffee cup.
7. What is heard, perceived, and gathered at Club Silencio?
8. Did talent alone help Camilla?
9. See the events surrounding the father behind Winkie.
10. Where is Aunt Ruth?”

These symbols are presented in Lynch’s standard format; They are at once utterly simple and bafflingly seductive. They are also very focused, written questions like public school questions would be. It feels less like a Cliff’s Notes guide to the film and more like an extension, as phrases like “Notice the shape of the red lantern” feel like Cowboy (Montgomery) telling Adam (Justin Theroux) what will happen if he does “good” or “bad.” There is an undeniable tension between the images, dialogue, and scenes that Lynch presents and his ambiguous meanings, because even the biggest Lynch hater can feel that there is a sense and purpose at work in Lynch’s films. These things all mean something, in other words, and they are not just strange for the sake of being strange.

A lot of discussion took place on message boards and other online forums about this and its actual answers, where many people were frustrated because – the strangest thing here – was that they had different ideas about what the answers were, and what they all added up to. The early 00s were a heyday for filmmakers who used their skills to negotiate and place their films on the screen as a means of promoting and expanding the film’s appeal; witness Christopher Nolan writing several endings for his review of “Memento,” ensuring that no two ordinary audiences will leave with the same “authentic” description of the movie’s events. This is what Lynch based the idea for “Mulholland Dr.” – additional questions hidden as answers.

In the end, the documentary was a great gift for fans of David Lynch and his work. It wasn’t the gift it was meant to be, because while the reviews may or may not open “Mulholland Dr.,” it gives the audience some thought and questioning, which is the whole point. Yes, some people believe that ambiguity is a problem or an annoyance. However, at the risk of humiliating them, these people simply fail to understand the allure and power of mystery. They may be frankly naive, and that is their problem; not talented, and not ours. Fortunately for them, there are many forms of art and entertainment out there, and of course there are movies and TV shows that only require knowledge of the size of the golf ball to understand.

Meanwhile, for those of us who are curious and thoughtful, the work of David Lynch will continue to provide an endless source of emotion, desire, confusion, fearand above all, happiness. Lynch was one of those artists who instinctively understood that art is not a final object, that although it is finished and trapped within a certain canvas, time, or something else, it can be eternal. Lynch’s dreams have given me my dreams, as they have given countless others theirs. His transcendentalist practices and philosophies entered his work, so that he was able to go beyond what all cinemas could have, and that almost every film can be seen new and seen several times. With Lynch’s films, not only will you discover new things within them, but they have the power to open up new depths within your life and give you new perspectives to questions you may not have asked before.

In other words, David Lynch’s art is a living, breathing thing, and his presence and presence will ensure that it will continue to be immortal. David has sadly passed from this world, but for many of us – through his work and in our hearts – he will never die.

“Who gives the keys, and why?” He gave it to us so that we can unleash new dreams, forever.