Kyle MacLachlan, who has worked with David Lynch on many of the director’s projects, isn’t sure that he understands Lynch’s movies. MacLachlan is best known for his role in Lynch’s TV series Twin Peaks, and as Paul Atreides in the Lynch adaptation of Dune.
The two have worked together on four projects in total, so you might expect MacLachlan to be an expert on David Lynch movies. And, while he certainly has better insight into the director’s work than most, MacLachlan has admitted that he’s rarely sure what the director is aiming for.
Speaking to The A.V. Club, MacLachlan explained “I don’t pretend to understand much of what David does, but I do recognise that I’m his conduit through these worlds, and that’s a challenge – and also, I feel pretty good about that. There’s a confidence that I understand what’s necessary for me to do with David. ”
Plenty of us will be able to relate to MacLachlan. Some of Lynch’s movies, especially Mulholland Drive, are often cited as some of the best movies of all time. But that doesn’t mean that they’re straightforward. Lynch is known for his surrealism, and his movies are often visually and thematically ambiguous. This means that plenty of audiences will finish a David Lynch movie, and have next to no idea about what just happened.
Of course, there are one or two exceptions. While Dune is a wild ride, and at times incomprehensible, it is a now considered a science fiction movie staple. Since its release, it has been usurped by Denis Villeneuve’s adaption of the Frank Herbert novel which is now the definitive version for most, and will be concluded with Dune 2 next year. Then, there are entries like The Elephant Man which are more conventional drama movies.
But, for the most part, the ambiguity and surrealism is what David Lynch fans love about his work, and though he isn’t the most accessible director, many consider him to be one of the greatest and most influential of all time.
If David Lynch movies aren’t your cup of tea, check out our guide to the best action movies instead.