David Lynch

"I like to make films because I like to go into another world. I like to get lost in another world. And film to me is a magical medium that makes you dream...allows you to dream in the dark. It's just a fantastic thing, to get lost inside the world of film." — David Lynch

Part 1: Absurd Encounters

Before he was a household name, before the red room or the radioactive mushroom cloud, David Lynch was an artist trying to find his place in the world. In this Cinema Shock series, we explore the formative years of Lynch's career—from his earliest short films through his ascent on the midnight movie circuit, his studio misfire with DUNE, his Palme d'Or win for WILD AT HEART, and everything in between.

This first chapter traces the evolution of Lynch's surreal, singular voice in film. We follow the creation of cult classics like ERASERHEAD and BLUE VELVET, dig into the story behind THE ELEPHANT MAN and the studio chaos of DUNE, and end with his unpredictable leap to literary adaptation with WILD AT HEART. Along the way, we explore his obsessions, collaborators, and the strange, beautiful logic that would become his trademark.

Whether you're a longtime Lynch devotee or new to his work, this is where the story begins.

1: An Introduction to David Lynch: His Short Films & Early Life

Bonus Series

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Bonus Series |

Twin Peaks

Fire Shock With Me

In this Cinema Shock bonus series, we take a deep dive into the world of Twin Peaks, watching and recapping every single episode of the groundbreaking television series created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Exclusive to members of CinemaShock+

Fire Shock With Me — All Episodes

Part 2: Between Two Worlds

Welcome to the dreamscape. In this follow-up to Absurd Encounters, we continue our journey through the life and films of David Lynch—from the dark corners of LOST HIGHWAY to the quiet grace of THE STRAIGHT STORY, from the mystery box of MULHOLLAND DRIVE to the digital labyrinth of INLAND EMPIRE.

This chapter of the Cinema Shock story explores Lynch's late-period career, when he fully embraced abstraction, experimentation, and transcendental creativity. We’ll unpack the origins of his most haunting films, the production stories behind them, and the critical reappraisals that followed.

Here, identity splinters. Time loops. And the line between reality and dream completely dissolves.

This is the strange, terrifying, and beautiful world David Lynch built after Twin Peaks. Come walk with us.