‘Cult master’ David Lynch passes away

‘Cult master’ David Lynch passes away. January. 18, 2025 07:39. by ??? ?? leemail@donga.com.
David Lynch, the master of American cult cinema who captured humanity's hidden anxieties through films such as 'Blue Velvet' and the TV series 'Twin Peaks,' has passed away at the age of 78.

“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch," the late director's family announced on Thursday (local time). “There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us.” According to The New York Times, the exact cause of death was not disclosed, but Lynch, a lifelong smoker, had been diagnosed with emphysema last year and struggled to even walk within his home.

Born in Montana in 1946, Lynch studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia. In 1970, he entered the American Film Institute’s film school in Los Angeles, marking the beginning of his cinematic journey. “The deep forests of Montana and the somber atmosphere of Philadelphia were the nutrients for my films," Lynch reflected in interviews during his lifetime.

From his early works, Lynch's films exuded a 'florid and unnerving' atmosphere. His 1977 debut, Eraserhead, with its striking mise-en-scène that blurred the boundaries between dreams and reality, is still regarded as a classic of cult cinema. Subsequent works such as The Elephant Man and Blue Velvet combined raw visuals and haunting music, captivating countless fans. Lynch once remarked that a film must carry both the forces of good and darkness.

His most commercially successful work was the TV series ‘Twin Peaks’ (1990–1991), a mystery thriller about the murder of a festival queen in a fictional rural town. The series aired in Korea in 1993 and gained immense popularity.

Lynch received the Palme d’Or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival for Wild at Heart, solidifying his status as a global auteur. The film also catapulted then-newcomer Nicolas Cage to stardom. In 2001, Lynch won the Best Director award at Cannes for Mulholland Drive, which was later named 'Film of the Year' by the New York Times. Although nominated four times for an Academy Award, he never won until 2019, when he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.