David Lynch .com

J.M. O'Malley · February 27, 2005

You guys are probably already familiar with davidlynch.com, but for anybody who isn't, I'd like to recommend it. The site design is very complimentary to his work- I understand he spends a lot of time on it. There is a really interesting Q&A section on it, with video clips of him answering admirers' questions. Most of the questions are inane, but his answers are hilarious.

I'd like to ask all of you a question. Lynch says that his films' color palette has been heavily influenced by the work of Edward Hopper. Is there anyone working in a different medium than film whose work has really influenced your own? I'm talking about everything here, music, painting, basket weaving...

jeff striker · February 27, 2005

you gotta be kidding. hes charging people to view the site?

Phil Rhodes · February 27, 2005

Screams "scam" to me.

J.M. O'Malley · February 27, 2005

I admit that I am a fan and that's why I paid the ten bucks, although I felt it was annoying also. Guess I should have mentioned about that. You do get to see a lot of his work on it, though. I mean, the stuff on there is no Mulholland Drive, but it's interesting if you are a big fan.

J.M. O'Malley · February 27, 2005

Anyway, are you guys going to answer the question?

Jonathan Spear · February 27, 2005

Pursuing filmmaking as a career is the consequence of my childhood passions, teenage desires, the interesting people I've had the pleasure of meeting - to name a few: a crystal meth addict, a grizzly old Jewish fisherman infamous for being an undefeated tavern brawler, a S.H.A.R.P. (Skinhead/s Against Racial Prejudice), a terminaly ill cancer patient, Bi-polar people from all over the world, a shell shocked schizophrenic, a rape victim, a child abuse victim, a child abuser, a good Christian, a good Muslim, a good Jew, a good Hindu, a Ba'hai family from Israel, a beautiful and warm Swedish family, a Navy SEAL, Bigwig, Pearl Jam, H20, the Wallflowers, Zubin Mehta -- and Siska, the most beautiful girl in the world. :D

(Stories)

I play guitar, piano and drums. I speak 2.5 languages fluently and I've never lived in one place for more than 5 years (dad's job). I draw mainly caricatures and storyboards, comics and portraits. I've "been with" some phenominal girls who taught me so much about well...women. I've worked in factories, was a lifeguard in highschool. I'm a seasoned cook (restaurant job experience), a photographer, a tremendous video game fan. Not a huge sports fan but I get high watching professional athletes.

(Art)

And I'm only 23. :D

(PASSION AND DRIVE)

=

Filmmaking.

It was innevitable from day 1.

Jonathan Spear · February 27, 2005

...and massive amounts of Seattle's Finest.

;)

(and no, I don't mean coffee)

But that's another story altogether...

Matt Pacini · March 3, 2005

I'm not a huge Lynch fan, but I do have a certain admiration for the guy, the same way I did for Frank Zappa, but probably not for the same reason most of you do.

I look at both of those guys as basically giving the "industry" the finger.

I suspect David Lynch is really laughing at his really bizarre stuff being touted as genius.

I look at him as a modern Dada artist.

Anyway, I can't believe he's charging for the site. I mean, he doesn't have enough cash???$$$

As far as non-film influences, I'm a lifelong musician, so it's music. I always am playing music in my head when I'm writing, shooting, or cutting. Either existing music, or I'm composing in my head.

Sometimes this ends up as the soundtrack (which I do), but usually not.

Matt Pacini

J.M. O'Malley · March 4, 2005

Excellent, I love to hear about other peoples' creative process. Hal Hartley makes some of his own music, are you a fan of him? I think 'Henry Fool' is great. I'm not sure if he really qualifies himself as a musician though, probably more of a doodler.

I think you are right about people you meet. I've met a lot of interesting people- some wonderful, some regrettable. I've gotten something from all of them.

I think you may be wrong about Lynch though. I don't think he's laughing about it; I think he's probably pretty nuts, from the interviews I've seen. Maybe more like Wesley Willis than Zappa.

For me, being a socially unskilled person has a lot to do with it. If you are antisocial then you end up reading a lot, sitting in your room listening to albums, and getting weird ideas.

Where are you guys from, and do you think that has anything to do with it? I am from Birmingham, Alabama (a transplant to NYC) and I think that affected my thinking, because all the buildings there are falling apart, and I think that ultimately resulted in my liking decrepitude (like in City of Lost Children).

J.M. O'Malley · March 4, 2005

I have a theory about his charging to enter the site. Maybe he is using the money to put his next project together, since he has a hard time getting funding. Maybe he wants to do it that way, after what happened with his last project.

Josh Hill · March 6, 2005

Apparently no one paid enough attention to the site. He states why he is charging. He has said he wants to keep the site free from ad banners and all of that annoying internet stuff, so he charges. He puts a lot of original material on the site as well, and spends a lot of time interacting with the fans via video, etc. The cost of webmastering, hosting, and so forth is quite a bit, so to put himself out there for free would be ludicrous.

The site is funding itself through people's payment. It's not a scam for him to make more money, or trying to fund a project. It's just to pay for itself. And maybe a little bit to the time and effort David Lynch puts into the original content. Name another director that puts up original content and appears on his own website continuously, and does it for free.

I do agree though. He is quite Dada, and it's great. I saw Eraserhead ... no idea what happened. LOL

Later,

Josh