commercials by David Lynch

Obsession by Calvin Klein (1988)

Lynch's first commercials were a series of four directed for Obsession.
Each one centered around a famous author's work.Cinematography by Frederick Elmes.

Opium (1990)

Commercial for Yves Saint Laurent fragrance.Cinematography by Frederick Elmes, music by Angelo Badalamenti.

Georgia Coffee (1991)

These commercials were done for the Japanese canned coffee, Georgia. The series was set in Twin Peaks and featured many of the cast from the series. In the ads, a Japanese man searches for his missing wife. Each commercial added more clues to the mystery, until the final one where Cooper rescues her from the Black Lodge. Originally a second series of four were planned, but the Coffee company, unhappy with the first series, canceled them.

We Care About New York (1991)

This was a public service announcement created to bring attention to the city's rat problem.
Cinematography by Frederick Elmes.

Who is Gio? (1992)

Giorgio Armani personally called David Lynch to ask him to come up with something for his new perfume. Lynch sent him the description as a little poem, and Giorgio liked the concept. Lynch has said he had the most freedom on the Gio commercial than any of the others.

Alka-Seltzer Plus (1993)

Lynch did two commercials for Alka-Seltzer Plus.

Barilla Pasta (1993)
Revealed (1993)

Produced for the American Cancer Society. A public service announcement on breast cancer.

The Instinct of Life (1993)

Created for Jill Sander.

Sun Moon Stars (1994)

Staring Daryl Hannah.Created for a new perfume from Karl Lagerfield.

adidas "The Wall" (1995)

Commercial for Adidas.

National Sports Utility Vehicle Commercial (1997)

This businessman takes one look at a Sports Utility Vehicle and he morphs into a Mountain Man and chucks his cellphone into the trash.

Sci-Fi channel ads (1997)

David Lynch directed and produced four ads for the Sci-Fi Channel:

In the "Dead Leaves" ad a big man is dragging a big trash bag down his driveway and whatever is in the bag is very heavy. He drops the plastic bag at the curb and the word "Dead" appears on the screen, then the word "leaves" followed by a question mark, so that it eventually looked like this: "Dead Leaves?"

Each one features a saying, followed by the phrase "Ever Wonder?" and the scifi channel logo.

Clear Blue Easy (1997)

Staring Marisa Parker. A series of three ads created for the ad agency Ogilvy and Mather in New York. A woman stands in her bathroom waiting for the minute to be over. Numbers on the clock face, as well as the hot and cold labels on her faucet and water drops change to yes and no.

7/18/97 Entertainment Weekly article: (Courtesy Cindy Ju)

Parisienne (1999)

Part of the Parisienne People conpagine. An ad for F.J. Burrus's Parisienne cigarettes in Switzerland. It's part of a series featuring famous directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, Enki Bilal, Emir Kusturica and Giuseppe Tornatore. The ad aired in theaters throughout Switzerland.

Playstation2 (2000)

"The Third Place" – campaign for PlayStation 2 (PS2) directed by David Lynch.

JC Decaux (2000)

"Un matin partout dans le monde" – advertisement campaign of the Jean-Claude Decaux group, producers of street furniture. Twelve directors including Wim Wenders, Francis Ford Coppola, Spike Lee, Mike Figgis and David Lynch filmed a 7 second fragment: it's 5:30 A.M. in 12 cities around the world (Lynch's piece was filmed in Los Angeles), and a piece of JC Decaux street furniture is being displayed."

music videos by David Lynch

Chris Isaak – Wicked Game (1990)

Lynch directed in 1990 a music video for Chris Isaak's song "Wicked Game" that was featured in "Wild At Heart". There exists a second one directed by Herb Ritts in 1991. Lynch's video is the one mixing footage of Isaak and his band playing with footage from the film. Cinematography by Frederick Elmes.

Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy (1991)

Music video for British band Massive Attack (back then named only Massive due to the golf war).

Michael Jackson – Dangerous (1993)

David Lynch directed the theater teaser for Michael Jackson's "Dangerous" tour in 1993.

Yoshiki – Longing (1995)

Music video for Japanese singer Yoshiki.

David Lynch as actor

I Don't Know Jack (2001)

Directed by Chris Leavens
David Lynch as Interviewee

"Independent Focus" (1998)

Hosted by Elvis Mitchell
Official Site

Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch (1997) (TV)

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Directed by Tony Shallon
David Lynch as Himself
The Website

A review by James Bundage:

Although this is not the first documentary I have watched, it would have to be the first one I have reviewed. Sure, every once in a while I see some PBS special or HBO documentary that I find fascination. For instance, I recommend PBS' `From Jesus to Christ', a fascinating 13 part compilation of interviews with theological experts that will turn on the brain of any student of religious history. I would also sometimes check out and HBO's occasionally good, occasionally thrill-of-the-week `America Undercover' series. However, for the most part I avoid seeing any film that will seriously educate me. I suppose its part of my personal belief that, 9 times out of 10, you go to a movie to turn your mind off.

However, I was at a college campus recently, was bored, and someone directed me to the library where they have a good collection of videos. I went looking for Lynch's Eraserhead, his only feature-length American film that I have yet to see. Instead I saw the documentary Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch, which was advertised on the Lost Highway videocassette.

Documentaries are just like any other type of film: done well, they are compelling, intriguing works. Done terribly, they make you want to shut them off. Shallon's documentary was an interesting piece, one that I didn't sleep through, didn't have any trouble watching, and found very interesting besides.

To think of it best, imagine looking at yourself in a funhouse mirror. That is what watching David Lynch is like. Now imagine looking at the same pictures through a lens that clears things up a little bit. That is what watching this documentary is like. For anyone who doesn't understand Lynch films (most of the general population) and would like to, I recommend checking out this film. If you understand Lynch, then you probably are like me: a complete Lynch jag and the very idea of pulling back the curtain and revealing the Wizard turns you on so much that you have to watch this film.

The first thing you will notice as the curtain falls away is the Lynch is not at all the person whom you would expect. He isn't a complete oddball, he doesn't look like he's ready to kill someone or blow up a building. The thing that will strike you about David Lynch is that, in contrast to his truly insane and ambiguous films, he is a very direct, grounded person.

Pretty As a Picture takes us through the making of his latest film Lost Highway, an extremely ambiguous film that I have watched about six times and still don't have a damn clue as to what is going on. Using this as a base, it travels back to his experiences that led him to a career in art, provides us a window into his surprisingly normal family (although you get about the weirdest treatment for ants in the kitchen you'll ever hear), and shows us his humanity in ways we never though possible.

It takes us onto the set of Lost Highway, shows us the fanatical devotion cast and crew have for the incredibly amicable and charismatic individual. Rarely do you have an entire cast that works with no one else, even rarer is the crew that does so. However, with David Lynch you have actors such as Kyle MacLachlan who never did anything without Lynch until 1987, and producers such as Mary Sweeny, who have been with David Lynch since 1986.

With such segments of the film as showing us scenes from Lynch's first three shorts (Six Men Getting Sick, The Alphabet, The Grandmother) and a part devoted entirely to Lynch's paintings and photography (which, I daresay, is even more impressive than the incredible visual aspects to his films), the skilled director displays for us a much more in depth version of Lynch than one will ever be able to glean from his films.

Much as, when someone watches the first good film, no one needs to tell them its good, no one needs to tell me that Pretty as a Picture is good. I simply know.

Lost Highway (1997)

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Directed by David Lynch
Written by David Lynch and Barry Gifford
Music composed and conducted by Angelo Badalamenti
David Lynch as Morge Attendant (scenes deleted)

Der Klang der Bilder (1995) (TV)

Directed by Markus Rosenmüller
Written by Markus Rosenmüller
David Lynch as Himself, interviewee

Nadja (1994)

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Directed by Michael Almereyda
Written by Michael Almereyda
Music by Simon Fisher-Turner
David Lynch as Morgue Receptionist

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)

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Written by David Lynch and Robert Engels
Directed by David Lynch
Music composed and conducted by Angelo Badalamenti
David Lynch as FBI Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole
more about the film

"Twin Peaks" (1990) TV Series

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Created by Mark Frost and David Lynch
Music composed and conducted by Angelo Badalamenti
David Lynch as FBI Regional Bureau Chief Gordon Cole
more about the film

Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch (1990) (TV)

Directed by Andy Harries
David Lynch as Himself

Don't Look at Me (1989)

Directed by Guy Girard
David Lynch as Himself

A review by Jerry Saravia:

David Lynch remains one of the most fascinating, illuminating directors in the history of cinema. One wonders how he came up with such Bizantine puzzles such as "Lost Highway" or "Eraserhead," or sickeningly perverse comments on suburbia such as "Blue Velvet." "Don't Look at Me" will not answer many questions, nor should it, about Mr. Lynch. Shot back in 1989 in French, it will give everyone an opportunity to witness the creative process behind an artist.

The documentary is directed by Guy Girard who stylizes the film in a Lynchian mode. For example, the opening scene is a conversation with Lynch and Girard at Bob's Big Boy in L.A., shot and framed outside the restaurant as if you are peering through venetian blinds. Inspired for sure, not to mention the various industrial sounds and abstract whistles heard on the soundtrack, most often associated with Lynch himself. There are also clips from his work, including "Eraserhead" and "Blue Velvet," which are shown on some televison monitor as the camera tracks Lynch dictating a script. The most stupendous moment is seeing Lynch thinking silently about how to continue a scene in the script.

Girard's focus on Lynch is simply avante-garde in his choices for camera set-ups while interviewing the director. In fact, the only time we focus on Lynch's face is when Girard hands him polaroids of some shots from his work. Often, Lynch shows his back to the camera while wearing a fishing hat. Mostly, he refuses to divulge the meaning in his work as he correctly assumes that interpretations should be left to the audience (I certainly don't want him to tell me why the Lady from the Radiator in "Eraserhead" has puffed-up cheeks). So you will not learn much about Lynch in terms of his background or his fixation on the dark side, but you do get glimpses ("Most people do not know what they are doing. They are confused.").

Choice moments include a drive with Lynch and the late Jack Nance (who played Henry in "Eraserhead") to a reservoir used in one of his films, seeing Lynch sculpting and molding naked figurines for some mini-environment, recording the beautiful voice of Julee Cruise for an unspecified project (she sang melodies for many of Lynch's films), and in general seeing Lynch at work, indulging in creative ideas ("I like the shape of an ear. An ear, in a grassy field, with ants crawling on it - there's hardly anything better than that.") Although not as enveloping or cohesive as the other Lynch documentary, "Pretty as a Picture," this is still enthralling and informative for anyone who wants to see the Dark Side of Genius revel in his own obsessions and dreams. Essential for anyone who is a fan.

No Frank in Lumberton (1988) (TV)

Directed by Peter Braatz
David Lynch as Himself

Zelly and Me (1988)

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The film is also known as Phoebe (1988)
Directed by Tina Rathborne
Written by Tina Rathborne
Music by Pino Donaggio
David Lynch as Willie

Dune (1984)

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Based on the novel by Frank Herbert
Screenplay by David Lynch
Directed by David Lynch
Music composed and performed by Toto
Prophecy Theme by Brian Eno, Roger Eno & Daniel Lanois
Additional Music by Marty Paich
David Lynch as Spice Worker
more about the film

Heart Beat (1980)

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Directed by John Byrum
Written by Carolyn Cassady (autobiography), John Byrum
Music by Jack Nitzsche
David Lynch as Painter

Juliet Bravo (1980) (TV-series: 1980-1985)

Directed by Derek Lister
88 episodes
David Lynch as Bobby Bunn in "Reason for Leaving" (ep. #6.16) 12/21/1985

The Amputee (1974)

Directed by David Lynch
Written by David Lynch
David Lynch as Doctor
more about the film

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