The Oscar-nominated director, who passed away at the age of 78, left an unparalleled legacy without adhering to genre boundaries. Throughout his career, he explored everything from sci-fi to neo-noir to period biopics, making our culture infinitely richer in the process. Truly incomparable, Lynch created surreal landscapes on the big (and small) screen, populated them with eccentric characters, and constantly shared his peculiar and wondrous (often nightmarish) dreams—only to shatter them before our eyes.
Known for his surrealist, neo-noir style, David Lynch’s films became cult classics almost immediately after their release. Here are our top five favorites that are worth revisiting today!
Eraserhead (1977)
Lynch’s first feature film, Eraserhead, captivated cinephiles with its surreal, sensory-overloading style, featuring pounding soundscapes, expressionist lighting, bizarre humor, dreamlike music, and grotesque body horror. Jack Nance stars as Henry, a new father struggling to hold himself together in a bleak industrial environment while being tormented by the incessant cries of his mutant child. Though initially released to modest public interest, the film is now considered one of Lynch’s best. It’s often hailed as one of the strongest directorial debuts ever made, boldly introducing Lynch as the visionary artist we’ve come to know and admire.
The Elephant Man (1980)
Perhaps Lynch’s most critically acclaimed work, The Elephant Man is a biographical film about John Merrick, a man suffering from severe physical deformities in 19th-century London. Played by the incredible John Hurt, Merrick’s story is explored with deep empathy as he transitions from being a sideshow curiosity to the beloved and respected friend of Dr. Frederick Treves, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. The film earned eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Hurt), and Best Director, though it won none. However, its omission in the makeup category led the Academy to create a new award for Best Makeup the following year.

Blue Velvet (1986)
Combining the surrealist elements of Eraserhead with a murder mystery, romance, and a dash of psychosexual horror, Blue Velvet is perhaps Lynch’s most famous film. Kyle MacLachlan stars as Jeffrey Beaumont, a college student who returns to his small hometown and finds himself caught in a web of crime. Along the way, he becomes romantically involved with a troubled nightclub singer (Isabella Rossellini). Laura Dern shines as Jeffrey’s girlfriend Sandy, while Dennis Hopper delivers a chilling performance as the gas-huffing psychopath Frank Booth. With Angelo Badalamenti’s hypnotic jazz score, the film is a quintessential slice of Lynch’s oeuvre—a masterpiece that many regard as his best.

Twin Peaks (1990–1991)
In 1990, Lynch transformed television forever with Twin Peaks. Even in a career filled with groundbreaking works, this may be the highlight. Spanning two seasons and a much-later sequel, the series follows the mysterious events in the small Pacific Northwest town of Twin Peaks. It begins with the discovery of teenager Laura Palmer’s plastic-wrapped body, a murder that shocks the close-knit community. As the FBI steps in, unexpected secrets are unearthed. With its blend of murder mystery, surrealism, comedy, horror, and soap opera, Twin Peaks became a cultural phenomenon. While the second season received mixed reviews, the series remains one of the greatest in television history.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
A dreamlike love story set in Los Angeles, Mulholland Drive is Lynch’s ninth film and a bona fide masterpiece. Naomi Watts stars as an aspiring actress who befriends an amnesiac woman (Laura Harring) after a car accident. The film evolves into a mind-bending neo-noir tale filled with dreams, alternate realities, Hollywood satire, romance, and symbolism, inspiring endless interpretations to this day. Garnering Lynch the Best Director award at Cannes and an Oscar nomination, the film was ranked as the eighth-best film of all time by the BFI in 2022 and named the best film of the 21st century by BBC Culture in 2016. A haunting, enigmatic work that rewards repeated viewings, Mulholland Drive is an utterly mesmerizing masterpiece.