The Short Films of David Lynch (2002)

A collection of visionary director David Lynch's short films from the first 29 years of his career is accompanied by a special introduction to each film by the director himself.

Director:

David Lynch

Writer:

David Lynch

Stars:

Jeffe Alperi, Robert Chadwick, Catherine E. Coulson

Cast

Credited cast:
Jeffe Alperi	...	Policeman ("Lumiere and Company") (archive footage)
Robert Chadwick	...	Father ("The Grandmother") (archive footage)
Catherine E. Coulson	...	Amputee ("The Amputee") (archive footage)
Eddy Dixon	...	Rock-a-billy Guy ("The Cowboy and the Frenchman") (archive footage)
Frederic Golchan	...	Pierre the Frenchman ("The Cowboy and the Frenchman") (archive footage)
Rick Guillory	...	Howdy ("The Cowboy and the Frenchman") (archive footage)
Michael Horse	...	Broken Feather ("The Cowboy and the Frenchman") (archive footage)
Patrick Houser	...	Gun Twirler ("The Cowboy and the Frenchman") (archive footage)
Sergio Kato	...	Policeman
Stan Lothridge	...	Policeman ("Lumiere and Company") (archive footage)
David Lynch	...	Himself - Narrator
Peggy Lynch	...	Girl ("The Alphabet") (archive footage)
Virginia Maitland	...	Mother ("The Grandmother") (archive footage)
Dorothy McGinnis	...	Grandmother ("The Grandmother") (archive footage)
Jack Nance	...	Pete ("The Cowboy and the Frenchman") (archive footage)

Storyline

This collection of David Lynch's short films cover the first 29 years of his career. Each film is given a special introduction by the director himself. His earliest underground films Six Figures Getting Sick (1966), The Alphabet (1968), The Grandmother (1970) and The Amputee (1974) are showcased as well as two requisitioned works well into his successful career The Cowboy and the Frenchman (1988) and his addition for Lumière and Company (1995).

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Plot Keywords:

alphabet | grandmother | surrealism | siren | violence | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Animation | Drama | Horror

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 June 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

David Lynch rövidfilmek

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Color:

Black and White Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Edited from Les Français vus par (1988)

User Reviews

a frightful and fun selection of films

31 Days of Spookoween: DAY FIFTEEN

Film #15: The Short Films of David Lynch (2002)

Review: Although I had already seen most of these short films, I felt like it was necessary to watch the entirety of this collection at once, and, as it turns out, this selection of David Lynch's shorter works is best viewed as a collective whole. Each of the films ranged from being pretty decent to straight up fantastic, and below I will briefly sum up my overall thoughts on each of them:

Six Men Getting Sick (1966)-The entire idea behind this film is simply the fact that Lynch wanted to see a painting move, and it just so happens that this very moving painting is CLASSIC Lynch. The visuals are surreal and demented, creating an aesthetically pleasing, if somewhat grotesque experience.

The Alphabet (1968)-A short that is chilling and scary and magnificently mesmerizing; a perfect example of "a nightmare caught on film". It's just simply...not of this earth.

The Grandmother (1970)-The longest short in the collection, and also one of the very best. It borders on "masterpiece" levels of filmmaking despite being such an early work in the director's oeuvre. It feels like a precursor to "Eraserhead", and not only because of its heavy atmosphere and unique, unconventional, and experimental way of telling a loose and surrealist narrative, but also because the tragic boy "hero" at the film's core feels almost like a younger version of Henry. His disturbed, anxious, yet mostly straight faced mannerisms and depressing, creepy, and bizarre overall life situation are both traits that would be explored even further and even superior in the later Lynch film.

The Amputee-Although this is definitely the least of the films in the collection, it is still quite good. It's quite comical (particularly in comparison to the three shorts that come before it), and the concept is a classic combination of Lynch's knack for black humor and surreal horror.

The Cowboy and the Frenchman-This is the only film in the collection I had yet to see before this viewing...and it's also my favorite as of now! It's so, so, so, SO funny! I laughed my ass off while watching this awkward, quirky, and absurdist joy of a comedy. With this jovial gem, Lynch proves himself to be a man capable of creating art that is not only humorous, but lighthearted and happy. For Lynch, feel good movies are very rare, but when he makes them, he sure does make them right! The performances are all great as well, and it contains a few Lynch regulars (Stanton, Nance, and Michael Horse, who'd later have a major role in "Twin Peaks"); Harry Dean Stanton is particularly hilarious and great in the film.

Premonition Following an Evil Deed (1995)-Extremely brief (Lynch remarks that he wishes the film was 55 minutes as opposed to 55 seconds, and I agree with him), but still heavy enough on atmosphere and scares to be a welcomed and impressive addition to Lynch's filmography.