However it was only fairly recently that I became aware of the struggle it took to get Dune onto the big screen. The novel was first published in 1965, became a bestseller and won the Hugo and Nebula awards. In 1971 it was optioned by the producer Arthur P. Jacobs who initially wanted David Lean to direct, but was quickly informed that wasn’t going to happen. With the script still in development Jacobs died. In 1974 the project was taken over by Jean-Paul Gibon, who charged Alejandro Jodorowsky (of El Topo fame) to direct. Despite spending $2 million dollars on pre-production work, which has since been put on display, and wanting the involvement of figures as diverse as Orson Welles, Salvador Dali and Pink Floyd, nothing came of it. The rights passed onto the Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis who first hired Ridley Scott (coming straight off Alien). This lasted several months until Scott bailed out, citing the length of time it would take to bring the tale to the big screen. It is now that David enters the story.

Following the critical success of the Elephant Man David has his pick of offers and he decides to go for Dune. In retrospect he has admitted it was a mistake, for a start he’d never read the book or any other form of science fiction. Despite this he went ahead, and after 6 drafts they had a script to shoot. He corralled his actors together and they started shooting in Mexico with a $40 million budget.

It was badly received yadda yadda yadda. I’m just going to say what I like and ignore what anyone else has to say. David has said that what appealed to him most about Dune was the range of possibilities it offered, world building can do that. For me he created a stunningly realised world, serving up an endless supply of memorable moments. Here are some of my favourites – the emissary of the Spacing Guild in his mobile tank, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen hovering around in his flying suit, the eyebrows of Brad Dourif as Piter, Sting’s maniacal smile and ‘performance’, David’s cameo as a melange harvester, the incredible large scale sets, etc, etc. I know David has no desire to be in charge of a director’s cut, the use of the pseudonym Alan Smithee in the credits of some cuts tells you that. However, I would be first in line to watch it if he did.

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Think of Twin Peaks. Think about the diner, and what Agent Dale Cooper might order whilst sitting at the counter.

You’re right, he’d order cherry pie and a cup of hot coffee. Now, David Lynch hasn’t gone into the pie baking business (more’s the pity!) but, bizarrely, he has started his own coffee company. Actually, it makes sense- coffee features in a lot of his films, and he is a keen coffee drinker himself. Part of the profit from sales of the coffee also support the David Lynch scholarship at the American Film Institute. Most excitingly for us keen Lynch fans, it also means that he has used his talents to create adverts for the product.

Even odder than his films, the adverts feel like taking a walk in Lynch’s head! With the freedom of a short film, and presumably with his own backing, the adverts are intimate and entirely his own.

Most people don’t realise that Lynch is also a talented artist, and last year he also released his first full album, Crazy Clown Time. David Lynch is one of those rare lucky people who seem to be good at everything they turn their hand too.

Naturally, David Lynch’s back catalogue of films shows him at his most impressive. Although some might worry that this diversifying means he will have less time to make movies, I can’t help thinking that it means instead that we will have more Lynch to enjoy through different mediums. Each of the the mediums he has diversified into are either visual in themselves (his art) or create room for more visual work (adverts, music videos) I, for one, can’t wait to see what he decides to make next!

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It is a really touching story about self discovery, and it turns into an epic journey as he goes from one place to the next, meeting various different people along the way. As a young man, he struggles to come to terms with the injustices and ways of conventional society that are all around him, and wants to go and live alone in the wilderness of Alaska. Apart from the excellent cinematic viewing that the film offers, with some breathtaking scenery, and events that are showcased, the film has a really intense emotional draw to it. It covers a whole host of emotional topics that the man is trying to come to terms with, and delves into a number of different personal relationships.

Throughout his journey he seems to be trying to get out of a life full of men in business suits, to one where he can be alone with nature, in order to realise himself, and this is something that many people dream of doing themselves but never get the opportunity to do. I honestly have not seen a film of such meaning and intelectual thought for a long time, and it has caused me to queston my outlook on society in many ways. If this is not the sign of any great film, art piece or musical endevour, then I do not know what is. The fact that it is a true story only makes it more emotionally intense.

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With Christmas coming up, I was doing a bit of online shopping for myself. Let me explain; every year around this time I get a call from my Mum asking me what I want for Christmas, every year I say “I don’t know – surprise me” and every year I’m always disappointed come December 25. So, I decided to do my homework and come up with a few ideas for things she could get me. I figured if I made her a list then she can choose which items she actually buys and it will still be a bit of a surprise. I may be in my 30s, but I still have a chocolate advent calendar, I still leave out a mince pie for Santa and I still like to get some surprises on Christmas morning!

Anyway, I came up with a few ideas, but while I was surfing I found this online jewellery shop, which will custom make you any item you can draw, describe or post a link to. And the logical thought after that was the Lodge Ring that features in “Fire Walk With Me”, the Twin Peaks prequel. Sure enough, there are several online sites that make replicas of jewellery and costumes seen in films and TV programmes – and decent replicas, not cheap ones for fancy dress parties.

The only problem with the Lodge Ring is that I’m a girl, and that style of ring is most definitely for boys. I’m trying to decide whether to just wear it as it is or have a more delicate female version made for my more delicate female fingers. After all, the whole point of the ring is that guys who were members of the Lodge wore it; it really wouldn’t be the same if it didn’t look like it belonged to a bloke! Anyway, I’m not going to mention this to my Mum- she’d probably get entirely the wrong thing made as I don’t think she’d even remember Twin Peaks – this is going to be my Christmas treat to myself…

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David Lynch is one multitalented person; a very rare type. He is painter, a musician, a screen writer, a film director and more. The list of the films and work of arts under his belt is endless and they all point to the success he has achieved in the diverse field of endeavor he has ventured into. The success of David Lynch has also come with criticisms of his style and approach to his work. It is true that he has a huge fan base but there are several others who do not agree with this exceptional man’s ingenuity. I was reading about Peter Smith online when I came across some criticisms of the excellent Lynch. There is no big deal about criticisms because everybody cannot like what you do.

As long as you keep succeeding then you are on the right path. Even those who blame Lynch for his disturbing, offensive or surreal approach to film agree that he is a successful man. The use of horror or glory images to tell a story has its positive aspect that people often overlook. Some of these films and works of art are masterpieces of exceptional creativity yet people refuse to see from that perspective. David Lynch is a legend of our time that needs more appreciation. It is worth learning how to press on with your passion in life through what other successful people have encountered in their lives. Lynch has always been criticised and will continue to be. Despite all these, he remains a success story.

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One of the many, many things I’ve always loved about David Lynch is his amazing attention to detail. Not just in the movies and TV shows itself, though that is probably where it shows the most, but in the fact that he also insists on being involved in every single part of his creation, from significant details like music and costume to even minor ones such as the marketing of the film and movie posters.

I’ve always considered myself something of an artist; not enough to make a decent living out of it, unfortunately, but enough that I can make a few quid here and there sketching people’s kids and dogs without it ever feeling like a chore. I have hundreds of sketch books at home filled with doodles, many going way back to my teenage years. Some of my favourites are my own, alternative versions, of David Lynch movie posters. I may not be talented enough to make my own homage to David on celluloid, but I can have a damn good try with pencil and paper!

Of course, these rough sketches don’t look anywhere near as impressive as the colourful and glossy real thing. I thought about trying to get some of my ideas printed up, using a site like http://www.digital-display-printing.co.uk/poster-printing.html, if I could get the cash saved up. How cool would it be to have your own personal take on the “Blue Velvet” poster sitting framed on your wall right next to your treasured, signed copy of the real thing?

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Since Di Caprio’s Titanic, the only way he was going was upwards. A humble, honest, well dressed gentlemen who takes on the roles of rich personalities with utter ease. I couldn’t stop thinking of another who could take his place as the one who emerged as the best of our generation.
Although he wasn’t the complained of a harsh life since childhood, he was brought up on a bed of roses either. His career began in a hetler-skelter of roles that he picked randomly and grabbing opportunities where he could. However his noted films are not only the best of his works, but considered as the best of the generation. Titanic, The Aviator – perfect depiction of Howard Hughes, Blood Diamond, The Gangs of New York and most famously Inception and The Departed. His has also produced his own movies. He has close ties with director Martin Scorsese who relies on Dicaprio’s maturity in acting and his passion for perfection.
At any point, one can note that the perfection required to depict characters in films directed by Scorsese would be hard to do without Dicaprio, it’s hard to picture anyone else would could fill his shoes. He is not only a great actor but one who sets himself as a role model to the younger generation of actors who harbor their reputation around Hollywood through partying, drugs and sex scandals. It all about the show and none about the acting. While Dicaprio sets his way to be named as one the finest actors of the 21st century, the only thing the rest of the kids are doing are ’check out this ring , its got more diamonds than yours’- their just a social menace who lead kids into a land of false promises.

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One reason why I really admire David Lynch is that he has successfully stuck to his style despite becoming a successful. Many individuals find it easy to tackle failures. They just have to be persistent and focus on the task on hand despite the obstacles and difficulties. However, very few individuals have the ability to manage success.

The fact that they have done something right makes them so complacent that they never get it right again. David Lynch is one person who has successfully avoided such a temptation. How else can one explain his ability to stick to his style of making movies despite becoming a cult figure in the world of cinema?

I am confident that David has the ability of using any subject for any topic to make a movie according to his trademark style. Given a chance, he may even make something as inane as hair restoration into a thrilling experience that will leave people shivering the next time they think of walking into such a clinic.

Sound is the most important aspect of his movies. I have never seen anybody in the movie industry use sound to such devastating effect. How many times has the sounds in a movie affected you? It is only after David started making movies did people realize that the right music will scare people more than the most horrific images on the screen.

If you want proof, just get a DVD of any of his cult classic movies and play it around midnight when the rest of the world is silent. I bet you will never forget your experience.

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I’m pleasantly surprised with the current scene in the cinema’s including those of commercial Hollywood. The quality of stories and picturization has improved. Naive directors now mature into a more professional phase of their careers, hence the output of movies is absolutely immense. Movies like Beutiful (thats how its spelt), Fast 5, Black Swan, The Fighter, etc. have taken shape and given the 21st century something to remember.
We see the music industry crumble ( not money wise but identity wise) whereas other industries like the Movie and Gaming industry rise, swooping past the baseless commercial nonsense that our siblings or kids listen to. However movies though fictional and games though unreal have very good morales to teach the viewers and consumers. The commercially packaged music aims only at making money ruthlessly while trading it off with its integrity.
The critics have begun to appreciate the rise of the creative storm that has taken the cinemas and consoles over. It surely is a pleasant surprise. All this evident by the fact that movies and games are now the biggest forms of blockbuster entertainment available. Music has been left far behind after Jackson left us. While games and movies are moving towards building their artistic master pieces like a Mackenzie Thorpe, music is move towards its brink of ripping people off which will soon reach the cliff of tolerance, then fall down the cliff like a heavy stone with burden of trash behind it. It’s great to see that two other industries understand what is needed at what time, music is heading for the cliff.

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When you mention that you’re a David Lynch fan, people only ever say two words; Twin Peaks. Or maybe if they’re real cinema buffs they might ask if he was the guy who directed Blue Velvet. No-one ever mentions his early films, which were actually a bit more accessible than his later stuff. Only a little bit, mind you!

I think everyone forgets that he directed ’The Elephant Man'in 1980. I suppose it’s fair enough that most people remember John Hurt’s incredible performance, rather than who directed him, but actors are nothing without a good director. I would say that, though, seeing as most of my cinematic heroes are behind the camera, rather than in front of it…

If you haven’t seen ’The Elephant Man'then you really don’t know what you’re missing. Even if I wasn’t a David Lynch fanatic, I’d tell you to go straight out and beg, steal or borrow a copy. I can be a bit of an emotional mess if a film tugs at the heartstrings in the right way, but never has any movie made me cry practically all the way through. Literally, from the first scene to the absolutely heart-breaking end. If you don’t shed a tear then you must have a heart of stone!

You can probably buy a copy of ’The Elephant Man'for about 20p on ebay these days its so old! So if you haven’t seen it yet stop checking the Fitness Singles website, shut down this blog and go and search for it now. Go on. I’ll wait.

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