David Lynch: Conversations

Over the years, David Lynch has developed a vocabulary of words that carry special meaning and significance for him. He has often used them repeatedly — in his paintings, his discussions of his films, or in interpreting those films beyond the limits of conventional reception.
Among the most distinctive terms that characterize his work are “beautiful,” “magical,” and “full of physical feeling.” The filmmaker Paul used a similar phrase to describe how he closes off the film’s world in his mind during directing. Even the inspiration that comes to Lynch, he experiences as sensations of crossing — feelings he draws upon, often related to or tainted by an unknown source.

Yet these words are not merely linguistic constructs that Lynch uses to describe his concepts and ideas; they can also recover a precision that reflects the depth of his perspectives and conversations. More importantly, Lynch sees that their meaning rarely depends on fixed definitions — these words gain their significance through his insistence on repetition and continual use.

As the book suggests, they hold as much importance as his images themselves. To read his interviews properly requires patience and sensitivity — a sensory understanding rather than an analytical one.