1. Eraserhead (1977)
First, there is nothing wrong with the sound from the trailer. That's how Lynch wanted it. Which as anyone who is into actually selling their film will tell you is incredibly, incredibly stupid. Or risky. For those film geeks out there we all know this is the film that he was first 'noticed' for. For you burgeoning film writers and directors out there it is interesting to note his script came in at 21 pages, which he stretched into an 89 minute film of WTF. Although difficult to tell by the trailer (which is a theme through the whole movie) Eraserhead is a mostly silent movie that follows the badly coiffed father of a mutant baby, was shot in grainy black and white and became a cult midnight showing in New York and Los Angeles, back in a time when Midnight showings were the greatest thing going (so before the internet gave all us insomniacs a reason to stay home and
just watch it on youtube). Lynch has proven again and again that he is at best an extreme long shot to win the box office weekend but will go down in cinema history with other great auteurs such as Kubrick, Peckinpah and (insert your choice here). Recent years have seen him move away from the traditional movie channels and indulge in his fantasies through the internet where he is able to continue his pursuits musically, artistically and cinematic-ally through whatever he chooses to edit together. Other films/directors that remind you of David Lynch? Please add them in the comments below so I can schedule my weekend.