The Best David Lynch Movies and Shows, Ranked
The great director is gone, but his art lives on. From Eraserhead to Twin Peaks: The Return, David Lynch’s unique blend of surrealism, psychological depth, and haunting visuals has left an indelible mark on cinema and television. With each film, he invited audiences into worlds that were both familiar and utterly alien, always challenging perceptions and pushing boundaries. Here’s how we rank his best work, celebrating the films and series that defined his legacy.
Dune (1984), starring Kyle MacLachlan and Francesca Annis, is Lynch’s ambitious, visually stunning adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic. While it remains a polarizing take on the complex novel, the film stands out for its surreal imagery, bold production design, and Lynch’s distinct atmosphere, making it a unique vision of a desert planet’s power struggles.
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Watch Dune on Amazon Prime.
The Elephant Man (1980), starring John Hurt and Anthony Hopkins, tells the heartbreaking true story of John Merrick, a man with severe physical deformities. Lynch’s delicate direction and stunning visuals bring this deeply emotional tale of compassion, exploitation, and humanity to life, making it one of his most accessible yet profoundly moving films.
: Watch The Elephant Man on fuboTV.
Wild at Heart (1990), starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, is a wild, surreal road movie about a passionate couple on the run. Blending romance, violence, and Lynch’s signature style, it’s an unpredictable journey through love and danger, all set to a rock ‘n’ roll backdrop.
: Watch Wild at Heart on Prime Video.
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Eraserhead (1977), Lynch’s haunting debut feature, is a surreal, nightmarish exploration of anxiety, fatherhood, and the grotesque. Starring Jack Nance, the film follows Henry Spencer as he navigates a dystopian, industrial landscape while grappling with the pressures of parenthood and a bizarre, deformed child. With its stark black-and-white imagery, unsettling sound design, and dreamlike narrative, Eraserhead remains a bold and disorienting piece of cinema that defined Lynch’s signature style.
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Eraserhead
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992), starring Sheryl Lee and Kyle MacLachlan, serves as both a prequel and a darker, deeper dive into the mysterious and tragic life of Laura Palmer. Lynch takes us to the heart of Twin Peaks’ most haunting story, peeling back the layers of secrets, trauma, and the supernatural that defined the series.
: Watch Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me on Max.
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Twin Peaks: The Return (2017), with standout performances from Kyle MacLachlan and Naomi Watts, picks up 25 years after the original series, reuniting viewers with the eerie world of Twin Peaks. This ambitious revival pushes the boundaries of television, blending Lynch’s signature surrealism with a haunting exploration of time, identity, and the supernatural.
Watch Twin Peaks: The Return on Paramount+.
This now legendary drama, featuring standout performances by Naomi Watts and Laura Harring, originally began as a TV pilot that didn’t make it to series, but Lynch transformed it into a cinematic masterpiece. Today, it’s almost impossible to picture Mulholland Drive as anything other than a film: A mysterious, mind-bending story that delves deep into the illusions and heartbreak of Hollywood aspirations. This is why it’s one of the best David Lynch movies.
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