FILM DIRECTORS: David Lynch (Summer 2022) This course explores David Lynch’s singular body of work with a focus on his ambiguous relationship to Hollywood and mainstream cinema. With his cult classics and surrealist imagery, Lynch’s influence on arthouse film has been profound. But his films and TV series have had an impact far beyond cinephile circles. Casting major stars and drawing on Hollywood tropes, Lynch has moved between the avant-garde and commercial cinema in a unique way. Looking at artistic influences and production history, we will consider the ways in which Lynch has managed to navigate between entertainment and enigmatic experiments. We will ask ourselves how to study his oeuvre in both a critical way and in a way that enriches our encounter with the elusive “Lynchian” universe. Screenings will include all of Lynch’s feature films to date, as well as select short films and episodes from Twin Peaks.