Film director David Lynch, known for Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, dies aged 78

Director David Lynch, known for the surreal TV series Twin Peaks and films such as Eraserhead and Blue Velvet, has died aged 78.

A post on his official Facebook page read: “It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch.

“We would appreciate some privacy at this time.

“There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole’.

“It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

The US director’s work was known for its dreamlike, surreal quality, with his films also including The Elephant Man (1980), Wild At Heart (1990) and Mulholland Drive (2001).

Born in Missoula, Montana, Lynch began a career in painting before switching to making short films during the 1960s.

In 1977, he made his first feature-length film, Eraserhead, a black and white, surrealist body horror which follows Henry Spencer as he navigates a strange and gloomy industrial landscape filled with strange characters such as The Lady In The Radiator.

Major success came in the 1980s with the release of The Elephant Man, loosely based on the life of Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man who lived in London in the late 19th century, and Blue Velvet, a neo-noir mystery thriller.

Blue Velvet launched Lynch into the mainstream but prompted controversy with its violent and sexual content.

Lynch achieved worldwide stardom with the release of Twin Peaks, co-created with Mark Frost, in 1990, running until 1991 with its initial two series, which told the story of Dale Cooper, an eccentric FBI agent who visits a quaint town to investigate the murder of 17-year-old Laura Palmer.

He returned to develop and write Twin Peaks: The Return, released in 2017.

Another career milestone was Mulholland Drive, a non-linear tale showing the dark side of Hollywood which earned him the best director award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.

His other directing credits included him becoming the first director to adapt Frank Herbert novel Dune in 1984, 1997’s Lost Highway, 1999’s The Straight Story and 2006’s Inland Empire.

Billy Corgan, lead singer of alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins, who contributed the song Eye to the Lost Highway soundtrack said he was “truly saddened” by the news in a post on X.

He said: “Working with him was like a dream out of one of his movies, and I treasure the times I got to speak with him and hear first-hand his vision for a film.

“I truly encourage anyone who loves movies and television to watch all that David produced. He was a true artist, through and through.”

Lynch has been Oscar nominated four times, including two nods for The Elephant Man for directing and adapted screenplay, and two more directing nominations for Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Drive.

In 2019, he received an honorary Academy Award which recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry but have not won an Oscar.

Also paying tribute to Lynch was Apollo 13 director Ron Howard, who said in a post on X: “#RIPDavidLynch, a gracious man and fearless artist, who followed his heart and soul, and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema.”

Lynch was a heavy smoker and developed the lung condition emphysema – a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by damage to the air sacs in the lungs.

Despite the condition, he vowed he would “never retire” in a post last year.

Lynch also made a foray into music, releasing three of his own studio albums, which saw him work with Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O and Swedish singer Lykke Li.

He also practiced transcendental meditation, founding The David Lynch Foundation For Consciousness-Based Education And World Peace in 2005.

As a child, the director moved around often with his family and found he had an early gift for visual arts and a passion for travel, which led to his enrolment in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the beginning of a 10-year apprenticeship as a maker of short movies.

His death came just days before his 79th birthday, which would have been on January 20.