So I’m a moderate movie guy. I have my favorites, and usually tend towards the psychological thriller / eerie / ethereal category. Usual Suspects and Memento are my two favorites movies ever, for context. Recently, I decided to watch some David Lynch movies because my friends absolutely love them and I wanted to see what the hype was about. Based on what I heard, I figured it’d be a natural fit.
I started with Mulholland Drive. I heard that you either love it or hate it - I fell in the former category. I thought it was unbelievable, completely blew me away. From the cinematography to the story, I just absolutely loved it.
Tonight, I decided to watch Blue Velvet. Unfortunately, it did not hit as hard for me. Felt more straightforward, I can def understand the idyllic vs hellish undertones, but I just did not enjoy it to the level that I did Mulholland Drive. I kept waiting for the rug pull, which may have soured it for me. I keep seeing online how much everyone adores Blue Velvet, and while I liked it, it did not have the same effect on me.
Does anyone else feel this way about enjoying Mulholland Drive much more than Blue Velvet? 😅
You'll enjoy lost highway then. I feel he perfected this concept with Mulholland tho. Elephant Man is great too, but more of a straightforward one.
8
ClassroomJazzlikeMar 27, 2026
+1
So I’ve heard! I don’t mean to come off as snotty in my post, but I just found the rug pull in Mulholland Dr to be insane. Tbf, I thought i was gonna hate it 30 mins in LOL
1
Sivy17Mar 27, 2026
+1
I prefer Lost Highway over Mulholland Drive honestly. Lost Highway feels so much more grimey.
1
Ok-Dimension-2512Mar 27, 2026
+1
Blue Velvet is the perfect entry point, but Mulholland Drive is his masterpiece. It’s the one that haunts you forever.
1
edward-andreasMar 27, 2026
+1
Wild at Heart was great. Love every time Laura Dern said Sailor's name.
1
bone-in_donutsMar 27, 2026
+2
I absolutely love BV, even though MD is my personal fav. Even MD doesn’t have a dead cop bleeding from the head still standing up.
2
InertiasCreepMar 27, 2026
+1
Blue Velvet is much more straightforward, yes. Wild At Heart is too. Mostly.
If you like Mulholland Drive you'll like Lost Highway and possibly Inland Empire. Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive share twin themes of hidden identities and fugue states. Inland Empire is the f*** out there. I love David Lynch, but I have no clue what to make of Inland Empire.
1
Away_Gift831Mar 27, 2026
+1
Dune. enjoy a huge mess (that i secretly love)
1
KnucklesMcCrackinMar 27, 2026
+2
Never be ashamed to love Lynch's Dune. You are not alone.
2
Away_Gift831Mar 27, 2026
+1
thank you king
1
Ok-Hedgehog-1839Mar 27, 2026
+1
My exes favourite film was Blue Velvet and he showed it to me like 20 years ago, I didn’t get it then. Thought it was gratuitously violent. I should rewatch it though because my tastes/media comprehension have changed a lot over the years.
Mulholland Drive is probably my favourite Lynch film, and I have a huge soft spot for Fire Walk With Me and Laura Palmer/Twin Peaks in general.
As others have said, watch Lost Highway. It’s part of Lynches LA trilogy and feels closer to MD in terms of vibes/themes.
1
TheShadyGuyMar 27, 2026
+1
I think the Straight Story is his best film, personally. It is quite minimalist compared to his other films, but is also so profound and moving with just a guy driving a lawnmower across Iowa. I certainly love his earlier films, but there is something about his G rated "straight" film that is absolute Lynch in a way that you didn't think could happen. I would suggest watching most of his other work before the Straight Story to really get his and Badalamenti's style and how they work together.
Twin Peaks: The Return is also peak Lynch but without so much of the restraint of the Straight Story. Highly recommend all of the Twin Peaks stuff, Fire Walk With Me is nuts.
1
Tr0nLenonMar 27, 2026
+2
Yeah, you kind of watched his masterpiece first.. It's up there with Memento in my all time favorites. And it's definitely my favorite Lynch film, by a mile.
Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive, and Inland Empire are a quasi-trilogy.. although Inland Empire is just too much for me 😅 but as others have suggested, Lost Highway is the closest you're going to get.
Twin Peaks also deserves to be mentioned. Mulholland originated as a spin off TV series and had shot 90% of the film as a pilot. It was rejected, and Lynch then added and altered and converted it into the film we got.
Lynch is known for a lot.. but Twin Peaks was a phenomenon when it first premiered. It's a mess as a whole.. but that first season is something special you can't describe. The rest is up to you to continue 😅
If you want the true mindfuck.. you watch his first film Eraserhead.. don't expect to be satisfied, but it'll stick with you.
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