The dark side of surrealism

within the david lynch

filmography
Thesis Proof of concept presentation
29/01/2018
Michaela cernejova
 Proposed Disertation enquiry
For my disertation, I would like to explore surrealistic elements in filmography of the
director David Lynch, his approach towards filmmaking and his foundation in fine art.
I will first look into the origins of Surrealism, its roots in Dadaism and its definition ac-
cording to Andre Breton’s ‘Surrealist Manifesto’ (1924). I will then discuss Andre Bre-
ton’s main ideas of surrealism which are ‘psychic automatism’ and Freud’s psychoa-
nalysis theory.
I want to also discuss David Lynch’s foundations in fine art and his influences by brit-
ish surrealist painter Francis Bacon. I would like to analyse visual similarities in the
work of those two artists. I would like to particularly focus on their representation of
human subconsiousness as the dark side of a human’s mind.
I want to also resesarch on the director’s opinions and explanations of his approach
towards creativity and filmmaking through transcendental meditaiton as stated in his
book ‘Catching the Big Fish: Meditaiton, Consciousness and Creativity’
 Proposed Chapter 3 Case Study

In the chapter three of my disertation, I would like to farther discuss how both David
Lynch and Francis Bacon are using surrealistic techniques and methods to visualise dark
side of a man’s mind.
Currently, the movie ‘Mullholland Drive’ by David Lynch and Francis Bacon’s ‘screaming
popes’ painting series seems as a perfect example. I would like to focus on how surreal-
ism is mostly associated with dreaming state of mind and how both David Lynch and Fran-
cis Bacon are exploring the dark side of subconsiousness and dreams.
 Key Themes /Issues

Key Themes Possible Films for Discution

• Surrealism • Inland Empire

• Dadaism • Blue Velvet
• Psychic automatism • Lost Highway
• Psychoanalysis/Uncanny Valey • Eraserhead
• Francis Bacon influences • Elephant Man
• Transcendental Meditaiton • Twin Peaks
• Subconsciousness and Creatvity • Mullholland Drive
• non-linear narrative
• fragmentation
• contradiction
Proposed Theoretical Frameworks/Theorists

Surrealism - Andre Breton, Francis Bacon

Dadaism - Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Man Ray

Psychoanalysis - Sigmund Freud

Uncanny Valey - Sigmund Freud

Psychic Automatism - developed by various artists in early 20th century

Transcendental Meditaiton - Maharashi Mahesh Yogi

 Books
• David Lynch, Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consiousness and Creativity
- the director himself explains his experiences with transcendental meditaiton and his ap-
proaches to filmmaking and other creative arts
• David Hyghes, The Complete Lynch
- studies and analysis of the director’s works
• Hal Foster, Compulsive Beauty
- dicusses and analyses Andre Breton’s ideas of surrealism and looks into other, darker
side of surrealism
• Alister Mactaggart, The Film Paintings of David Lynch, Challenging Film Theory
- studies of the director’s work and foundation in fine art
• Sigmund Freud, The Uncanny
- psychoanalytic criticism that focuses on elements of literature/art that makes the reader
feel uneasy
- Freud explains the term ‘uncanny’ as something that is dreadful, yet familier
 Other Books

• Dennis Lim, David Lynch: The Man from Another Place

• Monica Snachez, Research on Surrealism in America

• R. Allien Psychoanalitic Film Theory

• R.F.Cook, Hollywood Narrative and the Play of Fantasy

• Sigmund Freud - Introduction to Psychoanalysis

• Michael Richardson, Surrealism and Cinema

 Journal Articles
• David Lynch And Surrealism In Twin Peaks, Mulholland Dr. And Lost Highway - Justin
Smith
- the article about Lynch’s roots in Dadaism and Surrealism and its presence in his
work, partiularly in ‘Twin Peaks’ and ‘Lost Highway’
• David Lynch, Still Disturbing After 20 Years - Terrence Rafferty
- discusses David Lynch’s movies, especially ‘Blue Velvet’ from a surrealism point of
view and similarities with some of the Hitchcock’s work
• Psychological Horror in the Films of David Lynch - Valtteri Kokko
- the article is looking at David Lynch’s work from psychoanalytic point of view
• 1st Surrealist Manifesto (1924) - Andre Breton
• 2nd Surrealist Manifesto (1929) - Andre Breton
- articles published by the founder of the movement who defines surrealism as a
‘pure state of psychic automatism’
• The ‘Continuing Misfortune’ of Automatism in Early Surrealism - Tessel M. Baudin
- analyzis of Andre Breton’s ‘Surrealist Manifesto’ and ‘psychic automatism’ as surre-
alist main idea and its application
 Websites

• www.arthistoryarchive.com
- articles by various writers on art history from 18th century until present and origins of
different movements such as surrealism or dadaism
• www.thecityofabsurdity.com
- website dedicated to David Lynch’s work and pappers published on his work by other
writers
• www.theguardian.com
- several articles published by different writers
- analyzes or reviews of David Lynch’s work
• www.nytimes.com
- also a number of articles analyzing and reviewing David Lynch’s work published by vari-
ous writers
 Documentary

• The South Bank Show: Francis Bacon (1978 - present)

- ongoing TV arts show with an aim to bring both high art and popular culture to the
mass audience
• Francis Bacon: A Brush with Violence (2017)
- interviews with the artist where he discusses his influences and opinions while art
experts explain the background to his vision
• Europe After the Rain: Dadaism and Surrealism
- discusses and explains the social conditions after World War One, the origins and
meanings of both Dadaism and Surrealism movement
• Surrealist Cinema (1987)
- insight into a history of the genre, presented by David Lynch
 Key Images

Figure 1, Study after Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Figure 2, painting by Francis Bacon,
Innocent X., Francis Bacon (1953) Oil on Canvas ‘Screaming Pope’ series of paintings
 Key Images

Figure 3, Mullholland Drive [Film Still]

 Bibliography

Foster, H. (1993) Compulsive Beauty. Dunfermline: MIT Press

Freud, S., McLintock, D., & Haughton, H. (2003). The uncanny. New York: Penguin
Books.

Hughes, D. (2001) The Complete Lynch. London: Virgin.

Lynch, D. (2006). Catching the big fish: Meditation, consciousness, and creativity. New
York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin.

Mactaggart, A. (2010) The Film Paintings of David Lynch: Challenging Film Theory. Bris-
tol: Intelect
 Illustration List
Figure 1, [Painting] Study after Velazquez’s Portrait of Pope Innocent X., Francis Bacon
(1953) Oil on Canvas At: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/great-
works/great-works-study-after-vel-zquezs-portrait-of-pope-innocent-x-1953-153cm-x-
1181cm-by-francis-bacon-8688702.html (Accessed on 28/01/2018)

Figure 2, [Painting] ‘Screaming Pope’ series of paintings, Francis Bacon (1953) At: http://
www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/art/artsales/9570158/Francis-Bacon-Screaming-Pope-paint-
ing-to-fetch-15-million.html (Accessed on 28/01/2018)

Figure 3, [Film Still] Mullholland Drive At: http://mookseandgripes.com/re-

views/2015/10/27/david-lynch-mulholland-dr/ (Accessed on 28/01/2018)