Director Toby Keeler investigates all of David Lynch’s artistic endeavors (which include photography, painting, music, and furniture building as well as filmmaking) in this fascinating documentary shot during the making of Lost Highway. Along with film clips and interviews with Lynch, composer Angelo Badalamenti, and producer Deepak Nayar are numerous behind-the-scenes glimpses at Lost Highway and Lynch at work in other media. The highlight is the Eraserhead reunion, where Jack Nance, Catherine Coulson (the “Log Lady” from Twin Peaks and Nance’s first wife), and Lynch visit the site where Lynch’s first successful feature was shot in the mid-1970s over a two-year period. Maybe not as revealing as one could hope, but an always intriguing portrait of an uncompromising artist driven to create in a wide range of media.

Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch (1997)
  • Rating: (436 votes)
  • Runtime:85 minutes
  • Director: Toby Keeler
  • Country:USA
  • Actors:
    Herself
    Patricia Arquette
    Himself
    Angelo Badalamenti
    Himself
    Robert Blake
    Himself
    Mel Brooks
    Himself
    Jack Fisk
    Himself
    Peter Frank
    Himself
    Balthazar Getty
    Himself
    Barry Gifford
    Herself
    Natasha Gregson Wagner
    Himself (archive footage)
    Jay Leno
  • Genres:Documentary, Biography
  • Producer:
    Toby Keeler
    producer  
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch
  • User's comment:Full of secrets by seanmiguel

    Comprised mostly of footage and interviews shot during the making of "Lost Highway," this excellent documentary provides a fascinating peek inside the world of the master filmmaker and his entourage of collaborators. Besides some amusing anecdotes from David himself, there's chats with his ex-wife Peggy, his children (including budding director Jennifer Lynch), his friend Jack Fisk, editor Mary Sweeney, producer Mel Brooks, writer Barry Gifford, actor Dean Stockwell, and "Eraserhead"/"Twin Peaks" almuni Jack Nance and Catherine Coulson. We also hear from the cast members of "Lost Highway," as well as learn the stories behind some of Lynch's characters (Bob, The Log Lady, Frank Booth, Mr. Eddy). Some of the more illuminating moments come when the focus shifts to his non-film projects, including some great footage of him working with composer Angelo Badalamenti and singer/violinist Jocelyn Montgomery (billed as Jocelyn West) on the unreleased track "And Still." His bizarre multimedia paintings are discussed, and there's a visit to a gallery show of his photography. He also created all of the furniture used in "Lost Highway." and we see a showcase of the odd tables and shelves he's made. The DVD edition outshines the shorter VHS version, with additional footage (with some Twin Peaks coverage) plus nice menu screens featuring clips from "Eraserhead,""Lost Highway," and his two early short films "The Grandmother" and "The Alphabet." All in all, any fan of the man's movies will want to check this one out. It's an interesting and inspiring portrait of a real American iconoclast.


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