Earlier this year, David Lynch—who left a strange but beautiful mark on world cinema—passed away. He once advised those who find his films difficult to stop analyzing and to instead experience them as they would music: intuitively and sensorially. For Lynch, music arrived before narrative, shaking the senses and bypassing logic to tap into the subconscious—the most direct language of art. He not only participated in his films' music and sound design but also directed music videos, released solo albums, and remained deeply connected to music until his final days. His last work was the album
Cellophane Memories with singer Chrystabell.
The 21st Jecheon International Music & Film Festival honors this master through its Tribute: David Lynch, Musician section, tracing the musical path he left behind. The section features three feature films, seven shorts, and three music videos. The feature films highlight Lynch's hallucinatory soundscapes, including Eraserhead—with Alan Splet's sound design and the haunting In Heaven song sung by the Lady in the Radiator; Blue Velvet, his first collaboration with longtime musical partner Angelo Badalamenti, blending serene terror and sweet melodies; and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, featuring songs co-written by Lynch and the unforgettable voice of Julee Cruise.
The seven shorts freely explore Lynch's distinctive heterogeneous and alien musical styles through audiovisual experimentation. The three music videos include Chris Isaak, who performed the theme from
Wicked Game and appeared in
Twin Peaks; Donovan, with whom Lynch shared a deep connection through transcendental meditation; and the experimental works of the rock band Interpol.
