David Lynch is one of the most infamous filmmakers, creating surreal and abstract films that have become cult classics. Making him admired by a loyal fanbase and many peer directors. The dedication to his style is an attribute that he has carried with him over most of his films as he has always set out to offer an individualistic cinematic experience.

His distinct characteristics fall in a liminal world where dreamlike elements are incorporated into his cerebral films. Creating atmospheres that transcend reality, manifested through unconventional visual and non-linear narratives. He loves leaving aspects unresolved, allowing viewers to engage with his material on a more personal level, allowing for a more visceral experience. Using ambiguity to guide what he does so that everyone who watches gets their own takeaway. Leaving some of his films to be pretty straightforward, while others seem like a jigsaw puzzle.

10 ‘The Straight Story’ (1999)

Cast: Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Harry Dean Stanton

The Straight Story is an outlier from Lynch’s filmography, diverging from his usual tendencies. Instead of diving into the dark and mysterious, he opts for a more straightforward narrative. Telling the story of Alvin Straight, an elderly man who travels across several states on a lawnmower to visit his ailing brother.

Cementing Lynch’s versatility as a director, The Straight Story shows he can make commercial films, handling a variety of genres. Though fans of Lynch shouldn’t worry, as his touch is still felt with careful attention to detail in the cinematography that captures the American landscape beautifully, while showing the elderly protagonists' resilience. As he explores the human psyche, Lynch takes the opportunity to make meditative cinema that relaxes like Ozu. Even with a simpler, linear story, it proves Lynch can create a cinematic experience no matter what.

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9 ‘The Elephant Man’ (1980)

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft

Telling the true story of Joseph Merrick, a severely disfigured person in 19th century Europe, as he lives a life of side-show freak to becoming the subject of an admiring doctor. While the film takes creative liberties, it generally stays true to the real-life story of Merrick. Praised for its ability to evoke compassion and challenge the perceptions of idealized beauty, making it a universally compelling film for most audiences.

Lynch’s distinct touch can be identified from the get-go, as the dark and dreary atmosphere parallels the inner turmoil of Merrick, dealing with the complexities of human nature. Not surreal, yet expressionist in how he forebodes what is to come. Eliciting emotion and creating a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere. The Elephant Man is an overall heartfelt watch that delivers a poignant narrative with a more conventional approach compared to his other work, making it an uncomplicated watch.

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8 'Dune' (1984)

Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Francesca Annis, Patrick Stewarti

Dune is one that even Lynch’s biggest fans choose to forget about. After the success of The Elephant Man and turning down George Lucas to direct Star Wars, he went into production with Universal to make Dune. Adapted from Frank Herbert’s novel, it tells the political story of House Atreides as they take over the stewardship of Planet Arrakis. Though as great as Lynch is, it is hard for him to hold back his expressive style, which didn’t quite align with the expectations of the mainstream audiences for a sci-fi epic.

The film’s tone and pacing were too unconventional for some viewers. Not to mention, Lynch had to condense the expansive novel into a roughly two-hour film, leading to the omission of certain details and subplots. Leaving some viewers feeling that the movie lacked coherence and overall depth. Also, facing budget constraints and interference from the studios made production a nightmare of its own.

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7 ‘Blue Velvet’ (1986)

Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern, Dennis Hopper

The wave of films that helped identify the Lynchian term began with Blue Velvet. A turn for David that marked the emphasis on ambiguous psychological character studies. As in this, where a young man finds a severed ear in a field, leading him on an investigation that takes him into the dark and seedy underworld of his urban town.

In the grand scheme of Lynch’s work, Blue Velvet can be considered more provocative than confusing. Of course, it has some quintessential elements of surrealism that will make you wonder, but everything can be deduced with symbols relating back to themes of voyeurism and sexual obsession. His characters expose the hidden desires and motives of seemingly ordinary people, presenting the duality of human nature. Sticking to key characteristics that Lynch would return to in other work.

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6 ‘Wild at Heart' (1990)

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Diane Ladd

One of Lynch’s most unpredictable films centers around the love story of a convict and his girlfriend as they embark on a road trip facing bizarre and dangerous encounters. Unfolding in a series of violent events that are meant to extrapolate into the mechanisms of passion and love in the pursuit of freedom. Against the backdrop of Lynch’s surreal and symbolic imagery, he creates one of his most enigmatic films with jarring plot twists.

Lynch fans love the deciphering that goes into watching one of his movies. Wild at Heart is no different, infusing symbolism and metaphors into scenes and images that are there to provide deeper meanings. In Wild at Heart he creates layers of meaning beneath the surface of the storyline, with symbols ranging from everyday objects to recurring motifs that carry thematic weight.

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5 ‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)

Cast: Naomi Watts and Laura Harring

In Mulholland Drive, Lynch’s surrealist style is not just a storytelling technique but a fundamental aspect of the films' thematic exploration as well. It challenges viewers to question their perceptions and engage with the narrative on a deeper, more abstract level. The narrative follows an aspiring actress who arrives in Los Angeles, but soon comes to discover an amnesiac woman. Unfolding in a complex and nonlinear format, they embark on a journey to discover the woman's identity and the mystery that surrounds her.

The most confusing part of Mulholland Drive comes from blurring the boundaries between dreams and reality, using its striking visuals and haunting atmosphere. He keeps an open-minded approach that invites multiple interpretations of what is going on, making it a film that provokes discussion and analysis from those that watch. Exploring themes of identity and desire within the realm of Hollywood allows you to begin to connect the dots of its mysterious characters.

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4 ‘Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me’ (1992)

Cast: Sheryl Lee, Ray Wise, Kyle MacLachlan

The psychological horror film serves as both a prequel and a continuation of the cult TV series Twin Peaks. With the film exploring the events leading up to the murder of Laura Palmer, a central mystery in the series. Delving into the dark, supernatural undercurrents of the town.

While the film is not easy to read, watching the series does provide a lot of context and lore going into the film that helps ground everything. Initially gaining some negative criticism for exploring the supernatural undercurrents is also what has made this one of his most confusing films. Besides navigating a non-linear narrative, the establishment of the mystical elements will require multiple viewings to fully grasp and appreciate what is going on.

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3 ‘Lost Highway’ (1997)

Cast: Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, Balthazar Getty

Lynch’s implementation of the metaphysical makes Lost Highway one of his most confusing features. The story follows a jazz saxophonist and his partner, who begins receiving mysterious videotapes at their front door, depicting the interior of their house. The tapes lead to increased tension in the couples' relationship, leading to the discovery of new identities and affiliations.

Lynch challenges the viewers to unravel the films' mysteries, inviting interpretation through his concepts of humans dealing with guilt. As the narrative takes surreal turns, characters transform into new characters that aim to highlight the metaphysical nature of one’s fractured identity. The transformation of the main character is what introduces psychological and existential exploration. By showing shifted identities, Lynch can tap into his fixation with the complexities of the human condition.

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2 'Eraserhead' (1978)

Cast: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Jeanne Bates

Lynch’s first feature length film is regarded as a cult classic, known for its experimental and avant-garde style. Eraserhead is what established Lynch as a filmmaker with a unique vision and a penchant for exploring the darker and more expressionist aspects of the human experience. The narrative revolves around a man who lives in an industrial, dystopian world, settling into his new reality after learning that he is the father of a deformed and premature infant.

The film looks at existential dread, alienation, and the common anxieties associated with parenthood. In an electrifying black and white cinematography, that helps fragment the narrative, enhancing the perplexing nature of the movie. Haunting, like many of his other films,' Eraserheads' abstract atmosphere allows viewers to engage with its symbolism and surreal elements in a personal way. As Lynch wants the audience to question themselves while they are also questioning his film.

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1 'Inland Empire' (2006)

Starring Laura Dern and Jeremy Irons

Leading to one of the strangest Oscar campaigns, sitting on the side of the road with a cow. This is one of David Lynch’s most complex films. It is centered around an actress who secures a role in a mysterious and troubled film called “On High in Blue Tomorrows.” As the actress delves into her character, she becomes entangled in the blurred boundaries between fiction and reality. With the narrative unfolding through a series of interconnected stories and characters.

Inland Empire is infamous for a few reasons, but a short list can be confined to its lengthy run-time, wild non-linear narrative and Lynch’s experimentation using digital video. It is considered one of his most challenging works to comprehend, requiring multiple viewings before putting pieces together. While the film is mostly ambiguous, it invites viewers to interpret the mysteries in their own way, making a different experience for everyone that watches it.

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NEXT: The 10 Highest-Grossing David Lynch Movies