Who Is the Dreamer?: The Infinite Worlds of David Lynch
Beginning his career as a painter before turning to filmmaking, David Lynch went on to become one of the most innovative, influential, and divisive directors of the last 50 years, plumbing the deepest recesses of the human psyche with a fearlessness that is unmatched. Often informed by a nostalgia for a mid-century America that never really existed, Lynch’s films explore both the glistening surfaces and dark underbellies of distinctly American yet distressingly universal worlds, warping and distorting them in ways that are, at times, deeply unsettling and, other times, extremely funny. His singular visions are frequently terrifying, but are also rendered with compassion, and his adventurous odysseys through the collective subconscious are bolstered by his audacious visual style and aggressive yet carefully calibrated sound design.
Throughout this 12-week online class (divided into two 6-week parts), we will explore the life and art of this master filmmaker, touching on his paintings and the influence of transcendental meditation on his work as well as all of his feature films and many of his shorts. The adjective “Lynchian” is often thrown around by critics and audiences to describe films that are strange and unsettling, but what is it about Lynch’s films that can never quite be replicated in the films of other directors? This is what we’ll explore in this class, which seeks not to give definitive explanations to Lynch’s many masterpieces, but to foster discussion of what it is about them that moves us, horrifies us, makes us laugh, and, sometimes, repulses us.
Join us as we dive into the uncompromising works of David Lynch! There will be a pre-recorded lecture, lasting around 30-45 minutes, that students can view ahead of time. In addition, there will be weekday group discussions over Zoom on Mondays at 9pm EST/6pm PST that will last between 1-1.5 hours. We will potentially add more depending on time zones and availability.
Everyone attending will have the opportunity to speak and the class will be limited to 25 students.
SYLLABUS – PART 1
Class 1 – March 9th, 2026 – David Lynch: The Man/The Artist
Films: David Lynch: The Art Life (Jon Nguyen, Rick Barnes, Olivia Neergaard-Holm, 2016), Six Men Getting Sick (Short, 1967), The Alphabet (Short, 1969), The Amputee (Short, 1974)
Class 2 – March 16th, 2026 – In Heaven, Everything is Fine
Films: Eraserhead (1977), The Grandmother (Short, 1970)
Class 3 – March 23rd, 2026 – Lynch in Hollywood
Films: The Elephant Man (1980), Dune (1984)
ONE WEEK BREAK
Class 4 – April 6th, 2026 – Straight to Hell
Films: Blue Velvet (1986), The Cowboy & The Frenchman (Short, 1988)
Class 5 – April 13th, 2026 – Into the Woods
Films: Twin Peaks: Pilot Episode (1990), Twin Peaks Season 2 Ep. 22: Beyond Life and Death (1991)
Class 6 – April 20th, 2026 – Over the Rainbow
Films: Wild at Heart (1990)
Suggested Viewing: Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted (1990)
To register, please complete the form below. Note that there are payment options through various providers (such as Klarna) provided they are available in your region. Registration for part 2 will launch after the first part ends.
Founding Members and Magic Hour Subscribers get a 20% discount. You can find a coupon code at the Founding Member’s Hub after login.