David Lynch, known as one of America’s greatest filmmakers, died at 78 years old due to Emphysema, on Jan. 15. Lynch left behind a legacy of iconic films and his achievement in bringing awareness to the dangers of smoking.

Lynch was born on Jan. 20, 1946 in Missoula, Mont. and first began his career in filmmaking with his 1977 cult classic feature film called “Eraserhead.” However, his filmmaking career didn’t really take off until the 1980s, where he released the sci-fi hit “Dune” and dark psychological thriller film “Blue Velvet”. “Blue Velvet” became one of his most influential works with 12 awards and 21 nominations, including that of the Golden Globes and Academy Awards.

“I’ve seen Blue Velvet. His films are such an acquired taste. I feel like a lot of people go into watching movies and expecting, like you know, a Marvel kind of plot where it takes you throughout a hero’s journey and it has a climax and a drop,” Renata De Los Heros, senior, said.  “But  [Blue Velvet] is so human. It’s a psychological thriller so it’s really your mind against your mind. It’s how you interpret the film that really matters, that’s why his films have such an impact because he leaves it up to you for interpretation almost.”

In the 1990s, Lynch released his TV series, co-created with Mark Frost, titled “Twin Peaks”. “Twin Peaks” is a mystery crime drama which follows the series of events after a young highschool student Laura Palmer is murdered. The show is set in a small town in Washington and combines surrealist elements, cryptic dreams and creepy visuals. “Twin Peaks” received 2 Golden Globes Awards, 1 Primetime Emmy Award and 1 Peabody Award. Later in 2001, Lynch directed “Mullholland Drive”, a dreamlike neo-noir film set in Hollywood.

“I have seen a bunch of David’s pieces, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead and Wild At Heart. But I gotta say the longest and most enjoyable for me was Twin Peaks. I love Twin Peaks because of how intricate the story is and how each person’s issues all kinda tie together as they navigate the loss of Laura Palmer. I adore Laura Palmer and I think that her haunting narrative is so powerful and beautiful, she’s one of the greatest and most complex characters ever,” Celia Moon, senior, said.

Lynch has been an inspiration to other great filmmakers and musicians. Filmmakers include: Christopher Nolan (creator of “Interstellar”), David Fincher (creator of “Fight Club”), James Wan (creator of “The Conjuring”) and Charlie Kaufman (creator of “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”). Musicians include: Nine Inch Nails, Lana Del Rey, David Bowie (who even collaborated with Lynch), Portishead and Angelo Badalamenti.

“For me a film exists somewhere before you do it. It’s sitting in some abstract world, complete, and you’re just listening to it talk to you, telling you the way it’s supposed to be. But not until all the sound and music and editing has been done do you truly know what it is. Then it’s finished. It feels right, the way it’s supposed to be, or as right as it can,” David Lynch said in the book David Lynch: Interviews.

Lynch’s films often show characters smoking cigarettes, which is partly based off his own fondness to them growing up and throughout his life. Lynch began smoking at 8 years old and did not quit until age 75, 2 years after being diagnosed with emphysema in 2020. Emphysema is an obstructive lung disease that causes shortness of breath. It impacted Lynch’s ability to move and made him more susceptible to other illnesses.

“I really wanted to get this across: Think about it. You can quit these things that are going to end up killing you,” Lynch told People Magazine. “I owe it to [other smokers] — and to myself — to say that.”

On Jan. 15, Lynch was being relocated from his house in LA due to the Sunset Fire and had a Emphysema flare up that eventually led to his death. His family announced his death on a Facebook post.

“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” read the familys’ Facebook post. “We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

Lynch had a close relationship with one of his actors, Kyle Machlachan. Machlachan starred in “Twin Peaks”, ”Dune” and “Blue Velvet”. The two were best friends and Machlachlan released a tribute on his Instagram following Lynch’s death.

“Forty-two years ago, for reasons beyond my comprehension, David Lynch plucked me out of obscurity to star in his first and last big budget movie. He clearly saw something in me that even I didn’t recognize. I owe my entire career, and life really, to his vision,” Kyle MacLachlan, an actor who starred in many of Lynch’s films, wrote on a Jan. 16 Instagram post. “What I saw in him was an enigmatic and intuitive man with a creative ocean bursting forth inside of him. He was in touch with something the rest of us wish we could get to.”

Lynch was a creative director who has left a legacy in a multitude of ways. His films will continue to inspire the next generations of filmmakers, singers, actors, musicians and film enthusiasts in general.