David Lynch

Known for: Mulholland Drive (2001), Blue Velvet (1986)

David Lynch developed a filmmaking practice rooted in surrealism, industrial imagery, and the violence beneath American suburban surfaces. His films — Eraserhead (1977), Blue Velvet (1986), Mulholland Drive (2001) — alongside the television series Twin Peaks (1990–91, 2017) constitute one of the most singular bodies of work in American cinema. He died in January 2025.