When news broke out about the death of David Lynch, the mastermind behind Mulholland Drive (2001), it felt as though a huge void had been left in the hearts of movie buffs and aspiring filmmakers everywhere.
In spite of the news that shocked the world, Lynch’s contributions to neo-noir and surrealist cinema has been nothing short of influential, enduring, and aspirational, and if this loss at hit you hard as it has us, join us in remembering David Lynch by revisiting some of his most popular titles on the best streaming services.
Across Max, Netflix, Paramount Plus and more, Lynch’s work makes up some of the best movies and shows available on streaming. With a huge back catalog to his name, it can be difficult to find where to stream the best David Lynch movies. Lucky for you, that has already been done, and you can find five of his most memorable movies and shows below.
Twin Peaks (1990-1991)
Age rating: TV-14
Episode length: ~ 45 minutes
Main cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Michael Ontkean
Where to stream: Paramount Plus (US, UK and AU)
When it comes to TV shows, Lynch hit it out of the park with his mystery series from the ’90s which had an immediate grasp on fans in a similar way to fellow shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
In the fictional town of Twin Peaks, investigator and special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) travels to the rural town to assist with a murder investigation of high school teenager Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). Blending surrealism, horror, and detective fiction with traditional soap opera tropes, when it comes to the secrets of the on-goings in Twin Peaks, there’s more than meets the eye.
Eraserhead (1977)
Age rating: N/A
Run time: 89 minutes
Main cast: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Allen Joseph
Where to stream: Max (US)
Not only did Lynch write, direct, produce and edit Eraserhead, but he took credit for curating its soundtrack and sound design, displaying Lynch’s talents as a filmmaker who’s fully immersed and involved in his work.
Shot in black and white, and marking Lynch’s first full-length feature, his ’70s surreal body horror movie follows Henry (Jack Nance) who lives surrounded by a growing industrial environment. Just when he thinks his life couldn’t get more gloomy, he learns that former partner Mary X (Charlotte Stewart) has fallen pregnant with his child. After marrying her and moving in together, she gives birth to their child, only to bring a mutant, reptilian creature into the world.
Dune (1984)
![DUNE Official Trailer [1984] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sJ9VAJ1f0zU/maxresdefault.jpg)
Age rating: PG-13
Run time: 137 minutes
Main cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Sting, Francesca Annis
Where to stream: Max (US), Pluto TV / MGM Plus (UK), Netflix (AU)
Before Denis Villeneuve’s made-for-IMAX epics Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), David Lynch was the first to reimagine Frank Herbert’s novels for the screen and, despite it’s poor ratings, remains a cult classic to this day.
In a distant future, an ongoing rivalry between two families plagues the desert world of Arrakis as both fight to obtain a drug called spice, an important source for space travel. In his debut feature role Kyle MacLachlan stars as Paul Atreides, the son of the Duke and heir, who rises to power in his designation as leader but sparks more conflict with other intergalactic overlords.
Inland Empire (2006)
Age rating: R
Run time: 180 minutes
Main cast: Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux
Where to stream: Max (US), Studiocanal Presents, ITVX (UK)
Similar to Eraserhead, Lynch played a significant role in the cinematography, sound design, and editing of Inland Empire. The film also co-produced by its leading actress Laura Dern, who stars as fictional Hollywood actress Nikki lands a role in a new film where the character in the movie has an affair with an attractive co-star Devon (Justin Theroux).
As filming progresses, things begin to change within Nikki who slowly starts to take on the personality of her character in the movie. Through a series of psychological and mind-bending events, Nikki discovers that the movie is a remake of an unfinished project where her character and her co-star are destined for an unfortunate fate.
Blue Velvet (1986)
Age rating: R
Run time: 120 minutes
Main cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hooper
Where to stream: Max (US)
If you haven’t noticed by now, Kyle MacLachlan and David Lynch were pretty much inseparable having worked together on Twin Peaks and Dune – and the same goes for Blue Velvet, which also stars Laura Dern.
Blue Velvet packs the neo-noir, mystery-thriller elements that have become synonymous with the work of Lynch. When college student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) learns his father has suffered a stroke, he returns home to come across a severed ear in his home’s back garden. Intrigued by this discovery, he enlists the help of a detective’s daughter Sandy Williams (Laura Dern) to get to the bottom of the mystery. Tracing them to a nightclub singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini), Jeffrey is enthralled by her presence and finds himself being seduced into her world.