Casting an alluring shadow of surrealism over American cinema, David Lynch has created an ecstatic body of films that walk a tightrope between beauty and abjection, glittering naïveté and the depths of despair. The filmmaker entrances audiences with his uncanny ability to expose the delusions that underlie our dreams; “Lynchian” has become a ubiquitous shorthand for an unnerving atmosphere of opposites coming into close contact. As if by the flick of a switch, romance and sparkle are thrown into the realm of nightmare. Suddenly, what was attractive is now irretrievably ugly, and weirdness worms into things that at first seemed more mundane than strange. Lynch’s ingenious films smuggle avant-garde fascination with the subconscious into timeless stories of desire for love, fame, and belonging. In this double bill, Los Angeles is no longer a land of promise, but one of perversion and desperation. All of this culminates in a dark, distinctive vision that is often indescribable—but you’ll know it when you see it, and you’ll be awestruck too.

<p>Casting an alluring shadow of surrealism over American cinema, David Lynch has created an ecstatic body of films that walk a tightrope between beauty and abjection, glittering naïveté and the depths of despair. The filmmaker entrances audiences with his uncanny ability to expose the delusions that underlie our dreams; &#8220;Lynchian&#8221; has become a ubiquitous shorthand for an unnerving atmosphere of opposites coming into close contact. As if by the flick of a switch, romance and sparkle are thrown into the realm of nightmare. Suddenly, what was attractive is now irretrievably ugly, and weirdness worms into things that at first seemed more mundane than strange. Lynch&#8217;s ingenious films smuggle avant-garde fascination with the subconscious into timeless stories of desire for love, fame, and belonging. In this double bill, Los Angeles is no longer a land of promise, but one of perversion and desperation. All of this culminates in a dark, distinctive vision that is often indescribable&#8212;but you&#8217;ll know it when you see it, and you&#8217;ll be awestruck too.</p>

City of Angels: Two by David Lynch

CITY OF ANGELS: TWO BY DAVID LYNCH

Casting an alluring shadow of surrealism over the City of Angels, these two David Lynch masterworks walk a tightrope between beauty and abjection, glittering naïveté and the depths of despair. “Lynchian” may be a ubiquitous term, but no-one else is quite like this ingenious auteur.

<p>Casting an alluring shadow of surrealism over the City of Angels, these two David Lynch masterworks walk a tightrope between beauty and abjection, glittering naïveté and the depths of despair. &#8220;Lynchian&#8221; may be a ubiquitous term, but no-one else is quite like this ingenious auteur.</p>