"I'm seeing something that was always hidden. I'm in the middle of a mystery and it's all secret."

DUNE, David Lynch's first (and only) foray into big budget studio filmmaking was an unmitigated disaster, both critically and commercially, and in the wake of its failure, his career as a film director was in question.

But thanks to his own inability to stop creating, and incredible support from his DUNE producer Dino De Laurentiis, Lynch was not only able to continue working in film, but his next film would be the the most personal, idiosyncratic film that he'd created since his debut ERASERHEAD.

And although he didn't know it at the time, it was also the film that not only reinvigorated his career, but defined him as an artist, one with an uncompromising artistic vision.

That film is BLUE VELVET. And on this episdoe, we'll discuss how the film was created, from its inception as a "fragment" of an idea to it being filmed on the streets of Wilmington, North Carolina, and its legacy as one of the greatest films of the 1980s and one of the most important films of Lynch's career.

Please Note: This is Part 1 of a 2 part discussion on BLUE VELVET. The 2nd part of this conversation — including the Extended Episode with our "Somebody Needs A Nap" and "Further Viewing" segments — will be released next week.

Up Next: David Lynch: Episode 6: TWIN PEAKS (Pilot).

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS:

Andy Lancaster | Benjamin Yates | curtcake5k | Jvance325 | MagicBloat | Nate Izod | Elton Novara

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop & Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

For this special BONUS episode, we sat down for a chat with Max Evry, author of A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch's Dune - An Oral History, one of the most comprehensive behind-the-scenes books that we've come across, and one that was a major resource for our episode covering the making of DUNE.

In this interview, we chat with Max about all things DUNE, David Lynch, Hollywood book-to-film adapatations, and somehow, the 1993 movie SUPER MARIO BROS.

Max interviewed a lot of the folks involved in the making of DUNE (including Lynch himself!), making his insights into the film's creation wholly unique. We can't thank him enough for taking the time to sit down with us!

Follow Max Evry on X at @maxevry and Instagram at @maxevry1 and visit his website at maxevry.com.

Purchase your copy of Masterpiece in Disarray on Amazon, your local independent bookstore, or wherever else books are sold.

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop & Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net

After the critical and commercial success of THE ELEPHANT MAN, David Lynch was suddenly a hot commodity in Hollywood, although it soon became clear that, although many studios were seeking out the idiosyncratic director, what they wanted was another ELEPHANT MAN, and not another ERASERHEAD.

While Lynch would pass on many of the projects offered to him (which we document in this episode), he eventually signed on to direct Frank Herbert's sprawling science fiction epic DUNE for famed Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis.

The resulting film was, for Lynch, "a great sadness," a betrayal of his own artistic sensibilities and a film that was reviled by critics and ignored by audiences. Although it's gained a modest cult following in the 40 years since its release, it's generally considered a failure by most, even die hard fans of David Lynch.

In this episode, we'll tell you everything you want to know about how DUNE came to be, from previous directors who'd attempted to adapt it, to how Lynch became involved, and the myriad of troubles that the cast and crew had while making the film in Mexico. We'll also discuss the film's eventual release, its legacy, and the incredible impact that it had on Lynch's career going forward.

An Extended Episode — exclusive to CinemaShock+ subscribers — contains bonus content including our fan favorite "Somebody Needs A Nap" segment (where we read and react to reviews of DUNE that we've found on the far reaches of the internet), our "Further Viewing" recommendations and more!

Join now at cinemashock.net/plus.

Up Next: David Lynch: Episode 5: BLUE VELVET.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS:

Andy Lancaster | Benjamin Yates | curtcake5k | Jvance325 | MagicBloat | Nate Izod | Elton Novara

Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop & Todd A. Davis.

For episode archives, merch, show notes, and more, visit cinemashock.net