LYNCHIAN

By Tom DiCillo
 · 
November 13, 2011

Here's a paragraph I came across today. The words are David Lynch's. They had a lot of resonance for me so I thought I'd share them.

"Negativity is the enemy to creativity. So, if you want more ideas flowing then find happiness in the doing--happiness in the doing. I love, literally LOVE building a thing that ultimately has to feel correct before it's finished, and that feeling correct is like a drug. It's like a thing that just kicks you and makes you feel so good. You almost pass out. You fall off your feet."
David Lynch

There is a very simple, and very profound truth in these words. You can't create out of pain and bitterness. Pain of course can inspire you, like many other life experiences. But the transformation of that experience into a work of art is the richest when the actual doing of it brings immense, intense pleasure.

This is something I know but too frequently keep forgetting.

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Comments
Mario
December 18, 2011 at 9:34 am
Hello Tom & Friends,
Hoping everyone has a fun and RELAXING holiday!
Reply
Wayne Byrne
December 19, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Happy holidays Mario! And to Tom, Elaine and all! Enjoy the turkey hangover 🙂 I’ve got some Douglas Sirk and George Stevens melodramas and several bottles of Port on standby. Now that’s Christmas!
Enjoy, all!
Wayne
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Elaine
December 18, 2011 at 3:06 pm
Happy holidays to you too Mario!
Mine haven’t exactly been relaxing–one might say they’ve been filled with life’s insane curve balls–but I am still approaching the upcoming new year with a sense of excitement and gratitude.
Hope you have a great holiday, Tom, and we look forward to more progress on your films in the new year too!
Elaine
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Rai Mechem
December 17, 2011 at 11:32 am
I know I shouldn’t be negative & bitter, according to David Lynch, but I must say how griped I get with the success of “Boardwalk Empire”, which I love, btw, and the absence of any reference to “Delirious” when praising the work of Buscemi & Pitt.
I know it’s the world you’ve been living in, Tom, and no doubt you have come to terms with it, but it just pisses me off to no end.
love,
Rai
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Tom

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December 17, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Well Rai,
I did do some pondering about this my own self, especially when they cast Tom Aldredge, who played Steve’s father in Delirious, as his father in Boardwalk. But, that’s the way this game is played. It is very much like highschool where popularity has very little to do with value.
It really comes down to visibility. In the scope of things Delirious was seen by so few people that it was practically invisible. Don’t get me wrong; it did not affect its value. But, it was so far off the radar that most people didn’t, and don’t even know it exists.
That’s why I, and just about every independent filmmaker I know, get so worked up during the distribution process. When I see mistakes being made, money not being spent, opportunities for awareness lost; it makes me crazy. Because ultimately I’ve learned you have one chance with a film. If you blow it, it not only affects the film but the next one too.
But, thanks for your kind words, Rai.
best,
Tom
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Wayne Byrne
November 22, 2011 at 7:31 pm
Hey Elaine,
Cheers! I am indeed already on the case of tracking down the R1 version of Double Whammy. I had to order Box of Moonlight on R1 also, it is completely unavailable in Ireland, I had only a couple of copies on VHS, which I cherish, but at I bought a multi-region player so I could enjoy the likes of BOM in widescreen, as it should be seen. which is great! it’s the only movie of Tom’s I don’t have on DVD, I had tried importing it through specialist shops but with no avail; I have however discovered the joys of Amazon it has made the search for great film a lot easier 🙂
P.S.
I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time as I did the other night when reading once again Tom’s Eating Crow diaries which accompanied the Living in Oblivion script…”Bringham Young
University”…If you haven’t read it, Elaine, I absolutely highly recommend it.
Wayne
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Elaine
November 23, 2011 at 9:51 am
Hey Wayne,
Way ahead of ya. I’ve read both the “Living in Oblivion” and “Box of Moonlight” diaries and loved them both. I was incredibly intrigued to learn just how much blood, sweat and frustration went into the making of BOM, when that is one of my all-time-favorite movies EVER. I was entranced 5 minutes into it and stayed riveted for the entire film. Then I watched it again (it was on IFC late one night) and then ordered all of the DVDs the next day.
Sad that you can’t get some of the DVDs in Ireland. Hope Amazon can make that happen for ya. I still want to get across the pond one of these days to see Ireland and Scotland. Y’all have some great pubs over there, I hear…
Elaine
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Wayne Byrne
November 16, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Hey Tom,
Beautiful quote from a director whose work is, to some people, dark and disturbing on the surface. I’ve always found beauty in Lynch’s work, even in his darkest pictures such as Lost Highway and Fire Walk With Me.
Just reading Elaine’s comment above, I didn’t realise you had done a commentary for Double Whammy, my Region 2 copies (I have two, I’m sad, I know, but it is so rare to find in this country) have absolutely no extras, let alone a commentary. I may get ordering a Region 1 disc!
Wayne
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Elaine
November 17, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Hey Wayne,
I’d definitely recommend trying to find one. I enjoy all of Tom’s commentaries but if I remember right, that one was particularly interesting since there are so many different storylines woven together. The scene with the 2 screenwriter guys arguing over who gets to go onstage first when they win Sundance is the part where Tom mentions the joy of doing. Not in Lynch’s exact words, but the nugget is there.
Cheers to ya!
Elaine
Reply
Elaine
November 14, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Great quote and reminder, Tom. Thanks for sharing 🙂 I remember hearing this basic nugget first on your commentary for “Double Whammy” and how the joy of doing is more important than the Sundance bag one gets or the prize on stage.
Excellent reminder and great timing. There is a great joy in surprising yourself when being creative.
Let us know how your film is coming along…
Elaine
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TOM DICILLO

Independent Filmmaker & Musician