An Extensive Guide to the Surreal Commercials of David Lynch

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Notable historical intellectuals and artists, including Franz Kafka, Philip Glass, and David Lynch, had additional sources of income beyond their renowned works. For instance, Kafka worked as an insurance officer, Glass ran a moving company, did plumbing, drove taxis, and in his spare time between compositions. The late David Lynch, a celebrated filmmaker, funded his artistic endeavors by creating commercials. After his passing at 78 on January 16, his filmography will be revisited, analyzed, and cherished by many. It’s fascinating that one of cinema’s most unconventional directors financed his art through advertisements. And these ads, as expected, often stand alone as thought-provoking mini-films. What might have been considered temporary would, in Lynch’s hands, become carefully crafted, experimental, and distinctly his own creations. This isn’t limited to the already surreal genre of perfume commercials, either; although there are many of those as well. As he once said, “I do, sometimes, create commercials to earn a living. But I always say, every time, I learn something: efficiency in conveying a message and new technologies.” His fascination with the advertising world is evident from his admiration for the TV series ‘Mad Men.’ Here’s an extensive look at Lynch as an Ad Man, covering PSAs to PS2.

Fragrances

Obsession by Calvin Klein (1990)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OJJAeVuTtPU?si=Mt2BfgpKK1YuMpX6

David Lynch, for the first time, ventured into creating tonic ads, and that was for Calvin Klein’s fragrance Obsession. He produced four captivating and stunning advertisements, featuring actors like Benicio del Toro and stars from “Twin Peaks” such as Heather Graham, Lara Flynn Boyle, and James Marshall. These ads were shot in close-ups under the moonlight in a black-and-white setting. The voice-overs recited passages about desire from famous authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, D.H. Lawrence, and Gustave Flaubert. Angelo Badalamenti provided the soundtrack with his enchanting synth melodies.

Trésor by Lancôme (1991)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=zNvdTkhRDI8

This film was released during the same year that Isabella Rossellini and David Lynch ended their relationship. However, it’s clear that the camera in this advertisement is deeply smitten with her.

Gio by Giorgio Armani (1992)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=-650fCLMEco

In this silent film, David Lynch demonstrates extensive creative liberty, weaving a tale of a glamorous woman in distress with a noir-influenced twist, while intermingling it with the enigma “Who is Gio?” reminiscent of the “Twin Peaks” mystery “Who killed Laura Palmer?” One striking scene features a man performing a dance move that combines elements of Elvis Presley and the film “Risky Business,” only for him to vanish mysteriously into thin air.

Opium by Yves Saint Laurent (1992)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=StGY3UcnG4o

All warm reds and golds.

Background by Jil Sander (1993)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=fTQP8JaZbPM

In this minute-long cinematic piece called “Instinct of Life,” I find myself immersed in a world that feels reminiscent of Hitchcock’s Vertigo, but with a distinctly personal touch. The creative use of color, particularly shades of green and purple in the swirling smoke, adds an otherworldly allure. A live panther is intertwined in this surreal landscape, and the hauntingly beautiful music resonates with the ethereal quality of Badalamenti’s compositions.

Sun Moon Stars by Karl Lagerfeld (1994)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Zk4qQuJS_to

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but feel that this production of David Lynch‘s might just be his most ’90s masterpiece. The visuals accompanying Daryl Hannah’s soft nursery rhyme have an otherworldly, cosmic quality, reminiscent of the calming music compilation “Pure Moods.” Her image, hazy and overexposed, gazing skyward and interwoven with the night sky, seems to mirror Lynch’s portrayal of Naomi Watts amidst sun-drenched palm trees in Mulholland Drive.

Fahrenheit by Dior (2004)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=rmO9xuBERts

Hedi Slimane + David Lynch = makes sense.

Gucci by Gucci (2007)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=5JtG6vR7vEw

The pairing of David Lynch and “Heart of Glass” is simply delightful. A charming sneak peek into his artistic approach during commercial production can be found in the making-of video for this particular piece.

Fashion & Beauty

Revital Granas by Shiseido (2008)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=cPNFIZEQkZk

Vibey.

Lady Blue Shanghai for Dior (2010)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=JfT80R7dmrA

In this 16-minute production featuring Marion Cotillard, most of the ideas were primarily conceived by Lynch. The only stipulations were for him to incorporate Shanghai into the plot and include a scene advertising the Dior bag.

Beauté by Christian Louboutin (2014)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=2GaZKgqWca0?si=XtZ_6fXSveK2nciX

This looks like the “leaked photo of heaven” everyone was sharing on Twitter.

Coffee

Georgia Coffee (1993)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=yGq_phqfRF0

Four brief episodes, titled “minisodes,” were produced following the film “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me,” for the Japanese coffee brand Georgia. These minisodes brought back the original cast of “Twin Peaks” to solve a mini-mystery involving Special Agent Dale Cooper and his team rescuing a Japanese woman named Asami from the Black Lodge. Despite its cheesy nature, it remains endearing and retains some cinematic flair, such as when the Log Lady flicked a switch causing an intense lightning flash. Interestingly, Agent Dale Cooper, who is usually portrayed as a serious character, embraces his role here as a sort of animated cereal mascot, opting for canned coffee instead of hot cups.

David Lynch Coffee (2011)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=wAgGoNjmohA

Perhaps, it’s worth mentioning that Lynch’s favorite ad is a self-commissioned piece, as it promotes his personal line of coffee – the private label. This ad stands out as the top Barbie film.

Cars

Honda Passport (1997)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=qO-HXn3hrd8

If only more car commercials were this mysterious.

Nissan Micra (2002)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=xkt8L0NtSjA

Obsessed with a floating pair of blue lips going, “S I M P O L O G Y.” The art of simping.

Citroen Xsara Coupe (2002)

Finding a suitable, embeddable video of David Lynch’s unique American car ad tailored for the French audience can be challenging, but it’s an endearing piece that is certainly worth your time to view.

Gaming

PlayStation 2 (2000)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Laf9vpJMDjA

In unveiling the PS2, Lynch elicited something extraordinary with his greeting “Welcome to the Third Place.” Lynch imbues this concept with a Surrealist, collage-like quality that makes this fictional “third place” reminiscent of an alternate version of the Black Lodge. Is it too bizarre? If so, return to Nintendo, my delicate friend.

PSAs

Clean Up NYC (1991)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=ZSWv90msTUc

In the early ’90s, New York appeared strikingly similar to the disturbing depiction of Victorian London as seen in “The Elephant Man“.

American Cancer Society (1993)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=jmdI7WNr1Ek

Some people argue that the Lynch public service announcement for breast cancer detection may not have been widely distributed, but Reddit speculates that the leaked video could potentially be the intended PSA.

Interstitials

Michael Jackson Dangerous Teaser (1991)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=9nFh-BUFWzg

In this teaser video from the Michael Jackson’s Dangerous VHS tape, Lynch adopts a unique take on Surrealism reminiscent of Salvador Dalí. He transforms the album art into a living canvas. The experience is thrilling and enjoyable, with Lynchian elements such as a circus ringmaster, gritty industrial settings, and striking blue illumination. It has an atmosphere that seems fitting for the opening sequence of an educational computer software, if you catch my drift.

SciFi Channel: “Ever Wonder?” (1997)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=muDmDZwrSDY&pp=ygUdInNjaWZpIGNoYW5uZWwiICJldmVyIHdvbmRlciI%3D
https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=xGm6w9ml0jI
https://youtube.com/watch?v=m9bDldYRIb8?si=Ffu4_vduWKb0SDIl

In a simpler and more conversational style:

David Lynch made four short videos for the SciFi channel, and each one manages to convey a lot in just a short amount of time. My favorite is “Nuclear Winter,” which is really eerie and reminds me of his old black-and-white films. The rest of them are more like live-action comic strips from “The Far Side”, but they’re not as funny. I couldn’t find the fourth one.

For Your Health

Alka-Seltzer Plus (1993)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=yzW_hYwO37M
https://youtube.com/watch?v=N95ScrH-e2U?si=Nivo8glz-uNUFyfQ

In a different phrasing, David Lynch oversaw the production of two advertisements for Alka-Seltzer Plus cold medicine, one of which features an enchanting, ballet-like beginning scene showing ice hockey players gracefully skating on an ice rink in a dimly lit stadium.

Adidas (1993)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=U5UVCuV6pzU&pp=ygUXZGF2aWQgbHluY2ggY29tbWVyY2lhbHM%3D

This advertisement is fantastic. It presents an intriguing concept: a runner collides with a physical barrier, symbolized by a real wall, only to shatter through, achieving the euphoria of a runner. However, Lynch takes creative liberty with digital effects in this piece, distorting the runner and incorporating unusual imagery such as scorpions and a screaming mouth, intended to illustrate the sensations I personally experience during cardio workouts.

Clear Blue Easy Pregnancy Tests (1997)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=IGoFXThEvNc

Back in 1997, an intriguing article from Entertainment Weekly recounts a conversation between copywriter Lisa Mayer and director David Lynch. Mayer asked Lynch, “Mr. Lynch, you were drawn to this project because it explores the psychological torment of a captivating young woman,” to which Lynch replied, “Yes.

As per the account given, director Lynch played a trick on actress Marisa Parker by asking her to take a pregnancy test on set, intending to record her genuine response. The unexpected part was that Lynch exchanged Parker’s results with those of a pregnant crew member who was also taking the test. According to the piece, Parker found this prank amusing.

Not for Your Health

Barilla (1993)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=rp6FPRuoS8g

In this playful, humorous pasta commercial, Gérard Depardieu acts as a cook, helping a girl who has fallen from her scooter. An elderly couple nearby gives an approving yet eerie clap, and a dog resembling Toto barks in agreement. As a seductive woman on a Vespa passes by, she also falls off, prompting Depardieu to seize the opportunity.

Parisienne Cigarettes (1998)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=fRjNCP9ioWE

Lynch saved some of his best-ever commercial filmmaking for the thing he loved most of all.

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2025-01-18 02:56