The disappearance of a genius. David Lynch died this Monday, January 15 at the age of 78. The news had the effect of a shock wave in the cinema world, as the filmmaker of “Mulholland Drive”, “Lost Highway” and the series “Twin Peaks” has developed a unique mystical and surreal universe which has influenced countless filmmakers over the decades. “ My world is all the fuller because I knew him and all the emptier now that he is gone » writes with emotion the actor Kyle MacLachlan, unforgettable FBI agent Dale Cooper in “Twin Peaks”. If the causes of his death have not been revealed, the director revealed last year that he was suffering from pulmonary emphysema due to his high consumption of cigarettes. According to Deadlinehis health would have declined sharply after his evacuation from Los Angeles, where he lived, because of the fires.
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“David Lynch came to my rescue”
But the death of David Lynch also affects the world of Music, as sound was as important a component of his universe as image. From Sting, who played in “Dune”, to The Weeknd via Caroline Polachek or Etienne Daho, many artists have been paying tribute to his memory since last night. It must be said that throughout his career, David Lynch has called on music stars to star in his films, or sign the soundtrack, such as Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein and Smashing. Pumpkins. The public knows it less but in addition to his masterpieces “Blue Velvet”, “Sailor & Lula” or “Elephant Man”, David Lynch also released several studio albums between 2001 and 2024 and made 14 videos during his career. In addition to videos for his own songs, he has produced “Shot in the Back of the Head” by Moby, “I Touch a Red Button Man” by Interpol, “Came Back Haunted” by Nine Inch Nails and above all ” Wicked Game”, Chris Isaak’s hit.
Released as a single in the summer of 1989, the crooner’s song became a real success the following year following its presence in the film “Sailor & Lula” by David Lynch, Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. To build on this success, two “Wicked Game” clips were released. The first is David Lynch’s version, mixing footage from “Sailor & Lula”, starring Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern and Willem Dafoe, with a performance by Chris Isaak and his band in black and white. Over the months, “Wicked Game” began to establish itself in the United States, and notably played repeatedly on the radio, pushing the record company to invest in a real music video. This second version, the most famous, is signed by photographer Herb Ritts and sees Chris Isaak and top model Helena Christensen embracing languidly on a beach. A video that won several MTV Video Music Awards!
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“He managed this project almost alone”
In 2020, Chris Isaak remembered this collaboration with David Lynch: “ I called my record company and said, “I think this can be a hit. We’ve got a really good reception. I want money for a music video.” They said, “No, it’s a good song, but this isn’t the year for guitar ballads.” “. This is how the filmmaker is “ came to [sa] rescue » : « He said to me, “I’m using your song in a movie. Why don’t we film a music video?” I told him I didn’t have any money. He managed this project almost alone. (…) They played [le clip] on MTV, but they only wanted to air it while the movie was in theaters. The single sold well but they took it off the air. But he had started to attract attention from radio stations. Then [le label] came back saying “ok” for a music video by Herb Ritts “. Following this, David Lynch will again call on Chris Isaak to play an FBI agent in the film “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me” (1992), a prequel to the famous series. At the same time, “Wicked Game” has been covered by many artists, such as The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey, REM, Celine Dion or London Grammar, and became legendary.
