Much has been written about David Lynch and his films, but The Dreamer's Path approaches his canon from a distinctive angle, seeking to unpack and assay the sum of Lynch's work as an on-screen performer and, by extension, where and how this unique and heretofore unexplored part of his enormous creative output intersects with his broader embrace of "the art life." For someone not generally thought of as an actor, Lynch managed to put his inimitable stamp on a memorable collection of characters who each, in their own way, fed his idiosyncratic off-screen persona-from 1988's Zelly and Me (recounted here in detail by Isabella Rossellini and writer-director Tina Rathborne) and television's Louie to the tenderhearted Lucky and The Fabelmans. All of these projects and more-including Lynch's renowned weather reports, plus curios like The Black Ghiandola-receive loving, detailed tribute, in addition to Lynch's voice work in animated efforts like The Cleveland Show and his own DumbLand. Naturally, centerpiece examination is also afforded Lynch's portrayal of FBI Regional Bureau Chief (and later Deputy Director) Gordon Cole in Twin Peaks-both in the trailblazing run of the original series and its striking, equally complex 2017 return. In plumbing the central question, "We are like the dreamer who dreams, and then lives inside the dream-but who is the dreamer?" this work explores the significance of Lynch stepping so deeply inside a world of his cocreation and what that says both about him and Twin Peaks as a whole. Commingling analysis and scholarship with dozens of new interviews and warm first-person reminiscences from key collaborators and facilitators of these works, The Dreamer's Path is a one-of-a-kind look at a one-of-a-kind artistic talent and the breadth and depth of his lasting legacy.
The Dreamer's Path interviewees (62 quoted are listed here below; 12 additional persons either on background and/or quoted anonymously per their request are not on this list) Jay Aaseng Michael Almereyda Michael Barile Eric Bassett Trevor Beattie Kim Bendheim Kevin Biggins Scott Billups John Byrum Louis C.K. Chrystabell Erik Crary Davi de Oliveira Pinheiro George Dewey Duwayne Dunham Robert Engels Ruurd Fenenga Flying Lotus Edward Gelbinovich Lesli Linka Glatter Cori Glazer Heather Graham Seth Green Catherine Hardwicke Mike Henry Jan Hoag Richard Hoover Michael Horse Tim Hunter Jesse Johnson Adele Jones Robert Knepper Ilia Korobkov Gabriel LaBelle Petr Laden Aaron Lee Ron Livingston Jennifer Lynch John Carroll Lynch Karl Makinen Mike Malone James Morrison Polina Nikiforova Michael Ontkean Harley Peyton Mindy Ramaker Tina Rathborne Peggy Reavey Scott Ressler Kimmy Robertson Jose Rosete Isabella Rossellini Eli Roth Jonathan Sanger Tom Sheppard Heaven Stellar (aka Kate Romero) Sabrina Sutherland Mélita Toscan du Plantier Andreia Vigo Jake Wardle Andrea Watrouse (aka Andrea Leal) Nae Yuuki
