Pervert in the Pulpit: Morality in the Works of David Lynch

by Jeff Johnson

Filmmaker David Lynch's work is viewed here as patriotic and Puritanical. This Lynch is an idealistic conservative on a reformer's mission. Lynch promotes a return to the values inherent in a mythological America, but he indulges in a voyeuristic pleasure which he simultaneously condemns. Like Jeffrey peeking through the slats of Dorothy's closet in Blue Velvet, the viewer of Lynch's work is a rationalist plagued by his dreams; intrigued and repulsed, fascinated and judgmental, he both craves and resists cultural assimilation. Works presented include all features from Eraserhead to Mulholland Drive, shorts such as The Amputee and The Grandmother, and contributions to television such as Hotel Room and, of course, Twin Peaks. This study develops an idea of Lynch's politics, analyzes his work, and explores Lynch's paradox of condemning an immoral world through disturbing images and concepts, and touches on such points as the identifiable figure of evil in his works as well as the archetypes of the nymphet, well-meaning traditionalist, and struggling ethicist. Also included are a history of moralistic criticism in American literature and a review of existing Lynch criticism within this context.

191 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2004

About the author

Researcher and teacher at the Brevard Community College in Florida

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Johnson's study reads Lynch as a moralistic, hypocritical Reaganite conservative and in the process ironically projects its reductivist approach onto its subject. Pervert makes two major moves that expose its unsound methodology: (1) It almost completely eschews formal analysis in favor of mere plot analysis (and often selective and less than thorough plot analysis at that); and (2) it sees Lynch as utterly unironic in his cinematic treatment of narrative, character, iconography, etc. So, for instance, the last two scenes of Blue Velvet are glossed over in terms of the camerawork, mise-en-scene, and editing that make them so disconcerting, subversive, and, yes, ironic, in relation to the story's surface-level resolution. While at times Johnson uncovers the complex moral dynamics at work in Lynch's work -- via literary and philosophical texts with which he seems much more comfortable than cinematic aesthetics -- he also represses their rich and troubling implications so as to shoe-horn Lynch into his cynical critique.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Posits David Lynch as a hypocritical reactionary of the religious right. I'm a huge Lynch fan, and this book did nothing to change that. But even though it's pretty much a slam piece, it's still incisive and well-argued, and plenty of its shots at Lynch hit home.

[Honor · Rating 2 out of 5]

did this dude even watch any of these movies?? his criticism feels extremely short-sighted…

only giving it two stars as opposed to one because he highlights an interesting point about Lynch’s situation in the study of american romanticism. but like, that’s it…