When David Cronenberg met up with David Lynch

Leading from

David Cronenberg and the Alien

a) David Cronenberg liked Eraserhead

A film by David Lynch that Davis Cronenberg could relate to more in terms of his own filmmaking was Eraserhead. He thought that it was Very American and said some really interesting, kind of sublime things about American culture and the American ethos and zeitgeist that you wouldn’t see in a Hollywood film, but you also wouldn’t see in a European film.  This is a really special film that had a big impact on Cronenberg. He couldnt’ say it was an influence because he had already been making films by this time, but it was significant for him.

b) Lynch in a state of despair

Back in the time when David Lynch was making Dune, and David Cronenberg was making The Dead Zone, they were both working for Dino De  Laurentiis. Cronenberg appeared to be in LA a lot and he noticed fhat Lynch appeared to be in despair.

c) Off to Bob’s Big Boy

The two of them went to Bob's Big Boy Burger House, which was Lynch’s favorite place to go for lunch, and so they would eat hamburgers.

d) Discussing problems at work

They would chat, they were getting along well, and David Lynch said, “you know, I really like Dino, but he's no help." And what he meant was, he was getting muscled around by the studio with Dune. They wanted it recut and and they made demands for this and that and that. and and Dino wasn't protecting him. 

e) Cronenberg was the lucky one

But Cronenberg found himself lucky because Dino was so obsessed with Dune because it was his most expensive movie at the time. And so he left Cronenberg alone with the Dead Zone, which meant that he know got off easy that way

1. David Cronenberg: A film I could relate to more in terms of my own filmmaking was David Lynch’s film, Eraserhead. Very American and saying some really interesting, kind of sublime things about American culture and the American ethos and zeitgeist that you wouldn’t see in a Hollywood film, but you also wouldn’t see in a European film.  This is a really special film that had a big impact on me. I can’t say that it was an influence because I had already been making films by this time, but it was significant for me.And I met David, and we got along very well, I went with him to Bob’s Big Boy where we would eat hamburgers for lunch, and we got along very well. And a tragedy that he died so young. Eraserhead .(Criterion Closet, 2025)
2. David Cronenberg: In fact, the the time that I spent with David Lynch, who I really liked a lot, he was lovely guy. Uh he was shooting he was making Dune and I was making the Dead Zone, both of us working for Dino De Laurentiis. And he was a bit in despair. i mean, we went to Bob's Big Boy Burger House, which was his favorite place to go for lunch, and uh we would chat and uh he said, you know, Dino, who was very interesting man, Italian Dino De Laurentiis. Um he said, "I really like Dino, but he's no help." And what he meant was he was getting muscled around by the studio with Dune. Yeah. And recut and demands for this and that and that. and and Dino wasn't protecting him. And I was lucky because Dino was so obsessed with Dune because it was his most expensive movie at the time. And so he left me alone with the Dead Zone. So I I didn't, you know, accidentally I got off easy that way.(https://youtube.com/shorts/noN_ajPFGwU?is=67fnFUgHqn9PAZIm)
3. David Cronenberg: Me too. And David as well. I knew him when he was doing Dune for Dino De Laurentiis, because I was doing The Dead Zonefor Dino. So I was in L.A. a lot, and I remember going to Bob’s Big Boy burgers and having lunch with David and talking about all of that. He was already in trouble with Dune. He really liked De Laurentiis, as did I, but he said, “He’s no help.” I think he was being muscled by the studios. And I think the film was cut separate from him(https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/david-cronenberg-by-jim-jarmusch)