David Lynch: “Don’t watch movies on a f*#%ing phone!”

25 Comments on David Lynch: “Don’t watch movies on a f*#%ing phone!”

The Cos on Fri, 4th Jan 2008 11:10 pm


He’s totally got a point. In general I only watch tv shows and movies I have already seen on my iPhone. Although a good pair of headphones does help the experience a lot.

Iraê on Fri, 4th Jan 2008 11:41 pm


Yes! He’s got a point! I really think that iPhone is not there yet, but as far as I know its not about size, but about viewing angle and resolution. Sometimes I feel more immerse watching in my 15.4″ MacBook Pro then my 32″ CRT widescreen TV. I also agree with The Cos. Headphones only lose in experience to a real theater.

Alan on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 2:26 am


I’m glad someone in the business finally said it.

BTW, the recent Twin Peaks DVD release is worth every penny.

dbr on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 7:15 am


Obviously watching a film on a 3″ screen is never going to be the same as watching it on a cinema screen, but thats not the point - chances are if your watching a film on a mobile, you’re doing so because you need to kill some time, not because you want to “experience a film” for the first time.

Besides, many films or TV shows (especially comedy) will “work” just as well on a crappy phone screen as they do on a big screen.

Matt on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 8:12 am


wise words…

Jonro on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 11:40 am


What about people who have already seen the films and are watching it for the second time on their phones? Huh? How about that David?

Ben on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 12:32 pm


There are some movies that getting the full experience doesn’t matter. I downloaded American Pie Band camp and I am currently watching it in bits at the gym on my ipod touch. I’m glad I didn’t watch it on tv cause its awful.

Dave M. on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 12:40 pm


Of course one isn’t “experiencing” the movie as the director envisioned it! Duh!

When ever I see clips like that, I always wonder what is said before and after the part that is used. The news media loves to do things like that to twist what someone says into what “they” want them to say without actually changing the words of the person being interviewed.

Ah well, only folks with the DVD that this interview came from will know.

shockwheat on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 4:47 pm


I’m sure more people have viewed inland empire than the website of some douche nozzle with an iphone (owner of macenstein). This site is beyond stupid.

shockwheat on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 4:50 pm


PS: “Everyone knows movies should at least be seen on a 22-inch iMac to be truly experienced.”

No such thing as a 22-inch imac. Moron.

Dr. Macenstein on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 5:00 pm


Hey Shockwheat,
Thanks for reading Macenstein!

-The Doc

Brian on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 5:35 pm


stockwheat’s either a big lynch fan or got some anger issues. on the lynch thing, i agree, most movies suffer on a small screen. Even watching movies on a tv often seems to suck compared to seeing them in the theaters. And I actually hate the theater, do to the annoying and inconsiderate people usually sitting around me. people ruin everything.

BML on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 7:00 pm


Watch Videos, My iPhone doesn’t even know thats its an iPhone!
http://www.abitgeek.com/iphone/iphone-identity-issue.html

DaveTheK on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 7:20 pm


Of course, Lynch and other directors never see the same one we great unwashed masses see anyway. He saw the final cut in a private theatre with perfect negatives and myriad techies adjusting every nuance of light and sound, while we watch a degraded print in an boxy room with uncomfy chairs and a sticky floor.

Perhaps he should have a look at one on a iphone/ipod touch. There is a clarity in the small format that moves the whole experience to be personal. Younger people than David will start to make films that rely on teh screen being close up and personal..

Alfredo Octavio on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 7:31 pm


I call BS. The screen may be small, but you are closer to it. What affects David Lynch is that he want the experience to be an immersing, exclusive one. Much like with books when the printing press came out, authors get mad when you change the medium, because the experience changes from what they envisioned. But we, the public, do not care. We do not think their work is so amazing that we can only see it as they see it. We can even just glance at it from time to time and consider it “experienced” enough.

Anonymous on Sat, 5th Jan 2008 7:36 pm


some movies should not be seen at all, and some of them are david lynch movies.

Pietro Watanabe on Sun, 6th Jan 2008 11:49 am


Crap by any other screen is still crap!

Ruhayat on Sun, 6th Jan 2008 12:12 pm


I agree with Mr Lynch. And it’s not just films, either. The popularity of low-resolution media on handheld devices ike the iPod and iPhone has created a generation of consumers exposed to mediocre quality and thinking this is good enough.

When Apple launched a boombox and Steve proclaimed it as “hi-fi”, that was just such a tremendous insult to good taste. Coming from someone who claims to appreciate the finer things in life makes it all the more astounding. Perhaps the man doesn’t have the refined taste he’s often said to possess.

D9 on Sun, 6th Jan 2008 6:18 pm


What a crock from a very arrogant director. I can watch what I want when I want where I want. Who the hell is this guy to say what I should see his or anybody else’s movies on?

Just like politics, nobody asked these elitists to tell us how to live our lives, just like I don’t tell them what kind of movies to make! Sit & spin, Dave!

/

Loweded Wookie on Tue, 8th Jan 2008 4:44 pm


Who is this Lynch fella anyway?

I looked him up on IMDB and found only ONE movie I’ve actually watched (and own actually) and that was the 1984 Dune movie.

Everything else I can’t say I give a crap about frankly (Twin Peaks? Sod off). In my opinion that doesn’t make him an authority on anything.

Personally most movies I watch I watch for the story. I don’t know why because the stories coming out of Hollywood are generally poo. Either way if you’re watching for the story then the director’s vision is somewhat moot and it doesn’t matter what format you view it on.

Also, many people get movies from the Net and most of those are sub-par rips anyway so the director’s vision is never fully realised anyway so c’est sera sera.

mo on Tue, 15th Jan 2008 6:24 pm


Many folks have crappy TV’s at home, we certainly aren’t going to get the same experience that we would in a movie theater. Should we refrain from watching movies unless we own a big screen hi-def tv and surround sound so we can get the “real” experience?

How about those of us stuck on an airplane with time to waste? We may rent your movie off the net from sheer curiosity, otherwise never seeing or hearing of your movie otherwise.

adamo on Sun, 4th May 2008 6:00 pm


lynch is a veteran director and film conassieur, obviously, so it’s to be expected that he should have that opinion about the film experience. i watch TV shows and the like on my ipod but i wouldn’t dream of watching a movie on it, whatever it was.

i think the comment about inland empire was misguided and immature though. it just goes to show what a culture of quick fix, in your face, instant gratification and pre-packaged-predictability-on a mobile device has done to people’s perceptual and imaginative faculties..

jimmy on Thu, 18th Sep 2008 5:33 pm


i would not watch any of his movies on anything
dont know why people like him

Gavin Kovite on Mon, 27th Oct 2008 9:07 pm


Seriously - Lynch is a pompous no-talent. If you’re not on the subway while you’re watching that crap, you’re wasting precious time.

lowry99 on Sun, 25th Jan 2009 7:00 pm


This is like how people used to only get square movies and finally most have come over to letterbox, they needed the peer pressure of seeing that they were missing a third of the freaking movie before letterbox became the norm (I am scolding you, Keith Gordon, for letting A Midnight Clear be released on DVD in square ratio). As he always is about film and never is about transcendentalism, lynch is 1000% right, I thought about saying 100% but I was really sure.

Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!