In a recent interview with Sight and Sound magazine (via Consequences of Sound ), David Lynch revealed he can no longer direct in person due to emphysema accrued from years of “smoking for so long.” He added, “I’m homebound whether I like it or not. I can’t go out. And I can only walk a short distance before I’m out of oxygen.” As he stated in the interview, “Smoking was something that I absolutely loved, but in the end, it bit me. It was part of the art life for me: the tobacco and the smell of it, and lighting things and smoking and going back and sitting back and having a smoke and looking at your work, or thinking about things; nothing like it in this world is so beautiful. Meanwhile, it’s killing me. So I had to quit … because of covid, it would be very bad for me to get sick, even with a cold. I like to be amongst the things and get ideas there. But I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it.” Regrettably, Netflix recently passed on Lynch’s proposed animated movie , Snootworld , about tiny creatures called Snoots who undergo a miniaturization ritual at the age of eight. The story would have concerned its young Snoot hero growing so small that he disappears into the fibers of a carpet where he discovers “a crazy, magnificent world” completely alien to his own upbringings. When asked which of his many unrealized projects he’d most like to direct, Lynch confirmed he’s still interested in Antelope Don’t Run No More , a mysterious project set in Los Angeles concerning “space aliens, talking animals, and a beleaguered musician named Pinky.”
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While this news is tremendously sad for both Lynch and his fans, we’d like to remind you he just released a new album last week with Twin Peaks: The Return co-star Chrystabell, and it’s very, very good. Lynch also maintains an active YouTube page where, most recently, he’s been posting episodes of a new series titled David Lynch Theater Presents in promotion of the album. The latest episode ends with an ant being electrocuted while singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” so even if health issues are finally catching up to the 78-year-old director, he certainly isn’t going down without a fight. Update 4.50pm ET: In the wake of an outpouring of concern, Lynch has taken to social media to state that he will “never retire” from directing fully.
“I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco,” Lynch wrote in part for a message shared on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “But there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema. I have now quit smoking for over two years. Recently I had many tests and the good news is that I am in excellent shape except for emphysema. I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire.” Read the full statement below. Ladies and Gentlemen, Yes, I have emphysema from my many years of smoking. I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco – the smell of it, lighting cigarettes on fire, smoking them – but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is… — David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) August 5, 2024 Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel , Star Wars , and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV , and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who .
