I found this documentary when it was broadcast on television, I have always been fascinated with the filmmaker, and I assumed this was going to be a traditional insight into his life and career, I was only partly right. Basically, David Lynch, the film and television director, producer, and screenwriter, is best known for his surreal style and creative genius in his small and big screen projects. But he also a passion for art, from painting to sculpture, and this film examines his creativity. Lynch narrates his own story, talking about his early years, including hi childhood growing up in Montana, Washington State, before growing up and moving to Philadelphia to pursue a career as a painter. As he tells his story, we see him at work on many of his paintings, sculptures, and other creations at his home studio, and many of his past art pieces are shown on screen. It has archive footage of his childhood years, with his parents Edwina and Donald, his ex-wife Peggy, and during his present-day creativity, his daughter Lula is seen. Lynch tells about how he got attention from his peers as an impressive artist, and then he got into filmmaking and found another medium to express himself. He obviously talks about his experiences during the making of his debut film, the surreal fantasy horror Eraserhead. To be honest, I was expecting this film to be something like most films about filmmakers, people talking Lynch and his films and television work, and clips from his most celebrated and successful works: The Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart, Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, and Mullholland Drive. However, this was simply Lynch seen creating his many interesting and surreal art pieces, with him narrating his story. I'm not going to pretend I know a lot about art, but there was only so much of seeing it in the process of being made I could stand, at least the stories from Lynch were interesting, otherwise it was a slightly boring only just watchable documentary. Okay!

Putting aside archival footage and his young daughter making cameos in parts of the film, David Lynch is the only person in the cast. His monologues do have an overarching story and chronology, but lots of it could come off stitched together. Not a bad thing, but The Art Life doesn't give you some deep understanding of his motivations behind every single one of his movies, rather why he does what he does. Beware: This is only logging his life from childhood to Eraserhead. Not his story of fame and success.

Some found it too shallow, but in my opinion David has a lot of interesting stories to tell and he's a charismatic storyteller. It's almost a very organized podcast. Pretty decent all in all, if not some life-changing perspective on what we already figured about everyone's favorite Hollywood surrealist.

I have to give this a 10 - big Lynch fan here and since season 3 of Twin Peaks has ended my admiration for his work his sky rocketed! This wonderful documentary which I believe was funded with a Kickstarter campaign gives you an essential look into David's childhood, creative process and glimpses of how he thinks. He really does invite you into his brain - personally I found the documentary to be raw, edgy and quite disturbing too. Lynch can unease you with his stories - just the way he talks and the stories - you are given a gift albeit a strange one with a touch of humour and a just a little light - Mr Lynch lives a fascinating life.

As he talks about his upbringing - people surrounding him who guided and helped him - he talks so fondly of his early childhood, family, his brush with the dark side and most importantly (for me) his move to Philadelphia which he initially found so dark, depressing - yet this brought out his most creative dark side which, being a Lynch fan absolutely fascinates me.

Without Lynch receiving a grant from the American Film Institute allowing him to create Eraserhead where would he be now? Lynch ponders this and is seriously moved - you will be too.

So much more I could say about this - but leaving it there - Oh no - one more thing (doing my Columbo) -- you get to see so much of his very personal art work, and archived art work as a younger man..... and the work is breath taking.

Watch ASAP - peace all!