The maverick Hollywood director famed for disturbing movies which explore the dark side of human nature such as 'Blue Velvet', 'Eraserhead' and 'The Elephant Man' says he has become part of the digital revolution.

"Film is a beautiful medium," the 61-year-old outsider told AFP in an interview.

"Beautiful machines, beautiful cameras, the look — everything is exquisite. But making films like that is dead."

Lynch shot his latest film 'Inland Empire', an intriguing and infuriating three-hour puzzle that has left critics scratching their heads and reaching for the vitriol, entirely using lightweight digital cameras.

And he insists that for the rest of his career there is no going back to traditional film-making.

'Like molasses in January'

"Traditional movie cameras are like lead. The dollies are giant and heavy. Everything is big and so slow. Every time you move the camera, you have to re-light the set. It's like molasses in January."

Working in digital allowed Lynch to shoot and edit in real time, whereas previously he would have to wait 24 hours for film to be developed.

"Seeing what you're really and truly going to get and being able to tweak it right there, is priceless," he says.

"To be able to maintain spontaneity on set without killing the magic of the moment by having to reload the camera is a whole new way of working. I could never go back to working in film. It's like a dinosaur."

'A magical thing'

Yet though Lynch has enthusiastically embraced new technology in his art, he is dismayed by the thought that as more movies are made available to download over the internet, people will drift away from watching films on a big screen.

"It's a horrible thought," he says. "I truly hope that if people are going to start watching films on their iPods, that they have some sort of device that will allow them to squirt a huge picture onto the wall," he says.

"But I hope the tradition of going to the movies never dies. A giant screen, a dark theatre with hundreds of people, the curtains opening and everyone travelling into a different world... it's a magical thing."

Lynch was speaking as part of a promotional tour for his new book 'Catching the Big Fish', in which he describes his methods of capturing ideas and the immense creative benefits of daily meditation.

"Great way to get chicks"

He has also carried out a mini-tour of the United States, appearing in New York, Washington and Hollywood with Scottish folk singer Donovan.

Although he acknowledges the irony of promoting inner bliss after a lifetime's work spent exploring the violent recesses of humans, Lynch says his sense of peace achieved through meditation will not necessarily alter the traditional themes of his films.

"If you got all blissful and laid back when you meditated and your work didn't have any power, it would be absurd to keep meditating," he says.

"Meditation for me has been the key to an ocean of creativity. The ideas just keep flowing," Lynch adds, scoffing at the traditional notion that great art was often the fruit of great suffering.

"Somewhere this idea, maybe it came from the French, started that there was something noble about the starving artist in his garret, shivering in the cold. I admit I always thought that was cool.

"But if you're really suffering and depressed you can't get out of bed. I think the starving artist thing is just a great way to get chicks — they take pity on you and bring you food. And if you're lucky, they hold you tight."

AFP