A documentary featuring David Lynch. Unrated. Plays Friday, Saturday, and Monday, November 9, 10, and 12, and Saturday to Monday, November 17 to 19, at the Pacific Cinémathí¨que

David Lynch is an enigma, and by now that's really part of his brand, isn't it? This often compelling, occasionally irritating documentary is directed by someone called blackANDwhite, who may or may not be a certain white-haired filmmaker. And it follows the quirky auteur through the arduous process of shooting his massive Inland Empire .

There are no talking heads dissecting Lynch's unusual approach, just a string of video scenes roughly capturing the filmmaker on the fly, at business meetings, on the set (notably in decaying Polish factories), and contributing to his Web site from a sun-washed office where he pontificates from a swivel chair. Along the way, Lynch also waxes nostalgic about his genteel childhood in Idaho and Philadelphia, and he preaches the virtues of daily meditation–not that this interferes with his relentless tobacco intake.

The film offers few insights into his oeuvre that aren't already well digested by fans. The quote about finding red ants underneath anything beautiful "if you look at it long enough" should be more than obvious to even the most casual viewer of Blue Velvet . Far more interesting is the way he operates on the set, either getting his hands dirty breaking down walls or painting suit jackets green or more carefully handling his talent. Laura Dern and Julia Ormond are the most notable actors on hand, even if they're mostly in the background. (Oh, and Jeremy Irons shows up on the phone.) His tendency to refer to tech staff as "fucking morons" is less than endearing, yet his lack of desire to be liked is somehow admirable.

In six screenings, this doc is variously paired with the three-hour Inland Empire , a collection of rarely seen Lynch shorts, and his breakthrough Eraserhead .

Link: Lynch official site