Twin Peaks was fantastic but it didn't put him on the map. He was known among cinephiles for his debut, Eraserhead, but Elephant Man put him on the map in Hollywood. Being nominated for a couple of Oscars tends to do that. But was Blue Velvet where you really started to see him master the aesthetic that defined his career in projects such as Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart, Lost Highway and - to my mind - his masterpiece, Mulholland Dr.
One of the great and innovative filmmakers of my lifetime. He'll be missed.
RIP