Has anyone heard David Lynch talk and wondered if he has Autism or Asperger’s syndrome or something? He talks in such a strange way. He takes long pauses between his sentences in which so much irrelevant information is always squeezed in between them, not to forget that especially his early films are completely strange in the same respects as the in the oddities of his way of speech. There are always these strange pauses that occur and scenes inside of them that do not relate to the rest of the film. I know some of the strangeness in his films is intentional and contribute to the great quality and the originality of the film, but I feel that some of it is related to his psyche.
I think you nailed it when you said it is intentional on his part. I love David Lynch, and I think that he is a genius when it comes to film (especially considering "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks"), but I also think he is fully aware of everything he does. Is he a tad crazy? Maybe. But, does he have a specific syndrome? No, I don't think so. Think about "Eraserhead," for example. On the one hand, you can say that "Eraserhead" is a completely ridiculous abstract film that has no basis in reality, but, on the other hand, you could say that it is a brilliant work, and that the person who made that film must be even MORE in tune with reality than the rest of us. I lean towards the second idea. I think Lynch is crazy in the sanest way imaginable. Wait, take that back. I think he's an artist. That's a better way of saying it. Lynch is an Artist.
i would say that insanity is a necessary component of genius. and i believe that Lynch is genius. therefore Lynch is insane.
I was not saying that David Lynch is insane, but that a mental disorder probably makes it hard for him to make himself understood by talking or writing. Even though it is a bit exaggerated to call Lynch a genius or to say that madness is necessary for it, I agree that this inability to use words to express himself and his difficulty to tell a story with a clear thread makes him have to use methods of making a film where coherence is not a must. He borrows surrealist methods of making a film, by using sounds, symbols, songs, light, and makeup in an artistic way and probably became popular because not many people in his part of the world had used those mediums to make a film.
INLAND EMPIRE is one of my favourite films....ever, though I like all his stuff. I hope he continues to make movies.
The autism thing has been rumored/discussed a number of times but there has never been a confirmation. The David Lynch Foundation promotes the use of meditation to help autistic people.
heard about the meditation they be introducing to kids, not sure how kids so young need sprituality but i guess the way the world is going now, we need all the help we can get.!!
I watched a talk that lasted two hours on that subject. It's not necessarly about spirituality. It's meditation. It's learning to be at peace with themselves and the world around them. It's about learning to be well without all that ''mental illness'' BS they feed our (at least my) generation. They make some very interesting points in that video. One is that meditation is not only good for the person meditating, but also for the people around them. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with teaching kids to find peace within themselves. Personally I love Lynch. I have a great respect for him. Pretty much all I need to say.
i can't stand the term, genius. i do think he is one of the most important american filmmakers today, particularly since his subject seems to be american cinema itself. i can't say i've noticed Lynch talking in a stilted manner. but in any one of his films, the timing of his dialogue is quite clearly "off." there are unnaturally long pauses between sentences. it imparts a surreal quality to even the most mundane dialogue.
