David Lynch, whosedeath was announced Thursday, was my motion picture lodestar.
It was my kind of weirdness.
Thank heavens my sister loved Bob Dylan, otherwise Id have been really weird.
From left: Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern, Isabella Rossellini and David Lynch at the ‘Wild at Heart’ photocall at the 1990 Cannes Film FestivalGetty Images
They spotted me, and I meekly explained that Id lost my way.
I weakened and confessed my sin.
and Lynch kindly told me that while he admired my tenacity, I should scoot away.
Anthony Hopkins and John Hurt in ‘The Elephant Man’Paramount Pictures/Everett Collection
But David Lynch spoke to me!
That was a result to a young whippersnapper.
He asked if wed met before.
I told him about my little East London run-in with him onThe Elephant Man.
He sat back and roared with laughter.
I wanted to know what it was that he saw from his bedroom window when he was a boy.
There must have been something that sparked his vivid imagination?
Well, he drawled, I wanted to know what was in the trees beyond the house.
It opened up so many possibilities.
Were there monsters having coffee or tea?
What kind of weirdness was lurking out there?
It sets you thinking, you see, and you build on that.
you’re free to construct a story out of just imagining whats out there.
And the imagination is limitless.
Strangely enough, Id been thinking about Lynch a lot lately.
I sawBlue Velvetstars Isabella Rossellini and Kyle MacLachlan leaving the Beverly Hilton ballroom after the Golden Globes.
John Magaro, star ofSeptember 5,screamed, Its theBlue Velvetreunion!
That film blew my mind.
Like, what was Dennis Hopper inhaling in that gas mask?
So I owe Lynch profound thanks.
He opened up possibilities for me in how I watched movies.
It was outrageously dirty and wild, showing America flipped over on its underbelly.
Some critics and film reporters at the early-morning press screening booed.
I was like, Wow!
It won the Palme DOr.
David Lynch proved that you might never un-see whats lurking beyond your bedroom window.
Thank you for opening my eyes, Mr. Lynch.
