Here’s a summary of the text with the requested annotations:
This paper, written by John James, explores the background and career of David Lynch, challenging the narrative of his rise to fame as a self-made man. The author suspects David Lynch comes from wealthy and influential families, drawing parallels to Merrill Lynch. The text traces David Lynch’s paternal lineage through names like Edwina “Sunny” Lynch, Donald Walton Lynch, Austin E. Lynch, Maude (Sullivan) Lynch, Alexander Harris Lynch, Mary Ann Lynch (née Stewart), Patrick Henry Lynch, and Margaret Crawford (Harris) Lynch. On his maternal side, the author investigates Edwina Sundholm, whose name is noted for its Swedish origin.
The author scrutinizes Donald Walton Lynch’s biography, questioning details about his early life on a farm and his military service in the US Navy during WWII, where he served on the USS Mugford. The narrative then delves into David Lynch’s own upbringing, noting his father’s work with the USDA and USFS, and his family’s eventual settlement in Alexandria, Virginia. David Lynch’s educational path is presented as surprisingly easy, attending institutions like the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design in D.C., the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. His early artistic endeavors, such as “Six Men Getting Sick,” “The Alphabet,” and “The Amputee,” are described as unpleasant and questioning their artistic merit.
The author suggests David Lynch’s early access to prestigious art schools and later American Film Institute (AFI) funding, including for films like “The Grandmother” and Eraserhead, points to privilege rather than pure talent. Eraserhead’s critical reception is highlighted as initially negative, with rejections from the Cannes Film Festival and New York Film Festival, before gaining popularity in the cult midnight movie circuit, aided by distributor Ben Barenholtz. David Lynch’s career is further examined through films such as The Elephant Man, Dune (criticized for its failure and casting of Kyle MacLachlan), Blue Velvet, and Wild At Heart.
The text also touches upon David Lynch’s involvement with the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace, which promotes Transcendental Meditation (TM). The author questions the foundation’s leadership and its emphasis on “world peace,” listing individuals like Bob Roth, Adam Friedman, Adam Pressman, Fredda L. Plesser, Hayley Hanna, Lynn Kaplan, Mark Axelowitz, Steve Abrams, Steven Chanin, Nancy Chemtob, David Goodman, Steve Israel, Arthur ‘Bud’ Leibler, Jane Ottenberg, Joanna Plafsky, and Orin Snyder. The author speculates about connections between David Lynch and Project CHAOS and the film industry’s alleged manipulation.
Throughout the paper, the author implies that David Lynch, along with other figures like Aster and Morgan, are part of a group with Jewish heritage or connections, referencing “Tribe names” and “crypto-Jewish” individuals. The author also draws extensive genealogical connections to historical figures and prominent families, including Blake Lively, Miles, Patrick Henry, Margaret Crawford, James Crawford, Catherine Howell, Thomas Howell, Alexander Harris, James Harris, Mary Anne McKinney, John Stewart, Mary Jane (Bradford) Stewart, Elizabeth Stewart, John Lawrence Lynch, Mary Scanlon, Robert II Stewart, Jimmy Stewart, Al Gore, Col. David Crawford, Lindsays, Hepburns, Grahams, Blairs, Campbells, Hamiltons, Earls of Bute, Lippincotts, Rathburns, Joshua Lippincott, William Lippincott, Trotter, Brad Pitt, Langhorne, Mark Twain, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, Skipwith, Coles, Wharton, Edith Wharton, Bethlehem Steel Company, Wharton School of Business, Joseph Wharton, Fisher, Deborah Fisher, Joshua Fisher, East India Company, Schuyler, Levi Lippincott, Cann, Shinns, Eyres, Bruce Nauman, Tracy Emin, Andy Warhol, Mel Brooks, George Lucas, Stanley Kubrick, Kyle MacLachlan, Keanu Reeves, Robin Williams, Webster, Warren, Bach, Kerry Thornley, Lee Harvey Oswald, Grace Zabriskie, and Jim Garrison. The author critiques David Lynch’s work as artistically flawed and believes his success is a result of inherited privilege and a deliberate manipulation of the art world, allowing “children of the oligarchs to masquerade as the cream of the crop.”
The update includes a reader’s comment about David Lynch’s fame being questioned by The Guardian and AllMovie. It also highlights the David Lynch Foundation’s mission and its association with Transcendental Meditation, and the author’s skepticism about the foundation’s leadership and the success of TM books. The author also dismisses Dune as a “cinematic clusterfuck” and reiterates his negative opinion of David Lynch’s other films. Another reader brings up Kerry Thornley, Lee Harvey Oswald, Grace Zabriskie, and Jim Garrison, suggesting a potential connection to David Lynch.