Star Spelled Backward

Glover says that this bargain he struck with himself to, in his words, be more willing to adapt his ''countercultural tastes'' to the ''pro-cultural film industry'' is partly due to a book that he read: Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends & Influence People. But the real motivation behind his kinder, gentler work ethic is his cinematic labor of love: What Is It?

Glover is both directing and financing What Is It? -- a surrealist hero's-journey that he describes as ''the adventures of a young man whose principle interests are snails, salt, and how to get home.'' He's been toiling on the project for five years. Probably more. ''It's been a long time,'' he sheepishly admits. ''I don't even like to say. It's embarrassing.''

If you've heard about Glover's film, it's probably because of the cast. While Glover makes an appearance, the majority of the cast has Down syndrome. Some people may see this as a provocative act, or an insensitive one. But Glover adamantly denies this. ''The fact that people get disturbed because we use people with Down syndrome, well, that's not very nice,'' he says. ''You look at movies and it's considered bad for a white person to put blackface on because it's not right. But it is okay for a non-mentally retarded person to play somebody who is mentally retarded, and I find that odd.'' It should be noted that What Is It? also features an actor in blackface. Glover continues: ''The film isn't about Down syndrome at all. They're not playing mentally retarded people. It's not about that. The important thing to me is that it's not about making fun of people with Down syndrome.''

Lynch says he's seen a version of the movie and backs Glover up. ''It's extremely interesting,'' he says. ''I've talked to Crispin about it and I think he's doing it in the right spirit.'' Lynch pauses. ''Look, Crispin has obsessions, and he's just got to play them out.''

In the end, Glover says he envisions What Is It? as the first installment in a trilogy. ''Like Star Wars,'' he says.

Like Star Wars...

I wait for what seems an eternity for Glover to laugh, smile, something, anything, to indicate that this comparison to the Jedi saga is a put-on. Only he doesn't. He just sits there, straight-faced, like the teller of an inside joke to which only Crispin Glover knows the punchline.

''People say, 'Oh, Crispin Glover -- that guy's insane! He's a nut!'

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''People say, 'Oh, Crispin Glover -- that guy's insane! He's a nut!' And I understand what it emanates from.''