MovieChat Forums > Ben & Arthur (2003) Discussion > Narcissism or Asperger's?

Narcissism or Asperger's?

posted 13 years ago by cmr1188
6 replies | jump to latest

I'm going to say that the director has Asperger's Syndrome. He is obviously so out of touch with reality which is just based on his script (which is childish at best) and the way the entire movie played out. Some of the major blunders in the film might be interpreted as satire, but I really don't think this is the case. I don't think he can connect the dots in order to ascertain what is reality and the reality he has created in his own mind. After taking a look at his website it is obvious that there is no way that he is being satirical in any way. He truly believes that he is talented. He truly believes that he is good looking (which explains why he casted a man that was not only out of his league, but in a completely different hemisphere). And he actually believes that he is successful. He is a liar and a braggart without apology because he doesn't realize that these are both undesirable qualities in a human being and because he does not even realize he is doing it.

Most importantly, he struggles to make eye contact and make proper facial expressions throughout the film, which is probably the most obvious symptom of the disorder. While he looks at another person, or even at the camera it looks as though he is looking right through them and struggles to make any facial expressions whatsoever.

Here is a little link with some evidence of my theory:

http://www.suite101.com/content/misdiagnosing-asperger-a10406

I would love to hear anybody's opinion/input.

[–] drumwolf 13 years ago

You're not the first person who's speculated that he has Asperger's. And I've heard similar speculation about Tommy Wiseau too.

[–] ccaudle 13 years ago

You've pretty much summarized Sam Mraovich. I've just always used the term "missing a few screws in the head" for Sam, but Asperger's Syndrome seems to detail him for the most part.

Some have theorized that Sam's attitude and this film were all just an act, and that he's a perfectly normal and actually smart person to pull this "act" off to get us to do this analysis and hatred of him and the movie, but I never did buy into that.

Good job.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] cmr1188 13 years ago

"I'd guess he can't have Asperger's because, unless you've heard differently, he's able to live independently without psychotherapists."

Do you know what Asperger's is? Asperger's is on the autism spectrum, but they are very highly functioning people with little to no effect on their intelligence. Their problems are on a social level, not functional. Many people go through life with Asperger's whether severe or mild without ever being diagnosed. People just think they are extremely strange.

[–] Guamley 13 years ago

Some people with Asperger's even become president.

[–] Crazy_Gibberish 13 years ago

YOU need pray for!