Mulholland Drive is widely considered to be one of the masterpieces of cinema, plucked from the murky depths that is the mind of David Lynch. It's a 2001 neo-noir mystery film written and directed by the aforementioned Lynch and, on the surface at least, it tells the story of an aspiring actress named Betty Elms (wonderfully played by Naomi Watts), arriving fresh faced and innocent in the city of Los Angeles, where she meets and befriends an amnesiac woman (who picks the name Rita) recovering from a car accident. We're also treated to several other vignettes and side characters, including a Hollywood film director and a haphazard hitman.
I say on the surface because as with most of Lynch's projects, things aren't quite as they appear as he has elegantly blended cliches with the surreal to give us something wondrously unique. He uses these often tired archetypal characters to challenge our views on what is reality and what is a dream. It's regarded by fans as a psychological thriller, rather than your run-of-the-mill mystery film and it's more than earned its place in cinematic history. I first saw this film roughly 12 years ago, and it's stayed with me ever since. From the almost jarring intro, cryptic clues and gripping performances to the hauntingly beautiful and moving club Silencio scene that turns the movie on it's head.
The film was the recipient of many glowing reviews when it was released, as well as earning Lynch the Best Director Award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. The project's early life, however, wasn't as golden as it was originally envisioned as a 90-minute television pilot intended for ABC, with large portions of the film being shot in 1999. Lynch hoped to keep the ending as open as possibly to allow for the never-to-happen series, but television executives rejected the pilot.So, Lynch reworked it to work as a feature film and gave it the ending we now have.
I can't help but wonder at what a Mulholland Dr. TV series would have been like, coming after the success of Twin Peaks. In fact Sherilyn Fenn, who played Audrey Horne in cult show Twin Peaks, said in a 2014 interview that the original idea for Mulholland Dr. came while filming for the series, and was originally going to be a spin-off for her character. Long time Lynch collaborator and beloved actor Michael J. Anderson also makes an appearance, although he isn't speaking backwards this time.
This isn't the kind of film you go into expecting an easy ride, and even the most astute and observant film fan will have their work cut out for them. Lynch is known for his dream-like sequences, and there's no shortage of the Lynch brand of surreal abstract imagery coupled with his signature camera work, lighting and sound. Lynch challenges the viewers expectations and urges them to suspend their disbelief of what they are experiencing. It's this suspension of disbelief that I believe is key to understanding the movie's story. The real challenge is trying to tell apart the dreamscapes from reality because after all, what are dreams but the minds attempt at explaining the unexplainable?
As usual, I'm not going to spoil anything in this brief post, but I do encourage you to watch Mulholland Dr. over the next week as I'd like to talk about what the film is trying to say and how the two halves of this surreal journey with Betty and Rita (or is it Diane and Camilla?) come together. I will be rewatching this film myself this week, and I'll be writing my theory on what is going on in the next post. I've had many different theories about this film, and after watching some of Lynch's other works I think I have my own idea of what this film is about and what really happened on Mulholland Drive. There's one character that's always troubled me, in various ways, and that's that damned evil Hobo behind the Winkies.
If you would like some clues to unlocking this dreamscape of a film, here are the 10 clues that Lynch gives viewers in the form of 5 postcards. Many of the fan theories I've read don't satisfy me when it comes it these clues, so I'll be referencing them heavily in the follow up post.
- Pay particular attention in the beginning of the film: at least two clues are revealed before the credits.
- Notice appearances of the red lampshade.
- Can you hear the title of the film that Adam Kesher is auditioning actresses for? Is it mentioned again?
- An accident is a terrible event... notice the location of the accident.
- Note the occurrences surrounding the man behind Winkies.
- Where is Aunt Ruth?
- What is felt, realized and gathered at the club Silencio?
- Did talent alone help Camilla?
- Who gives a key, and why?
- Notice the robe, the ashtray, the coffee cup.
Have you seen Mulholland Dr.? What did you make of it? Or, will you be watching it now? Save your theories on what's happening for next time, but definitely let me know what you thought of this film. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. Personally, I'm a huge fan of David Lynch and his work. As always, make sure to follow me for the latest Technology, Internet and Pop Culture updates and until next time, sleep well!
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Sources:
Mulholland Drive (film) | Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulholland_Drive_(film))
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