Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Pandora couldn't resist opening the forbidden box containing all the delusions of mankind, and let's just say David Lynch, in Mulholland Drive, indulges a similar impulse. Employing a familiar film noir atmosphere to unravel, as he coyly puts it, "a love story in the city of dreams," Lynch establishes a foreboding but playful narrative in the film's first half before subsuming all of Los Angeles and its corrupt ambitions into his voyeuristic universe of desire. Identities exchange, amnesia proliferates, and nightmare visions are induced, but not before we've become enthralled by the film's two main characters: the dazed and sullen femme fatale, Rita (Laura Elena Harring), and the pert blonde just-arrived from Ontario (played exquisitely by Naomi Watts) who decides to help Rita regain her memory. Triggered by a rapturous Spanish-language version of Roy Orbison's "Crying," Lynch's best film since Blue Velvet splits glowingly into two equally compelling parts. --Fionn Meade Amazon.com

The explanation is..............there is none.

Granted some reviewers have created a de facto plot line by arbitrarily deciding that some parts are reality, some dream & some symbolism, etc. but they ignore large parts that can't be fitted into their story line. It's important to note the film started out to be a TV series, its seems a reasonable assumption the movie was cobbled together out of scenes that were originally intended to be used in separate episodes with a different plot. I guess Lynch thought every scene was so precious he had to use them in regardless. The movie could have been cut down by 30-45 minutes and not lost a thing.


Sadly rewatching the movie didn't clear up a thing, I only saw more problems the second time. Can someone explain -

Who the laughing man is, what does he have and why is it worth killing for?

Who are the Mobster types that are trying to tell Adam who to cast as the lead?

Why is he living in a flop house, why his money cut off, who is looking for him.

Who is the huge guy that goes to Adam's house, why does his wife react like a psycho?

What's with the old lady prophetess of doom?

Who is the 3rd girl seen leaving when Betty and Rita are breaking in and I assume the one who comes back for her stuff?

Why is her ash tray she takes still there in the next scene

Why does Rita decide to go blond then is back to brunette in later scenes?

Who is the middle age red head that wanders in & out for a few minutes?

Whats with the Betty / Diane name swap.

The movie does have some interesting scenes as they stand alone, but trying to fit them into a whole is probally a waste of time. Analyzing movies like this have become the modern equivalent of debating who many angels can dance on the head of a pin. But it doesn't make for good movies or the director a genius. Genius is making a well crafted movie with a compeling story, not 150 minutes that leave you with that "Huh" feeling.

November 21, 2008

Road To Nowhere, U-Turn!

I've given up trying 2 figure out why this and why that. I just sit back and enjoy the ride. It's mystical never practical, illogical always maniacal. The performances are brilliant. This is Naomi Watts crowning achievement. One of m' fave films! October 29, 2008

One of my favorites, and one of Lynch's best!

It's hard for me to explain how much of an impact this film had on me. It is one of the most dreamlike experiences that I have ever had in a theatre. The first two hours of the film seem to follow a narrative -- and then there are the last 40 minutes, which will just blow you away if you have never seen this film before. After repeated viewings, I think that I have my own interpretation. The beauty of this film is that you can attach your own ideas to it, thus involving you in what goes down on the screen. It's laced with both horror and mystery, and filled to the brim with dream logic.

Totally captivating and beautiful to look at, this is a true work of art. The best time to view this film would be late in the evening, with the curtains drawn, in the dark. It's frightening, to be sure, but entirely worth it!

For the parents out there, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone under the age of 17. There are scenes of explicit sexuality throughout the film.

RECOMMENDED!
July 24, 2008

Horribly disturbing and incredible

I've seen this movie twice. I love David Lynch. Maybe it's best not to explain the plot at this point. Just watch it, and experience it, as the horrible nightmare that it is. Innocence gone bad. The horror of insanity. It's all there, in Hollywood, of course. A dreamworld.

It's beautful, horrible, and tragic. It's David Lynch. And it's one of my favorite movies ever. July 24, 2008

One of the best of All-time! 10 NOT 5 stars !!

This should be recognized as one of the greatest works of Art ever to be committed to celluloid. Lynch is able to plumb deeply into the sub-conscious of all of us and construct a story which resonates on a primal, visceral, instinctive, and altogether natural level. Lynch shows how ultimate truth is revealed in dreams despite our feeble attempts to relegate our fears, insecurities and guilt to our subconscious during our waking hours. In dreams, all of our emotions and thoughts are fleshed out for better or for worse. Our dreams can amuse us when we do good, and terrify us when we do evil! Perhaps good and evil are absolute concepts after all, and are non-negotiable!?

While the film is highly structured and self-explanatory (for those who view it repeatedly and carefully), like most of Lynch's work, and particularly "Inland Empire," this film is so beautifully crafted that it can be appreciated solely on an aesthetic level, but ideally on an intellectual one as well.

MD is haunting, brilliant, and the work of a genius. Just when I was losing interest in superficial and banal modern film-making, David has given us a real diamond in the rough!

P.S - If you don't like challenging films which make you think and concentrate, or if your idea of a great film is about sub-woofers and explosions, avoid this at all costs. If you are amazed at human psychology and drama, don't miss this!

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Want to know who the scary, dirty Bum is?

Well, here is my take at least:

Most obviously, he is an element of her dream. All of the characters that inhabit her dream are people Diane has met or seen briefly during her waking state. Some are significant characters and some are not. Ever dream about the most absurd or trivial things yourself? For instance, notice the mafioso type at the party at the end of the movie who Diane only briefly notices as she is wiping away tears? He may have been a significant part of her life, or he may have just been someone who caused her momentary embarrassment. Here is the genius of Lynch. He is demonstrating that nothing is too trivial or absurd that cannot be dreamt about. This is why Dianne constructs the poolman farce in her dream after only a brief mention of him by Camilla's fiancé.

The dirty and horrifying bum, who is able to scare us with his abrupt appearance can represent the subconscious guilt that Diane is suffering through. He is retribution personified, of having to pay for her crimes, through mental anguish. The guy who Diane only briefly glimpses in Winkies when she is negotiating with the hitman, gives the suspenseful anecdote of "the guy who is always there." At the brief moment when Diane sees him staring at her in Winkies, she no doubt felt fear and anxiety about planning Camilla's death, or being discovered, and therefore even seemingly innocent glances take on a more suspicious nature. It is no accident that the unnamed guy standing at the bar morphs into a character in her dream that is obsessed and overcome with fear. Our dreams really do mix things up.

The bum can also be an archetype of the devil who metaphorically at least, dwells in places such as "sin city" or "tinseltown," where men lose their souls for wanting it all at any cost. These are the places where men sell their souls. Where they are promised the world, but are deceived by the great serpent and deceiver of old; the arche-nemesis of humanity.

Like any true art, Lynch allows multiple interpretations.. July 9, 2008

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