Off topic, the lesbian sex scene was too hot!
Lynch should direct a porn movie, that would be fantastic!

jnoel said:

I don't know, Jnoel... I didn't think it was all that great, of course, I am not a guy. I do think, however, he could make some kickass porn films though!

AzureStar said:

I can vouch for you... you are DEFINITELY not a guy!

The lesbian scene was quite nice, actually.

IceNine said:

Well, I guess it was then, if you two are saying so. What do I know?

AzureStar said:

Well, as an heterosexual guy, maybe I would have been disturbing by a gay sex scene

disturbing/ disturbed?, too lazy to open my english grammar book

jnoel said:

Nooo... it's not that, I just didn't think it was a very good scene. Maybe I heard about it too much and it was a let down for me when I finally saw it.

jnoel said:

disturbed

AzureStar said:

Where are Aerogram, SkeletonKee, nLA, JediMaster and all of the other David Lynch fans???

Heather and I are going to watch the movie this weekend and we will probably watch it a few more times next week as well... just to see if we come up with any different ideas.

Oh man! Best thread on the GD in ages! Thanks Icenine! My thoughts are forthcoming...

JediMaster said:

Great!

I can't wait to get this thing really going... we are all going to watch the movie again and talk about each other's ideas too.

It will be fun!

damn...why did i let my co-worker borrow my dvd...hmm..i'll figure something out..

cant wait for the discussion...

SkletonKee said:

You can never let anyone borrow your David Lynch merchandise... it is unwise. You never know when you are going to NEED it.

IceNine said:

how about this...ill watch Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me...and give my comments on that. :O

SkletonKee said:

HOLY SHIT!

I found that movie totally fucking incomprehensible... I did NOT get it.

You are a better man than me!

:LOL:

IceNine said:

Same here. The thing is, most people don't want to admit that they can't understand something, and so instead they shower it with praise to give the impression that they "get it."

But I'll admit... I did not understand Mulholland Drive. I enjoyed it--I just didn't get the point (if there is one).

matt said:

okay, there is a very good essay on this movie that explains "everything"...i'll dig it up and post it here after the moviethon this weekend...matt, your gonna be *shocked* to find out its all got meaning and a *realistic* explanation...

IMHO:


The entire first hour and a 1/2 of the film is Diane's dream.This is why many segments are unrealistic (i.e. the bizzarre casting meeting,the beast behind the diner,the idea that Adam's credit/bank accounts can be stopped suddenly,etc.)Diane dreams that she is a talented actress named Betty who falls in love with a beautiful amnesiac named Rita.

Reality begins when she wakes up.Then, a few flashbacks reveal that ,in fact,Rita is Camilla ,who has helped Diane obtain a few roles and who she may or may not had an affair with.Jealous over Camilla's rejection of her (in favor of Adam the director ),Diane hires a hit-man to kill Camilla. Appearantly , he succeeds (the presence of the blue key on her coffee table) .Then overcome with guilt and loss ,she kills herself.

As for the symbolism in the film,I believe it all points to the above scenerio,but in some ways leaves other interpretaions open.This is typical of Lynch (and brilliant as well)

It's interesting to me that in many ways Mulholland Drive and Lost Highway both tell the same story :a jealous or wronged individual kills thier lover and then creates an alternative version of events in thier minds .

MrTation said:

Yeah, "Lost Highway" and "Mulholland Drive" are both basically the same movie, only presented differently. I love them both!

I have two different DVDs of "Lost Highway." One of them is a NTSC version from Canada that is BUTCHERED in being presented full-screen and the picture is about as bad as a fourth-generation VHS tape. DO NOT BUY THE CANADIAN NTSC VERSION.

I also have a PAL version that is anamorphic widescreen with a good picture... luckily, I have a PAL converting DVD player that I use for PAL DVDs.

Why hasn't there been an American release of "Lost Highway" yet???

I think that although there is meaning to be found, it would be a mistake to try to make perfect sense of it. From reading interviews with directors who have made this kind of film, it's not that clear in their head either. They use the imagery that makes sense within the non-sense of the mysterious creation.

BTW, I think this "what is real?" theme is a bit overused, like it's some kind of very unsettling experience. To me, it is very common, for various reasons. We all more or less live lives where we can see appearances might be deceiving... how long are we supposed to gush over "What is real?" When I see something unfold, I always remind myself I'm not seeing it all and that there are things that are not completely revealed or known that could change my perception of reality.
[This message was edited Sat Oct 5 11:30:20 PDT 2002 by Aerogram]

Aerogram said:

When editing a movie one time, a scene was cut in such a way that it created a possible meaning...

David Lynch said, "You know... I'll bet that is what I meant in that scene."

This story was told on one of the Twin Peaks discs.

IceNine said:

well, the whole "bob" thing was created when one of the crewmen's reflection was cought on camera...David noticed it and thought it would be great to incorporate the guy into the film...

IceNine said:

This is especially true of Lynch, because the main theme of his work is Reality Unsettled... A film like Blue Velvet made living in a small town less of a drag, by suggesting that under the boring facade, there is a mysterious, captivating underworld.

Skletonkee.. wheres the dissertation?

I'll have to rewatch before I offer my comments. This movie pissed me off for about 20 minutes after it ended. All I could utter was "Fuck you David Lynch! Fuck you!" lol. i was mad but then it made me think and I came up with some cockamamie theory my own damn self!

Okay, I have about a billion thoughts on each of Lynch's films, and some afternoon when I have nothing going on at work, I'll have to do essays on all of them.

Personally, I can explain most of FWWM. I read the script, and much of that shed light on the flick. That's probably the film that I've studied the most of his. I'll break it down here someday soon.

On to Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive:

As MRTation and Icenine already pointed out, Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive are both similar. However, I would argue that they are both studies of jealousy from two very different points of view. LH is the study of the masculine, while MD is the feminine (MD even goes so far as to make the story about a lesbian relationship, further cementing it as a wholly feminine take). The two films are meant to almost be companion pieces to one another.

LH depicts a man who escapes into his own fantasy world after slaying his lover, who may or may not be having an affair. In his fugue state, he adopts a completely different persona, with a past completely different from his own. In time, his delusion gives way to the truth, and his original personality resurfaces (only to wind up returning to that state by the movies end. He finds him self going into another fantasy, which dooms him to a life of delusion, forever riding down a "Lost Highway"). In LH, the fantasy is tenuous at best, and is constantly plagued by the darkness of his real life. Elements of his real self, as well as people from his actual past, keep popping up, taking on new, but similar, roles to his reality. The demonic presence of the Mystery Man is also found both in his real world, as well as his fantasy. What is the mystery man? Is he just a sign that the man is going mad early on? Or is it actually a demonic entity who is possessing and destroying this man? Either explanation is possible, since the supernatural has entered Lynch's work before. Overall, it doesn't really matter, since his purpose is obviously malevolent. In the real world, he guides the protagonist to slay his wife, while in the fantasy world he forces him to destroy his illusions. He seems to be something of a parasite, feeding off of Fred's jealousy and fear (much as Killer Bob did in the Twin Peaks series).

In MD, we have a similar story, but from a wholly feminine perpective. The fantasy starts off quite glamorously, eventually evolving into a Nancy Drewish mystery. This is a sharp contrast from the LH fantasy, which is rather brutish.

Awww shit!!! I gotta go! Work is over! I'll continue this on Monday!!!

Mulholland Drive- Long Spoilers And Analysis
(thanks to the guy from rottentomatoes who originally posted this..whoever it is- kee)
Having now seen “Mulholland Drive” over (3) times, and being a huge David Lynch fan, I felt compelled to write out my analysis of the film to dispel the notion that this movie doesn’t add up. Admittedly, some liberties must be taken, and succumbing to dream logic is a must, but the film really does fit together- despite what most people have been saying. Below I will begin my analysis of the film at the point just after the visit to Club Silencio, as Rita has just opened the “Blue Box” and Betty has disappeared. MY ANALYSIS WILL EVENTUALLY SHOW THAT THE ENTIRE FIRST 90 MINUTES WAS DIANE’S DREAM (with some reality tossed in), BUT THAT THE LAST 45 MINUTES WAS A COMBINATION OF FANTASY, HALLUCINATION, AND FOR THE MOST PART, REALITY. Sorting out which is which was the fun part, but I think I have finally done it. I will map the scenes out; then for each, describe what Lynch is trying to show us, and further describe how he purposely made it tricky for us to decipher.

AFTER THE OPENING OF THE BLUE BOX
Scene 1- The aunt walks into her bedroom, having apparently heard a noise. She looks around, sees nothing, then retreats back into the hall.

What Lynch is trying to show us- In the scene directly preceding this, Rita has opened the “Blue Box,” Betty has disappeared, and the now opened box has fallen to the ground. We now see the aunt from the beginning of the movie (Betty’s aunt), yet she is HOME. She looks to the floor, where the “Blue Box” from the previous scene fell, but sees nothing. It is of my opinion that this woman is simply a RED HERRING- if you recall, at the end of the movie when Diane is at the pool/dinner party, she tells everyone how her aunt died and left her a lot of money. I don’t think we are to believe that the woman shown to us here is supposed to be Diane’s aunt. I think that the thing of interest here is simply that the BLUE BOX IS NOT REAL. IT DOES NOT EXIST. THIS IS THE POINT OF THE SCENE- I will explain more of this aspect later.

Scene 2- The Cowboy wakes up Betty/Diane.

We are now witnessing the end of Diane’s dream. For some reason (explained later), she has made the Cowboy a figure in her dream, and in the dream he wakes her up. The entire movie up until this point has therefore been DIANE’S DREAM. She was never Betty. She has always been Diane Selwyn.

Scene 3- Diane walks out into the hallway/ her neighbor comes to the door to retrieve a few of her things (piano ash tray, dishes, etc).

This scene throws the whole time/space continuum into a loop. What is very important here is the SIGHTING OF THE BLUE KEY ON THE TABLE, AND THE NEIGHBOR TAKING BACK THE PIANO ASH TRAY. As we will find out later, the blue key is symbolic of the “hit” on Camilla being finished- we learn this from a scene later with Diane and the hit man at Winkie’s. Diane’s neighbor also tells Diane that “those 2 detectives are still looking for you.” OBVIOUSLY, CAMILLA HAS ALREADY BEEN KILLED. THE DETECTIVES ARE ON TO HER.

Scene 4- Diane is in the kitchen, turns around, and sees Camilla- “Camilla, you came back” she cries.

Another Lynch twist. Camilla has already been killed. What Diane sees here is simply a fantasy of Camilla before her eyes. She is beginning to have guilt and doubt about having her killed, and wants her back. This momentary image of Camilla therefore shows us that Diane regrets having had Camilla killed, and is still in love with her. The tip-off to Camilla being a fantasy image here is the way Laura Harring’s character is shot- almost glowingly, looking as beautiful as can be. This is the way Diane wishes to remember her by (possibly from the first time they met while working on the set of the Sylvia North Story).

Scene 5- Diane makes coffee, walks to the couch, and sees a topless Camilla. The camera switches views, and suddenly we see a topless Diane, who then pounces on top of Camilla.

Another shifting of the time/space continuum. This is now BEFORE Camilla has died. THE PIANO ASH TRAY IS STILL ON THE TABLE, BUT THERE IS NO BLUE KEY. Lynch has therefore succeeded in confusing the audience, for in 3 back-to-back-to-back scenes, he has shown 1) Diane AFTER Camilla has been killed, 2) Diane’s fantasy of Camilla, and 3) Diane BEFORE Camilla has been killed. They are all grounded in reality, unlike the first 90 minutes (and unlike critics such as Roger Ebert who have misinterpreted the ENTIRE movie to be a dream). They are merely confusing due to Lynch shifting back and forth in time- but these should not be read as DREAMS. These scenes should merely be seen as us going BACKWARDS in time.

Scene 6- Adam and Camilla are in the car rehearsing, and Diane scornfully watches from afar, confirming her suspicions that Camilla is seeing Adam. THE FOLLOWING SCENES MORE OR LESS PROCEED IN ORDER, SO EXPLANATION OF THEM WILL BE CONCISE UNTIL MORE IS WARRANTED.

Scene 7- Camilla shows up at Diane’s, Diane says it “***ing matters to me,” and slams the door shut. THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF HER DOWNWARD SPIRAL. She masturbates while obviously thinking of Camilla, but now realizes that Camilla will never be there again.

Scene 8- We hear the phone ring, and it is Camilla calling for Diane. This is the invitation for the pool party, which is on Mulholland Drive. NOTE THE RED DRAPED LAMP AND THE CIGARRETTE BUDS NEXT TO DIANE’S PHONE- THIS POPPED UP EARLY IN THE MOVIE (I will explain later).

Scene 9- The limousine drives down Mulholland Drive (mirroring the opening scenes identically). The driver stops, and Camilla comes out of the darkness to take Diane on a secret shortcut to the pool/dinner party. THIS SCENE IS IMPORTANT- FIRST, IT SHOWS HOW CAMILLA IS SO EMBARRASSED NOW ABOUT BEING SEEN WITH DIANE, THAT SHE NEEDS TO TAKE HER UP A SHORTCUT THROUGH THE TREES SO THAT NO ONE WILL SEE THEM ENTER THROUGH THE FRONT. SECONDLY, FOR A FLEETING INSTANT, DIANE BELIEVES THAT CAMILLA REALLY IS ACTING SINCERE. NOTE HER REACTION WHEN CAMILLA TAKES HER HAND AND THEY WALK UP THE PATH. SHE SMILES AT THEIR HOLDING HANDS, AND THEN SMILES AT CAMILLA. This, however, will lead to the deterioration of Diane, when she will soon realize that Camilla is NOT taking her back, but is merely inviting her to the party out of pity.

Scene 10- Dinner Party Scene. Adam brings Camilla and Diane drinks, while Coco introduces herself to Diane as Adam’s mother. They then sit at the dinner table, where Diane explains to everyone how she came into money (her aunt died and left her a lot of money), and how she came to Hollywood after winning a Jitterbug contest (note the opening credits, where at the end of the dancing, we see her face grinning as if she has just won the contest). We also see another woman (Camilla from her dream) kiss the real Camilla, and we also see in the periphery the Cowboy, as well as one of the mobster brothers from the opening of the movie (the man with the penchant for expresso). NOTE HERE THAT DIANE SEES THE EXPRESSO MAN AFTER SHE HERSELF HAS JUST BEEN SERVES AN EXPRESSO- THIS EXPLAINS WHY IN HER EVENTUAL DREAM, THIS MAN IS GIVEN THIS ODD CHARACTERISTIC OF DISLIKING EXPRESSO.

This scene has SO MUCH going on it is hard to describe. Essentially, we learn about Diane’s first trip to Hollywood, how she met Camilla on the “Sylvia North Story,” and how she has essentially played second fiddle to Camilla ever since. It is apparent to all at the table that Diane has bee leeching onto Camilla, and that her brief successes in getting roles have all been because of Camilla. This also helps to explain how Diane has all of her money. When Diane sees another actress kiss Camilla, she feels extremely jealous and hurt (which will manifest itself into her fantasy, to be discussed later). Adam also mentions here how “I got the pool, she got the pool man”, referring to his ex-wife. He was very happy with the settlement, indicating that he never wanted to be with his wife and was glad things worked out the way they did.

Then, Adam begins to make an announcement about himself and Camilla. It seems as if they are going to be engaged, but we as the audience never find out- we only see Adam and Camilla begin to laugh hysterically. Just before this moment, we see the Cowboy walk in the background. It is of my opinion that Diane is beginning to HALLUCINATE ABOUT ADAM AND CAMILLA LAUGHING- IT IS QUITE POSSIBLE THAT THEY ARE, AT THIS POINT, PLANNING ON GETTING MARRIED- BUT IT IS UNLIKELY THAT AN ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD PRODUCE THIS KIND OF MEAN-SPIRITED LAUGHTER; RATHER, I THINK THAT DIANE’S FEELINGS OF BETRAYAL AND JEALOUSY SPARKS HER TO IMAGINE THAT CAMILLA IS LAUGHING AT HER, AND THUS PROPELS HER DOWN THE PATH OF HIRING A HITMAN TO FINALLY GET RID OF HER, ADDING TO THE OLD ADAGE “IF SHE CAN’T BE WITH ME, SHE CAN’T BE WITH ANYBODY.”

Scene 11- coffee with the hit man at Winkie’s.

We finally see the payoff- Diane reaches into her purse, shows us the wad of money (to be manifested into her fantasy later), and orders the hit on Camilla to take place. She glances over to the cashier’s table, and sees the man from the beginning of the movie, the one who had been having dreams about the monster behind Winkie’s. The hit man then shows Diane the blue key, indicating that he will leave it in the place they have determined once the job is done. SEE SCENE 3- in scene 3, the key is on the table, adding further proof, at the time of scene 3, that the job HAS BEEN DONE. Diane also sees the waitress with the name “Betty” on the tag- this will be her name in the fantasy. When Diane here asks the hit man what the key opens, he merely laughs- the scene then switches to nighttime, with the camera panning out to where the monster behind Winkie’s is playing with the blue box.

Scene 12- Monster opening the blue box, and the miniaturized elderly people exiting from it.

This is the surreal highpoint of the movie- I am not 100% sure on my theory here, but I believe that this image is supposed to be one that, chronologically, is to occur AFTER the hit has taken place. Remember, Diane is having extreme guilt over the death of Camilla (see her image of Camilla from Scene 4, above). She also has the blue key now, where the hit man has left it for her. The guilt of having ordered a murder on the one woman she loved, plus her deteriorating state of mind, lead her to create a hallucination as to what the key opens. In this hallucination, the monster behind Winkie’s is symbolic of pure evil, and the two elderly people are the devil’s evil minions (I know, this is a stretch, but remember Diane’s state of mind at this point is completely fragmented). It is possible that she has encountered this “monster” at Winkie’s sometime before, although in reality the monster is probably just a homeless man. In her hallucination, the monster is symbolic of her repressed guilt- the opening of the box releases the evil upon her, symbolized by the elderly couple walking maniacally from the box and to (not shown on camera) her apartment. IT IS SPECULATIVE AS TO WHY SHE WOULD IMAGINE THESE TWO ELDERLY PEOPLE AS BEING HER REPRESENTATION OF EVIL- MY THEORY IS THAT PERHAPS THE OLD WOMAN HERE IS REALLY A MANIFESTATION OF HER AUNT AND UNCLE, OR EVEN MOTHER AND FATHER; HER AUNT LEFT HER ALL THE $, AND NOW DIANE HAS USED THE $ TO KILL A LOVER. Also, this would explain the opening of the film- over the jitterbug dancing credits, we see images of Betty with the two elderly citizens, almost as if they were pictures taken after she won the contest. They are proud of her for winning the Jitterbug contest; now, in Diane’s hallucination, they are ashamed and upset about what she has become.

Scene 13- Diane at her apartment, sketching out on her couch, when suddenly the elderly couple crawl under her front door. They become normal sized and chase her throughout the house, when suddenly they corner her into her bedroom- Diane then reaches inside her bedroom drawer, pulls out a gun, and shoots herself in the head.

Another surreal highlight. I am again unsure as to why Diane has chosen the elderly couple to appear in this hallucination- but it is obvious that they represent Diane’s tortured state of mind, and the only way for Diane to end it is to kill herself. Once she kills herself, she assumes the SAME POSITION THAT BETTY AND RITA SAW THE DEAD DIANE SELWYN IN EARLIER IN THE MOVIE.

Scene 14-15- Amongst a flurry of images, we see a close-up of the “monster,” followed by flashbacks of Diane’s fantasy of Betty and Rita, and then the blue-haired woman from Club Silencio whispering the word “silencio.” The movie then fades to black.

I believe the uttering of the word “silencio” is symbolic of Diane’s mind being silenced- her fantasy has ended, her life is over, and everything now is “silencio.” I will talk about this more at the end.


MULHOLLAND DRIVE- THE FIRST 90 MINUTES

I will now go, in quicker fashion, the opening 90 minutes of the film, which are essentially Diane Selwyn’s dream. I will not label each individual scene, but will merely progress through the story and attempt to explain things of importance.

We open with the title sequence over the Jitterbug dancers. Remember, DIANE WON A JITTERBUG CONTEST, WHICH WAS HOW SHE FIRST GOT TO HOLLYWOOD. Diane obviously uses this to begin her dream because it was the happiest time of her life. There are flashes of images here indicating that perhaps the elderly couple and her are related and have known each other for quite some time- either her aunt before she died, or her mom and dad.

Rita survives the hit on Mulholland Drive, escapes with amnesia, and tumbles down the Hollywood cliff until seeking refuge from the newly departed aunt of Betty’s. DIANE DREAMS THAT THE HIT WENT AWRY AND THAT CAMILLA SURVIVED. BY GIVING CAMILLA AMNESIA IN HER FANTASY, THERE IS NO WAY FOR CAMILLA TO REMEMBER HER FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH DIANE- CAMILLA IS GIVEN A CLEAN SLATE, WHICH GIVES DIANE THE CHANCE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HER ALL OVER AGAIN.

Phone calls are made by various individuals, obviously related to Rita’s disappearance. Mr. Roque informs one of his servants that “the girl is still missing.” We then see a series of phone calls (no face is revealed), and the last phone call reveals the location of something we see at the end of the movie- A RED DRAPED LAMP. If you remember, DIANE was in this room when Camilla called to inform her that the limousine was waiting to pick her up. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF DIANE’S REALITY POPPING UP IN HER FANTASY (THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES OF THIS AS WELL). Even though she is dreaming and this is a fantasy, she does continue to have shades of guilt- it is therefore more than likely that the call to the RED DRAPED LAMP ROOM actually DID happen, and that Diane picked it up to discuss the hit on Camilla. THAT IS WHY MERELY SAYING THAT THE FIRST 90 MINUTES IS SIMPLY A DREAM IS NOT CORRECT; most of it is, but certain things may be memories from her real life as she lays in her bed after having shot herself. This is more than likely what is happening here.

Betty arrives at LAX with the almost TOO friendly elderly couple wishing her good luck. DIANE HAS TURNED HER MOST CRAZED HALLUCINATIONS INTO ALMOST ANGELIC FIGURES IN HER FANTASY- In real life, they drove her to kill herself; in her fantasy, they offer nothing but support- indeed, Diane’s fantasy is almost TOO happy- note the way the elderly couple smile in the taxi leaving the airport. SHE WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO RUIN HER IN THIS FANTASY- THEY WILL ALWAYS BE SMILING.

Betty arrives to see Rita in the shower. She meets Coco (Adam’s mother in real life)- what better way for Diane to have retribution in her fantasy than to have Adam’s mother, who was so condescending to her at the dinner party, be Betty’s LANDLORD. If you remember, the Coco in reality was upset at Diane for being late to the party, and then was condescending towards her when she discussed how she came to Hollywood and first met Camilla. Well, in Diane’s dream, Coco helps out Betty by giving her the faxed pages of a movie scene audition (later scene). Also, it is ironic for Betty in her dream to have Coco be the landlord. Coco was Adam’s mother, who essentially stole Camilla from Diane. Now, Betty has Rita all to herself, and without anyone knowing, RIGHT UNDERNEATH COCO’S NOSES. She has to keep Rita a secret because Coco would not allow her to be there- perhaps mirroring how Coco was disapproving of Diane at the pool party.
Betty and Rita open Rita’s purse, and find all of the money, plus the blue key. THE MONEY, AS WE FIND OUT LATER, WAS REALLY DIANE’S. SHE HAS SIMPLY GIVEN IT A NEW MEANING IN HER DREAM SO THAT SHE CAN BE THE ONE TO HELP SOLVE RITA’S IDENTITY. BETTY WANTS TO BE WITH RITA SO MUCH THAT SHE WILL DO ANYTHING TO HELP HER OUT (even if this means, as we find later, running out on a potentially lucrative audition). THEREFORE, SHE HAS TO CREATE AN AMNESIAC-FILLED RITA THAT HAS SOME MYSTERY TO HER- THE MONEY IN THE PURSE AND THE BLUE KEY ACCOMPLISH THAT PERFECTLY.

Adam runs into trouble at a meeting, where the Castigulani brothers order him to cast CAMILLA RHODES. But the Camilla in her FANTASY is simply the actress from the pool party who kissed the real-life Camilla. There is a reason for this, which I will discuss later. It is worth noting here about the fanatical expresso-drinking brother- remember in reality, Betty saw this man at the pool party, while she herself had just been served an expresso. In her fantasy, for some warped reason, she has made this man virtually a living representation of expresso. Also, because of her desire to get back at Adam for stealing Camilla away, she begins to destroy Adam’s professional life by having the brothers order him to cast Camilla Rhodes. This is just the beginning of how she will destroy Adam. Adam then returns home to find his wife in bed with the pool man, where he promptly gets tossed out after diluting her jewelry with pink paint. IN DIANE’S FANTASY, IT IS ADAM WHO IS CHEATED ON. Not only is he cheated on, but to make matters worse, he gets his *** kicked by the man doing the cheating. DIANE MUST HAVE REVELED IN THIS PART OF HER FANTASY- HOW PERFECT FOR ADAM, THE MAN WHO DESTROYED HER LIFE IN REALITY, TO HAVE HIS LIFE RIPPED APART IN HER FANTASY.

We switch plots and head across town, with the hit man laughing at a story told to him by the man with the black book. If you recall, we enter the conversation in the middle of the story, but at the end of it, the long haired man laughs and says “***ing car accident.” It is possible that they are discussing the car accident Diane created in her fantasy, thereby enabling Rita to escape with amnesia. Diane might think it is funny how she has made everything work out for her in this fantasy, as the laughing by the two men obviously show. The hit man then kills the long haired man, and then must kill 2 other civilians (and a vacuum cleaner) because HE IS NOT A GOOD HIT MAN. Many viewers might think this is simply superfluous stuff Lynch tossed in for comic asides, but I think it has meaning- in her fantasy, DIANE DREAMS THAT THE HIT MAN SHE HIRED DOES NOT DO THE JOB; IN FACT, HE IS BORDERLINE INCOMPETENT AT HIS JOB. THIS COMFORTS DIANE IN HER FANTASY BECAUSE CAMILLA WILL NOT BE KILLED, ESPECIALLY BY A GUY AS CLUELESS AS THIS.

Betty and Rita sit on the couch, when Rita begins to remember “Mulholland Drive.” This is where Diane’s dream begins to show signs of waking up. As you recall, Diane tells everyone at the pool/dinner party that it was Camilla who helped her get parts for films, etc. SO, IN DIANE’S FANTASY, SHE IS THE ONE WHO HELPS RITA OUT. SHE GIVES RITA JUST ENOUGH MEMORY TO RECALL CERTAIN EVENTS, BUT NEVER ENOUGH TO DETERMINE WHO SHE REALLY IS; IN FACT, SHE RECALLS JUST ENOUGH INFORMATION SO THAT BETTY CAN HELP HER OUT. DIANE FIGURES THAT IF SHE HAD BEEN THE ONE WHO HAD HELPED CAMILLA OUT, PERHAPS CAMILLA WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH HER; SO, IN THE FANTASY, BETTY INITIATES EVERYTHING IN TRYING TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF RITA. THIS, SHE HOPES, WILL ALLOW RITA TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HER.
Betty and Rita walk to Winkie’s, use the phone, and call the police to inquire about the accident on Mulholland Drive. Thereafter, once inside, Rita sees the name tag on the waitress labeled “Diane,” and suddenly, Rita remembers something about the name “Diane Selwyn”. I BELIEVE THAT IT IS SIMPLY ANOTHER WAY FOR BETTY, IN THE DREAM, TO HELP RITA OUT SO THAT RITA WILL EVENTUALLY OWE EVERYTHING SHE HAS TO BETTY. They then determine to go to Diane Selwyn’s apartment the next day to see if Rita will recall anything.

Adam then stays at the hotel run by “Cookie,” who informs him that his credit is max’d out and that two guys from the bank are looking for him. He then calls his assistant, who informs him that the “Cowboy” wants to meet him at midnight. This scene is interesting in many ways. First of all, it brings to mind the “2 detectives” following Diane Selwyn around- only this time, “2” people are following Adam- also, note how Adam’s assistant comes onto him and invites him back to her place- he shrugs it off as if the thought had never crossed his mind. NOW, THIS IS A STRETCH, BUT I ALMOST GOT THE FEELING THAT ADAM’S ASSISTANT IS SYMBOLIC OF CAMILLA- THEY BOTH HAVE DARK HAIR, WITH VERY VIBRANT LIPSTICK. IN DIANE’S FANTASY, THE ASSISTANT TRIES TO SEDUCE ADAM, BUT HE DOES NOT GO ALONG WITH IT. IN REALITY, WE EVENTUALLY FIND OUT THAT CAMILLA DOES SUCCESSFULLY SEDUCE ADAM, BUT HERE, IN DIANE’S DREAM, ADAM IS NOT INTERESTED. SO, DIANE CAN REST ASSURED THAT A MAN WILL NOT STEAL CAMILLA AWAY FROM HER. (this is pushing the analysis, I admit, but it does make sense following Diane’s dream logic).

Adam sees the “Cowboy”, who essentially appears out of the shadows and instructs him to cast Camilla Rhodes. This scene is pretty straightforward, and in my opinion just shows how Diane is re-imagining people whom she has seen in reality and given them new meaning in her dream. We do catch a glimpse of the Cowboy at the pool party. Rather than explain him as an apparition or a “ghost,” I am of the view that he was just some oddball person at this Hollywood party whom Diane happened to notice. In her dream, she imagines him as the guy ordering Adam to cast the film. This is a simplistic explanation of the Cowboy’s character, but giving him a different meaning would destroy the dream logic of the movie- therefore, I see him as simply being an oddball character Diane Selwyn has seen in reality, and who she has re-imagined into her fantasy as a foil for Adam, the man who stole her woman.

Louise (the psychic woman) knocks on Betty’s door, warning about trouble. “Someone’s in trouble- something bad is happening.” THIS IS SOMEWHAT TRICKY, BUT I BELIEVE CAN BE EXPLANED. AS I SAID EARLIER, THE FIRST PART OF THE MOVIE IS ALMOST ENTIRELY DIANE’S DREAM, BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS WHERE DIANE’S REALITY HAS ENTERED IN. THIS IS A SCENE WHERE I FEEL THAT DIANE IS TRYING TO WARN HERSELF (IN THE FORM OF BETTY) THAT SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO RITA (THE EVENTUAL HIT ON HER LIFE). IT IS ALMOST LIKE A PIECE OF HER REALITY HAS SLIPPED INSIDE HER DREAM.

Betty and Rita rehearse Betty’s big scene, after which she takes off to go to the Hollywood studio where she will do the scene for real. THIS SCENE HAS A COUPLE OF INTERESTING THINGS TO NOTE. FIRST OF ALL, BETTY’S PERFORMANCE DURING THE REHEARSAL SHOWS THAT SHE REALLY IS A GREAT, TALENTED ACTRESS. EVERYBODY LOVES HER, THE CASTING AGENTS WANT TO SHOW HER AROUND TO OTHER FILMS, AND ESSENTIALLY EVERYONE LEAVES MESMERIZED BY HER PERFORMANCE. THIS IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF HOW IT HAPPENED IN REAL LIFE. REMEMBER AT THE POOL PARTY, SHE EXPLAINS HOW SHE LOST OUT TO CAMILLA IN THE “SYLVIA NORTH” STORY BECAUSE THE DIRECTOR DIDN’T LIKE HER. WELL, IN HER FANTASY, THE DIRECTOR NOT ONLY LOVES HER, BUT THE PRODUCERS, CO-STARS, AND CASTING AGENTS GO CRAZY FOR HER. IN DIANE’S FANTASY WORLD, SHE WILL GET THE LEAD ROLE.

Diane is shown Adam’s new film, and the two lock eyes momentarily. Meanwhile, Camilla Rhodes appears on stage, and per the Cowboy’s demand, Adam tells his producer “this is the girl”. NOTE THAT THIS ACTRESS WAS THE ONE IN REALITY WHO WAS SEEN KISSING CAMILLA AT THE PARTY, POSSIBLY ANOTHER ONE OF CAMILLA’S EX-LOVERS. DIANE WAS THEREFORE EXTREMELY JEALOUS OF HER, AS WELL AS ADAM. However, in Diane’s fantasy, this woman is re-imagined as the Camilla Rhodes who will win the lead actress part. In fantasy, just like in reality, this woman seemingly blocks Diane; in reality, she one-ups Diane by becoming one of Camilla’s lovers; in fantasy, she would have prevented Betty from auditioning successfully for the part, since Adam was forced to cast Camilla Rhodes. BUT BETTY IS NEVER ABLE TO AUDITION BEFORE ADAM; RATHER, SHE SUDDENLY REMEMBERS THAT SHE HAS TO HELP OUT WITH RITA IN LOCATING DIANE SELWYN’S APARTMENT. BETTY THEN RUNS OUT OF THE AUDITION BEFORE ADAM CAN EVEN MEET HER. My theory on this is that Diane’s fantasy started to lose focus- she originally conceived it as a way to win back Camilla’s heart, but then she became sidetracked- her fantasy slowly turned into her becoming a successful actress, much like her original ambition upon winning the Jitterbug contest, and Rita became lost in her mind. Seeing the actress Camilla Rhodes perform, however, brought the purpose of her fantasy back to her, which explains why she abruptly leaves the audition in the middle of Camilla Rhodes singing.

Betty and Rita go to Diane Selwyn’s apartment. Along the way, Rita spots 2 detectives staking out the place. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF DIANE’S REAL LIFE MELDING INTO HER FANTASY. THESE ARE THE SAME 2 DETECTIVES WHO ARE STAKING OUT DIANE’S PLACE AFTER CAMILLA HAS BEEN KILLED.
They walk throughout the apartment corridors, and knock on what they believe is Diane Selwyn’s apartment, only it now belongs to a neighbor who just recently switched apartments with Diane. (PROBABLY BECAUSE DIANE SUGGESTED SWITCHING PLACES AFTER CAMILLA WAS KILLED). THIS SCENE ALSO SHOWS THAT THIS WOMAN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE RITA AT ALL! THIS IS THE FIRST CLUE THAT RITA’S RECOLLECTION OF THE NAME “DIANE SELWYN” WAS COMPLETELY INVENTED BY DIANE IN HER DREAM AS A WAY OF ALLOWING BETTY TO HELP SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT WOULD NEVER BE SOLVED. IN HER DREAM, DIANE NEVER WANTED RITA TO FIGURE OUT WHO SHE USED TO BE; IF SHE DID, THEN SHE WOULD REMEMBER HOW SHE NO LONGER LOVES DIANE. THEREFORE, DIANE HAS GIVEN RITA CLUES TO HER IDENTITY THAT AMOUNT TO LITTLE MORE THAN RED-HERRINGS; BETTY WILL TRY TO HELP SOLVE THEM, BUT THEY WILL NEVER LEAD TO ANYWHERE.

They eventually break into Diane Selwyn’s apartment (of course, in typical Diane’s fantasy fashion, it is Betty who breaks in), and the two discover a decomposing Diane Selwyn laying on the bed (IN THE SAME POSITION THAT DIANE SHOT HERSELF AND IS CURRENTLY DREAMING). Rita screams, runs outside, and feels that the only way to protect herself is to cut her hair and don a blonde wig. RITA OWES MUCH DEBT TO BETTY; BETTY HAS BEEN THE ONLY ONE THERE TO HELP HER, AND THESE FEELINGS OF GRATITUDE SUDDENLY TURN TO FEELINGS OF LOVE AS RITA SEDUCES BETTY THAT SAME NIGHT. The two make love, and it is here where Diane’s fantasy has hit its zenith. Everything has worked out for the best in her dream; after Betty helped Rita and the two became close trying to solve Rita’s identity (an identity that could NEVER be solved), the two fell in love.


Club Silencio

I give this last section its own title because I am unsure about where to properly place it. One part of me says it is Diane beginning to wake from her dream, while another says the entire scene is simply a metaphor for everything being an illusion. What we do know is that Rita begins saying “Silencio” in her sleep quite incessantly, followed by “no hay banda…no hay banda en el orchestra.” She then demands that Betty accompany her to Club Silencio, which appears to be in some rusticated back alley away from all civilization (it almost looked eerily reminiscent of the back of Winkie’s and where the monster might be hiding out, but that is probably due to the lighting of the scene.) They sit inside, and we see the magician utter the exact same words Rita was muttering in her sleep. HAD RITA BEEN HERE BEFORE? HOW WOULD SHE KNOW ABOUT THIS CLUB? My opinion is that the entire club is an illusion- Diane fantasized about getting Camilla back; but Camilla is in essence saying that she cannot be had. By taking her to Club Silencio, she shows Betty that everything was an illusion. She did not really make love to Betty just minutes before…it was just in Betty’s mind. The entire scene reflects the theme that it is simply a “recording”- Betty can dream about being with Camilla, but it is not REAL. Once the performer sings her song and collapses, Betty discovers the blue box in her purse, suddenly materialized. They go home, Rita gets the key out from the closet hiding space, and when she turns around, Betty has disappeared. SHE HAS AWOKEN. THE DREAM IS OVER. As the blue-haired woman at the end of the film quietly says, “SILENCIO”- Diane’s world is now silent, and her fantasy has come to an end. The illusion is gone. Reality has kicked in, and now Diane is dead, lying in her bed after having shot herself.


Conclusion

I think this is a good way to interpret the movie, but like a true Lynch film, I’m sure there are several other possibilities. While I like my interpretation, there are a couple of things I cannot explain- for example, why is “Cookie” the emcee at the Club Silencio? I am trying to think of why he is both there and at the hotel where Adam is staying- I know this is trivial, but I’m sure Lynch tossed him in there for a reason- or maybe it is a deliberate Lynchian red herring, and Cookie perhaps moonlights at the Club Silencio at 2 in the morning (!). Oh well, not every mystery in this film can be solved. I hope everyone enjoyed that interpretation, and that everyone sees this movie many more times before it shows up on DVD (where I hope it arrives soon). The more I think about this movie, the more I see similarities with the “Usual Suspects”, for some reason- Verbal Kent basically using things he sees in the office to tell fantastical stories about the past; much like Diane using people and places in her reality to dream about a fantastical past. But comparing a movie like this to the “Usual Suspects” does not to David Lynch justice. See this movie again!

salaciousV said:

there it is...its a tenpage read if you print it out...but, wow does it say alot..

ice..did u read that big ole long essay?

SkletonKee said:

I am just about to get into it!