Mulholland Drive has been one of my favorite movies for a long time. Some people complain that it doesn't make sense or that the movie thinks it is more clever than it really is. I personally do not agree, and I think it is a brilliant milestone in cinema.
This is a spoiler, but the way I have always viewed the film is as follows.
The first 2/3 of the movie is Naomi Watts Dream. You are getting to see a stream of her unconscious.
After the box drops and the cowboy says to wake up, we NOW get to see what the REAL world is like for Naomi Watts. Yes, it still goes into some "daydreams" but for the most part, this is now reality. We see lots of character and elements from Naomi's real life that had shown up in her dream, but her dream shows a lot about her psyche and the way she thinks abstractly about different events and people in her life.
Some people say the movie doesn't make sense, but if you think about it this way, not only does it make a lot of sense, but you can see how everything Naomi dreamt about gave further insight to how she really felt about the people and situations in her life, and you begin to see a very complex character. By experiencing her dreams and her reality, you know a lot about this woman's thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
It is a very creative way of telling a story that is, in some ways simple, and in other ways, very complex. I am a film-maker who lives in Los Angeles, so I love all the commentary about the film industry, and I love the fact that this movie explores the subconscious of a disgruntled actress in Hollywood and her perceptions of the film- industry. I think that they parallel a lot of actors experience and provide a lot of good commentary about the industry in a way that can be both serious and very humorous.
Lynch is also known for his great sound design and ambiance and it shows here. He is great at creating a mood, creating tension, and making you feel a certain way. Some scenes feel very uneasy while others feel very familiar and he achieves a lot of this through subtle sound design.
Between the creative script, the brilliant directing, and the wonderful performances, this movie is a truly an experience that should not be missed.
This is a spoiler, but the way I have always viewed the film is as follows.
The first 2/3 of the movie is Naomi Watts Dream. You are getting to see a stream of her unconscious.
After the box drops and the cowboy says to wake up, we NOW get to see what the REAL world is like for Naomi Watts. Yes, it still goes into some "daydreams" but for the most part, this is now reality. We see lots of character and elements from Naomi's real life that had shown up in her dream, but her dream shows a lot about her psyche and the way she thinks abstractly about different events and people in her life.
Some people say the movie doesn't make sense, but if you think about it this way, not only does it make a lot of sense, but you can see how everything Naomi dreamt about gave further insight to how she really felt about the people and situations in her life, and you begin to see a very complex character. By experiencing her dreams and her reality, you know a lot about this woman's thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
It is a very creative way of telling a story that is, in some ways simple, and in other ways, very complex. I am a film-maker who lives in Los Angeles, so I love all the commentary about the film industry, and I love the fact that this movie explores the subconscious of a disgruntled actress in Hollywood and her perceptions of the film- industry. I think that they parallel a lot of actors experience and provide a lot of good commentary about the industry in a way that can be both serious and very humorous.
Lynch is also known for his great sound design and ambiance and it shows here. He is great at creating a mood, creating tension, and making you feel a certain way. Some scenes feel very uneasy while others feel very familiar and he achieves a lot of this through subtle sound design.
Between the creative script, the brilliant directing, and the wonderful performances, this movie is a truly an experience that should not be missed.