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the movie is deep..but what's funny is that lynch always says that people shouldnt have any trouble understanding his movies...well when i saw it last weekend, folk were pissed off BECAUSE they couldnt get it. a lot of what you said i was thinking about when i watched the movie....so you are dead on in a lot of respects.
but mulholland drive is the shit..it will definitely be on my top ten films list of 2001 for real... Ryan
>If I had watched it myself >I would have left dejected, >mumbling to myself that I >was too "thick" to appreciate >what the fuck Lynch had >just dropped on me. >Thankfully, in the delicious post-film >discussion my friends began piecing >it all together for me >and this is the highly >fragile understanding I have of >the narrative thus far. > >Courtesy of my friends Nick Cvercko >and Crystal House > >Ok, here is what I (allegedly) >figured out about the movie >Mullholland Dr. by David Lynch. >I will be the first >to admit that the major >idea of fantasy/reality didn’t come >completely from myself. I was >getting there but had much >assistance from a friend of >a friend. I will break >it down into a character-by-character >basis at this point as >it is the easiest way >to understand it in one >sitting. First, there are two >major parts of the movie, >the first part is a >fantasy world. The second part >is reality. I will start >with the characters in the >reality portion, as again, it >is easier to understand this >way > >REALITY---------------------------------------------------------- > >Diane – Is the main character >in the whole movie. It >is her life that is >unfolding before our eyes. She >is a failed actress who >is madly in love with >a successful one (Camille). Camille >isn’t in love with Diane >but seems to be in >this thing for occasional sex. >Diane imagines a different life, >one where she is named >Betty which is a name >that she randomly gets from >a waitresses name tag. She >imagines herself in a world >where all of the things >actually work as she sees >they should or do work. >She decides to have Camille >killed when she doesn’t have >her way (which is when >she launches into her fantasy >at the sight of the >name “Betty”) At the end, >she kills herself when she >realizes that not only is >her fantasy so very far >from the truth, but that >she killed the one person >that she cares for in >the world. > >Camille- Is a successful actress who >decided to have a little >fun with this failed actress. >Doesn’t have any emotional attachment >to Betty instead falls in >love with the director of >her film. While Betty is >on the set one day, >Camille’s and the Directors feelings >for each other come into >plain view. Betty flips out >in a jealous rage and >causes quite a scene on >her set (no pun intended). >To save face around her >associates, she invites betty >to a cast party and >pretends like there is nothing >wrong between them and that >nothing at all is going >on between them. There she >announces her engagement to the >director. A hit man tries >to kill her in the >opening scenes of this movie >but teenagers racing their cars >do it instead. > >The Director- Simply picks Camille instead >of Diane for a part, >launching Camille’s career. He is >a general figure to which >Diane focuses her resentment. > >Hit man – Just some >schmoe that Diane finds and >pays to knock Camille off. >Tells her that when the >job is done, he will >place a blue key where >he can find it. > >Blond Actress (who’s name escapes me) >– This is the personification >of jealousy or betrayal in >Diane’s mind. She kisses Camille >just as Diane feels most >violated. Right when Diane feels >most violated, when Camille announces >her engagement to the director, >the actress comes up and >kisses Camille further enraging Diane. >She is one of a >few characters that I don’t >consider characters as much as >symbols for turning points. > >Cowboy – I listed the Cowboy >last because he is one >of the few characters that >transcends the Reality/Fantasy boundary with >no visible change. This is >because I’m actually disregarding him >as a character and making >him more a visible symbol. >In the Fantasy World, he >talks to the Director about >choosing the other blonde actress >for the part. He says >something about how attitude depicts >the outcome of life. He >becomes this philosophy personified. When >he wakes Diane up, he >is basically slapping her and >telling her to snap out >of it. He is telling >her that this reality is >her fault caused by her >negative attitude and that no >fantasy is going to change >that. He also tells the >Director earlier on that he >will show up once if >he did the right thing. >He then walks casually through >the party where Camille and >him announce their wedding plans. >When he shows up this >one time, he is not >so much saying that what >was done was right in >the right/wrong sense of the >word, he is saying that >the actions taking place are >right as in true. This >is what happens when she >approaches life with the attitude >she has. These are her >consequences. > >Ok, from here, we must go >back to the beginning of >the movie where the fantasy >starts. > >FANTASY---------------------------------------------------------- > >Betty – Is Diane as she >sees herself in her fantasy; >an innocent, talented actress who >loves the woman in her >life dearly and is loved >back. She decides to help >this person out and when >this happens the romance is >started. Later on, they attend >a theater in the middle >of the night that strongly >forces the thought that this >whole world is fake. During >this performance, her fantasy is >drawing to an end and >she starts to realize it >as she cries and goes >into minor convulsions. >Rita - This is Camille as >Diane wishes she were. She >gets in a car accident, >which was actually her assassination >attempt that she didn’t survive. >In the fantasy though, she >not only survives but forgets >everything from her past life, >most importantly she forgets about >Hollywood and everyone else that >Diane thinks that took her >away from her. She only >knows about her new found >friendship with Betty that quickly >turns into love. > >Diane – Ok, here’s the tricky >part. In the fantasy, Rita >sees a waitress while on >a search for a clue >of her former life. The >waitress is wearing a name >tag that says “Diane”, this >is not the Diane that >we are talking about here. >But just as the name >“Betty” gets the Diane in >the real life fantasizing about >how things could have been, >the name “Diane” lets >Rita >Remember a name from her life…the >real life. Then, when they >track down this Diane and >go into her apartment, they >find a body that obviously >died of a drug overdose >some time ago. They are >both shocked but Rita just >flips out. This is Diane >being bitter and suicidal in >her fantasy. This body is >the real Diane. She kills >herself and Rita is heartbroken. >This is Diane’s way of >saying “when I’ll be gone, >she’ll be sorry!!!” And if >you remember, when the cowboy >wakes Diane up from her >fantasy showing her the real >world, she is in exactly >the same pose in the >same apartment as the dead >body. Yes it’s confusing but >very keen. > >The Director – This is one >of the only characters that >is essentially the same in >the fantasy as he is >in reality, the only difference >is the people around him >and how they affect his >actions. He is the director >of a new picture. He >wants it his way but >the big wigs tell him >that it will go theirs, >guess who wins. He sees >Betty while auditioning for the >main women for his new >movie, he instantly likes what >he sees but his hands >are tied. > >The Mysterious Midget Producer guy in >the suit – This is >the invisible somebody that gets >in Betty’s way. She sees >herself as a wonderful actress >as shown by the audition >in her fantasy. Obviously, the >only reason that she wouldn’t >get the part that she >wants is that someone has >unfairly cut past the audition >process and pushed his favorite >actress into the spot. This, >to Diane, is the only >reason that she is not >successful, it’s not her fault, >it’s “the system”. > >The Blonde Actress who’s name still >escapes me – Once again, >she represents jealousy in Diane’s >life. When Betty goes to >the audition, she catches the >eye of the director right >after a stellar audition >a few minutes earlier. But >because the director was told >by “the system” that he >had to cast this other >girl, Betty gets nothing. > >The Creepy Neighbor lady who comes >to Betty’s door – Unfortunately, >this one eluded me. All >I really see her as >is a symbol for trouble >coming into the relationship or >trouble in Rita’s life that >comes between them eventually. But >for the most part, I >think she just moved to >plot along and gave it >some danger. > >The old people who turn out >to be really creepy - >These are the people who >at the beginning of the >movie say their goodbyes to >Betty and send her on >their merry way. They are >overly happy but this doesn’t >really matter. What matters is >when they come back during >the real world as tiny, >scary versions of themselves. They >are basically showing Diane that >she is delusional, that she >made her bed and has >to lye in it. They >symbolize her fantasy coming back >and haunting her, showing her >how it could have been >until she fucked it up. >This drives her to suicide. > >The really really creepy dark character > - This person is >closely related to the box >that he sometimes holds. He >shows up whenever fantasy and >reality suddenly switch positions. His >appearance at the beginning of >the movie was simply an >explanation for who he is >and what he represents. > >Assassin – This is the same >person in reality as in >fantasy. His appearance in the >fantasy is a short one >but shows Diane’s rationalization. She >dreams up this little slapstick >filled scenario looking down on >the assassin, showing his light >attitude towards killing. This justifies >her use of her services >in her mind seeing as >though so many have died >by his senseless killings anyway. >Eventually though he delivers the >key to her, the key >represents guilt for her actions. > > >So you see, when at the >end of the fantasy, Betty >starts to realize that she >is Diane and that nothing >around her is real, this >box appears in her purse. >When this box is opened >with the blue key, the >same blue key that the >assassin leaves for her when >he completes his job. This >key is a symbol for >Diane’s guilt. When it appears >in the fantasy world, it >ends it. This is her >realizing what she has done >to her only love and >this kills her fantasy, letting >everything get sucked up into >the box. When she sees >it in her apartment, she >also realizes what she has >done to her love and >instead kills herself. > > Well, that’s it… I think. >I might have left something >or somebody important out but >I think that this brings >the movie together pretty well. >I’m open to suggestions and >or questions. Later on. > > >"The task of philosophy is learning >how to die." - Socrates > > >"If you live day to day >then you probably live life >more than a cat who >got a Benz bankroll and >a wife cuz yo I've >seen a lot of folks >who's so called success = >depressed and look up to >broke peeps who hold the >mik now." -Evidence > >"Socialism...let's hear that dirty word."-Jay Bulworth >
Illusion is the first of all pleasures. --Oscar Wilde
They strike one, above all, as giving no account of themselves in any terms already consecrated by human use; to this inarticulate state they probably form, collectively, the most unprecedented of monuments; abysmal the mystery of what they think, what they feel, what they want, what they suppose themselves to be saying. --Henry James
Get Out the Room https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/get-out-the-room/id525657893
Some of y'all need this in your life: http://www.psychology.com
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