Mulholland Drive

MULHOLLAND
DRIVE
W R I T T E N A N D D I R E C T E D B Y D A V I D LY N C H
DISCLAIMER
“Film is a language. It speaks to people but not always with

words and solely with the intellect. So it takes, not an effort
but a certain attitude to see certain films that have these
abstractions and things that are not normal but they are
very easily understood, if you think and feel and arrive at
your conclusion.”
- David Lynch
BACKGROUND OF THE FILM
The majority of the first

100 minutes has been
filmed as a TV pilot in
one sequence, while the
entirety of the final 45
minutes was completed
a year later.
THE TITLE
Mulholland Drive is the road that
connects Los Angeles with the San
Fernando Valley, a mysterious
path full of curves, winding around
the dark and ominous Hollywood
Hills, and as such corresponds to
the puzzling structure of the film
itself, which dances on the verge
of neo-noir mystery, psychological
thriller; a highly artistic horror
film, with narrative curves and
free falls.
OUR INTERPRETATION
The first two hours is a dream representing the ideal
world of Diane.
The events of the dream along with characters and little

details are taken from her life and are dictated by her
insecurities, tendencies, beliefs and actors.
This construct breaks down as they come to the

conclusion of the mystery. She wakes up disoriented
As the demons haunt her, she kills herself, too sick of

reality (the detectives might be banging on the door).
The ‘silencio’ at the end is the silence that her life ends
with.
PROOFS FOR
INTERPRETATION
CHARACTERS
REALITY DREAM
Diane Selwyn Betty Elms

-Failed actress -Aspiring actress
-Jealous, -Courageous, optimistic
-Insecure about the - Always in control
Environment -Friendly environment
-in love with Camilla
Camilla Rhodes Rita

-Successful -Lost, vulnerable, innocent, polite
-insensitive to an extent -The hunted one
-Grateful to Betty
REALITY DREAM
Blonde Camilla Rhodes Blonde Camilla Rhodes
-The one who may be -The one who gets the
having sexual relations Role unfairly
with Camilla
Adam Kesher Adam Kesher

-Successful director -Loses creative control
-Engaged to Camilla of his film
-Has recently gone -Gets betrayed by the
through a successful his wife
divorce
REALITY DREAM
Unnamed Dan
Diane sees him in Projects her fears on him.
The cafe
Coco Coco
-Sympathetic towards -Supportive landlady
Diane
-Does not like Camilla
Joe Messing Joe Messing

-Confident and -Over confident
effective loudmouth
at his job -Messes things up
PREMISE
After getting her ex-lover killed out of jealousy, an unsuccessful

actress starts dreaming in her sleep about an ideal world
which stands at a stark contrast against her reality. In the
dream she pursues a mystery with her lover, which inevitably
brings the dream to its end. Her guilt among other demons
and memories drive her insane leading to her suicide.
THEME
Cinema, dreams or even hallucination is an illusion which

can be very comfortable but facing the uncomfortable reality
is inevitable.
Reality is the true nightmare.

CONFLICT
• Internal conflict:
1) Guilt about having Camilla killed and feeling helpless about it
2) Sadness for not being able to be successful
• External conflict:
1) Wanting to help Rita find her true identity. (In direct opposition to Diane)
CASTING IN THE
DREAM
MOTIFS
USAGE OF BLUE:
• Blue is representative
of reality
• Blue key opens the
blue box leading to
the end of the dream
• Blue haired woman
• Blue box in which they
hide the bag of money
SUPERIMPOSED AND OVER-EXPOSED IMAGES
“THIS IS THE GIRL”
SHIFTING FOCUS
THE BLUE BOX & KEY
ANTAGONISTIC FORCES
1. Camilla
2. Forces controlling the
Hollywood film industry
3. Adam Keshar
4. Herself (Betty)
FILM REFERENCES
1. Sunset Boulevard
(1950) Directed Billy
Wilder
• The café and the house
are both in the same
area.
• Both the films deal with
characters consumed by
a failed dream of
Hollywood (Norma
Desmond & Diane
Selwyn)
2. Blue Velvet (1986)
Directed by David Lynch
CLUB SILENCIO
NAVRAS
All nine emotions included
in Navaras are present in the
film:
1. Shringara (love/beauty)
2. Hasya(laughter)
3. Karuna (sorrow)
4. Raudra (anger)
5. Veera ( heroism/courage)
6. Bhayanaka (terror/fear)
7. Bibhatsya (disgust)
8. Adbutha (surprise/wonder)
9. Shantha (peace or tranquility)
NARRATIVE STYLE & WORLDVIEW
• Comments on cinema itself,

deliberately equating it with
dreams.
• The worldview is pessimistic
(Down ending)
• Challenges the illusion of reality
(No Hay Banda)
• Surrealist approach
ORDER OF EVENTS
1. Diane makes love to Camilla and the jealousy comes in. (02:02:55)
2. Diane sees Camilla and the director on the set getting intimate. (02:03:07)
3. Diane throws Camilla out of the house. (02:05:16)
4. Diane masturbates after throwing her out. (02:05:39)
5. Diane gets a call from Camilla and goes to the party where the engagement is
announced (02:07:36)
6. Diane hires the killer to murder Camilla. He tells her about the key. (02:17:15)
7. Diane drugs herself to sleep. The DREAM unfolds. (02:26 to 01:56:34)
8. Diane opens the door to her neighbour. She takes the lamps and dishes and informs
Diane about the detectives who "came by again" (01:57:48)
9. Diane sees Camilla and then a projection of herself. She makes the coffee. (02:00:13)
10. The ghost puts the blue box in a wrapper, the old couple comes out of it. (02:18:21)
11. Diane sees the key on the table, a confirmation that Camilla is dead. The old couple
enters the house, someone starts knocking on the door (possibly the detectives). As
the couple haunts her, Diane kills herself. (02:19:00)
RESTORATIVE STRUCTURE
Everyday: Betty moves to Aunt Ruth’s house to pursue her
dreams
Disparity: Meets Rita and decides to help her find her

identity
Decisive action: Opening of the blue box, leading to the end

of Diane’s dream
Stasis: Diane shoots herself

OTHER
INTERPRETATIONS
1. Sexual abuse of Diane theory

2. The old couple
3. Couples dancing
4. The mystique and ghost
5. The scene at the director’s
house
6. Women carrying bags
NO HAY PRESENTACIÓN
Silencio.

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What is the premise of the film?

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What are some of the film references mentioned in the document?

MULHOLLAND

“Film is a language. It speaks to people but not always with

The majority of the first

The events of the dream along with characters and little

This construct breaks down as they come to the

As the demons haunt her, she kills herself, too sick of

Diane Selwyn Betty Elms

Camilla Rhodes Rita

Adam Kesher Adam Kesher

Joe Messing Joe Messing

After getting her ex-lover killed out of jealousy, an unsuccessful

Cinema, dreams or even hallucination is an illusion which

Reality is the true nightmare.

• Comments on cinema itself,

Disparity: Meets Rita and decides to help her find her

Decisive action: Opening of the blue box, leading to the end

Stasis: Diane shoots herself

1. Sexual abuse of Diane theory

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