Lets do this: Understand Mulholland Drive 100%

[X-Nightcrawler]

Okay, there are sites out there that claim to know MD's exact interpretation. So, I thought the schmoes' heads are better than those half baked interpretations I've read so let's try this.

*SPOILERS . . . obviously*


So, I've come to notice that the movie's first half is Diane's dream life (literally, a dream). She took events and icons from her real life and inserted them in her dream ("Betty" [the name], her love for Camilla, the various characters that re-appear in her dream (the woman that kisses Camilla in the party [that person 'played' Camilla in the dream], the cowboy [she sees him pass by in the party and then plays the cowboy in the dream], Adam's mom [who 'plays' Coco in the dream] among many others).

I just discovered more re-appearances in the dream.

1. In the party scene (reality, remember):
She looks at Adam and Camilla holding the coffee in her mouth. Note how her face (extreme good acting here) looks at them and it seems like she wanted to spit the coffee out.

In the boardroom scene (dream)
We see that Castegliani dude who spits the coffee out. Maybe she expressed her wish to spit the coffee out through this dude. I can't think of a better explanation as for why he'd spit out "the world's best expresso".

2. In the party scene again.
Diane's mug says "S.O.S." Weird? Here's why (or my interpretation).

In the boardroom scene again.
This guy SCREAMS desperately "HEEELP MEE!!". Sounds familiar? There's the S.O.S. again!

Anything else, interpretations or anything you wish to add as for this movie's endless connections?

[fevers]

*SPOILERS*

I agree with the beginning being a dream. But I still don't understand the symbolism of Irene and her husband at the airport who aid Betty, but also appear at the end before she takes her own life.

Do you have any idea?

[X-Nightcrawler]

This is what I think: irene and her husband are the only ones who actually look forward to seeing Betty 'make it'. You agree? Anyway. I thought that when she sees them all miniature, it symbolizes the people who wanted to see her make it but they come to bother her and drive her to suicide. Remember how she sees them right after she notices that Camilla is dead (via the key) so she feels guilty.

Here's an issue I have with them . . . Two really:

1. Okay, why the hell are they forcing the smile when they are in the car?? They're obviously FORCING that smile and for that matter, why the hell focus two minutes on that scene with them in the car!? There's something important there and I want to find out what it is.

2. Secondly, why the hell did the miniature versions come out from the blue box which I believed should only appear in the dream (thenagain, maybe they did. The entire scene with the man and the blue box can be imaginary only to show us 'where' they come. And for that matter, again, what's with the bum?! He appears twice and well . . . he doesn't seem to have much connection. I still have some interpretation on him but I've rambled on too long.

[someguy]

That monster bum guy is SCARY

[pyscho dude]

That bum did scare me the first time I saw it. I'll give David Lynch this... he sure knows atmosphere and how to build suspense. There can be dozens of interpretations on this movie. David Lynch is probably the only person who even knows everything and even then maybe he doesn't. This is why I don't like Lynch's films. Their too damn confusing and you pratically have to figure out the entire thing by yourself. Some people may like that but I don't.

[spacemonkey]

I dont think that the first parts a dream.

Heres the cronological order in which I think things really happened:

1- Diane Selwyn (Naomi Watts) was an aspiring actress. She worked as a waitress at the local Winkys.

2- Diane and Camilla Rhodes meet on the audition for the "Silvia North Story" and fall in love.

3- Diane audition for the film that Bob Brooker is directing, but because the director likes Camilla more he gives her the staring role in the film. Camilla takes the leading role in the film and Diane is left in Camillas shadows, only being able to get small parts in movies that Camilla workds in. Later on the film that Adam Kesher is directing Camilla gets the lead role and falls in love with Adam, completely forgetting and ignoring Diane. (As evidenced in those cruel cruel scenes at the party)

4- Diane gets completely depressed, she cannot continue living her life without Camilla even though Camilla told her that it just wasnt going to work out anymore. Dianes depression gets worse to the point where she is seeing visions of Camilla with her while she masturbates. (Awesome scene by the way!)

5- Diane decides to have Camilla killed. She pays a hitman to kill Camilla while on her way to a party. But that doesnt work out Camilla doesnt die, the hitman disguised as Camillas limo driver fails to kill her and the limosine in which Camilla and the hitman where in ends up in a brutal car crash in which the hitman dies and Camilla completely looses memory of who she is and starts to aimlessly walk around till she ends up in Aunt Ruths apartment.

6- Meanwhile Diane, not being able to cope with her depression, starts to see little old people taunting and torturing her to the point of insanity. I think these two old people are really demons that have come to take her because she is about to commit suicide. I come to this conclusion because we see them coming out of the blue box that the bum/devil in the backstreet has. As we all know, people who commit suicide dont go to heaven, so I think thats why Diane sees these two old people coming after her like that. She after going completely insane decides to Kill herself in her bed with a shot to the head.

7- This is where the cowboy comes in. I believe that the cowboy is God. Heres why. His entrance is very mysterious when he talks with Adam Kesher hidden away in that corrall. In the ranch the lights are turned off but when the Cowboy comes in they magically turn on. Just the way the Cowboy talks demonstrates great wisdom, sympathy, patience and self control. He says that he is in charge of this "buggy" (in other words hes God, he knows what hes doing and hes in charge here) and that Adam has to do what he says. Then he tells Diane after she kills herself that "its time to wake up". Im thinking that he tells her this because he wants to give her a second chance at life. Im thinking God (or the Cowboy) deemed the events that happened to Diane unfair therefore he gives her a second chance at life, even though she killed herself. And this would explain why her life is now so happy and shinny, almost dreamlike in perfection. God has blessed her even more this second time around, therefore she is leading a waay happier life then the previous one. Not only this, but in order to make sure that everything works out for Diane, Bettys audition for Bob Brooker is super positive, but in her previous life she mentions that "Brooker didnt think much of her". For some reason that I dont fully comprehend, The Cowboy wants some other girl (that is also called Camilla Rhodes) to get the role in Keshers film.

8- Only problem is that Camilla with her lost memory ends up wondering into the same apartment in which the new Diane (now know as Betty Elms in her new life) is staying at. She came to stay at her Aunt Ruths apartment to audition for the part in Bob Brookers film..the same director that had rejected her in her previous life now thinks shes the hottest actress in the Universe! Anyhows it just so happens that Camilla right after her accident in the limo wonders into the same apartment that Betty/Diane is now staying in. Now they dont remember each other because Camilla has lost her memory and Betty Elms is no longer Diane. They quickly befriend eachother, but Im thinking this has to do with the fact that they were very much in love in her previous life. Camilla still remembers Diane deep in subconscious. This can be seen in the scene where they are at the Winkies and the waitress is called Diane, and this triggers her memory of Dianes name.

9- Betty being the good natured adventerous person she now is decides to help Camilla (who decides to call herself Rita cause she cant remember her own name) find out who she is. They both start to investigate and actually get to find out exactly what happened to Diane. They even find her dead decaying body in the bed. In other words Betty Elms actually gets to see her past body dead in the bed...of course she doesnt recognize it because its been dead for quite some time.

10- The love that they had for each other is still there, even though they do not remember their previous love affair, wich is why they end up falling in love (and having that incredibly steamy lesbian sexy scene...wow...) all over again.

11- Together they go to Club Silencio and the magician, through some sort of power transfer, makes the blue box appear in Bettys purse. What we can gather in club Silencio is that not everything is what it seems...meaning that Betty is not really Betty she used to be Diane. And Rita is not really Rita. Shes Camilla. This is also emphasized in the scene in wich Louise Bonner knocks on Bettys door and asks her her name and Betty says "Betty Elms" and Louise says "No it isnt!" The magician could also very well be the devil or a demon, because he gives Betty/Diane the blue box for Camilla to open with her key.

12- Heres where the scary bum in the back of the Winkies comes into play. I think this dude is either the devil or a demon coming to get Camilla for her previous wrong doings to Diane. The guy in the Winkies restaurant is just a person who has abilities to contact with the supernatural but he just doesnt know it. He can see the devil in the backstreet because of this, but he cant take it. Theres yet another character like this in the movie. Remember that old lady called Louise Bonner. She also has psychic abilities and realizes that Camilla "is in trouble". I think she knows that the devil dude is looking for Camilla to take her soul to hell. Anyhows, I think that this devil/bum dude is after Camilla/Rita to claim her soul. Which is why Camilla ends up opening the key to the "blue box" wich to me is like the gateway to hell. Kind of like the lament configuration of the Hellraiser films. Camilla got the key and Camilla ended up in hell. Just like she was supposed to. You can see this in that shot in which she opens the blue box and is sucked inside. To me she was sucked into hell.

Tadaaaa...thats my take on Mullholland dr.

Why Diane gets the blue key from that hitman. I still dont get that, but Im thinking that maybe she got it cause she was thinking of killing herself and killing Camilla.

Theres somethings in there that have nothing to do with the Diane Camilla storyline. Like for example, some of the things that happen to Adam. Like those scenes about his wife being unfaithful to him and him having trouble with his movie getting made. I think that this character is just Lynch venting out his own frustrations on making a movie. Which would make perfect sense since he is an underground filmaker who gets his films made with great struggle.

But anyhows, what do you guys think of my explanation? Make any sense?

[C-Desecration-]

Lynch should never, ever be known as a filmaker. Well, at the very least let's avoid "good writer" and "david lynch" in the same sentence, okay?
That said, he's a total artist. Mulholland Drive is a painting, not a movie. And like a painting, hundreds of people will try to interpret things that really don't deserve to be interpreted. Somebody could paint a blue blotch on a sheet and say "Finished!" . . . and there would be dozensof spectators trying to sum up just what that blotch symbolizes, what it means, what it's intentions are, etc.

Say hello to the spectators.


Keep those theories coming, guys.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Fucking interesting take space but here's the thing. Aunt Ruth is dead (they mention it somewhere). Diane only saw her in her dream (of course). Note in the DVD the clue "Where is Aunt Ruth"?

The scenes in the club Silencio (my favorite scene BTW) is when Diane (Betty) starts to discover that this is not real, that this is only a dream (makes sence, look how she gets nervous when she sees her perfect life isn't real). That's when the box appears. This box symbolizes "Truth". Notice how when the "Truth" is "Unlocked", Rita (Camilla) dissapears (since in reality she is already dead. Then, there's the process of waking up with the Cowboy and Aunt Ruth making short appearances.

The blue key was something the hitman told Diane "When it's done you'll see this". In her dream, Diane puts all things from reality to her dream. In this case, taking the key and making it the key to "Truth" or "Reality". I guess that's why it looks so futuristic or deamlike.

But I do agree on the take about the miniature old men.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by C-Desecration-
Lynch should never, ever be known as a filmaker. Well, at the very least let's avoid "good writer" and "david lynch" in the same sentence, okay?
Herecy! Burn!!

[pyscho dude]

Interesting theory Spacemonkey. I personally thought of the blue box as being an alternate dimension where they get replaced as other people. Maybe the entire thing was all just a dream. Who knows?

[spacemonkey]

Yeah I went with that theory mainly because of the Cowboy and The bum. The make me think so much of God and the Devil that everyting else just sort of fell into place. But of course I could be wrong.

[erinachan]

Originally posted by pyscho dude
Interesting theory Spacemonkey. I personally thought of the blue box as being an alternate dimension where they get replaced as other people. Maybe the entire thing was all just a dream. Who knows?

That's what I thought too!

but then I went onto a couple websites that helped me see new perspective on stuff and this is what I came up with..but again this was only my interpretation.....

SPOILERS

everything after the blue box is actualy reality, everything before the blue box was a dream/fanatsy of how Betty/Diane was hoping her life would go Rita was helpless and in love with her, she was getting cast and being praised for her superior acting, she had people who cared about her ect. as opposed to her real life (post blue box) where Camilla/Rita leaves her for the uberly hot Adam Keshner (I don't blame her..) she's getting all the roles and when Diane and Camilla were together, Diane would just ride on Camilla's coattails and get bit parts in films Camilla was starring in, thus the reason she imagines Rita as an amnesiac and helpless in her dream (pre blue box) it was how she wished Camilla actually was. Also Camilla is a horrible actress in the dream...

She gets the name "Betty" from the waitress in the diner who has the name tag that says "Betty" in real life, pre blue box, the waitresses name is "Diane"

The really scary hobo represents her overwhelming guilt for having Camilla killed.

The mafia type people during Keshners auditions: the "power people" of Hollywood they make all the decisions and they decide who will make it and who fails in the industry... they want the girl "Camilla" to play the part, Keshner obviously was gearing towards "Betty" but the power players wanted the girl "Camilla". This shows the dream world and reality intertwining, even in her dream she gets screwed over by Camilla, even if its not the same girl as in real life.

Like Space Monkey said, totally think the Cowboy is God...

I thought club Silencio like X-Nightcrawler said was set up to show that all of this was only a dream showed by the Lady singing, and the overwhelming emotion "Rita" and "Betty" had for her singing, only to find out that it wasn't real just like the whole world itself.

Blue box, eh I've gone on enough about that...

The super creepy little people at the end: Diane's hopes and dreams from when she first came to LA hoping to make it as an actress, they run after her as if they were haunting her and torturing her, she runs from them and is terrified by them because she realizes what has become of her and her past optimism and ambitions are torturing her to the point where she kills herself.

ok I think that's it, sorry if I repeated a lot of stuff!!

[C-Desecration-]

Herecy! Burn!!


Okay, look:
You know how many of you guys see 'WB stars' in pretty much every horror movie and fear for the genre's future?
Well I look at this thread and fear for this genre's future.

But for once I'm not here to complain, so don't take it that way. I'm actually enjoying sifting through these interpretations for the painting.

[spacemonkey]

That was actually preatty good erinachan, its cool how you can look at this movie in so many different perspectives!

I guess it is like a song or like a painting, basically it can mean many things to many people even if it really means something else to the artists, painter, singer.

Cool theory there Enrichan, Im going to see the movie again with that perspective. :D

I liked what you said about Club Silencio, if everything before the blue box was a dream, then what happens in club silencio makes perfect sense. That whole thing about everything being recorded or being fake.

Now what the heck does the magician do to her is what Id like to know! He kind of like grabs something from her like a power or something....I will ponder some more.

[C-Desecration-]

I guess it is like a song or like a painting, basically it can mean many things to many people even if it really means something else to the artists, painter, singer.

I'm kind of going to open this up a bit, in a different direction, but since this IS about discussing Drive just ignore me and this'll be the last "I'm totally off-topic" post. But I wanted to ask . . . well, do you guys n' gals really enjoy something that lacks finality? Jerry Seinfeld said it best: "We watch television shows because they end." Likewise, we watch movies for their finality. But like space mentioned, sit a group down and bring up Drive and there'll be dozens of different thoughts, none of which may actually be wrong. Another person said that this movie wasn't meant to be understood, really. I agree--not understood, just interpreted. Thus this is an awesome flick to discuss with friends (or schmoes), sure . . . but I don't know, I just dislike movies without this "finality". Without any concrete answers. Now that isn't as far-reaching as you'd think, because even more subtle, ambiguous movies like Session 9 and Donnie Darko have concrete answers.

[Elgyn]

[sigh]
Now if only there was a thread like this for "Cabin Boy".




This isn`t one of my favorite Lynch movies, but there ARE two scenes I absolutey love: the scary bum behind the building, and the miniture old people coming out of the box.

Aside from that...........I`d say "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks" were much MUCH better,

[Juice]

Originally posted by C-Desecration-
Lynch should never, ever be known as a filmaker. Well, at the very least let's avoid "good writer" and "david lynch" in the same sentence, okay?
That said, he's a total artist. Mulholland Drive is a painting, not a movie.

Although I know what you mean, I don't agree, simply because Mullholland Drive is a movie. A fish isn't a hamburger if you put some ketchup on it, now is it. It would be a fish with aspects of most hamburgers, like Mullholland Drive is a movie with aspects of some paintings.

And like a painting, hundreds of people will try to interpret things that really don't deserve to be interpreted. Somebody could paint a blue blotch on a sheet and say "Finished!" . . . and there would be dozensof spectators trying to sum up just what that blotch symbolizes, what it means, what it's intentions are, etc.


Putting a blue blotch on a sheet is a lot easier then getting a good cast together, create an atmosphere like in Mullholland Drive, etc. etc. Movies aren't all story.

[spacemonkey]

Holy molly, I just saw this movie again last night...and completely got the whole thing. Im completely 100% sure that my interpretation is correct. If you see the movie with that explenation I mentioned above you will get the whole film.

Trust me I got it.

Even the club silencio scenes!

I edited my previous explenation in my previous post a bit as to clear some things up, but I really think this is it. (For me anyways!)

Anyhows I really enjoyed the movie this time around, I love it even more now that I get the whole thing!

Only one little thing I dont get:

Why God/The Cowboy wants that other Camilla Rhodes girl to get the role in Adam Keshers film. I dont get that. Maybe God doesnt want Diane/Betty to get mixed up with Adam Kesher? Im thinking this is because then Adam would remember her and shes supposed to be dead.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
I dont think that the first parts a dream.

Heres the cronological order in which I think things really happened:

1- Diane Selwyn (Naomi Watts) was an aspiring actress. She worked as a waitress at the local Winkys.

2- Diane and Camilla Rhodes meet on the audition for the "Silvia North Story" and fall in love.

3- Diane audition for the film that Bob Brooker is directing, but because the director likes Camilla more he gives her the staring role in the film. Camilla takes the leading role in the film and Diane is left in Camillas shadows, only being able to get small parts in movies that Camilla workds in. Later on the film that Adam Kesher is directing Camilla gets the lead role and falls in love with Adam, completely forgetting and ignoring Diane. (As evidenced in those cruel cruel scenes at the party)

4- Diane gets completely depressed, she cannot continue living her life without Camilla even though Camilla told her that it just wasnt going to work out anymore. Dianes depression gets worse to the point where she is seeing visions of Camilla with her while she masturbates. (Awesome scene by the way!)

5- Diane decides to have Camilla killed. She pays a hitman to kill Camilla while on her way to a party. But that doesnt work out Camilla doesnt die, the hitman disguised as Camillas limo driver fails to kill her and the limosine in which Camilla and the hitman where in ends up in a brutal car crash in which the hitman dies and Camilla completely looses memory of who she is and starts to aimlessly walk around till she ends up in Aunt Ruths apartment.

6- Meanwhile Diane, not being able to cope with her depression, starts to see little old people taunting and torturing her to the point of insanity. I think these two old people are really demons that have come to take her because she is about to commit suicide. I come to this conclusion because we see them coming out of the blue box that the bum/devil in the backstreet has. As we all know, people who commit suicide dont go to heaven, so I think thats why Diane sees these two old people coming after her like that. She after going completely insane decides to Kill herself in her bed with a shot to the head.

7- This is where the cowboy comes in. I believe that the cowboy is God. Heres why. His entrance is very mysterious when he talks with Adam Kesher hidden away in that corrall. In the ranch the lights are turned off but when the Cowboy comes in they magically turn on. Just the way the Cowboy talks demonstrates great wisdom, sympathy, patience and self control. He says that he is in charge of this "buggy" (in other words hes God, he knows what hes doing and hes in charge here) and that Adam has to do what he says. Then he tells Diane after she kills herself that "its time to wake up". Im thinking that he tells her this because he wants to give her a second chance at life. Im thinking God (or the Cowboy) deemed the events that happened to Diane unfair therefore he gives her a second chance at life, even though she killed herself. And this would explain why her life is now so happy and shinny, almost dreamlike in perfection. God has blessed her even more this second time around, therefore she is leading a waay happier life then the previous one. Not only this, but in order to make sure that everything works out for Diane, The Cowboy Bettys audition for Bob Brooker is super positive, but in her previous life she mentions that "Brooker didnt think much of her". Then the Cowboy/God makes sure that Betty doest get the part in Adam Keshers film. For some reason that I dont fully comprehend, The Cowboy wants some other girl (that is also called Camilla Rhodes) to get the role in Keshers film.

8- Only problem is that Camilla with her lost memory ends up wondering into the same apartment in which the new Diane (now know as Betty Elms in her new life) is staying at. She came to stay at her Aunt Ruths apartment to audition for the part in Bob Brookers film..the same director that had rejected her in her previous life now thinks shes the hottest actress in the Universe! Anyhows it just so happens that Camilla right after her accident in the limo wonders into the same apartment that Betty/Diane is now staying in. Now they dont remember each other because Camilla has lost her memory and Betty Elms is no longer Diane. They quickly befriend eachother, but Im thinking this has to do with the fact that they were very much in love in her previous life. Camilla still remembers Diane deep in subconscious. This can be seen in the scene where they are at the Winkies and the waitress is called Diane, and this triggers her memory of Dianes name.

9- Betty being the good natured adventerous person she now is decides to help Camilla (who decides to call herself Rita cause she cant remember her own name) find out who she is. They both start to investigate and actually get to find out exactly what happened to Diane. They even find her dead decaying body in the bed. In other words Betty Elms actually gets to see her past body dead in the bed...of course she doesnt recognize it because its been dead for quite some time.

10- The love that they had for each other is still there, even though they do not remember their previous love affair, wich is why they end up falling in love (and having that incredibly steamy lesbian sexy scene...wow...) all over again.

11- Together they go to Club Silencio and the magician, through some sort of power transfer, makes the blue box appear in Bettys purse. What we can gather in club Silencio is that not everything is what it seems...meaning that Betty is not really Betty she used to be Diane. And Rita is not really Rita. Shes Camilla. This is also emphasized in the scene in wich Louise Bonner knocks on Bettys door and asks her her name and Betty says "Betty Elms" and Louise says "No it isnt!" The magician could also very well be the devil or a demon, because he gives Betty/Diane the blue box for Camilla to open with her key.

12- Heres where the scary bum in the back of the Winkies comes into play. I think this dude is either the devil or a demon coming to get Camilla for her previous wrong doings to Diane. The guy in the Winkies restaurant is just a person who has abilities to contact with the supernatural but he just doesnt know it. He can see the devil in the backstreet because of this, but he cant take it. Theres yet another character like this in the movie. Remember that old lady called Louise Bonner. She also has psychic abilities and realizes that Camilla "is in trouble". I think she knows that the devil dude is looking for Camilla to take her soul to hell. Anyhows, I think that this devil/bum dude is after Camilla/Rita to claim her soul. Which is why Camilla ends up opening the key to the "blue box" wich to me is like the gateway to hell. Kind of like the lament configuration of the Hellraiser films. Camilla got the key and Camilla ended up in hell. Just like she was supposed to. You can see this in that shot in which she opens the blue box and is sucked inside. To me she was sucked into hell.

Tadaaaa...thats my take on Mullholland dr.

Why Diane gets the blue key from that hitman. I still dont get that, but Im thinking that maybe she got it cause she was thinking of killing herself and killing Camilla.

Theres somethings in there that have nothing to do with the Diane Camilla storyline. Like for example, some of the things that happen to Adam. Like those scenes about his wife being unfaithful to him and him having trouble with his movie getting made. I think that this character is just Lynch venting out his own frustrations on making a movie. Which would make perfect sense since he is an underground filmaker who gets his films made with great struggle.

But anyhows, what do you guys think of my explanation? Make any sense?

:eek: *watches movie*

[X-Nightcrawler]

But first, I want to put out my take on MD.


Reality
1. Diane Selwyn is an aspiring actress who can't get her foot on the door.
2. There was a movie called "The Sylvia North Story" in which Diane auditioned for. There, she met Camilla, who seems to be the love of her life.
3. Camilla and Betty fall in love, have sex, whatever.
4. Now, Camilla is a better known actress who helps Diane with small parts in the movies she works in. Eventually, she (Camilla) meets Adam Kesher, who is directed a movie set in the 50's.
5. Camilla starts falling for Adam and one night tells Diane that they can't see each other anymore, they can't whatever. Diane, obviously gets pissed.
6. Camilla turns to a bitch and is very cruel towards Diane, taunting her and making her jelous of her and Adam.
7. Adam Kesher throws a party in his house (located above Mulholland Drive) and Betty is invited. In the way, they stop under the house and Camilla takes Betty to the party.
8. There, she meets an array of characters: Adam's mother among them.
9. In the diner, they suggest that Camilla and Adam are getting married (not before Camilla kisses some woman whose name is not revealed) this really pisses off Diane.
10. The following morning, Diane gets a hitman to whack Camilla Rhodes off. He tells her that when the job is done, she'll see they blue key. Now, this is a real hitman thing, they don't tell you but when it's done, they make sure you are noticed. She gives him the money and goes home.
11. She stumbles to her bed (seen in the POV shot in the very beggining.

Dream . . . bring on the symbolism.
*Remember* Dreams are not always entitled to make "Sense".
12. Taking the road she took to the party, Diane puts a character in the shape of Camilla in the limosine.
13. They stop in the same spot they stopped before (Diane didn't know any more of that road so they stop there). Putting in what she knew (the hitman job) that was gonna happen to Camilla. 14. Before she gets whacked, there is a car crash.
15. This character, now amnesiac, wonders the streets at night.
16. A woman leaves her apartment to her niece, called Betty Elms, who is arriving to Hollywood from Canada. The nameless character in the shape of Camilla runs into the house and sleeps there.
17. In flight, Betty (who takes Diane's own shape and a wairess' name) meets an old couple with great expectations for her. Their physical appearance is happy since Diane created them.
18. Diane reaches her house and meets the housekeeper named Coco (who takes the shape of Adam's mother).
. . . . following me? Good.
19. In another narrative string, a director named Adam Kesher (who takes Adam's shape) is in a meeting for a casting desicion.
20. This scene is still a dream and a lot of symbolism from the party scene is put in (read first post).
21. A mob boss wants an actress called Camilla Rhodes (taking the shape of the woman Camlla kissed in the party) cast in this movie. We see him many times, sitting in a chair.
22. Adam won't cast her (maybe this is more Diane wish. She doesn't want Adam with Camilla . . . this Camilla in this case).
23. As Adam refuses, the Mob bullies him. Sending someone his wife cheat on him with, cutting his money, whatever.
24. The mob sends someone who will make Adam understand. On comes the cowboy (taking the shape of the cowboy in the party she saw pass by).
25. Camilla is cast and Adam is left alone.
[Meanwhile in the apartment]
26. Betty meets with the nameless woman (who calls herself Rita) and decides to help her solve her identity. This woman has a lot of money in her purse (this represents the hitman's money).
27. They wind up in the place Diane is in reality and see her (not dead) sleeping. Huh? Yep. That body represented that Diane is there but well . . . maybe the dead look is foreshadowing.
28. At night, Diane's dream has more wish, when 'she' has sex with this woman who looks like Camilla,
29. The dream is coming to an end.
30. Before she wakes up, she is lead by Rita to this place called "Club Silencio" where a man hints her that this isn't real. None is.
31. Well, Betty realizes her perfect life isn't real and a mysterious blue box appears. This box represents "Truth" or "Reality".
32. The key is a dreamy representation of Camilla's death and that's why Rita opens it. When she does, Reality is unlocked (literally) and well, Sorry Diane but this woman is dead. She dissapears.

Waking up . . .
33. During the waking period, Diane sees some characters she saw in her dream: the cowboy, the owner of the apartment.

Reality 2
34. She wakes up and sees the key. Oh fuck, Camilla is dead.
35. The people who wanted to see her 'make it' in her dream torment her to the point of insanity and BANG! Suicide.

????
-In the afterlife, Camilla and Diane are 'reunited' and are seen over the city of dreams.

"Silencio . . . ".

That's my take. Now if you'd excuse me, I want to watch this again.

[spacemonkey]

One thing though...how can she have a dream...if she (in reality) shoots herself on the head?

She doesnt fall on the bed to fall asleep, she falls on the bed and in a fit of rage shoots herself in the head. No time to dream.

Also The Cowboy is seen at Adam and Camillas party raoming around in the background....he was there and he actually sees how cruel, cold and evil Camilla is being to Diane. Which to me would explain why he decides to give her a second chance and tells her "Its time to wake up". Time to wake up as in wake from the dead and come back to life as Betty with a mega happy and positive life.

The Cowboy tries for Betty not to meet with Camilla or Adam again (by not getting her to star in Adams Keshers movie) ...but as fate would have it, they end up meeting up yet again and falling in love yet again! That love that they in their previous encounter had brought them together again, even if it was an unintentional reunion!

[pyscho dude]

Even though I didn't like the movie all that much, all these theories make me just want to watch it again to get a better understanding.

[spacemonkey]

Hey Pyscho I saw it last night again and wow...it made perfect sense to me this time around. I felt like "wow! I finally got this damn thing!"

[pyscho dude]

Well I've only watched it once so I guess a second viewing is what's needed.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
One thing though...how can she have a dream...if she (in reality) shoots herself on the head?

She doesnt fall on the bed to fall asleep, she falls on the bed and in a fit of rage shoots herself in the head. No time to dream.
Those are two completely different scenes. We see when she's going to sleep in the opening with the POV shot. While she's asleep, Camilla is whacked and AFTER she wakes up, she shoots herself in the head.

[spacemonkey]

How would you explain the Cowboy telling her "its time to wake up preatty girl!"? He was obviously watching her dead body telling her to wake up from her death...plus what would he be doing in her room and how would he know where she lives? Its obvious he is God and he wants her back.

That POV shot at the beginning of the film to me is her falling on her bed to shoot herself on the head, not to fall asleep. Its symbolic yes and vague, but when put in the context of the film, its obvious she is falling on her bed to kill herself.

Its shown in two different parts of the film, (in Dianes death scene and in that POV at the beginning) but its the same moment.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
1. How would you explain the Cowboy telling her "its time to wake up preatty girl!"? He was obviously watching her dead body telling her to wake up from her death...plus what would he be doing in her room and how would he know where she lives? Its obvious he is God and he wants her back.

2. That POV shot at the beginning of the film to me is her falling on her bed to shoot herself on the head, not to fall asleep. Its symbolic yes and vague, but when put in the context of the film, its obvious she is falling on her bed to kill herself.

Its shown in two different parts of the film, (in Dianes death scene and in that POV at the beginning) but its the same moment.

1. Like I said, I think that's the process of waking up. She just sees shadows of those people in her dream. After all, that DOES happen in real life.

2. I beg to differ, if you see those two scenes together, the scenes are completely different. In the POV bit she's breathing heavily (she's tired, frustrated). In her dead scene she is almost running desperately, she's screaming, she reaches for the gun and whatnot.

In my opinion they look completely different.

[spacemonkey]

You know, I bet we could both see the movies from both of our points of views and theyd make sense in both ways! :D

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by spacemonkey
You know, I bet we could both see the movies from both of our points of views and theyd make sense in both ways! :D Maybe . . .

butminewouldbetherealone!!

*drives off*
:D

[spacemonkey]

*drives up to x-nightcrawlers car*

"Thats what you think buddy! Mine makes the most sense! Haa haa!"

*Spacemonkey flips x-nightcrawler the finger really fast, and his car transforms into a spaceship which flies off into an unknown galaxy where lynch, cronenberg and gilliam all gather to plan their next fucked up mind fuck film*

[X-Nightcrawler]

Hahaha. Lay off the dubbious space. :D

[BloodMan]

I've only seen this like 2 or 3 times now. The way I see it... its all simply about Hollywood and how it changes a person.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by BloodMan
I've only seen this like 2 or 3 times now. The way I see it... its all simply about Hollywood and how it changes a person. Sounds good but IMO that'd only apply with Camilla . . . she became a beeyatch!

Edit: Oh looky! This is my 4000th post with you schmoes!

[PeterVincent]

okay , i think i've gotta say what i think ....and i loved the movie after thinking this ...saw it a second time and got it even more ...

Its all made up untill the blue box , the blue box is symbolisom for her locked up memories (her reality , which she wants to forget ), which i see you guys get to .... but what i dont think oyur all getting or thinking to hard about is , is that she creats this huge lie in her head , she doesnt leave her place she just sits there and pretends ... and jerks off .... this is the way things would be , but the things in our minds are to many (people , places , jobs, loves , hates ) and her reality and dream state start crashing in on each other , untill see cant take it . She cant keep the characters up in her mind , theres to many plot twists , its almost like the director telling us 'this is what happens to writers ' , they get lost in their characters ... She makes her self likeable and friendly , and a great actress . but reality keeps on interrupting and confusing her , and us ....and at the end her characters come back to haunt her , it drives her mad and she blows her brains out ... she cant keep the lie up ....thats what i thought ..

[PeterVincent]

What i thought was amazing is , that if you watch the movie , watch Watts closely she is acting bad on purpose and then you get to the scene where she blows the studio away by acting great . this is something i think that is daring . I also like the fact that the old couple act so happy to meet her and its so fake that when they drive away their smiles wont come down , if you were to make a movie about your life you'd have every body love you too... and thats what she does . Another thing to look for is the fact that characters are used twice and so are names ( watch the theater scene again , the hotel manager is the curtain guy , the crowd behind the two girls are every one from the movie) . speaking of the theater scene , the woman is singing "alone and crying" and this gives watts convulsions , which means its effecting her ,she is realizing that she is alone and crying and that none of this is real . The other girl holds on to her to keep her in this dream state . I also believe the annoucer says something like " this is not happening" . when you get to the box closing and hitting the ground , thats when we see what is really happening . you see that her aunt never left and she was never there . you see how masterbating warps reality , they show this with fade in and out blur motion , then we see what she is pleasing her self too ...although it doesnt work she keeps leaving her .
amazing movie .

[spacemonkey]

Originally posted by PeterVincent
you see how masterbating warps reality , they show this with fade in and out blur motion , then we see what she is pleasing her self too ...although it doesnt work she keeps leaving her .
amazing movie .

I dont think that what Lynch was trying to show in that scene was that self gratification warps reality, Im thinking that was just a nifty way of showing how much into it she was at that moment.

She was having an orgasm when the blurring of her vision was ocurring. If you look closely you will notice that this blurring is actually her own point of view, her vision was blurry cause she was reaching extasy.

At least thats how I saw it.

[PeterVincent]

Yeah i agree that was her view , but i saw it as if she were crying and was trying to plessure her self through depression . when some one masterbates , they usally (i think alot of the time ) imagine something that isnt there and pretend there are other people touching them ... they make a fantacy come true . and i thought that this (movie) was a huge fantacy filled plessure fest . intended to fill all her dreams in her head . like the director getting pushed around , her girl friend helpless , her self an amazing actress and so on and so ....

well this is just my thoughts ... i dont think any one but Lynch will know what its all about ...and maybe he doesnt know either.
In fact this was going to be a tv show (his next twin peaks) , but to bad it never got picked up , there would have been so much more to it . I hate tv networks , they dont pick anything good up , and they cancel the best

[foxgate2000]

wow...and to think I just figured the first 2 hours of the movie being the girl's presuicidal mastabatory fantasy with the last 1/2 hour being her guilt for what she did driving her to suicide, represented by the old couple who chase her down.

[X-Nightcrawler]

Originally posted by foxgate2000
wow...and to think I just figured the first 2 hours of the movie being the girl's presuicidal mastabatory fantasy with the last 1/2 hour being her guilt for what she did driving her to suicide, represented by the old couple who chase her down. A friend had exactly the same ultra interesting take, I still consider them.

[foxgate2000]

Great minds think alike:p