Mulholland Drive

A friend I was watching the film with commented that "Mulholland Drive" puts him in a trance every time he watches it. I realized that I, too, was in a trance while watching the film, and even as the plot turned and my comprehension faded, I knew that I was watching rare excellence in the art of film.

Throughout the beginning of the film, I marveled at the confidence director David Lynch had in pacing his film so slowly. His film made me consider every other film, and it makes them seem like they rush through their scenes, they rush to show you what's happening. I can only explain Lynch's ability as age-nurtured skill. Scenes weave in and out without having any connection to one another, but I wasn't worried that they wouldn't match up in the end--I assumed that everything would be put in it's right place, and I guess the method of the scenes lulled me into intellectual apathy.

I thought at first that Betty was overacted, but now I think that caricature was played perfectly. Now, I think Naomi Watts is a talented actress, namely because she played two distinct characters that had no chance of being confused.

But. I must comment about the song sung at the "Silencio" club, the one sung in Spanish. It was beautiful. I found my heart longing for the note the woman would sing in the way that I long to hear someone I care about say my name. It was wonderful. And I am proud of myself because I knew while watching that that scene was important. I gave myself several pats on the back.

I am in awe of Lynch's use of symbolism (the color blue), because it adds another level to this complex film, making it better than the average film noir. The American Dream is not real, says Lynch. Hollywood lies. Life is not better there, on movie sets, in the world directors made long ago that we all think exists. And all the while, he shows us this through the life of an actress who tried to make it big but got jealous of another actress, had her killed, and couldn't handle both the guilt of murder and failure, so she kills herself after her cocaine-created dreamworld wears off. Brilliant.

I can't communicate the greatness of this film. Maybe because it's so great. Maybe that's the mark of greatness--not being able to tell every reason why it's great, but that it just is.