This is so much more than no comprehendo

Rating: 10/10 (14 April 2002)

I've decided that this is my favorite Lynch film, but it is an aquired taste nonetheless. I saw this film several times when it was in theaters and a couple more since it was released on DVD. I really don't care about the whole thing about the blurring of Laura Herring's private area (David Lynch even admitted he did that on purpose to prevent perverts from exploiting it) or the whole one chapter DVD thing. Mr. Lynch is demanding you to watch the film in its entirety. What's so bad about that? I was actually ANGRY when Lynch got Oscar nominated. Only then would an ununderstanding mainstream actually watch this film, only to gripe about they didn't "get it." I would insist that the serious film-watcher not listen to anything those people have to say. I was also very disappointed when I heard that this wasn't going to be a television show since I had loved "Twin Peaks" so much, but Lynch is a cinema person. Network television just doesn't deserve his talents. I still hoped he would release the pilot in some fashion. Then I heard he won Best Director at Cannes. I wondered what the lovely was going on. As it turned out, the project turned out to be a surrealist gem! I think most of it makes sense. I've tried explaining what I think the "meaning" is, but not many people will listen b/c I guess more people want to pay attention to b.s. like "Zoolander" or "Panic Room." I've heard every theory from the film is just a masturbation meditation on how modern Hollywood is the destruction of Zen to the whole thing is actually taking place in the 1950's and is the realization of the film that the director is casting. Whatever the "real" meaning, I think the whole thing is perfect! The music and cinematography is GORGEOUS and deserves EVERY AWARD in the the book! It is definitely Lynch's sexiest with beautiful locations, occasional Spanish language and lovely female physiques on display everywhere. It certainly surpasses the boredom that "Lost Highway," "Eraserhead," and "Dune" conveyed and the love theme is stronger than the ones in "Blue Velvet" and "Wild At Heart." I'm not quite sure if this is better than "Elephant Man," and "Straight Story," but they don't count since those were TRUE stories. "Mulholland Dr." seems to be total surrealism with realistic moral messages involving obsession, unrealistic dreams and mortality. There is a lingering grim sadness floating throughout the narrative, particularly in the second part (probably b/c of how ABC treated Lynch after he delivered the pilot). I'm really not quite sure what to make of that stupid blue key or whatever it is supposed to "open up," and the ending IS just a tad too hokey with the loss-of-innocence and embracing-of-the-abyss metaphors for my tastes. But what the film did for me was open up the possibilities of cinema (independent or mainstream) and suggested that imagination does actually exist and is necessary for survival even in this day and age. Naomi and Laura were really great too, especially in bed (tee hee)! You go Lynch!