Let me count the ways

Rating: Null/10 (14 May 2002)

I thought David Lynch's debut film, "Eraserhead," was enough.Then came his very recent film,"Mulholland Dr." and I was in again for the most mind-boggling and eerie viewing experience I've ever had.(With regard to generating such kind of experience, the only other contemporary film that has done so that I can think of is Alejandro Amenabar's "Abre los ojos.")
So, how do I understand "Mulholland Dr."? Let me count the ways.
1.) It can be a mystery/crime thriller:There appears to be an attempted murder against a beautiful and sophisticated woman;the failed crime leads to a memory loss that only complicates matters regarding who she really is and tracing the lead back to the prime "motivation" of the "crime."
2.) It can pass off as a rags-to-riches or a star-is-born story:There's this woman named Betty who comes to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress;the realization of her dream is almost within her reach if not only because she becomes deeply involved in "Rita's" (the woman mentioned above) case.
3.) It can just as well be a satire or black comedy:That is, on Hollywood as the "City of Dreams," on dreamy-eyed would-be actors and actresses, on pushy and despotic studio magnates, and on burned-out and (in certain instances) self-important film directors.
4.) It can be seen as a love story:Once again, not "just" a love story, but one that borders on the controversial and sensational, for, in the course of the film, we find that Betty and Rita have developed "tender feelings" for each other (which may be crucial in discovering the latter's true identity and digging the roots of her quandary).
5.) There's simply no need for any explanation at all:I guess that's one thing we should bear in mind for us to fully appreciate and enjoy "Mulholland Dr." We should let ourselves be completely lost in the maze that Lynch has set up for us.The thrill lies in complete acquiescence to the director's own "set of rules" and complete immersion in his own "private world."
(In my own case, just when I was beginning to be proud of myself for being able to follow "Mulholland Dr." with little problem, here came the pivotal last twenty-five minutes of the film and everything came back to square one;I came out of the film reaching for an ammonia.)