MULHOLLAND DRIVE

With Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring, Ann Miller, Robert Forster
Directed by David Lynch

Well alright! David Lynch is back on form with one hell of an intriguing, cryptic, visually stunning and yes, weird movie. Sure, The Straight Story wasn't what we expected of him - but that's part of its genius, besides the fact that regardless of its simplicity and, well, straight approach, you could feel Lynch bubbling underneath. Mulholland Drive could be seen as a Twin Peaks meets Lost Highway and won Lynch a Cannes Best Director award plus a few others. It is set against the backdrop of movie-making Hollywood where a sexy woman loses her memory after a car smash on Mulholland Drive. She accidentally hooks up with a young, starry-eyed aspiring actress who is new in town. Together they set out to find out who the woman is. This sets in motion one phenomenal visual feast of mind-, time- and character bending proportions. The mixture of characters contribute to the confusing (yet irresistible) narrative - men in diners describing strange dreams, hitmen knocking off more than intended, eccentrics, pretentious movie types and bit part characters who have more significance than you'd think. Just like accidents and coincidences are not necessarily as straight forward. I mean, Billy Ray Cyrus features in a small role - how weird is that! If you want to sit and figure out exactly what this marvelously executed film is about, by all means - all I know is it's one of the year's great ones (2002). Apparently this film was a rejected TV pilot, expanded into a phenomenal full lenght feature - one of the best conversions I've ever witnessed. After I saw this on the big screen for the first time, I exit the cinema and the world honestly seemed a touch on the different side, people's faces, everything had a strangeness to it, a glazed invisible halo of oddness. Whether it was the hypnotic pace (over an unnoticed 140+ minutes), crafty sound creation & editing and subtle take-over of your senses as Lynch sucks you into his realm together with Angelo Badalamenti's score, I do not know. Fact remains, not many movies leave you with an impression like that - even if it doesn't make sense at the time! That much more reason to watch this DVD again…and again…
The DVD bonus features include the movie trailer, interview clips and director & cast biogs (Lynch's an absolutely classic info-less byte, besides his filmography). The DVD cover mentions chapter selection (but you can't - probably a Lynch idea, having to watch it in one go!). It also states it is presented in full screen version, but the disc thankfully plays in widescreen (unfortunately not letterbox).

6 / A
- PB

click pic for the soundtrack review