Film Club Recap: Mulholland Drive
There's something about watching a David Lynch film with other people that makes the experience a lot more fun. Talk about having a conversation starter! For VOKSEE's inaugural Film Club screening, we gathered virtually to watch “Mulholland Drive,” Lynch's hypnotic 2001 neo-noir masterpiece, and kept the Slack chat popping with all the excitement, confusion and theories. It was the perfect first pick for a group of people that love a film that makes you really, really think.
While the rest of us were busy trying to figure out the meaning of the blue box, VOKSEE co-founder Duane Hansen Fernandez was, as usual, nerding out over all the details. Here’s a handful of the trivia gems he discovered; they are too good not to share.
Lynch earned a Best Director Oscar nomination for “Mulholland Drive,” but it was the only nomination the film received, and he lost to Ron Howard for “A Beautiful Mind.” That category also included Peter Jackson for “The Lord of the Rings” and Ridley Scott for “Black Hawk Down,” it's safe to say Lynch was probably never seriously in contention, which, depending on your feelings about the Academy, is either outrageous or completely unsurprising.
Winkie’s Diner. "Winkie's on Sunset Boulevard," where some of the film's most iconic and terrifying scenes unfold, was actually shot at a former in Gardena, California, about 20 miles away from Sunset Blvd.
“Mulholland Drive” began as a 90-minute TV pilot for ABC in 1999. The network passed, calling it too slow and unconventional. Lynch later expanded it with new material, including the super freaky Club Silencio sequence, funded by Studio Canal Plus. The result? One of the most acclaimed films of the decade.
The Tout Paris book spotted in Aunt Ruth's apartment is of course so much more than a prop — it's a French guide to decorative arts. According to film critics, its presence reinforces the film's themes of transformation, identity, and the slippery border between reality and dream.
Now, for the discussion recap. Note: This time we had Film Club Members join the watch party live to discuss or watch before and email their discussion answers. For the next film, we’ll all watch before the scheduled live discussion.
DHF:
There was a time, not so long ago though it feels archaeological now, when you left a film like “Mulholland Drive” and simply had to sit with it. Of course the internet existed, but it wasn't the instant oracle it has become. There weren’t multitudes of Reddit deep-dives, no YouTube essays rendering mystery into bullet points before you'd even driven home. If you wanted to understand what David Lynch had just done to you, you had to talk to another human being. You shad to share that experience, and then you got to theorize, debate, and occasionally argue loudly in a diner at midnight. That friction, that beautiful cognitive discomfort, was, in its own way, a kind of gift.
Watching “Mulholland Drive” again now, what strikes me is how alien its confidence feels in the current landscape. Contemporary cinema has developed an almost anxious compulsion to explain itself, to flag its themes, underline its emotional intent, ensure the audience arrives safely at the correct conclusion. Lynch never trusted you with a map.
Though today’s lens, the film doesn't feel dated; it feels like a masterpiece painting hung in a multiplex.
RPF:
The most memorable part of the film? I'll probably never be able to stop thinking about the scene where Betty is kissing the old man in the audition. He was so tan, and it was so repulsive. Nightmare fuel.
As for what the film is really about, I’m not sure. Honestly, every time I thought I understood what was happening something even more insane took place. I may still be reeling a bit from the monster behind the dumpster? And was that supposed to be Camille?? I’ve decided the whole point is to leave me unsettled and confused and not always in that order. If so, 10/10.
I’d recommend “Mulholland Drive” to anyone who loves a mystery, and not just a mystery in the story, a mystery in the filmmaking itself. For anyone who loves to peel back the layers on things and look at the story within the story (within the story), this is a solid choice for movie night.
SGA:
The most memorable scene for me was when they go to the theater and the lady begins singing.
I think the film was really about the multilayered woman’s mind — dreams vs reality, and what love can make people do, to put it very, very simply. It could also really just be a love letter to Los Angeles, depending on how you look at it.
Who would I recommend this to? Every new boy that wants to kiss lol.
MAB:
The most memorable scene was when Rita/Camilla opens the blue box, and you realize the first sequence of the movie was a dream or an alternate reality created by Diane/Betty.
I picked up on a couple of the themes of the film:
Being a talented actor and working hard isn't always enough to get you the part. It's all about who knows who, who owes whom a favor, and unfortunately, what other things you might be willing to do to launch your career.
You can be a big fish in a little pond, but that often doesn't translate to being a big fish in the sea. Back home, you may be seen as talented and wonderful, but then you get to a place like Hollywood and realize you're just normal, or even below average.
I would recommend this movie to someone who likes David Lynch or who enjoys cinema as an art form.
Two more things:
1. I found this theory pretty fascinating.
2. Watching this 25 years later, I realize that Justin Theroux has aged like fine wine!
We're already planning our next Film Club pick — title to be announced very soon — and don’t want to watch it without you. Whether you're a seasoned cinephile or just looking for a great excuse to watch something worth talking about, this film club is for you.
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