Mulholland Drive

Rating:
Summary: Blisteringly Brilliant
Review: Bergman, Fellini, Kurosawa, Kubrick, Welles. A week ago, I would never have thought to have included David Lynch among these visionary masters. But then I purchased the DVD for 'Mulholland Drive' on a whim (something I rarely do for films I've never seen). I sat one night in front of the flat screen in my LA home, put the disc into the player, and was held captive for two and a half hours by a work of startling cinematic genius. It was, like all great films, a work that haunted me for days afterwards; a work that I wanted to immediately share with those closest to me -- but only those who would be willing, and able, to work through a very difficult film to the harrowing truths that glowered beneath the surface like a brilliant blue light.

There are many good filmmakers. There are some great filmmakers. But those handful who are considered true masters, true geniuses of the cinema, all share one trait: they adhere almost religiously to the idea of film as a Visual art form. Simply put, they allow the images, and the arrangement of those images, to tell the story. They aren't content, as most mainstream filmmakers are, with allowing a linear written narrative to wholly dictate the visual presentation of their films. Rather, they respect the raw, organic nature of an idea, they allow that idea to spread its roots, and they cull the images and the sounds together that will bend to the inclinations of that idea. Thus, these films, like 'Mulholland Drive,' do not follow the simplistic but comforting A-B trajectory of most films, which are usually nothing more than cinematic renderings of novels. (Film and Literature are equally important artistic mediums; but the masters understand that they are essentially very distinct animals and should be treated as such.)

And so it is that 'Mulholland Drive,' like Bergman's 'Persona,' Fellini's '8 1/2,' and Kurosawa's 'Rashomon,' decidedly turns traditional linear narrative upside down and inside out, and does so gleefully. Lynch's film is like a prolonged fever dream of the most intense human emotions: paranoia, anger, grief, jealousy, remorse and a soul-wrenching despair. It is a work that transcends its film noir underpinnings and becomes, ultimately, an incisive examination of Hollywood as 'Dream Factory' and of the troubling implications that arise from our unquestioning willingness to embrace its position as such. Lynch seems to suggest that our willingness to surrender to the 'dream' that is Hollywood makes us complicit in the crimes that Hollywood then commits to further sustain that 'dream.' And he doesn't exclude himself from this complicity (the brash young filmmaker Adam Kesher is arguably a self-parody).

I will not discuss the specifics of the plot because I think that would be a true injustice for those who have not yet had the privilege of working through this masterpiece. All I will say is that of all of the films from all over the world that I have had the honor of taking into my mind and my heart, few have shaken me as much as 'Mulholland Drive.' I cannot emphasize enough how brilliant Naomi Watts' performance is in this film. To even call it a performance seems like an insult. I have rarely, if ever, seen a young actress so fully inhabit the skin of her character as Ms. Watts does here. Her character arc in this film is not simply A to B to C. It is more like BA to AB to C, and what a heartbreaking C it is. Those of you who have seen and understood the heart of the film will know what I mean.

Mr. Lynch and Ms. Watts, if you are reading this, one lowly cinephile salutes you.

Rating:
Summary: Viva David Genius Lynch
Review: This movie tells you a mysterious adventure of two women in Hollywood, a search of one woman's lost memory that discovers the real nightmare of another woman who first comes to LA and dreams to be a movie star. I think it is hardly to summary this movie to other viewers by describing the story of it, see, that maybe the greatest point of the movie, you have to see and be more concentrate on it.
Personally, I guess what Lynch tries to express is a virtual and vituperative utterance on what the life of Hollywood is. Lynch insists on his style of making the thrill movie, which created another cinematic masterpiece among his works. Like Hitchcock's classic thrills, this one expertly grasps the audiences from the beginning to the end.

Rating:
Summary: A David Lynch film.......
Review: Too many people continue to fall into the Lynch trap: they approach his films full of expectations that he not only never intended to meet, but consciously and willfully subverted. A failed television project, Mulholland Drive will frustrate those looking for a traditional narrative, and those expecting such have been warned. The plot? Well, let's just say that David Lynch masterfully demonstrates in his own way how Hollywood is a soul destroying machine all too willing to swallow innocent dreamers. Lynch also, in his own way, condemns those who live vicariously through popular culture, its icons and its cliches. The film is drenched in "noir": Lynch is a master of moody and foreboding mysteries. Indeed, the film resonates a nightmarish atmosphere more disturbing than any horror film. Highlighted by great performances, Mulholland Drive intrigues, amuses, challenges. It's a film that plays by its own rules. In other words, it's a David Lynch film.

Rating:
Summary: Gasp! A Lynch film I (mostly) liked!
Review: Laura Harring is a woman who suffers from amnesia and Naomi Watts is the aspiring actress who tries to help her find her memories. The first two hours of Mulholland Drive is some of the best mystery/noir filmmaking ever, with two fantastic lead performances from the beautiful Harring and Watts (and an incredibly steamy and sexy love scene between the two) before unravelling into incoherent, "existential" babble in the last half-hour, obviously tacked on by director David Lynch, who couldn't figure out a logical way to end an otherwise logical film. Still, just for the 4/5's of the running time, this is highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: 3.5 Stars: Fascinating Tale, Annoying DVD
Review: When I saw this movie in the theater I found it utterly repellent and amateurish--I was especially disappointed with Naomi Watts for what I then thought was some of the worst acting I'd seen in years. I left the theater revolted by the whole affair. But then a strange thing happened. I couldn't get the movie out of my head at all. And I have long respected David Lynch as a filmmaker, so I began to think more and more about what he must have intended in the movie. I decided that I would get the DVD and wade into the weird waters again just to see, and I'm glad I did--plus, I felt safer watching this flick in the comfort of my own home. This is a film that demands to be seen more than once, and Naomi Watts's acting, I now realize, is mesmerizing in its range. Of course she's meant to be totally fake and hokey at first, and her "character" goes through myriad iterations, in both "acting" and Acting, if that makes any sense. The more I read about this movie from writers and critics I respect the more I see in Mullholland Drive.
But the DVD package is very annoying for what it lacks--except for offering the trailer and cast bios, there's nothing extra on it. In fact, worst of all, THERE ARE NO CHAPTER STOPS FOR SCENE SELECTION, and this is one of the main reasons people buy DVD's! So you are forced to fast forward to get to spots you want, which raises the question why is this on DVD in the first place?

Rating:
Summary: A Twisty, sexy and enthralling MULHOLLAND DRIVE
Review: David Lynch has long been regarded as a movie master of the weird and metaphorical. After all, who else would have a beautiful dead girl wrapped in plastic as the symbol of the popular cult TV series TWIN PEAKS??? MULHOLLAND DRIVE is a cinematic mystery in which a sexy femme fatale (Laura Elena Harring) and a smart blonde cutie (Naomi Watts) are thrown together in a bizarre series of events which involve memory-loss, Hollywood politics, sexual attraction, and the love/hate dynamic. Throughout the entire 2 and a half hour running time, this flick commands your attention as motives and identities change. This is NOT a film for those with short attention spans. Both Watts and Harring are alluring and wonderful as the women trapped in the bizarre surroundings. Ann Miller makes a solid appearance as Watts' landlady, while Lee Grant makes the most of her cameo as a rather spaced-out fortune teller. Unfortunately, those looking for the full DVD experience will be disappointed with this disk. Mr. Lynch has gone on record as not being warm to the concept of DVD features and this film reflects that. While there are the usual cast/crew bios and theatrical trailer, there are absolutely NO chapter stops, which forces the viewer to fast-forward to find favorite moments in the film. This is especially galling since this film demands repeated reviewing of various sections in order to better understand it. As a result of this, this film does not get the 5-star rating that it would probably get. However, if you enjoy the off-beat and weird, I heartily recommend this flick.

Rating:
Summary: CHAPTER STOPS
Review: I enjoy David Lynch movies. Mulholland Dr is no exception. It gets better with each viewing. I'm commenting on the lack of any chapter stops. The DVD for "The Straight Story" that David Lynch directed has a remark inside from the man himself: "I know that most DVDs have chapter stops. It is my opinion that a film is not like a book - it should not be broken up. It is a continuum and should be seen as such. Thank you for your understanding." I don't think the lack of chapter stops makes it a cheap or bad DVD, it is just the way David Lynch wants it. The DVD of his film "The Elephant Man" also is without chapter stops.

Rating:
Summary: Best Lynch's and 2001 movie
Review: It's simply the best 2001 movie.

Rating:
Summary: NO CHAPTER SELECTION ON DVD? COME ON! MR. LYNCH
Review: As huge fan of david lynch i was extremely disappointed in the dvd version of Mulhallond drive. First of all there are no extras in the movie and by far no chapter selections in the movie. I guess he wants the audience and the true fans of his film to see the whole movie and not skip bit and pieces of it that they like. The movie was excellent by all means, plots that make you think before it happens. The movie starts slow at first but it gets better as it ends. Anne Miller gives a very awesome preformance as betty, the struggling actress, as well as Laura Elene Harring as the amenestic "Rita". I know david lynch purposely made the dvd version without any chapter selection because he wants the viewer to experience the point of his movie and ideas of his creation rather than skip their favorite scene. True it may work, but it will only irritate folks that are use to chapter selection on dvd like myself.

Rating:
Summary: movie=awesome dvd= rip off
Review: I love mulholland Drive. i absolutly adore the movie, but this dvd release is the only material thing i have ever seen that actually made me angry. Not only is there no bonus features. but theres no scene selection. What is the point of having a dvd if there is no bonus material or at least a scene selection. Now the one thing that makes me want to grab every copy of this dvd and destroy it is that its edited. THE MOVIE IS CENSORED. They blur out the genitals of one of the lead actresses in one scene. there is no point in purchasing this dvd. Wait until theres a unrated "special edition" or whatever if there even is going to be one.