Part of A Film A Day
Part of Essential Films To Watch

"No hay banda! There is no band. Il n'est pas de orquestra! This is all a tape-recording. No hay banda! And yet, we hear a band. If we want to hear a clarinette, listen. … It's all a tape. It is an illusion."

In all honesty, I'm still trying to wrap my head around what I just watched. Mulholland Drive is one of the most confusing films I've ever seen. Along with this, the film possesses a very dream-like atmosphere, and a sense of surrealism which is undeniably terrifying. The greatness of this film, though, much like Lynch's other films, is seeing the story unfold.

Now, I've put off this film for far too long, but seeing as though 2014 has seen a increase in my interest for David Lynch's work, I decided to see one of his most praised works, Mulholland Drive. And while his other films have possessed the Lynch-ian style, this film ultimately encompasses everything he stands for. The weirdness, the confusion, the surrealism, the silence; all worked to perfection by Lynch. Though the film feels a bit long towards the end, when you find yourself scratching your head, desperately trying to figure out what's happening, Lynch has created an absolutely magnificent story here.

I heard back in 2012 countless times about how Tom Hooper was a ballsy filmmaker because Les Miserables was a distinctly different film; both in it's cinematographical style, but more importantly, it's use of song as a form of dialogue. Though it's true that Hooper did something unique, it could never measure to what it took Lynch to create this film. It's a film that the general person won't like, due to its confusing nature. I mean, even when you look at the other directors nominated for the Oscar in 2002, and you find the films: A Beautiful Mind, Black Hawk Down, Gosford Park, and The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring. Though I can attest to all these films being great, none of them tackled to be as innovative, and refreshing as Lynch was with Mulholland Drive (excluding maybe LOTR considering its grandiose style of storytelling).

So, though the cinematography is mesmerizing, and the acting stunning, the true beauty of Mulholland Drive is seeing the story unfold, and experiencing a film which deters in every way possible from the conventional boundaries of modern cinema. So to this, I say thank you Mr. Lynch. With Mulholland Drive, and your countless other great films (Eraserhead, to name one I especially love), you have left an everlasting imprint amongst the realm of cinema, and truly are one of the most influential, and innovative filmmakers of all time.