MULHOLLAND DRIVE

"CHASING THE RAINBOW"

"THE BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS"
 

"HAVE YOU EVER DONE THIS BEFORE?"

"I DON'T KNOW ... HAVE YOU?"



"CATCHING THE BIG FISH"

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ... IS AN ABSOLUTE "MONSTER"

THERE IS JUST NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA

DAVID LYNCH "SMOKES" HOLLYWOOD ... "SMOKES" EVERY OTHER FILM DIRECTOR IN HISTORY ... AND "SMOKES" US

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - A MOVIE ABOUT HOLLYWOOD'S POST GOLDEN AGE DISCRIMINATION OF REDHEADS ...

ONLY A GENIUS WOULD REALIZE THAT HE SHOULDN'T ACTUALLY USE ... REDHEADS 

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS AN EXTREMELY CLEVER

(MINDBOGGLINGLY CLEVER)

SEQUEL TO BILLY WILDER'S "SUNSET BOULEVARD" 1950


SUNSET BOULEVARD - THE UNDERLYING TRAGEDY
THE COMING OF "TALKIES"

MULHOLLAND DRIVE - THE UNDERLYING TRAGEDY
THE COMING OF COLOR   

DAVID LYNCH GIVES US THE CLEVEREST SCREENPLAY IN HISTORY

 
... AS A PRANK ...

... AND PULLS OFF THE BIGGEST MIDDLE FINGER SALUTE IN HISTORY ...


HOLLYWOOD WILL EVENTUALLY GET THE MESSAGE ...


THAT WAS DELIVERED 14 YEARS AGO ...

SHE CAME TO HOLLYWOOD ...

SHE CHANGED HER NAME ... DYED HER HAIR ...
AND SLEPT HER WAY TO THE TOP ...


IN 200I

IF SHE HADN'T COME TO HOLLYWOOD ...

HADN'T CHANGED HER NAME ... HADN'T DYED HER HAIR ...
HADN'T SLEPT HER WAY TO THE TOP ...

NORMA JEANE MORTENSON WOULD HAVE BEEN 75 YEARS OLD

NORMA JEANE WAS DESCRIBED AS ...

"A SWEET GIRL ... DONE OVER BY HOLLYWOOD"

ANOTHER YOUNG ACTRESS

"DONE OVER BY HOLLYWOOD"

JUDY GARLAND



IN 2001 ... DAVID LYNCH WROTE A POISON PEN

"LETTER TO HOLLYWOOD"

HE CALLED IT ...

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"



"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A HOLOGRAPHIC

"ALICE IN WONDERLAND"

OR

"ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS"

(OR MORE APPROPRIATELY)

"BOTH"





"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" 2001


IN 2002, ROGER EBERT, AND 1000 STUDENTS AT COLORADO UNIVERSITY, SPENT FIVE DAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME, IN 30 YEARS OF AN ANNUAL ODYSSEY TO BOULDER, THAT ROGER EBERT HAD TO SAY ...

"WE HAVE FINALLY MET DEFEAT"


IN 2015, PLISSKEN BOON SOLVED THE PUZZLE OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS NO LONGER A MYSTERY


PROFESSIONAL FILM CRITICS / FILM ACADEMICS:

"JUST STICK TO THE EASY ONES GUYS"

LYNCH HAS PULLED OFF A BREATHTAKING PRANK

HE DID SAY HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING
"SUI GENERIS"

(HE WASN'T KIDDING! - THIS ALONE SHOULD HAVE FOREWARNED ACADEMICS THAT "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" WAS GOING TO GO WHERE NO DIRECTOR HAD EVER GONE ... AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT LYNCH HAS DONE ... TO A MIND-BOGGLING DEGREE)
  

AFTER 14 YEARS, THE GAME IS UP


LYNCH'S MASTERPIECE DOES ADD UP
HIS MIND BLOWING JIGSAW IS COMPLETE


THANK GOODNESS DESTINY HAD A HAND IN THIS, AND IT DIDN'T BECOME A TV SERIES, BECAUSE THE MOVIE IT DEVELOPED INTO, IS A TOUR DE FORCE, OF BOTH CINEMA, AND SCREENWRITING


"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS THE BIGGEST MIDDLE FINGER SALUTE IN HISTORY ...

AND IT'S DIRECTED AT HOLLYWOOD ...

SOMEHOW, IT JUST WOULDN'T SEEM RIGHT ... IF IT WAS A TV SERIES ...


A MOVIE ... SEEMS ... PERFECT!   

       "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" 

IT'S BEEN NEARLY 14 YEARS ... AND YOU STILL THINK HE GAVE YOU A DREAM? 

Can you really handle the truth? ....

You don’t need to go down the rabbit hole ... you just need to figure out ...

WHOSE TEA PARTY THIS REALLY IS ...

WE ALREADY KNOW WHO THE MAD HATTER IS ...

I watched “ERASERHEAD” many years ago, and it was pretty obvious back then that David Lynch is

ONE PRETTY SICK PUPPY

I have seen BLUE VELVET (a long time ago) and a couple of episodes of TWIN PEAKS, but apart from the beautiful SURREAL environments he creates, I had pretty much written him off as a guy who just threw paint at a canvas and pretended it was art

Since starting my (very part-time) blog, I have had a few dozen requests ... and most of those requests have been for ...

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

One guy said he would eat his hat if I could tell him what was going on ...

Well, it’s time to go and buy some mayonnaise buddy ...

Since watching "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ...

I no longer think that David Lynch is a guy that just throws paint at a canvas ...

I now think David Lynch is the cleverest writer / director in history ...

Art supplied by Grey Matter Art and the artist Gabz. - thank you

HEAVY SPOILER ALERT 

THE QUESTION YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELF: 

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH?

(IF YOU THOUGHT "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" FRIED YOUR BRAIN - YOU ARE NOT ALONE - BUT THE FULL EXPLANATION OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" MAY LEAVE YOU IN AN EVEN MORE STUPEFIED STATE)

(YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED) 

THERE ARE FOUR MAIN "SHOCKS" IN THIS MOVIE

ONE:

WHAT DAVID LYNCH HAS DONE

TWO:

THE THINGS HE HAS GOT AWAY WITH FOR OVER 14 YEARS

THREE: 

WHAT THIS MOVIE IS REALLY ABOUT

FOUR:

HOW UNBELIEVABLY CLEVER IT IS!

THIS IS PROBABLY THE CLEVEREST SCREENPLAY IN HISTORY

(ALTHOUGH YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW IT BY JUST READING THE SCRIPT)

I WOULD RATE "ENEMY" AS PROBABLY THE CLEVEREST "2D" SCREENPLAY I HAVE EVER "SEEN"

(AGAIN, IT WOULD CERTAINLY NOT BE OBVIOUS JUST READING THE SCRIPT)


(THE IMPLICATION / INFERENCE - IT'S WHAT'S RATIONALLY "BENEATH THE SURFACE" THAT REALLY DEFINES A SCREENPLAY / FILM)

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS "EXTREME 3D"
 

AS YOU HAVE NEVER KNOWN IT

SUI GENERIS AND MIND-BLOWING

FOR 14 YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO UNDERSTAND "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" WITH SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS

WHAT IT REALLY NEEDED ... WAS RATIONAL OBJECTIVITY

 

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

"Mulholland Drive" is a very complex film ... it is the most complex and clever film I have ever come across

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS THE MOST UNIQUE FILM IN HISTORY ... BY A LONG SHOT

The key to understanding "Mulholland Drive" ... is screenwriting

It is probably the finest example of screenwriting in history ... and I also consider it ... without doubt, the cleverest piece of filmmaking in history

I'm not sure where "Mulholland Drive" rates on all-time movie lists such as The American Film Institute or National Film Registry ... but believe me ... in the next few years you will see this film (near the top) on all lists ... rated as one of the greatest films of all time ... and forget about Oscars ... both "Mulholland Drive" and David Lynch will will go down in history with the likes of Citizen Kane / Orson Welles ... Vertigo / Alfred Hitchcock ... Sunset Boulevard / Billy Wilder ... The Godfather / Francis Ford Coppola ... 

(It will be a crime if David Lynch doesn't get a Lifetime Achievement Award in the near future)
   
(Producers, Directors, Film Editors, Screenwriters, Authors (people with some knowledge of screenwriting) seem to readily grasp my explanation of this film ... but some people struggle to grasp it's genius ... it has remained unresolved for 14 years for a reason ... it is an extremely complex and incredibly clever movie ... Lynch himself has said the screenplay took a lot of work ... and that's a genius (who molds and folds complex concepts seemingly effortlessly into his films) speaking)
 
SOME PEOPLE WILL GET IT ... A LOT WON'T ...
I DON'T LOSE ANY SLEEP OVER IT

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS - THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE GENERAL POPULATION IS JUST UNABLE TO GRASP THE COMPLEXITY OF THESE DEEP AND INGENIOUS FILMS, AND WHAT THEY ARE REALLY ABOUT - MANY EVEN WHEN THE UNDERLYING CLEVERNESS IS FULLY EXPLAINED TO THEM - NEVERTHELESS, IT DOES NOT DIMINISH THE SHEER GENIUS AND CREATIVITY OF THESE EXCEPTIONAL SCREENWRITERS / DIRECTORS

THE "VAST MAJORITY" DON'T REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH - THEY ARE QUITE HAPPY TO BELIEVE WHATEVER GARBAGE EQUALLY AS IGNORANT, BUT PRETENTIOUS FILM CRITICS AND ACADEMICS HAVE TOLD THEM IN THEIR DAILY BRAINWASHING MEDIUM OF CHOICE - VERY FEW SEEM TO BE ABLE TO "THINK FOR THEMSELVES" THESE DAYS - "TRUTH" SEEMS TO BE DICTATED BY "MEDIA INFLUENCE" - RATHER THAN FACTS - SONTAG - FOSTER WALLACE - EBERT - ALL JUST "PRETENDERS" THAT MANAGED TO CONVINCE THE MAJORITY THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT

("ILLUSION OF TRUTH")

THEY DIDN'T

DID EBERT "GET" "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ... "LOST HIGHWAY" ... "INLAND EMPIRE" ... OR "PERSONA"

NO, HE DIDN'T ... NOT EVEN CLOSE

 WHEN YOU ANALYZE SOME OF HIS WORK ... PARTICULARLY HIS WORK ON THE FILMS I ANALYZE ON THIS BLOG ... HIS WORK IS JUST AS "OBJECTIVELY THIN" AS MOST OTHER FILM CRITICS

THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS BLOG IS TO
"SHAKE THE TREE"

AND GET RID OF THE DRIVEL AND INSIDIOUS MEDIOCRITY THAT PERVADES (AND ULTIMATELY DEFINES) FILM STUDIES AND FILM CRITICISM

"SHOCKING THE MONKEYS"

WAKE UP YOUR BRAIN!
USE YOUR COGNITIVE ABILITIES! 

EVEN A FEW THAT DO GET THESE RATIONAL AND OBJECTIVE EXPLANATIONS SEEM HESITANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT - THEY WON'T FULLY ACCEPT THESE EXPLANATIONS UNTIL THEIR "BRAINWASHING MEDIUM OF CHOICE" SOMEHOW "VERIFIES" IT FOR THEM (THE VERY INTERESTS THAT HAVE BEEN SPOUTING RUBBISH ABOUT THESE FILMS FOR DECADES) - PEOPLE THESE DAYS SEEM TO BE "SHEEP" THAT BLINDLY FOLLOW THE CROWD - WITHOUT THINKING FOR THEMSELVES

THIS BLOG HAS ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE "UNBRAINWASHED" (VERY) FEW THAT CAN LOGICALLY AND RATIONALLY THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND DON'T ACCEPT THE UNCHALLENGED MEDIOCRITY OF CURRENT, AND PAST FILM CRITICISM - JUST HOW FEW HAS BECOME PAINFULLY OBVIOUS SINCE I STARTED THIS BLOG ... BUT THEN AGAIN ... IT'S CERTAINLY A NICE FEELING TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHASM BETWEEN THE VERY FEW THAT ARE ABLE TO GRASP THE TRUTH ABOUT THESE FILMS ... AND THE IGNORANT MAJORITY THAT CAN'T ... FOR WHATEVER REASON

I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT OVER 95% OF PEOPLE I TWEET TO ABOUT MY ANALYSIS INSTANTLY DISMISS IT, WITHOUT HAVING THE INSIGHT TO RATIONALLY PROCESS THAT THESE FILMS HAVE REMAINED (LOGICALLY) UNRESOLVED FOR YEARS, DECADES EVEN, AND THEY ARE GOING TO, ULTIMATELY, HAVE PRETTY RADICAL SOLUTIONS

THE VAST "IGNORANT MAJORITY" REMAIN BLISSFULLY HUDDLED UNDER THE "ILLUSION OF TRUTH" UMBRELLA THEY HAVE BEEN PEDDLED BY WHATEVER MEDIA MEDIUM THEY CHOSE TO WORSHIP

IT SEEMS THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE WORLD ARE ACTUALLY LIVING IN "THE MATRIX" 
  

  

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS MORE THAN CLEVER ... LYNCH HAS LITERALLY TAKEN CINEMA ... INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION ... AND I WARN YOU ... ONCE YOU CROSS THAT EVENT HORIZON ... YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE CINEMA WITH YOUR MIND ... NOT YOUR EYES ... MOVIES WON'T SCREEN IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES ... MOVIES WILL SCREEN IN YOUR MIND ... AND THE RESOLUTION ... IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU ...

(AND YOU WILL TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY LYNCH GETS ANGRY WHEN PEOPLE WATCH MOVIES ON THEIR CELLPHONE)

MOVIES ARE FILMED FROM "BLUEPRINTS" - SCREENPLAYS

WHEN A SCREENWRITER WRITES A SCREENPLAY - IT IS CALLED A "DRAFT" - EACH TIME A SCREENPLAY IS REWRITTEN OR UPDATED, IT IS CALLED A NEW DRAFT

SCREENPLAYS CAN GO THROUGH MANY, MANY REVISIONS (DRAFTS) BEFORE THEY ARE ACTUALLY FILMED AS A MOVIE

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT TO GRASP REGARDING "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

THE OTHER VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND - IS THAT OF A MOBIUS STRIP - "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A MOBIUS STRIP - AND MOBIUS STRIPS ARE LIKE A "TWISTED" FIGURE 8 - THEY HAVE AN "INSIDE" AND AN "OUTSIDE", AND A "TWIST" THAT JOINS THE TWO SIDES TOGETHER SO THAT THEY ARE CONTINUOUS

LYNCH HAS DONE THINGS IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" THAT NO OTHER FILM DIRECTOR IN HISTORY HAS DONE ... THINGS THAT NO OTHER FILM DIRECTOR IN HISTORY HAS EVEN DREAMT ABOUT DOING

MOST PEOPLE HAVE BEEN "BRAINWASHED" INTO BELIEVING "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A DREAM - THE "EASY" EXPLANATION - AND ARE, SADLY, RELUCTANT TO LET GO OF THIS ILLOGICAL, SOMEWHAT IRRATIONAL AND MISGUIDED THINKING

THIS BLOG ISN'T FOR BRAINWASHED SHEEP 

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - 2001

DECODED

(I AM CURRENTLY REWRITING AND UPDATING THIS ANALYSIS)

   

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A SEQUEL TO BILLY WILDER'S "SUNSET BOULEVARD" 1950

"SUNSET BOULEVARD"

DEPICTS THE AFTERMATH OF THE CHANGE FROM THE SILENT ERA OF FILM ... TO "TALKIES"

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

DEPICTS THE AFTERMATH OF THE CHANGE FROM BLACK AND WHITE "TALKIES" ... TO THE COLOR ERA

(HOLLYWOOD'S POST GOLDEN AGE DISCRIMINATION OF REDHEADS)

WINKIE'S DINER - SILENCIO - PARAMOUNT
SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SCENES IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"
ARE ALL INGENIOUSLY BASED ON
"SUNSET BOULEVARD"

(FOR INSTANCE - "SILENCIO" WAS FILMED IN LA'S HISTORIC TOWER THEATER - THE VERY FIRST THEATER TO SCREEN A "TALKIE" - "SILENCIO" IS A REPRESENTATION OF HOLLYWOOD (IMAGES SYNCED WITH SOUND - WHICH "BREAK DOWN" - JUST LIKE EARLY "TALKIES")

AND THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE HAIR ...
IS A REPRESENTATION OF NORMA DESMOND - WHO HATED "TALKIES" - SHE SAYS "SILENCIO" - SPANISH FOR "BE QUIET" - GLORIA SWANSON SPOKE SPANISH - LAURA HARRING SPEAKS SPANISH - HENCE THE SPANISH CONNECTION IN THE FILM)


THE SCENE THAT "UNLOCKS" MULHOLLAND DRIVE ...

IS WINKIE'S DINER

THE DIALOGUE AT THE TABLE BETWEEN DAN AND HERB ...

IT'S PURE SCREENWRITING

"DAY" AND "NIGHT" ARE WHAT SCREENWRITERS PUT AT THE END OF THEIR SLUGLINES ... TO DESCRIBE THE LIGHT

DAN'S "DREAMS" REFER TO SCREENWRITING DRAFTS

THE REASON THE WAITRESS HAS TWO NAMES - IT'S TWO DIFFERENT DRAFTS

(IT'S ACTUALLY TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORIES/WAITRESSES/TIME PERIODS (TWO DIFFERENT (BUT CLEVERLY INTERCONNECTED) STORIES/CHARACTERS - ONE STORY (DRAFT) ABOUT (CHARACTERS) BETTY ELMS/RITA, AND ONE STORY (DRAFT) ABOUT (CHARACTERS) SMALL-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN/BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES) - DIFFERENT CHARACTERS/TIME PERIODS - DIFFERENT CHARACTERS JUST BEING PLAYED BY THE SAME ACTORS, SEEMINGLY TO FOOL US ... BUT REALLY, TO MAKE AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL POINT)

(THE KEY ... IS TO DIFFERENTIATE "CHARACTERS" FROM THE ACTORS LYNCH IS USING TO PORTRAY THEM ... THIS IS THE KEY THAT UNLOCKS THE INGENIOUS AND MIND BOGGLING PUZZLE LYNCH HAS SET US - AND WINKIE'S DINER HOLDS MORE CLUES THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE SITUATION IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

(EVEN THE PHONE BOOTH AND LYNCH SHOWING US THE BACK DOOR TO WINKIE'S (TWICE) - ARE CLEVER CLUES)   

(THERE ARE ACTUALLY THREE STORIES HIDDEN WITHIN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - AND LYNCH IS USING/ROTATING THE SAME ACTORS ACROSS THOSE THREE STORIES ... TO MAKE THE MOST CLEVER, POWERFUL, AND PROFOUND STATEMENT ON DISCRIMINATION EVER MADE) 

"THE ONE WHO'S DOING IT"

IS "THE SCREENWRITER"

"I CAN SEE HIM ... THROUGH THE WALL"

IS THE "FOURTH WALL" 

 THE HOBO BEHIND WINKIE'S AND THE LADY WITH THE BLUE HAIR AT SILENCIO ... ARE LYNCH'S DEFINING MASTERSTROKES

PURE "SUNSET BOULEVARD"

(ALL WILL BE FULLY EXPLAINED LATER ... INCLUDING THE MYSTERIOUS BLUE BOX) 


"WITHIN THE ILLUSION OF "SUNSET BOULEVARD" WILDER DEVELOPS A REAL TRAGEDY, THE COMING OF SOUND"

WITHIN THE ILLUSION OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - THE UNDERLYING TRAGEDY ... THE COMING OF COLOR 
 

DAVID LYNCH GIVES US:

THE CLEVEREST FILM IN HISTORY

THE CLEVEREST PUZZLE IN HISTORY

ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND STATEMENTS ABOUT DISCRIMINATION IN HISTORY

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS ABOUT THE "DARK SIDE" AND SHALLOWNESS OF HOLLYWOOD

IT'S AN EXCEPTIONALLY CLEVER ESSAY ABOUT HOLLYWOOD'S POST GOLDEN AGE DISCRIMINATION OF REDHEADS ... USING HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPICAL BLONDE AND BRUNETTE ACTRESSES

(ONLY A GENIUS WOULD REALIZE THAT HE COULDN'T ACTUALLY USE REDHEADS IN THE LEAD ROLES ... BECAUSE THEN THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ... THINK ABOUT IT)

IT'S ABOUT ACTRESSES HAVING TO DYE THEIR HAIR - CHANGE THEIR NAMES (LOSE THEIR IDENTITY) - AND SLEEP AROUND ... TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD - A PLACE WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY DESTROY THEM ANYWAY

AS IT DID TO NORMA JEAN MORTENSON

MARILYN MONROE

WHO DYED HER HAIR - CHANGED HER NAME - AND SLEPT HER WAY TO THE TOP ... AND HOLLYWOOD DESTROYED HER

("MULHOLLAND DRIVE" CAN ALSO BE LINKED TO JUDY GARLAND - ANOTHER ACTRESS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY HOLLYWOOD)

NOTICE HOW REDHEAD NICOLE KIDMAN DYES HER HAIR BLONDE OR BRUNETTE FOR MOST ROLES - YET, IN THE BLACK AND WHITE ERA OF HOLLYWOOD, MANY OF THE BIGGEST FILM STARS IN THE WORLD ... WERE REDHEADS

(REMEMBER - "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" WAS MADE MANY YEARS AGO - IT'S NOT A COMMENT ON THE HOLLYWOOD OF TODAY ... AND FILMS LIKE "LA LA LAND")

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS ABOUT REDHEADS - THE ONES THAT DYE THEIR HAIR, TOE THE LINE WITH THE MOB, AND SLEEP AROUND ... MAKE IT BIG (CAMILLA RHODES) - THE ONES THAT DON'T DYE THEIR HAIR (DIANE SELWYN) GET "PASSED OVER" AND ONLY END UP SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES

WHEN COCO PATS DIANE SELWYN'S HAND AT THE DINNER PARTY - IT'S BECAUSE DIANE SELWYN IS ACTUALLY A REDHEAD (BEING PLAYED BY A BLONDE) AND COCO FEELS SORRY FOR HER

COCO'S APARTMENT BUILDING IS A HAVEN ... FOR REDHEADS ... THAT HAVE BEEN "DITCHED" BY HOLLYWOOD

(SIERRA BONITA APARTMENTS IS ALSO A HAVEN FOR REDHEADS)

(ANN MILLER - JUST LIKE LUCILE BALL, A "QUEEN OF THE "B" MOVIES" - WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY ACTRESS LYNCH WAS EVER GOING TO CAST AS "COCO" - AND, JUST LIKE THE WIGS IN AUNT RUTH'S APARTMENT, HER OBVIOUSLY DYED HAIR, IS A BIG CLUE)

AGAIN, AT THE DINNER PARTY, WHEN DIANE SELWYN SAYS BOB BROOKER "DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF ME"
... IT WAS BECAUSE SHE'S A REDHEAD

ACTORS DON'T NECESSARILY ACCURATELY PORTRAY (PHYSICALLY) THE ACTUAL CHARACTERS THEY ARE PLAYING IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

(AND LYNCH HAVING TWO DIFFERENT ACTRESSES PLAY A SINGLE CHARACTER CALLED CAMILLA RHODES ...
(AS WELL AS ACTRESSES PLAYING MULTIPLE CHARACTERS) ... IS A MASSIVE CLUE)

(LYNCH IS MAKING A POWERFUL STATEMENT)

THAT'S WHY THE HOBO BEHIND WINKIE'S IS PLAYED BY A WOMAN ... AND THIRTY YEAR OLD BLONDE, NAOMI WATTS, IS ACTUALLY PLAYING A REDHEADED TEENAGER ...
BETTY ELMS

WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION ... IS FOR A TEENAGER - THE REASON WOODY WOULD "GO TO JAIL" - A DETAIL THAT HAS BEEN CONVENIENTLY OVERLOOKED FOR 14 YEARS

(WOODY EVEN EMPHASIZES "GOING TO JAIL" BEFORE BETTY'S AUDITION EVEN STARTS)

WALLY TREATS BETTY LIKE A TEENAGER

(BETTY ELMS IS A REDHEADED TEENAGER - BEING PLAYED BY A 30 YEAR OLD BLONDE - NAOMI WATTS)

WALLY BROWN, WOODY KATZ, AND LINNEY JAMES ARE "RELICS" FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD
("WALLY'S TIME WAS UP TWENTY YEARS AGO")
THEY DON'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST REDHEADS
THEY LOVE BETTY ELMS

(REDHEADED LINNEY JAMES WAS AN ACTRESS ... IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD - NO LONGER BEING HIRED AS AN ACTRESS, SHE NOW WORKS AS AN AGENT)

 NOTE BOB BROOKER HAS A BLONDE ASSISTANT, AND COULDN'T BE MORE DISINTERESTED IN BETTY ELMS

(BOB BROOKER JUST ISN'T INTERESTED IN REDHEADS NO MATTER HOW GOOD THEIR ACTING ABILITY IS)

WALLY BROWN'S OFFICE IS STRAIGHT OUT OF
"SUNSET BOULEVARD"

AUNT RUTH'S APARTMENT HAS A SHOCKINGLY OBVIOUS AND OVER THE TOP ORANGE TONE (ONCE YOU NOTICE IT) - ORANGE, RED, AND BROWN TONES ARE USED EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE FILM

AND HOW MANY PEOPLE NOTICED THE PORTRAIT (LYNCH EVEN HAS IT CLEVERLY LIT) THAT WE SEE TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN AUNT RUTH'S APARTMENT?

(THE WOMAN IN THE PORTRAIT IS IMPORTANT - YET HER HAIR COLOR IS IRRELEVANT - THIS IS THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATORY MESSAGE IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - HAIR COLOR IS (SHOULD BE) IRRELEVANT - YET HOLLYWOOD DISCRIMINATED AGAINST REDHEADS DURING THE ERA LYNCH IS REALLY DEPICTING IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - EVEN TODAY, SOME REDHEADED ACTRESSES ARE STILL DYEING THEIR HAIR TO GET HOLLYWOOD ROLES)

(LYNCH IS AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS AT HIDING THE OBVIOUS IN PLAIN SIGHT)

THE JITTERBUG CONTEST ...
WAS FOR TEENAGERS

BETTY ELMS IS A TEENAGER

CAMILLA RHODES IS A 30+ WOMAN

DIANE SELWYN IS A 30+ WOMAN

RITA IS A 30+ WOMAN

BETTY AND RITA ARE FROM TWO DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS - AT LEAST 12 YEARS APART

(THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ALL THESE CHARACTERS WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER)

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ACTUALLY PORTRAYS A "DISGUISED" ERA (FURTHER BACK THAN MOST PEOPLE REALIZE) - BETTY'S SUITCASES ... AND MANY OTHER PROPS (SUCH AS THE "JITTERBUG") ... ARE ACTUALLY FROM THE 50'S

(LYNCH HAS SUBTLY AND CLEVERLY MIXED 50'S ERA PROPS WITH MODERN COFFEE MACHINES - PIZZA POSTERS - FIRE ALARMS - "HEALTHY ENZYMES" - BUBBLEWRAP ... AGAIN, HE IS AN ABSOLUTE GENIUS AT "SLIDING" THESE "DISCREPANCIES" PAST HIS AUDIENCE)

(WHY DOES HE DO THIS? ... I THINK IT'S TO SUBTLY TELL US ... THAT WE NEED TO LOOK CLOSER AT HIS FILMS ... GO "BENEATH THE SURFACE" ... THINGS ARE NOT REALLY AS THEY SEEM ... DON'T TAKE HIM FOR GRANTED)

(LOOK HARD - YOU'LL ACTUALLY BE AMAZED HOW MANY PROPS ARE IN FACT DEPICTING THE 1950'S AND 1960'S - AND JUST HOW "EFFORTLESSLY" LYNCH CLEVERLY DECEIVES US)

THE "JITTERBUG" WAS ACTUALLY IN FASHION FROM ROUGHLY THE 30'S TILL THE 50'S
A PERIOD COINCIDING WITH THE "BLACK AND WHITE" ERA OF HOLLYWOOD "TALKIES"

(THE TWO TEENAGE LOVE SONGS BEING LIP-SYNCED DURING THE AUDITIONS ARE ALSO VERY BIG CLUES AS TO THE "DISGUISED" ERA IN WHICH "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS ACTUALLY SET)

(AS WELL AS "THE SYLVIA NORTH" SETS THEMSELVES - EVEN "NORTH" IS A CLUE THERE ARE ACTUALLY FOUR TIME PERIODS)

 (ARE YOU STARTING TO REALIZE THE "DEPTH" AND CLEVERNESS OF THIS MOVIE?)

OLD FASHIONED BANNER
CHECK OUT THE CLOTHES ON SOME EXTRAS     

POINTS TO NOTE

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A TRIPLE HELIX STRAND OF DNA

IT HAS BEEN "GENETICALLY ENGINEERED" BY VERY CLEVER FILM EDITING

(FILM EDITOR MARY SWEENEY MUST HAVE BEEN "IN" ON WHAT IS GOING ON - AND SHE GIVES A BIG CLUE IN AN INTERVIEW - WHERE SHE TALKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF "INVISIBLE EDITING" IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

(SOME OF THIS "INVISIBLE" EDITING APPEARS "VIRTUAL" RATHER THAN ACTUAL - BUT MOST WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY INVOLVED SEPARATE CLAPPERBOARD TAKES AND MAKE-UP / PROP ADJUSTMENTS ETC) 

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" CONTAINS THE DNA FROM THREE SEPARATE, BUT INTERCONNECTED STORIES

(INITIALLY, THIS WILL BE VERY CONFUSING ... THERE IS NO "NICE" STEP BY STEP WAY OF EXPLAINING
"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - IT IS EXTREMELY COMPLICATED - BUT EVERYTHING WILL BE EXPLAINED, AND WILL FALL INTO PLACE ... FOR THE TIME BEING ... JUST THINK OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" AS AN (EXTREMELY) CONDENSED VERSION OF A TEN OR THIRTEEN PART TV SERIES, THAT CONTAINS THREE SEPARATE ... BUT INTERCONNECTED STORIES)

GIVEN FREE REIGN, LYNCH MAY HAVE EVEN SPREAD THESE THREE DISTINCT STORIES ACROSS THREE TV SERIES

(NOW THAT'S A REALLY BIG CLUE ... AS TO DECODING "TWIN PEAKS")

(COMING 2020) 

(THE WINKIE'S DINER SCENE IS A CRUCIAL "KEY" TO "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - IT WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER) 

TWO STORIES COMBINE ... IN A VERY CLEVER WAY, TO CREATE THE THIRD STORY

(THE BETTY ELMS / RITA STORY)

(THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS, EFFECTIVELY, A "HOLOGRAM")

SOME SCENES IN THE BETTY / RITA STORY ARE ACTUALLY "EDITS" FROM THE OTHER TWO STORIES

(ADAM KESHER IN HIS PORSCHE (NOTE THE 1950'S CAR TAIL-GATING HIM) BEING TOLD HIS MOVIE HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN IS FROM THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT - ADAM KESHER ON THE PHONE TO CYNTHIA IS FROM THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

 (ADAM KESHER'S MOVIE IS ONLY SHUT DOWN IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

(NOTE - I HAVE NAMED THE DRAFTS AFTER THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - THIS WILL BE FULLY EXPLAINED LATER)

SOME SCENES THEMSELVES ARE MULTIPLE EDITS (THE BOARDROOM SCENE - EVERY TIME THE BUTLER LEAVES THE ROOM) - BUT ALL EDITS ACTUALLY "BECOME" THE BETTY ELMS / RITA DRAFT

("COOKIE" FROM "COOKIE'S DOWNTOWN" HOTEL ALSO PLAYS ANOTHER ROLE AT SILENCIO - BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT DRAFT (WHICH MEANS, THAT WHEN WE SEE "COOKIE" TALKING TO ADAM KESHER AT THE HOTEL ... IT'S NOT A SCENE ORIGINALLY FROM THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ... IT'S FROM THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT) ... MELISSA GEORGE PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT - BECAUSE NAOMI WATTS AND LAURA HARRING ARE PLAYING DIFFERENT CHARACTERS (BETTY/RITA) IN THIS DRAFT)

(LATER, IN A SCENE FROM THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT (WHERE WE SEE LAURA HARRING PLAYING CAMILLA RHODES - A DIFFERENT DRAFT FROM THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING EARLIER)
... WE SEE MELISSA GEORGE PLAYING ANOTHER (UNKNOWN) CHARACTER KISS CAMILLA RHODES AT THE DINNER PARTY)

(MELISSA GEORGE IS PLAYING A TEENAGER AT THE AUDITION (THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT) - (TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT HER AUDITION SCENE - SHE DOES A GOOD JOB - YOU WILL ACTUALLY SEE A TEENAGER AUDITIONING) - WHEN WE SEE HER IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT, SHE IS PLAYING AN OLDER, MORE SOPHISTICATED CHARACTER - IT'S ACTUALLY A DIFFERENT TIME PERIOD - ALTHOUGH THIS IS IRRELEVANT BECAUSE SHE IS PLAYING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CHARACTER - LAURA HARRING IS PLAYING A 30+ CAMILLA RHODES)

CAMILLA RHODES MOTHER IS SITTING BESIDE DIANE SELWYN AT THE DINNER PARTY - SHE ALSO IS A REDHEAD - A BIG CLUE THAT CAMILLA RHODES IS A REDHEAD THAT DYES HER HAIR

(COUNT THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" THAT HAVE DYED HAIR - YOU WILL BE VERY SURPRISED HOW MANY THERE ARE - AND ALSO COUNT THE NUMBER OF REDHEADS THERE ARE IN ANCILLARY ROLES DURING THE AUDITIONS - WARDROBE ETC ... OR IN MINOR ROLES THROUGHOUT "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

(DID YOU NOTICE THE "OVER-THE-TOP" REDHEADS IN MULHOLLAND DRIVE? - "AUNT RUTH" - LINNEY JAMES - THE BACKING SINGER)

WILKINS, ON THE OTHER SIDE OF DIANE SELWYN AT THE DINNER PARTY, IS ALSO A REDHEAD

WHY ISN'T CYNTHIA, ADAM KESHER'S ASSISTANT, AT THE DINNER PARTY?

BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT DRAFT - AND IN THIS DRAFT - REDHEADED WILKINS IS ADAM KESHER'S ASSISTANT

(WALLY BROWN HAS A MALE ASSISTANT - THERE'S A LOT OF "EQUALITY" GOING ON IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

(BOTH WILKINS AND CYNTHIA LIVE AT COCO'S APARTMENTS - JUST IN DIFFERENT DRAFTS ... AND BOTH OWN A LITTLE DOG)

(IN THE RIGHT-HAND DRAFTS ... ADAM KESHER LIKES BRUNETTES - IN THE LEFT-HAND DRAFTS ... ADAM KESHER LIKES BLONDES - IN THE COMPOSITE CENTER DRAFTS ... ADAM KESHER LIKES REDHEADS ... THAT'S WHY BETTY ELMS CATCHES HIS EYE)

THE EYE CONTACT BETWEEN ADAM KESHER AND NAOMI WATTS IS EMPHASIZED - ON TWO OCCASIONS - JUST FOR A FEW SECONDS ... BUT IT'S A CLUE - IT'S HARD TO GRASP - BUT THIS IS A "VIRTUAL" EDIT - ADAM KESHER (THREE VERSIONS OF ADAM KESHER, BECAUSE THIS SCENE IS "VIRTUALLY" IDENTICAL IN ALL DRAFTS) IS ACTUALLY "SEEING" THREE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS

THIS IS A "VIRTUAL" EDIT OF THREE DIFFERENT DRAFTS - (OVER THE COMPLETE MOBIUS STRIP CYCLE, THERE ARE ACTUALLY SIX DRAFTS - THIS WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER) - BUT TO SUMMARIZE - THERE ARE TWO BLONDE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - TWO BRUNETTE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - AND TWO BETTY ELMS (ONE PLAYED BY A BLONDE ... AND ONE PLAYED BY A BRUNETTE - BUT BOTH ACTUALLY REDHEADS)

  (THEORETICALLY - ALL THESE PARTS WOULD BE PLAYED BY NAOMI WATTS AND LAURA HARRING - THREE ROLES EACH)

(AS WELL AS TWO RITAS (ONE PLAYED BY A BLONDE ... AND ONE PLAYED BY A BRUNETTE - BUT BOTH ACTUALLY REDHEADS) - BUT RITA DOESN'T INTERACT WITH ADAM KESHER)

(THERE ARE ALSO FOUR SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES LIVING AT SIERRA BONITA (WE SEE NAOMI WATTS PLAYING SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT) - (ALL ACTUALLY REDHEADS ON PAPER) - THAT WOULD ALL ALSO BE PLAYED, THEORETICALLY, BY NAOMI WATTS AND LAURA HARRING)

(OVER ONE COMPLETE CYCLE OF THE OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP, NAOMI WATTS WOULD (THEORETICALLY) PLAY TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - AND ONE ROLE AS BETTY, AND ONE ROLE AS RITA ... SIX ROLES IN TOTAL ... AND LAURA HARRING WOULD DO THE SAME)    

SO - JUST MOMENTARILY IN THESE VERY CLEVER "VIRTUAL" EDITS (ONE EDIT IS A "REAL" EDIT) ... THREE "DIFFERENT" ADAM KESHERS ... "SEE" THREE "DIFFERENT" ACTRESSES - TWO BLONDE, AND ONE A REDHEAD (PLAYED BY A BLONDE) - THREE OF THE PARTS THAT NAOMI WATTS WOULD THEORETICALLY PLAY OVER ONE BLONDE / BRUNETTE CYCLE OF THE COMPLETE "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" MOBIUS STRIP  

ONE

A BLONDE BIG-TIME ACTRESS TO BE DIANE SELWYN (ADAM KESHER WILL HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH BIG-TIME BLONDE DIANE SELWYN IN ONE DRAFT)

(HE WILL HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A BIG-TIME BRUNETTE ACTRESS (CAMILLA RHODES) IN THE OPPOSING DRAFT)

TWO

 OVER THE FOUR TIME PERIODS HE WILL ALSO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH A BLONDE BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES (PLAYED BY NAOMI WATTS)

 (AND A BRUNETTE BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN (PLAYED BY LAURA HARRING)

THREE

HE DOESN'T GET THE CHANCE TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH REDHEAD BETTY ELMS, BECAUSE THE DRAFT ENDS WHEN RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX

(AND, OF COURSE, REDHEADS DON'T BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES IN THIS DISCRIMINATORY HOLLYWOOD)

(THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS THE "SHORT" DRAFT)

(NOTE THE "MIRROR IMAGE" BLONDE/BRUNETTE "RECIPROCITY" GOING ON IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" (MOBIUS STRIPS ARE, EFFECTIVELY, "MIRROR IMAGES" ON BOTH SIDES ... WITH A "TWIST" TO JOIN THEM) - THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT ... BECAUSE LYNCH IS ACTUALLY INGENIOUSLY RUNNING "BOTH SIDES" OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... AT THE SAME TIME! (AND IN OPPOSING DIRECTIONS) ... AND THIS IS "CREATING" THE COMPOSITE "CENTER" BETTY/RITA DRAFT)

(THE "TWIST" JOINING (AND ACTUALLY CREATING) BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... IS THE BETTY/RITA DRAFT)

(THE TWO SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ARE CREATING THE CENTER "TWIST" (BETTY/RITA) ... AND THE "TWIST" IS ACTUALLY CREATING THE TWO SIDES ... IT'S A NEVER-ENDING CYCLE)

(THIS WILL BE FULLY EXPLAINED LATER ... BUT BASICALLY ... "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS "3 DIMENSIONAL" ... HENCE ... IT'S A MINDBOGGLINGLY CLEVER "HOLOGRAM" ... FROM LYNCH'S MIND)

THERE ARE ALSO "VIRTUAL" EDITS IN THE BOARDROOM SCENE - I THINK IT'S EVERY TIME THE BUTLER LEAVES THE ROOM - ALTHOUGH, AGAIN, LYNCH CLEVERLY MAKES ONE OF THEM "REAL" - NOTICE THE PIMPLE ON THE BUTLER'S KNUCKLE WHEN HE DELIVERS THE COFFEE / NAPKIN - ONE SECOND IT'S THERE - THE NEXT SECOND IT'S NOT - IT WAS "PUT ON" ... BY THE MAKEUP DEPARTMENT

(THIS IS THE REASON LYNCH SHOWS US CLOSE-UPS OF THE BUTLER'S HAND DELIVERING THE COFFEE / NAPKIN)

(ALSO ... THE COMMENT ABOUT THE COFFEE ...
"WHAT WAS IT LAST TIME?" ...
IS A CLUE TO THE MULTIPLE DRAFTS ... AND MOBIUS STRUCTURE ... OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

 "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS MINDBOGGLINGLY CLEVER ... AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO "REVERSE ENGINEER" THE FILM LIKE A PIECE OF INCREDIBLY CLEVER, HACKED TOGETHER, BUT (DELIBERATELY) SLIGHTLY MALFUNCTIONING SOFTWARE ... TO WORK OUT IT'S ORIGIN - THE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED TV SERIES

(THERE ARE DOZENS OF DELIBERATE "ERRORS" IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - LYNCH IS SLAPPING US IN THE FACE WITH THEM - LIKE A SCHOOL TEACHER TESTING TO SEE IF ANY STUDENTS ARE ACTUALLY AWAKE AND LISTENING ... AND CAPABLE OF COMPREHENDING THAT "SOMETHING IS NOT QUITE RIGHT WITH THIS PICTURE")  

IT'S LIKE PIECING TOGETHER FRAGMENTS FROM A SHREDDER OR ENIGMA MACHINE, USING THE COMBINED PIECES TO DECIPHER OTHER PIECES, AND SO ON

LYNCH HAS ONLY GIVEN US A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL STORY - BUT TV OR FILM ONLY EVER GIVES US A SMALL "CUT INTO PIECES" PERCENTAGE OF A "REAL-TIME" STORY

BLETCHLEY PARK TELLS US ... THAT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

EVEN DECODING LYNCH'S MIND

LYNCH HAS CREATED A THOUSAND PIECE JIGSAW PUZZLE IN HIS MIND ... HE'S GIVEN US LESS THAN 10% OF THE PIECES IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

BUT, YOU CAN, AS YOU WATCH THE FILM ... LAY THEM OUT IN THEIR RIGHTFUL POSITIONS, RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER ... ON A VIRTUAL, 3D SCAFFOLDING IN YOUR MIND ... AND PIECE THEM TOGETHER INTO A SLOWLY MATERIALIZING ORB

... YOU CAN MAKE OUT ... BILLY WILDER, CECIL B. DEMILLE (PARAMOUNT) ... NORMA DESMOND (SILENCIO) ... JOE GILLIS (WINKIE'S) ... SILENT MOVIES ... BLACK AND WHITE ... THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD ... THE COLOR ERA ... AND REDHAIR

AS IT TAKES SHAPE ... YOU REALIZE IT'S ACTUALLY A BEAUTIFUL THREE DIMENSIONAL SPHERE ... AND WHEN YOU SPIN IT WITH YOUR MIND ...

IT BECOMES A HOLOGRAM ... A THREE DIMENSIONAL WORK OF ART ... FROM LYNCH'S AMAZING MIND

AND ALL YOU CAN DO ... IS MARVEL IN IT'S GENIUS

TRULY ... A MESMERIZING PIECE OF CINEMATIC HISTORY 

 

THIS IS THE "FULL" TV SERIES "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"
THE "PINCH POINT" IS THE BLUE BOX

(IN FACT ... THE "PINCH POINT" IS THE ENTIRE BETTY / RITA STORY ... WHICH ONLY COVERS ABOUT 3 DAYS ... THE ENTIRE MOBIUS STRIP COVERS AT LEAST 2 X 12 YEARS)

IMAGINE YOURSELF TRAVERSING THE "INSIDE" SURFACE - TRAVELING THROUGH THE "PINCH POINT" OR "TWIST" ONTO THE "OUTSIDE" SURFACE - THEN TRAVERSING THE "OUTSIDE" SURFACE

TRAVERSING THE "INSIDE" SURFACE TAKES AT LEAST 12 YEARS - TRAVERSING THE "TWIST" TAKES 3 DAYS - AND TRAVERSING THE "OUTSIDE" SURFACE TAKES AT LEAST ANOTHER 12 YEARS - AND THIS CYCLE KEEPS REPEATING

     (BUT IN THE CASE OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - ALL THESE TIME PERIODS ACTUALLY RUN CONCURRENTLY, RATHER THAN CONSECUTIVELY)

TO FURTHER COMPLICATE MATTERS
"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS ACTUALLY A MOBIUS STRIP WITHIN A MOBIUS STRIP - AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY 4 X 12 YEAR PERIODS

(THERE ARE TWO MOBIUS STRIPS - EACH ONE TWO STORIES AND A TWIST (ONE SIDE OF AN OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP) ... LEADING INTO THE OTHER MOBIUS STRIP OF TWO STORIES AND A TWIST (THE OTHER SIDE OF AN OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP)

(TWO TIME PERIODS CREATING A TWIST - LEADING INTO ANOTHER TWO (HAIR COLOR REVERSED) STORIES CREATING A TWIST - WHICH LEADS BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS SENTENCE) 

IMAGINE TWO OF THESE "ORBS" SUPERIMPOSED

(TRACE THE JOURNEY FROM THE OUTSIDE SURFACE TO THE INSIDE SURFACE (VIA THE BLUE BOX PINCH POINT) WITH YOUR FINGER IN THE ABOVE "ORB" DIAGRAM  - NOTICE THAT IT FORMS A "FIGURE 8" - WELL, THERE IS ANOTHER RECIPROCAL "FIGURE 8" ALSO PLAYING OUT - AT THE SAME TIME - GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION)

(THESE TWO "FIGURE 8" MOBIUS STRIPS ARE "ONE STEP" (AT LEAST 12 YEARS) OUT OF STEP - SEE MY LATER DIAGRAM - LYNCH IS EFFECTIVELY "SLIDING" DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS TOGETHER)

(WHEN RITA "JUMPS" THROUGH THE BLUE BOX, SHE EFFECTIVELY ENTERS THE OPPOSING SIDE OF THE "OVERALL" MOBIUS STRIP AT A POINT WHICH IS AT LEAST 12 YEARS EARLIER)


(THESE FOUR TIME PERIODS, EFFECTIVELY, ALL RUN CONCURRENTLY)

BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES BLONDE
(SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN BRUNETTE)

BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES BRUNETTE
(SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN BLONDE)

BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN BLONDE
(SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES BRUNETTE)

BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN BRUNETTE
(SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES BLONDE)

(TAKE OUT HAIR COLOR
AND IT BECOMES TWO STORIES)

BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES / SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN

BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN / SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES

   
(BUT ... KICKER #1)

THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ARE ACTUALLY REDHEADS

THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ARE REDHEADS THAT HAVE DYED THEIR HAIR BLONDE OR BRUNETTE

(LYNCH IS VERY CLEVERLY USING HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPICAL (BUT DELIBERATELY "UNKNOWN") ACTRESSES TO PORTRAY CHARACTERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY REDHEADS ON PAPER) 

  THESE CREATE

TWO BETTY / RITA COMBINATIONS

(BETTY AND RITA ARE "COMPOSITES")

BETTY IS A "COMPOSITE" OF TWO (REDHEADED) TEENAGE WANNABES (CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN) THAT GET OFF A PLANE AT LAX - AND CATCH TAXIS TO SIERRA BONITA - BETTY CATCHES A TAXI TO COCO'S

(FOR SIMPLIFICATION ... I'M SAYING THAT THEY GO TO SIERRA BONITA ... BUT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY "LIVE" A 12 YEAR TIME PERIOD (TRYING TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD) IN THE TV SERIES)

(I THINK THEY DO ACTUALLY GO TO COCO'S - AND THE CLUE IS WHEN BETTY MEETS LOUISE BONNER - AND TELLS LOUISE BONNER HER NAME IS BETTY - LOUSIE BONNER SAYS "NO IT'S NOT ... THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE SAID" - BECAUSE IN THE LEFT/RIGHT HAND DRAFTS, HER NAME WILL BE CAMILLA OR DIANE, NOT BETTY - BUT IT'S EASIER TO DESCRIBE THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES IN TERMS OF SIERRA BONITA TO AVOID CONFUSION)

("THAT ONE'S IN MY ROOM AGAIN" REFERS TO THE REDHEADED TEENAGER THAT WILL DYE HER HAIR AND GO TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION, AND BECOME A BIG-TIME ACTRESS)

(BETTY IS A COMPOSITE OF THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE

RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES HIGHLIGHTED ABOVE) 

(BETTY ELMS IS A "COMPOSITE" OF TWO REDHEADS - ON PAPER, SHE ALSO IS A REDHEAD - BEING PLAYED BY A BLONDE)

(TWO STORIES COMBINE TO FORM A THIRD)

RITA IS A "COMPOSITE" OF TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES THAT ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS (ONE BLONDE - ONE BRUNETTE) THAT MAKE THEIR WAY TO COCO'S

(TWO STORIES COMBINE TO FORM A THIRD)

THE FOUR "EDITIONS" OF CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN GIVE US (COMBINED AS COMPOSITES) TWO BETTY / RITA COMBINATIONS

(ONE EACH SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - ONE "INSIDE" - AND ONE "OUTSIDE")

(ONE "TWIST" COMING DOWN FROM THE TOP OF THE ORB DIAGRAM - ANOTHER "TWIST" COMING UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ORB DIAGRAM ... EFFECTIVELY EACH BETTY/RITA "TWIST" HAVING ONE UP COMPONENT ... AND ONE DOWN COMPONENT ... A "COMPOSITE" FROM THE PAST (BETTY) AND A "COMPOSITE" FROM THE FUTURE (RITA) ... EACH CYCLE OF THE OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP WOULD REVERSE BETTY/RITA'S HAIR COLOR)

BETTY ELMS BLONDE / RITA BRUNETTE
(NAOMI WATTS - BETTY / LAURA HARRING - RITA)

BETTY ELMS BRUNETTE / RITA BLONDE
(LAURA HARRING - BETTY / NAOMI WATTS - RITA)

(EACH "INCARNATION" OF BETTY / RITA REPRESENTS TWO OF THE FOUR TIME PERIODS ABOVE)

(DRAW TWO "FIGURE 8" DIAGRAMS (HORIZONTALLY) - GOING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS - ONE "FIGURE 8" WILL ALWAYS ENTER THE "TWIST" FROM THE BOTTOM (LEFT AND RIGHT) - AND ONE "FIGURE 8" WILL ALWAYS ENTER THE "TWIST" FROM THE TOP (LEFT AND RIGHT) - "LEFT" AND "RIGHT" REPRESENTS BLONDE AND BRUNETTE - "TOP" AND "BOTTOM" REPRESENTS "PAST" (BETTY) AND "FUTURE" (RITA)

(THEORETICALLY - THE NAMES COULD ALSO CHANGE - "BETTY" COULD BECOME "RITA" - AND VICE VERSA - BUT THIS IS AN UNNECESSARY (AND UNLIKELY) FURTHER LAYER OF COMPLICATION ... IN TERMS OF THE EXPLANATION OF THIS COMPLICATED FILM)

(ALTHOUGH POSSIBLE, REVERSING THE NAMES WOULD ALSO UPSET THE "DUPLICITY" OF THE TWO BETTY/RITA DRAFTS - THE "OTHER" BETTY/RITA DRAFT WOULD NEED A MOVIE POSTER OF A FAMOUS REDHEADED "BETTY" INSTEAD OF THE "GILDA" RITA HAYWORTH POSTER IN THE BATHROOM - WHICH IS A MASSIVE CLUE LYNCH IS THROWING US)

(IF THE NAMES WERE TO REVERSE IN THE "ALTERNATE" BETTY/RITA DRAFT - PERHAPS THE MOVIE POSTER IN THE BATHROOM WOULD HAVE BEEN "THE STAR" WITH BETTE DAVIS) 

(BUT ... KICKER #2)

BETTY AND RITA ARE REALLY BOTH REDHEADED "COMPOSITES" - EXACTLY THE SAME (REDHEADED) CHARACTERS NO MATTER HOW THEY ARE PHYSICALLY DEPICTED BY THE ACTRESSES ONSCREEN 

(SO ... WE ONLY NEED TO SEE THE BETTY ELMS / RITA STORY ONCE ... TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

(BETTY AND RITA ARE THE SAME (REDHEADED) CHARACTERS NO MATTER WHAT ACTRESSES ARE PLAYING THEM ... SO ... THERE IS REALLY ONLY ONE VERSION OF THE BETTY / RITA STORY ... AND WE SEE IT)

(EVERY SO OFTEN ... I'M GOING TO REMIND YOU ...
DAVID LYNCH IS A GENIUS) 

SO ... THE BETTY ELMS / RITA STORY, EFFECTIVELY, IS A "COMPOSITE" OF ALL FOUR TIME PERIODS - THROW IN SOME FLASHBACKS FROM THE CAMILLA RHODES TIME PERIOD

(WITH SOME HELP FROM "THE COWBOY")

THE COWBOY IS BASICALLY A BIG CLUE AS TO WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON - HE'S LIKE AN ETHEREAL "SCRIPT READER" ATTEMPTING TO "CORRAL" THE CHARACTERS AND THE SCRIPT - IT'S THE COWBOY WHO DECIDES WHAT'S GOOD ... OR BAD

THE COWBOY REMINDS ADAM KESHER HIS DESTINY IS DOWN TO HIS OWN ATTITUDE (ADAM KESHER WILL HAVE DIFFERENT "ATTITUDES" IN DIFFERENT DRAFTS - IT'S A CLUE - THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT DESTINY'S IN THE DIFFERENT DRAFTS THAT MAKE UP "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

IT'S THE COWBOY WHO WAKES THE DRUG OVERDOSED CHARACTER, DIANE SELWYN (WHO WAS COMMITTING SUICIDE BY DRUG OVERDOSE IN THE (NICE AND LINEAR?) TV SERIES) SO WE CAN SEE SOME OF HER STORY IN FLASHBACK SEGMENTS

(ALL FOUR "STORIES" OF BLONDE / BRUNETTE VERSIONS OF CAMILLA RHODES / DIANE SELWYN - BOTH AS BIG-TIME AND SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - RUN FOR AT LEAST 12 YEARS - BUT, EFFECTIVELY, ALL RUN CONCURRENTLY - AND THESE FOUR DRAFTS GENERATE TWO DRAFTS OF THE BETTY ELMS / RITA STORY - ONE WITH A BLONDE BETTY / BRUNETTE RITA - ONE WITH A BRUNETTE BETTY / BLONDE RITA - WHICH ALSO RUN CONCURRENTLY)

(BUT BETTY AND RITA ARE ALWAYS ACTUALLY REDHEADS ON PAPER)

(SO SIX DRAFTS IN TOTAL FOR ONE COMPLETE BLONDE/BRUNETTE CYCLE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... BUT THERE'S A MIND-BLOWING "KICKER" COMING LATER)

TACK ON "SUICIDE WITH A GUN" ...

(DIANE SELWYN STILL HAS TO DIE ... AFTER SHE HAS TOLD US HER STORY IN FLASHBACK)

AND A POIGNANT ENDING ... FOR "CLOSURE" ...

TWO "TWIN SISTERS" DESTROYED BY HOLLYWOOD

VERY CLEVERLY ... THEY ARE ACTUALLY VERSIONS OF THE SAME PERSON ... ONE AN INNOCENT BUTTERFLY ... THE OTHER A BUTTERFLY WITH STAINED WINGS ... BOTH, ULTIMATELY, CORRUPTED AND DESTROYED BY HOLLYWOOD

VERY APPROPRIATELY ... NORMA DESMOND HAS THE LAST WORD ...

"SILENCIO"
("BE QUIET")

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT ...

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"



A BIG-TIME BLONDE/SMALL-TIME REDHEAD ONE SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... A BIG-TIME BRUNETTE/SMALL-TIME REDHEAD THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP

(USING THIS DIAGRAM ... THE OTHER "FIGURE 8" WOULD BE BLACK ON THE OUTSIDE ... AND WHITE ON THE INSIDE ... AND THEY BOTH EFFECTIVELY OCCUPY THE SAME "SPACE-TIME" ...BUT ARE ACTUALLY GOING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS)

(NOTICE HOW ALL COLOR WOULD, EFFECTIVELY, "CANCEL OUT")

THE "TWIST" IN THE CENTER ... FORMS BETTY/RITA

(THE "TWIST" ALSO TAKES YOU FROM THE INSIDE TO THE OUTSIDE ... THEN FROM THE OUTSIDE TO THE INSIDE ... CONTINUOUSLY ... SO BLONDE ALWAYS BECOMES BRUNETTE AND VICE VERSA EVERY NEW DRAFT REWRITE ...
SO, THEORETICALLY, BETTY AND RITA WOULD ALSO ALTERNATE HAIR COLOR EACH MOVIE CYCLE (3 DRAFTS) ... BUT AS ACTRESSES AND HAIR COLOR ARE ACTUALLY IRRELEVANT ... THERE IS NO "OTHER" VERSION OF BETTY/RITA)

(JUST AS THERE ARE NO "OTHER" VERSIONS OF CAMILLA AND DIANE - NO MATTER HOW MANY DIFFERENT ACTRESSES WERE TO PLAY THE ROLES IN DIFFERENT DRAFTS - CAMILLA RHODES IS ALWAYS THE SAME CHARACTER WHETHER PLAYED BY LAURA HARRING (OR NAOMI WATTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP) OR MELISSA GEORGE ... EXCEPT MELISSA GEORGE MUST BE PLAYING A TEENAGE VERSION OF CAMILLA RHODES ... AND HER HAIR COLOR SEEMS TO BE A CLUE SHE ALSO IS A "COMPOSITE" (SHE'S PLAYING CAMILLA RHODES IN THE CENTER "COMPOSITE" BETTY ELMS DRAFT) ... OF A BLONDE, DESTINED TO BE BIG-TIME, TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES ... AND A REDHEADED, DESTINED TO BE SMALL-TIME, TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES)

(THEORETICALLY, IN THE OTHER VERSION OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - MELISSA GEORGE (OR WHOEVER WAS PLAYING CAMILLA RHODES IN THE RECIPROCAL BETTY ELMS DRAFT) WOULD HAVE REDHAIR DYED BRUNETTE)

LYNCH IS SHOWING US ... THAT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A BLONDE OR BRUNETTE CAMILLA RHODES (OR DIANE SELWYN), AND A REDHEADED CAMILLA RHODES (OR DIANE SELWYN) ... IS DISCRIMINATION 

(IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT, ADAM KESHER IS ALSO A "COMPOSITE")

BUT THE REVERSE IS NOT TRUE - BETTY ELMS AND DIANE SELWYN ARE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS ... DESPITE BEING PLAYED BY THE SAME ACTRESS - THE ACTRESSES PLAYING THE CHARACTERS ARE ACTUALLY IRRELEVANT ... IT'S WHO THE CHARACTERS REALLY ARE THAT IS IMPORTANT ... NOT THE ACTORS/ACTRESSES PLAYING THEM

AGAIN, THIS IS A VERY BIG CLUE - ACTORS/ACTRESSES DO NOT ACTUALLY DEFINE CHARACTERS (PHYSICALLY OR "SUPERFICIALLY")

(JUST IMAGINE THEY FILMED THE BETTY/RITA DRAFT EVERY THREE DAYS ... WITH DIFFERENT ACTRESSES
(BUT STILL HOLLYWOOD BLONDE/BRUNETTE STEREOTYPES ... IN EITHER ROLE)
... YOU WOULD START TO "SEE" THE REAL CHARACTERS (NOT THE ACTORS) ... AND THE CHARACTERS (BETTY/RITA) WOULD ALWAYS BE THE SAME)

(STARTING TO SEE THE POINT LYNCH IS MAKING? ... ARE YOU STARTING TO SEE THE OUT AND OUT GENIUS OF THIS FILM?)

(THE TWO SMALL-TIME REDHEADS CREATE REDHEADED BETTY ... THE TWO BIG-TIME BLONDE/BRUNETTE ACTRESSES CREATE REDHEADED RITA)

BUT THEY'RE ALL SHOWN ONSCREEN AS "HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPES" ... BLONDES AND BRUNETTES

WHICH IS ABSOLUTE GENIUS 

LYNCH TURNS HIS GREATEST DEFEAT ...
INTO HIS GREATEST TRIUMPH

EASILY THE CLEVEREST MOVIE OF ALL TIME

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" DEFINES DAVID LYNCH'S PLACE IN HISTORY - AS ONE OF THE GREATEST FILM DIRECTORS / SCREENWRITERS OF ALL TIME - CERTAINLY, TO MY MIND, THE CLEVEREST
   

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" (THE TV SERIES) IS A FULL MOBIUS STRIP

MOBIUS STRIPS COMPRISE BOTH AN "INSIDE" CYCLE AND AN "OUTSIDE" CYCLE, AND A "TWIST" TO LINK BOTH CYCLES  

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS MADE UP OF THREE SCREENWRITING DRAFTS

("INSIDE" - "OUTSIDE" - AND A "TWIST")

THE "INSIDE" DRAFT - AND THE "OUTSIDE" DRAFT BOTH CLEVERLY COMBINE TO FORM THE "TWIST" THIRD DRAFT - THE BETTY / RITA STORY 
   
(EFFECTIVELY, RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS - WHICH COMBINE TO FORM A CENTER DRAFT)

(THE RIGHT HAND (CAMILLA RHODES) DRAFT COVERS AT LEAST 12 YEARS - THE LEFT HAND (DIANE SELWYN) DRAFT COVERS AT LEAST 12  YEARS - AND THE "TWIST" (BETTY ELMS / RITA) CENTER DRAFT COVERS ONLY A FEW DAYS)

(KICKER #3)

A NEW MOBIUS STRIP (3 NEW DRAFTS) ... STARTS EVERY 3 DAYS

(TWO REDHAIRED TEENAGERS FLY INTO LAX EVERY THREE DAYS - AND CREATE A "NEW" BETTY ELMS)

WHICH MEANS ... THERE ARE ALREADY ...

AT LEAST 1460 MOBIUS STRIPS
"PLAYING OUT" ON THIS "MONOPOLY BOARD"

(EVERY TIME YOU PASS "GO" (EVERY 3 DAYS) ... YOU DO NOT GET $200 ... BUT YOU DO GET TO HEAR BETTY ELMS SAY "HAVE YOU EVER DONE THIS BEFORE?")

FOR EVERY "SET" OF (3) DRAFTS ON ONE SIDE OF THE OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP ... THERE IS A CORRESPONDING "SET" OF (3) DRAFTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP ... BUT THIS "OPPOSING" "SET" OF DRAFTS IS AT LEAST 12 YEARS OUT OF STEP - THIS IS WHY BETTY SPONTANEOUSLY DISAPPEARS AT THE VERY MOMENT HER "COMPONENTS" (12 YEARS IN THE FUTURE) DIE ... AND WHY RITA, EFFECTIVELY, TRAVELLING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, ENTERS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP, AT A POINT AT LEAST 12 YEARS EARLIER ... AS TWO TEENAGERS   

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - THE MOVIE - IS AN EXTREMELY CLEVER (LYNCH IS AN OUT AND OUT GENIUS) EXTREMELY TRUNCATED VERSION OF THE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED TV SERIES - IT IS A CRYPTIC "MOSAIC"

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" THE MOVIE IS LIKE A TRIPLE-HELIX STRAND OF DNA (THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS - THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO THINK OF IT) - IT CAN BE "REVERSE ENGINEERED" TO WORK OUT THE TV SERIES ... WHICH IN TURN EXPLAINS THE FILM

THE 12 YEAR TIME PERIOD
LOGIC

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 12 YEAR PERIOD THE TWO SMALL-TIME WANNABE ACTRESSES CREATE BETTY ELMS

AT THE END OF THE 12 YEAR PERIOD THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES CREATE THE BODY ON THE BED WHEN THEY DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSES

(THE BODIES ON THE BED ARE "STACKING TOGETHER" - THERE'S A NEW ONE EVERY THREE DAYS)

(THE BODY ON THE BED IS THREE WEEKS OLD - BUT THE NEIGHBOR SAYS SHE HASN'T SEEN DIANE "FOR A FEW DAYS" - THE LENGTH OF TIME BETTY AND RITA HAVE "EXISTED" - SO LYNCH IS SHOWING US A TIME-WARP INSIDE THE APARTMENT - WHERE I THINK THE BODY IS THREE WEEKS OLD - THE CAMILLA RHODES THAT EXISTS IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS A TEENAGER - BUT THE DIANE SELWYN THAT EXISTS IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS A 30 YEAR OLD WOMAN - WHICH SHOWS THAT THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS A CLEVER "COMPOSITE" OF THE WHOLE 12 YR PLUS TIME PERIOD)

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS A "CATALYST" THAT HAPPENS EVERY 3 DAYS

(IMAGINE A MOVIE ENDING WITH THE MAIN CHARACTER TAKING A DRUG OVERDOSE - THEN THE MOVIE (A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VERSION - A NEW DRAFT) STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN - BUT, IN THE MEANTIME, A THIRD "EPILOGUE" STORY COVERS A TIME-WARP LIMBO PERIOD OF THE NEXT 3 DAYS - AND THIS CYCLE KEEPS REPEATING EVERY 3 DAYS ... AS ONE ACTRESS DIES, ANOTHER IS JUST TAKING A DRUG OVERDOSE AND GOING TO SLEEP ... AND ANOTHER IS ARRIVING AT LAX ... THIS CREATES ONE "MONOPOLY BOARD" ... BUT HUNDREDS OF CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYNS MAKING THEIR WAY AROUND IT)

(IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING BOTH SIDES OF THE "MONOPOLY BOARD" - IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS - "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS THREE DIMENSIONAL - IN TWO "UNIVERSES" - "OUTSIDE" AND "INSIDE" - AND THE BLUE BOX TAKES RITA FROM ONE SIDE ... TO THE OTHER)

(A HOLLYWOOD CONVEYOR BELT)

(IN THE TV SERIES, THE DEATHS OF THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES WOULD HAVE BEEN FROM DRUG OVERDOSE - THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES WOULD TAKE A DRUG OVERDOSE JUST AS A NEW BETTY ELMS (DRAFT) STARTS - AND ACTUALLY DIE THREE DAYS LATER - CAUSING BETTY TO INSTANTANEOUSLY "DISAPPEAR" IN THE "COMPOSITE" DRAFT)

(THE BETTY / RITA DRAFT COULD BE SEEN AS A SORT OF "COMPOSITE" DREAM OF BOTH THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AS THEY BOTH SLOWLY DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE - BUT THIS LOGIC DOESN'T REALLY HOLD UP - THE BETTY / RITA DRAFT IS MORE A VERY CRYPTIC, VERY TRUNCATED "SUMMARY" OF A "MULTIVERSE" 12 YEAR+ TIME PERIOD - THE TV SERIES WOULD LIKELY HAVE SHOWN US THESE 12 YEAR+ TIME PERIODS IN A MORE LINEAR, BUT PROBABLY STILL CRYPTIC, TIMELINE)

AT THE END OF THE TWELVE YEAR PERIOD, THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS, AND THIS CREATES RITA

BUT THERE ARE NO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 12 YEAR PERIOD

LOGIC WOULD TELL US THE CYCLE RESTARTS - AND THAT RITA IMPARTS "NOUS" INTO TWO TEENAGE WANNABE VERSIONS OF THE SMALL-TIME WANNABE ACTRESSES - SO THAT THEY WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

WHEN THE TWO FUTURE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES COMMIT SUICIDE, THEY "KILL" BETTY ELMS - SHE INSTANTANEOUSLY DISAPPEARS

THE FUTURE "KILLS" THE PAST

(THE MOBIUS STRIP BETTY IS EMANATING FROM IS "THE PAST" (TWO YOUNG REDHEADED TEENAGERS) ... HEADED TOWARDS A "FUTURE" WHERE THEY ARE DESTROYED BY HOLLYWOOD AND COMMIT SUICIDE ....

RITA IS THE "FUTURE" ... THE MOBIUS STRIP SHE EMANATES FROM IS GOING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION ... AND WHEN SHE GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX (TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP), SHE GOES "BACKWARDS" AND REGENERATES THE TWO YOUNG TEENAGE WANNABIES THAT WILL HAVE THE NOUS TO DYE THEIR HAIR ... CHANGE THEIR NAMES ... AND "TOE THE HOLLYWOOD LINE" TO STARDOM

BETTY, EFFECTIVELY, "DIES" ... "KILLED" WHEN THE TWO SMALL-TIME REDHEADS COMMIT SUICIDE ... BUT RITA IS "RECYCLED")

(IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP ... IN THE "OTHER" BETTY ELMS/RITA DRAFT ... THAT IT WILL BE RITA THAT "DIES" ... AND THAT IT WILL BE BETTY THAT GOES "THROUGH" THE BLUE BOX (WITH NOUS FROM RITA) AND WILL GO ON TO BECOME THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ... THIS CREATES A VERY NICE "BALANCE" AND "SYMMETRY" ... BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THAT IS LYNCH'S INTENTION)  

IN RITA'S CASE, SHE IS THE FUTURE - WHEN SHE "DIES" BY DISAPPEARING INTO THE BLUE BOX - THE OPPOSITE HAPPENS - SHE "REGENERATES" THE PAST - THE TWO YOUNG TEENAGERS THAT WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - RITA IS, EFFECTIVELY, "RECYCLED"

THE FUTURE "REGENERATES" THE PAST

I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT BETTY REPRESENTED THE TWO "POSITIVE" POTENTIALS OF THE TEENAGE WANNABES ARRIVING AT LAX

BUT I NOW REALIZE - COCO'S APARTMENT BUILDING IS A HAVEN FOR "LOSERS" - REDHEADS, IN THIS DISCRIMINATORY HOLLYWOOD WORLD LYNCH IS SHOWING US

(IT'S ACTUALLY, SYMBOLICALLY, THE REASON RITA, A "HAS-BEEN" IN HOLLYWOOD TERMS, ENDS UP AT COCO'S)

(BUT I ALSO NOW REALIZE - THAT COCO'S MUST ONLY BE A HAVEN FOR REDHEADED "LOSERS" ... IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - IN THE OTHER TWO (12 YEAR) DRAFTS  COCO'S MUST BE WHERE THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES LIVE) 

(IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE - THAT ALTHOUGH TOM CRUISE IS NOW IN HIS MID-FIFTIES - HIS FEMALE CO-STARS IN MOST OF HIS BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES, SINCE MOVIES AS FAR BACK AS "TOP GUN", HAVE NEVER BEEN OLDER THAN EARLY THIRTIES - EFFECTIVELY, AS FAR AS TOM CRUISE BLOCKBUSTERS ARE CONCERNED, ACTRESSES OVER MID-THIRTIES ARE "PAST THEIR USE-BY DATE")

THERE MUST BE ANOTHER VERSION OF BETTY ELMS - ONE WHO REPRESENTS TWO WANNABE ACTRESSES WHO WILL GO ON TO HIT THE BIG-TIME

AND THERE IS ... HER NAME IS RITA

BETTY AND RITA ARE THE SAME PERSON

BETTY (FROM THE PAST) EFFECTIVELY GETS OLDER

RITA (FROM THE FUTURE) EFFECTIVELY GETS YOUNGER

(SO THE TWO SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ARE, IN FACT, GOING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS - LIKE CARS RACING ON A FIGURE 8 CIRCUIT - AND THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS WHERE THEY BRIEFLY "COLLIDE")

RITA CREATES THE TWO WANNABE REDHEADED TEENAGERS THAT WILL HAVE THE "NOUS" TO DYE THEIR HAIR, CHANGE THEIR NAMES, AND SLEEP THEIR WAY TO THE TOP

RITA, AND THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES SHE EFFECTIVELY CREATES, ... ARE CONTINUOUSLY "RECYCLED" STEREOTYPES

BETTY ELMS IS EFFECTIVELY CREATED BY TWO INNOCENT WANNABE ACTRESSES ARRIVING AT LAX, AND EFFECTIVELY DIES WHEN THE TWO SMALL-TIME VERSIONS OF THESE ACTRESSES DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSES

(BETTY ELMS IS "INNOCENT" ... SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE "NOUS" TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD (DESPITE HER ACTING ABILITY) ... SHE ALWAYS DISAPPEARS (HER REDHEADED "CONSTITUENT" VERSIONS NEVER MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD, AND THEY SYMBOLICALLY COMMIT SUICIDE)

RITA IS, EFFECTIVELY, ANOTHER VERSION OF BETTY ELMS ... A COMPOSITE OF THE "COMPONENT" VERSIONS OF ("HARDENED UP") BETTY ELMS (RITA) THAT MAKE IT TO THE BIG-TIME (BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES AND BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN) ... BUT RITA IS ALREADY "DESTROYED" ... SHE IS "CREATED" BY TWO "HOLLYWOOD HARDENED" BUT ACTUALLY "PAST THEIR USE BY DATE" BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - SHE IS ALSO "DESTROYED" BY HOLLYWOOD, BUT SHE DOESN'T DIE AS SUCH ... SHE IS "REGENERATED" - AS CONTINUOUSLY RECYCLED HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPES ... CONTINUOUSLY RECYCLED HOLLYWOOD "CLONES" ON A BRUTAL AND "SLIPPERY" HOLLYWOOD CONVEYOR BELT (A MOBIUS STRIP OF "WINNERS" (BIG-TIME ACTRESSES) AND "LOSERS" (SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES) ... RITA ALWAYS HAS THE "NOUS" TO "PRODUCE" BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ... INNOCENT BETTY ELMS (AS SHE IS) CAN ONLY "PRODUCE" SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ... THAT ARE DESTROYED BY HOLLYWOOD

("BETTYS" ARE "INNOCENT" - BUT "INNOCENCE" DOESN'T SURVIVE IN HOLLYWOOD ... TO SURVIVE, "BETTYS" HAVE TO BECOME "RITAS")

("INNOCENCE" ONLY LASTS "3 DAYS" IN HOLLYWOOD)

(AND IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ... INNOCENT BETTY ELMS, EFFECTIVELY, DOES ONLY SURVIVE, AFTER 3 DAYS ... AS RITA)
   
(THE BLUE BOX IS THE "GATEWAY" TO HOLLYWOOD - NOTICE THAT IT IS ONLY RITA THAT GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX - BETTY IS TOO "INNOCENT" FOR HOLLYWOOD)

WHERE DO THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES COME FROM?

THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THE HARDEST THING IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" TO FIGURE OUT

TO FIGURE IT OUT - YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE "SYMMETRY" OF THE MOVIE

NOTE - THAT THERE ARE FOUR TIME PERIODS MADE UP OF EIGHT ACTRESSES IN TOTAL

BETTY ELMS REPRESENTS FOUR SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES

RITA REPRESENTS FOUR BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

LOGIC

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT WE SEE IS EFFECTIVELY A "COMPOSITE" OF ALL FOUR TIME PERIODS

(THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THE "OTHER VERSION" OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT TO THE VERSION WE SEE - APART FROM REVERSED HAIR COLOR - WHICH IS IRRELEVENT)

THIS MEANS THAT BETTY ELMS IS, EFFECTIVELY, A COMPOSITE OF ALL FOUR SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - THAT COMMIT SUICIDE - THAT IS WHY BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS - SHE DIES - SHE DOES NOT GO THROUGH THE BLUE BOX (THE GATEWAY TO HOLLYWOOD) - BETTY ELMS IS TOO "INNOCENT" FOR HOLLYWOOD

THIS MEANS THAT RITA IS, EFFECTIVELY, A COMPOSITE OF ALL FOUR BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - SHE ALWAYS GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX (THE GATEWAY TO HOLLYWOOD) - RITA MUST CREATE ALL FOUR BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - THEREFORE THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ARE ALWAYS "RECYCLED"

(I CANNOT CONNECT THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES TO LAX - THEY DO NOT "ARRIVE" - THEY ARE "RECYCLED")

(I CAN - BUT IT BECOMES VERY COMPLICATED - WITH THE OTHER DRAFTS BECOMING "COPIES" OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - WITH A REDHEADED TEENAGER IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT (BIG-TIME), AND A REDHEADED TEENAGER IN AUNT RUTH'S APARTMENT (SMALL-TIME) - THE TEENAGER IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT MEETING AN AMNESIC BIG-TIME CAR ACCIDENT ACTRESS EXACTLY THE SAME WAY BETTY MEETS RITA

THIS WOULD CREATE A SITUATION WITH TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES AND TEENAGE DIANE SELWYN BOTH LIVING AT COCO'S APARTMENTS - ONE OF THEM GOING TO SILENCIO'S WITH "RITA" - BUT GOING THROUGH THE BLUE BOX INSTEAD OF DISAPPEARING - CREATING AN ACTRESS THAT WOULD DYE HER HAIR, CHANGE HER NAME - AND GO ON TO BE A BIG-TIME ACTRESS - AUNT RUTH WOULD DIE - LEAVE SOME MONEY TO HER NIECE - WHO WOULD THEN MOVE TO SIERRA BONITA)

(THIS WOULD, ACTUALLY, BE ABSOLUTE GENIUS (CAN YOU REALLY COUNT ANYTHING OUT WITH LYNCH?)

THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THE ONLY "REALITY" IS, EFFECTIVELY, THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT WOULD JUST REPEAT (IN "REALITY") - TWO "EDITIONS" WOULD HAVE ONE YOUNG ACTRESS DISAPPEARING INTO THE BLUE BOX (THE GATEWAY TO HOLLYWOOD) - BUT THE DRAFTS WOULD ALWAYS END - THE HOLLYWOOD EXPERIENCE GOING ON 12 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE - WOULD EFFECTIVELY JUST BE A "DREAM" - THIS WOULD MEAN THE CAMILLA RHODES / DIANE SELWYN STORY WE SEE IS THE ACTUAL "DREAM" - THE "UNREALITY" OF HOLLYWOOD

THIS IS "TEARS ROLLING DOWN MY FACE" GENIUS

MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND

ONCE AGAIN, LYNCH BLOWS MY MIND

YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT IT THIS WAY

BETTY IS "OUTSIDE" HOLLYWOOD - RITA IS "OUTSIDE" HOLLYWOOD DUE TO THE CAR ACCIDENT, BEING "PAST HER USE BY DATE", AND HER AMNESIA

"OUTSIDE" HOLLYWOOD IS THE "REAL" WORLD

"INSIDE" HOLLYWOOD, THE "DREAM" PLACE - IS THE "DREAM"

"UNREALITY"

(THIS SOLUTION PUTS A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE)

(WORKING OUT THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES, IN RELATION TO RITA GOING INTO THE BLUE BOX - IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO FATHOM IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

THE BLUE BOX

THE BLUE BOX "GATEWAY TO HOLLYWOOD" ONLY EXISTS IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - AS WE SEE THE BLUE KEY IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - AND IT'S UNLIKELY IT OPENS A BLUE BOX

THIS MEANS THAT THE OTHER TWO DRAFTS CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST 12 YEARS - UNTIL THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES COMMIT SUICIDE - AND THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS

UNLESS BOTH THESE DRAFTS ARE "DREAMS" THEN THIS WONDERFUL "HOLLYWOOD AS A DREAM" SCENARIO IS, UNFORTUNATELY, INVALID

(BUT DAN AT WINKIE'S DOES DESCRIBE BOTH DRAFTS AS "DREAMS" - AND WE SEE HIM IN THE COMPOSITE BETTY ELMS DRAFT, AS IF IT'S REALITY, SO DON'T COMPLETELY COUNT IT OUT)

(IF I CAN MAKE IT WORK, I WILL CERTAINLY PUT THIS SCENARIO FORWARD - IT'S JUST TOO MINDBOGGLINGLY GENIUS TO GIVE UP ON IT COMPLETELY)

THE BLUE BOX ONLY EXISTING IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT CONFIRMS THAT THE "TWIST" BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS THE "CATALYST" THAT DRIVES THE WHOLE MOBIUS STRIP

(I DON'T ACTUALLY NEED THE BLUE BOX TO BE IN THE CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN DRAFTS TO MAKE THE "HOLLYWOOD AS THE DREAM" SCENARIO WORK ... AND I LIKE IT MORE EVERY TIME I THINK ABOUT IT ... AND LYNCH BEING LYNCH, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE)

QUITE FRANKLY ... THIS IS THE "DREAM" SCENARIO ...

WHERE DO THE DRAFTS START/FINNISH?

THERE ARE REALLY ONLY FOUR OPTIONS

(EACH DRAFT WOULD BE WRITTEN AS A SEPARATE MOVIE - SO YOU HAVE TO IMAGINE A MOVIE ENDING - AND THEN A NEW MOVIE STARTING)

OPTION ONE - THE LIMO

THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES COULD ACTUALLY DIE IN THE CAR ACCIDENT (IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS)

DRAFT ENDS

NEW DRAFT STARTS

THEN AN ACTRESS (DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE LAURA HARRING - BUT AT LEAST IN ONE DRAFT IT'S LAURA HARRING) GETS OUT OF THE LIMO AS A NEW DRAFT STARTS

BUT THIS ACTRESS WOULD REALLY BE PLAYING A REDHEADED TEENAGER - AND AS SHE GETS OUT OF A LIMO - AND SHE'S NOT AN ACTRESS YET - I THINK THIS SCENARIO IS INVALID - (FOR THE SAME REASON, SHE ALSO CAN'T BE ONE OF THE TEENAGERS FROM THE RACING CARS)

OPTION THREE - UNDER THE TABLE

A MOVIE THAT STARTS WITH A REDHEADED TEENAGER HIDING UNDER A TABLE?

I DON'T THINK SO


OPTION TWO

IN COCO'S GARDEN 

THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FALL ASLEEP

DRAFT ENDS

NEW DRAFT STARTS

NEW MOVIE STARTS WITH REDHEADED TEENAGER WAKING UP IN COCO'S GARDEN

(BUT PLAYED BY A 30 YEAR OLD WOMAN - LAURA HARRING OR NAOMI WATTS)

OPTION FOUR

THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES GO TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN - WAKE UP - HIDE IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

DRAFT ENDS

DRAFT STARTS

TEENAGE REDHEADED WANNABIE ACTRESS LIVING IN HER AUNT, LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT, FINDS AMNESIC BIG-TIME ACTRESS IN THE SHOWER

THIS WOULD MEAN THAT ALL EIGHT REDHEADED WANNABE ACTRESSES ARRIVE AT LAX - TWO IN EACH DRAFT - BUT I CAN'T SEE WHAT WOULD DIFFERENTIATE THEM - WHICH ONES WOULD BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES, AND WHICH ONES SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES? - AND WHY?

HAVING RITA "RECYCLED" AS THE TEENAGERS THAT WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES IS SLIGHTLY MESSY - BUT IT FITS BETTER WITH THE "INNOCENCE" OF THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES THAT ARRIVE AT LAX - THERE IS NOTHING (LIKE RITA) TO CORRUPT THEM AT THAT POINT - SO IS IT ONLY FATE THAT DIFFERENTIATES THEM?

HOW I THINK IT HAPPENS

BETTY ELMS IS, EFFECTIVELY, A COMPOSITE OF ALL FOUR SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - COMPLETE ACTRESSES ... NOT JUST PARTS OF THEM

BETTY DISAPPEARS WHEN THEY COMMIT SUICIDE 

SO, I THINK THE SAME IS TRUE FOR RITA - RITA IS ALSO A COMPOSITE OF FOUR ACTRESSES - THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - COMPLETE ... NOT JUST PARTS OF THEM

BETTY AND RITA ARE THE SAME PERSON

RITA IS BETTY, BUT WITH THE "NOUS" TO DYE HER HAIR, CHANGE HER IDENTITY, AND SLEEP HER WAY TO THE TOP

SO I THINK THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENTS MUST DISAPPEAR AT THE SAME TIME BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS

RITA - WHO HAS LOST HER IDENTITY - ACTUALLY BECOMES BETTY(+) - SHE "TAKES" BETTY'S IDENTITY - BY TAKING THE BLUE BOX - WHICH WAS "OFFERED" TO BETTY - IT TURNED UP IN HER HANDBAG - BETTY "LOSES" BECAUSE SHE IS TOO "INNOCENT" FOR HOLLYWOOD - INDICATED BY THE TRAUMA SHE EXPERIENCES AT SILENCIO

BETTY - WHO HAD AN IDENTITY - EFFECTIVELY LOSES IT AT THE MOMENT SHE DISAPPEARS - AND THE TWO BIG-TIME VERSIONS OF HER - THAT HAVE ALSO LOST THEIR IDENTITY, DISAPPEAR AT THE EXACT SAME MOMENT

THE ONLY WINNER ... IS RITA - SHE HAS BEEN "REGENERATED" BY BETTY'S YOUTH, HER ENTHUSIASM, HER TALENT, AND BY HER "SPIRIT"

RITA IS THE ONLY "SURVIVOR"

A FEW SECONDS LATER

RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX

TWO REDHEADED TEENAGERS WAKE UP IN COCO'S GARDEN ... AND HIDE IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - ONE IN EACH LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND DRAFT

(LOUISE BONNER GOES TO CANADA)

(WE SEE HER LEAVE)

(THE WOMAN WE SEE LEAVE IN THE TAXI ... ISN'T AUNT RUTH (WE NEVER ACTUALLY SEE AUNT RUTH) - IT'S LOUISE BONNER WE SEE (IT'S A DIFFERENT DRAFT) ... THERE IS INCONTROVERTIBLE PROOF THAT IT'S NOT AUNT RUTH ... THIS WILL BE EXPLAINED LATER)


THEY WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

THE CYCLE CONTINUES    
  
 
BETTY ELMS IS CREATED BY TWO TEENAGE WANNABIES ARRIVING AT LAX

SHE DIES WHEN THOSE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES COMMIT SUICIDE MANY YEARS LATER

(YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER - THIS CYCLE IS "CREATED" EVERY 3 DAYS - AND SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - FROM CYCLES THAT BEGAN MANY YEARS AGO - ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE EVERY 3 DAYS - CAUSING THE "LATEST" INCARNATION OF BETTY ELMS TO "DISAPPEAR"

 

(WHATEVER "BETTY ELMS" DRAFT WE ARE WATCHING (AND THEY ARE ALL EFFECTIVELY THE SAME) BETTY ONLY SURVIVES THREE DAYS)

 
BETTY DISAPPEARS (EFFECTIVELY DIES) - SHE DOES NOT GO THROUGH THE BLUE BOX "GATEWAY" TO HOLLYWOOD

AT THE END OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT
WE HAVE

TEENAGE BETTY DISAPPEARS = TWO 30 YEAR OLD SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES COMMITTING SUICIDE

THE OPPOSITE MUST HAPPEN WITH RITA

30 YEAR OLD RITA = TWO TEENAGERS GOING TO BE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

SO - WHERE AS TEENAGE BETTY ELMS (GOING FORWARD) "DIES" AS THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES

30 YEAR OLD RITA - (GOING BACKWARDS) "CREATES" THE TWO TEENAGE WANNABIES THAT WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES


BETTY ELMS AND RITA ARE COMPOSITES - THEY ONLY EXIST IN THE COMPOSITE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

BUT THERE ARE FOUR CONCURRENT TIME PERIODS

(WHICH BECOME 2 X 2 DRAFTS WHICH MAKE UP TWO COMPLETE CYCLES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP (ALSO CREATING 2 X CYCLES OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - SO 2 X 3 DRAFTS IN TOTAL)

(THEORETICALLY - ONE CYCLE A BLONDE/BRUNETTE MOVIE - THE OTHER CYCLE A BRUNETTE/BLONDE MOVIE - IN TERMS OF BETTY/RITA)

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENTS?
(IN THE OTHER TWO DRAFTS)

(THE SMALL-TIME (INNOCENT) ACTRESSES ARRIVE AT LAX)

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENTS IN THE OTHER TWO DRAFTS?

THEY (JUST LIKE BETTY ELMS) MUST DISAPPEAR ... THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES MUST GO TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN ... AND WAKE UP AS REDHEADED TEENAGERS (BUT WITH "NOUS" IMPARTED BY RITA) IN NEW DRAFTS ... THEN HIDE IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

SO THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES DISAPPEAR - JUST LIKE BETTY ELMS DOES - BUT THE TRANSITION IS SEAMLESS, BECAUSE RITA "CREATES" TWO TEENAGERS - BUT BOTH PLAYED BY LAURA HARRING (JUST AS NAOMI WATTS IS ACTUALLY PLAYING A TEENAGER) - WHICH FOOLS US 

(TRYING TO HAVE THEM ARRIVE AT LAX - DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK - ONLY "INNOCENCE" ARRIVES AT LAX)

IT'S WHY I THINK THERE IS A "RECYCLED" ASPECT TO THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

IT ALSO DOESN'T WORK TO HAVE RITA CREATE TWO TEENAGERS - THEN HAVE THEM MEET THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENTS (JUST LIKE BETTY MEETS RITA) - AS THAT WOULD CREATE TWO LOTS OF "NOUS" IN EACH DRAFT

(THERE ARE ACTUALLY FOUR 12 YEAR TIME PERIODS IN THE TWO COMPLETE MOBIUS CYCLES - IT COULD BE ARGUED THAT TWO VERSIONS OF CAMILLA / DIANE ARRIVING AT LAX FORM THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - AND TWO VERSIONS FORM THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - BUT THIS WOULD MAKE BOTH VERSIONS OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT DIFFERENT - IE. IT WOULD BE BETTY ELMS THAT GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL INSTEAD OF RITA IN ONE VERSION - BUT THERE IS JUST NO BASIS FOR THE TWO VERSIONS OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT TO BE DIFFERENT - AND THERE ARE ACTUALLY FOUR VERSIONS OF BOTH THE BIG-TIME AND SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES)

OVER THE COMPLETE MOBIUS CYCLE (OF BLONDE/BRUNETTE HAIR COLOR) THERE ARE FOUR TIME PERIODS AND TWO BETTY ELMS / RITA "COMPOSITE" STORIES - WE CAN DEDUCE RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL TWICE - AS SHE IS A "COMPOSITE" OF TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES, SHE CREATES TWO REDHEADED TEENAGERS - THAT WILL DYE THEIR HAIR - CHANGE THEIR NAMES - AND GO ON TO BE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - RITA IS A RECYCLED STEREOTYPE

(SO THERE ARE FOUR BIG-TIME ACTRESSES OVER ONE COMPLETE FOUR TIME PERIOD CYCLE)

WE CAN ALSO DEDUCE THAT BETTY ELMS WILL DISAPPEAR (DIE) TWO TIMES IN EACH COMPLETE FOUR TIME PERIOD MOBIUS CYCLE - AND THAT FOUR SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES WILL COMMIT SUICIDE BY DRUG OVERDOSE AT SIERRA BONITA

(SO THERE ARE FOUR SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES IN EACH FOUR TIME PERIOD MOBIUS CYCLE) 

SO - HERE'S HOW IT HAPPENS

THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENT GO TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN

THEY BECOME A NEW REDHEADED RITA (WHO HAS A "LIFE SPAN" OF "THE NEXT THREE DAYS")

(BUT THIS "RITA" ONLY EXISTS IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT)

AT THE SAME MOMENT - THE "OLD" RITA (FROM THE LAST THREE DAYS) - GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL - AND BECOMES ... TWO REDHEADED TEENAGERS (ONE IN EACH DRAFT) - THAT WILL LIVE IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - DYE THEIR HAIR - CHANGE THEIR NAMES - GO TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION - AND GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

(IT DOESN'T NEED TO HAPPEN AT LAX - BECAUSE THE "ARRIVING" ACTRESSES DON'T GET IMPARTED WITH "NOUS" - BETTY DIES - RITA GETS "RECYCLED")

(I THINK SILENCIO (HOLLYWOOD) TRAUMATIZES AND EFFECTIVELY "KILLS OFF" INNOCENT BETTY ELMS - BUT THE "TRAUMA" HAS THE EFFECT OF REGRESSING AND "RECYCLING" RITA)

THE CYCLE REPEATS

(THERE IS ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE - THAT WILL BE FULLY EXPLAINED LATER - THAT LYNCH IS IN FACT RUNNING BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... AT THE SAME TIME) 
  

THE 3 DAY TIME PERIOD

IF WE HAVE A NEW BETTY ELMS EVERY THREE DAYS - THEN BETTY ELMS MUST ALSO DISAPPEAR EVERY THREE DAYS - AND BETTY DISAPPEARS BECAUSE TWO SMALL TIME ACTRESSES (AT SIERRA BONITA) COMMIT SUICIDE EVERY THREE DAYS (ONE IN EACH RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFT RESPECTIVELY)

BUT THIS ALSO MEANS THAT TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS EVERY THREE DAYS (THERE ARE OVER 1000 VERSIONS OF CAMILLA AND DIANE GOING AROUND THIS "MONOPOLY BOARD" AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME)

THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT THEY MUST ALSO "DISAPPEAR" EVERY THREE DAYS - (THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DIE EVERY THREE DAYS - SO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENTS?)

THEY MUST DISAPPEAR JUST LIKE BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS - BECAUSE RITA DISAPPEARS ... INTO THE BLUE BOX

ALTERNATIVELY

IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS, TWO YOUNG RED-HEADED ACTRESSES TURN UP AT COCO'S - TO STAY IN THEIR AUNT'S APARTMENT (LOUISE BONNER) AND MEET THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENTS (HIDING IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT) - WHO WILL IMPART THE "NOUS" THAT WILL MAKE THESE YOUNG ACTRESSES BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - AND THEN THESE AMNESIC BIG-TIME CAR ACCIDENT VICTIMS MUST JUST DISAPPEAR (LIKE BETTY ELMS DOES) - AFTER THREE DAYS

MORE LOGIC

BETTY REPRESENTS THE "START" OF A 12 YEAR TIME PERIOD

RITA REPRESENTS THE "END" OF A 12 YEAR TIME PERIOD


LOOKING AT THE START OF THE 12 YEAR TIME PERIOD

"START"

TWO TEENS CREATE BETTY ELMS

RITA CREATES TWO TEENS

LOGIC WOULD SUGGEST

BETTY ELMS IS "CREATED"

TWO TEENS ARE "CREATED" 


LOOKING AT THE END OF THE 12 YEAR TIME PERIOD

"END"

TWO ADULTS "KILL" BETTY ELMS

RITA "KILLS" TWO ADULTS

LOGIC WOULD SUGGEST

THAT BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS - "DIES"

THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES DISAPPEAR - "DIE"

LOGICAL CONCLUSION

BETTY ELMS DIES

RITA IS "RECYCLED" AS TWO TEENAGERS

THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENT DISAPPEAR AT THE SAME MOMENT RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX - AND THIS MUST HAPPEN IN THE SAME TIME FRAME AS THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DYING AT SIERRA BONITA

(THESE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES CREATE A "NEW" RITA)

(BETTY ELMS IS "FRESH" AND INNOCENT - AS ARE THE TWO TEENS THAT CREATE HER - THEY ARE "NEW")

(RITA AND THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES THAT CREATE HER ARE "PAST THEIR USE BY DATE" - THAT IS WHY THEY DISAPPEAR - THEY ARE EFFECTIVELY "RECYCLED")

(SO - YOUNG BETTY ELMS - AND THE SMALL-TIME TEENS AND THE BIG-TIME TEENS ARE ALL "CREATED")

(THE ADULTS - THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AT SIERRA BONITA AND THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENTS - ALL DIE (SMALL-TIME) OR ARE "RECYCLED" (BIG-TIME")  

THE FINAL CONCLUSION

THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE CAR ACCIDENT DO NOT SURVIVE THREE DAYS - THEY DO NOT INTERACT WITH THE TWO TEENAGERS HIDING IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

IT IS RITA THAT CREATES THE TWO TEENAGERS THAT WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - IT IS RITA THAT GIVES THEM THE "NOUS" TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

RITA IS "RECYCLED" 


WHEN RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ENDS

A NEW DRAFT STARTS IMMEDIATELY

LOUISE BONNER CHECKS HER BEDROOM

GOES DOWNSTAIRS

LOADS THE TAXI WITH THE TAXI DRIVER

A REDHEADED TEENAGER WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN

(BUT PLAYED BY A BLONDE OR BRUNETTE ADULT)

SNEAKS INTO LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

HIDES UNDER THE TABLE 

LOUISE BONNER GOES OFF TO CANADA

TEENAGER WILL DYE HER HAIR

TEENAGER WILL GO TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION

GET HIRED 

BECOMES BIG-TIME ACTRESS

THIS CYCLE REPEATS EVERY THREE DAYS

(EVERY TIME BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS / RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX)  

 
LET'S GET "THE DREAM" OUT OF THE WAY

THERE IS NO DREAM, AS SUCH, IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

LYNCH IS DEPICTING HOLLYWOOD AS A "DREAM PLACE" - AN ILLUSION - "WONDERLAND"

 A FACTORY OF DREAMS ...

BUT MORE A CONVEYOR BELT TO OBLIVION

BETTY ELMS SAYS SHE HAS COME TO THIS
"DREAM PLACE"

IN ONE SENSE, THE FILM ITSELF IS
"THE DREAM"

ALL DRAFTS END WITH THE CHARACTERS DYING OR GOING TO SLEEP

AND NEW DRAFTS START WITH CHARACTERS ARRIVING IN, OR WAKING UP IN ... THIS "DREAM PLACE" ... HOLLYWOOD

BUT THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD WENDING THROUGH HOLLYWOOD ... IS REALLY A DARK AND SHALLOW PLACE ... AND OFTEN BECOMES A NIGHTMARE TO ESCAPE FROM ... RATHER THAN A RAINBOW LEADING TO POTS OF GOLD AND HAPPINESS

     
THE OPENING SCENE - "JITTERBUG" 

THE OPENING SCENE - TEENAGERS DANCING THE "JITTERBUG"

NOTICE THERE ARE MULTIPLE COPIES OF EACH DANCE PAIR - AND THERE ARE SHADOWS IN THE BACKGROUND ... WHICH DON'T ACTUALLY MATCH THE FOREGROUND

CLUES THAT "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS MADE UP OF MULTIPLE DRAFTS - AND IS "TWO-SIDED" - EVERYTHING WE SEE IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" HAS AN INVISIBLE "SHADOW" - BUT NOT AN EXACT "MIRROR IMAGE"

WE SEE NAOMI WATTS AND AN OLD COUPLE - SUPERIMPOSED TWICE - MORE CLUES TO MULTIPLE DRAFTS

THIS IS ACTUALLY A REDHEADED TEENAGER - BEING PLAYED BY A BLONDE STEREOTYPICAL ACTRESS

THE SINGLE BIGGEST CONCEPT OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

THE ACTORS YOU SEE ARE NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHARACTERS LYNCH IS ACTUALLY PORTRAYING

(IT'S THE CHARACTERS THAT ARE IMPORTANT ... NOT THE ACTORS PORTRAYING THEM)

(LYNCH IS SAYING WE SHOULD BE SEEING "REAL CHARACTERS" ONSCREEN - ACTORS CHOSEN BY CREATIVE FILM DIRECTORS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS - NOT STEREOTYPICAL PRODUCTION-LINE "CLONES" FORCED UPON FILM DIRECTORS BY A VERY DARK, SHALLOW, AND DISCRIMINATORY MOB CONTROLLED HOLLYWOOD - AS DEPICTED IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")  
   
We are actually seeing representations of all three drafts in the opening "Jitterbug" scene

There are multiple copies of each Jitterbug dancing couple

Each dancing couple also has a shadow - but not necessarily a "true" shadow

The significance of this - it represents all three drafts - particularly the "center" draft, where Betty Elms and Rita are actually each "composites" of Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn

We then see Naomi Watts and the old couple superimposed - twice

The significance of this?

Once instance is of Naomi Watts as Camilla Rhodes
(left draft)

The other instance is of Naomi Watts as Diane Selwyn
(right draft)

The dancers effectively represent the "composite"
(Betty Elms / Rita) center draft 

BUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

NAOMI WATTS IS 30 YRS OLD - THE JITTERBUG CONTEST IS FOR TEENAGERS

30 YEAR OLD NAOMI WATTS IS PLAYING A TEENAGER - IN FACT TWO TEENAGERS - CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN

NOT ONLY DO WE SEE NAOMI WATTS AS BOTH CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN IN THE OPENING JITTERBUG SCENE

IN THE OPENING JITTERBUG SCENE
  
CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN ARE BOTH TEENAGERS ... AND REDHEADS  

THE LIMO

THIS SCENE IS AT LEAST 12 YEARS AFTER THE JITTERBUG SCENE

IT DEPICTS A 30+ YEAR OLD (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE - WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHICH) BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES OR BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN (WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHICH)

(BECAUSE THE ACTRESS WE SEE (AND HER HAIR COLOR) IS ACTUALLY IRRELEVANT)

SO ... THEREFORE ... SHE BECOMES BOTH

WE ARE SEEING BOTH BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES ... AND BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN

(THERE ARE CLUES ... THAT LYNCH IS RUNNING BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... AT THE SAME TIME) 

ACTORS ARE ACTUALLY IRRELEVANT - THE CHARACTERS IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ARE NOT ACTUALLY SPECIFIED OR DEFINED BY THE ACTORS ACTUALLY PLAYING THEM

THE OPENING SCENES ARE VERY CONFUSING
WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING?

THE OPENING SCENES ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT TO WORK OUT

I BELIEVE WE ARE SEEING BOTH BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES AND BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN IN THE LIMO

I ALSO BELIEVE THAT SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN AND SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES ARE ABOUT TO TAKE A DRUG OVERDOSE

BUT HERE'S THE KICKER ... THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENS LIKE CLOCKWORK EVERY THREE DAYS

BETTY ELMS AND RITA ARE CURRENTLY MAKING OUT ... AND WILL THEN GO TO SILENCIO 

TWO SMALL-TIME VERSIONS OF DIANE AND CAMILLA THAT TOOK DRUG OVERDOSES THREE DAYS AGO WILL DIE ... BETTY ELMS WILL DISAPPEAR ... AND RITA WILL VANISH INTO THE BLUE BOX

THE QUESTION IS ... WHEN DOES ONE SET OF DRAFTS END ... AND ANOTHER SET START?

YOU CAN ACTUALLY RULE OUT HAIR COLOR (AND ACTRESS) BECAUSE IT'S TOTALLY MISLEADING

THE BEST CLUE IS DAN AT WINKIE'S

HE SAYS THAT HIS DREAMS BOTH START OUT
"IN HALF-LIGHT"

WHEN RITA DISAPPEARS INTO THE BLUE BOX ... THE TIME ON THE CLOCK SEEMS TO BE ABOUT 4AM

BUT I THINK THE BEST YARDSTICK IS DAN'S "HALF-NIGHT" ("HALF-LIGHT")

ALL THE DRAFTS START / FINISH IN "HALF-LIGHT"

BETTY / RITA GET BACK FROM SILENCIO IN "HALF-LIGHT"

DIANE SELWYN SHOOTS HERSELF IN "HALF-LIGHT"

THE WOMAN LEAVES IN THE TAXI IN "HALF-LIGHT"

(I'M CALLING HER "THE WOMAN" - BECAUSE SHE'S NOT ACTUALLY AUNT RUTH)

RITA WOULD HAVE DONNED A BRUNETTE WIG IN THE LAST BETTY ELMS DRAFT ... SO THE NEW DRAFT SHOULD START WITH A BRUNETTE ... WHICH IT APPEARS TO DO

(BUT HAIR COLOR IS ACTUALLY IRRELEVANT)

THE QUESTION IS ... DO THE DRAFTS ALL START / END IN COCO'S GARDEN? ... OR UNDER THE TABLE WHEN LAURA HARRING GOES TO SLEEP?

THE ANSWER IS ... IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER

BUT, AS WE GET A BRIEF GLIMPSE OF LAURA HARRING STILL ASLEEP AFTER THE WINKIE'S SCENE, IT'S MY BEST GUESS THAT ALL THE DRAFTS ACTUALLY START IN COCO'S GARDEN

   (THE MOBIUS STRIP IS CONTINUOUS - IT'S THE CONCEPTS THAT LYNCH IS PUTTING FORWARD YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND)

      
WINKIE'S 

THE "MONSTER" BEHIND WINKIE'S

IS THE SCREENWRITER

("He's the one who's doing it")

Dan's dreams refer to screenwriting drafts

When Dan says he has had "this dream" two times (and "they're both the same") - he is referring to the left and right hand drafts (we are seeing him in the combined center draft at this point)

When he says it's "not day or night" - it refers to the DAY or NIGHT screenwriters put at the end of their sluglines

When he refers to "half-night" it is referring to mistakes amateur screenwriters make when describing the light in their sluglines ... because the "Monster" behind Winkie's is Lynch's version of Joe Gillis, the FAILED SCREENWRITER from Lynch's favorite movie

"Sunset Boulevard" 1950

(Lynch shows us the untouched food on the table - breakfast ... when we see Dan again towards the end of the movie ... it's a different time ... a different draft! ... his jacket looks a different color ... because the light ... is different)

CLUB SILENCIO
is a representation of Hollywood

And the lady with the blue hair is based on Norma Desmond from "Sunset Boulevard" - a silent era movie star

She says "Silencio" which translates from Spanish to

"Be Quiet"

(Gloria Swanson, also a silent era movie star, who played Norma Desmond, spoke Spanish - and Norma Desmond hated "talkies")

(The blue hair is a nod to The Golden Age of Cinema - black and white - where hair color was irrelevant)

(I have since found out ... that the "Silencio" scene was filmed in LA's Tower Theater  - an historic theater, and the very first theater to screen a "talkie" ... and what happens in the scene? ... the sound and images we see are synchronized ... just like Hollywood movies ... then the synchronized sound and image "break down" ... another incredible clue from Lynch)

NOTE

"SILENCIO" TRAUMATIZES (AND EFFECTIVELY DESTROYS) BETTY ELMS - RITA IS LESS TRAUMATIZED 

WHEN BETTY DISAPPEARS - SHE EFFECTIVELY DIES

HER "INNOCENT" PERSONA IS NO MORE - SHE HAS BEEN "INTRODUCED" TO HOLLYWOOD (AND SHORTLY AFTER, SHE "DIES" - "INNOCENCE" DOESN'T SURVIVE IN HOLLYWOOD) - ONLY HER "STAINED BUTTERFLY" (RITA) PERSONA REMAINS

(RITA HAS THE "NOUS" (INHERENT "HARDNESS") TO SURVIVE IN HOLLYWOOD (AS A "STEREOTYPE") - BUT AFTER 30 ... YOU'RE A "HAS-BEEN")

(BETTY AND RITA ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME PERSON)

WHEN RITA GOES "INTO" THE BLUE BOX - SHE IS EFFECTIVELY "RECYCLED"

(I think Lynch having a Latino, Laura Harring (who is from Mexico) star in the movie, is both a very deliberate, clever, and subtle, piece of "misdirection" ... and, equally, a very clever clue)

The car accident happens in the two right and left drafts

In one draft, big-time actress Camilla Rhodes is in the car accident, in the other, big-time actress Diane Selwyn is in the car accident

(You have to grasp that there are two drafts - a right hand draft with a big-time Camilla Rhodes / small-time Diane Selwyn story - and a left hand draft with a big-time Diane Selwyn / small-time Camilla Rhodes story (these two stories are different) - these two drafts "combine" (in a very clever way) to form the "center"
Betty Elms / Rita story)

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IN A NUTSHELL

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A VERY TRUNCATED VERSION OF LYNCH'S ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED TV SERIES

THE FILM VERSION IS BASICALLY THE PILOT EPISODE, PLUS THE LAST FEW EPISODES HEAVILY TRUNCATED, AND SHOWN IN FLASHBACK

TO UNDERSTAND THE FILM - YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO WORK OUT THE COMPLETE TV SERIES - AND YOU CAN DO THIS - BECAUSE LYNCH, BEING THE GENIUS THAT HE IS, HAS CLEVERLY ENCODED THE ENTIRE TV SERIES INTO THE FILM

(THE CLEVEREST SCREENWRITING IN HISTORY - I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN BOTHER TO USE THE WORD "PROBABLY" - THERE IS JUST NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER)

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS MADE UP OF THREE SCREENWRITING DRAFTS

THE RIGHT HAND (CAMILLA RHODES) DRAFT

AND THE LEFT HAND (DIANE SELWYN) DRAFT

EACH DESCRIBE TIME PERIODS OF AT LEAST 12 YEARS (WHICH RUN CONCURRENTLY)

THE CENTER (BETTY ELMS / RITA) DRAFT DESCRIBES JUST A FEW DAYS

IT IS A MOBIUS STRIP - AND MOBIUS STRIPS HAVE THREE PARTS - AN "INSIDE" CYCLE ... AN "OUTSIDE" CYCLE ... AND A "TWIST" TO LINK BOTH CYCLES

  (BOTH THE TV SERIES ... AND THE FILM VERSION ... ARE MOBIUS STRIPS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT)

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" HAS A RIGHT HAND DRAFT

(THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT)

A LEFT HAND DRAFT

(THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

AND A "TWIST" OR CENTER DRAFT

(THE BETTY ELMS / RITA DRAFT)

THE RIGHT HAND CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT COMPRISES - THE BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES STORY / THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN STORY 

THE LEFT HAND DIANE SELWYN DRAFT COMPRISES - THE BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN STORY / THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES STORY 

ALL DRAFTS START ... AND END ... IN COCO'S FRONT GARDEN AT 4AM

THE BETTY ELMS RITA DRAFT COVERS A PERIOD OF ONLY A FEW DAYS - IT IS THE "TWIST" THAT LINKS THE RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS TOGETHER

THE RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS EACH SPAN A PERIOD OF AT LEAST 12 YEARS

THE RIGHT HAND DRAFT COVERS THE PERIOD FROM WHEN A TEENAGE REDHEADED CAMILLA RHODES WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN ... TO A POINT AT LEAST 12 YEARS LATER ... WHEN, AS A BIG-TIME (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) ACTRESS, SHE IS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT

THE LEFT HAND DRAFT COVERS A PERIOD FROM WHEN A TEENAGE REDHEADED DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN ... TO A POINT AT LEAST 12 YEARS LATER ... WHEN, AS A BIG-TIME (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) ACTRESS, SHE IS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT   

THE "EVIDENCE" FOR BETTY ELMS

A TEENAGE REDHEADED DIANE SELWYN ARRIVES AT LAX IN THE RIGHT HAND DRAFT - SHE CATCHES A TAXI TO SIERRA BONITA APARTMENTS

A TEENAGE REDHEADED CAMILLA RHODES ARRIVES AT LAX IN THE LEFT HAND DRAFT - SHE CATCHES A TAXI TO SIERRA BONITA APARTMENTS

THE TWO REDHEADED TEENAGERS ARRIVING AT LAX "COMBINE" TO CREATE A COMPOSITE REDHEADED TEENAGER - BETTY ELMS - ARRIVING AT LAX IN THE CENTER DRAFT - SHE CATCHES A TAXI TO COCO'S APARTMENTS

REDHEADED TEENAGER BETTY ELMS IS PLAYED BY 30 YEAR OLD NAOMI WATTS 

BETTY ELMS ARRIVES AT LAX - SHE HAS NEVER BEEN TO HOLLYWOOD BEFORE

BETTY ELMS IS YOUNG AND INNOCENT

THE JITTERBUG COMPETITION ... WAS FOR TEENAGERS 

WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION IS FOR A TEENAGER

WHEN BETTY CALLS OUT "DON'T DRINK ALL THE COKE" - IT'S A SUBTLE REFERENCE TO HER YOUTHFULNESS

THE EVIDENCE INDICATES

BETTY ELMS IS A TEENAGER


THE "EVIDENCE" FOR RITA

IT APPEARS, DUE TO SMALL CONTINUITY ERRORS, AND CLUES LIKE THE AMBULANCE / FIRE TRUCK (EXPLAINED LATER), THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY WITNESSING TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES MAKE THEIR WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS

THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT ALL DRAFTS END AT AROUND 4AM (RITA DISAPPEARS INTO THE BLUE BOX)

NEW DRAFTS MUST START SHORTLY AFTERWARDS

NEW (RIGHT AND LEFT) DRAFTS START WITH TEENAGERS - AND THEN DESCRIBE PERIODS OF AT LEAST 12 YEARS

BUT COMPOSITE RITA REMEMBERS THE CAR ACCIDENT - SHE REMEMBERS DIANE SELWYN (SHE ACTUALLY REMEMBERS HERSELF AS DIANE SELWYN, AND AS DIANE SELWYN'S LOVER, CAMILLA RHODES)

RITA WILL GO THROUGH THE BLUE BOX AND IMPART HER "NOUS" (FROM BEING TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES) INTO THE TWO REDHEADED TEENAGERS THAT WILL HIDE IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS - ALTHOUGH BETTY ELMS IS A TEENAGER - RITA IS A 30 YEAR OLD WOMAN

THE EVIDENCE ALSO SUGGESTS THAT BOTH BETTY ELMS AND RITA ... ARE REDHEADS

BETTY ELMS IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO REDHEADED TEENAGERS ARRIVING AT LAX

RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO BIG-TIME HOLLYWOOD ACTRESSES - A BLONDE AND A BRUNETTE

(A BLONDE AND A BRUNETTE - THAT CREATE A REDHEAD - RITA IS A REDHEAD)

BOTH BETTY ELMS ... AND RITA ... ARE REDHEADS 

AND BOTH ARE "COMPOSITES" ...
OF CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN

BETTY ELMS AND RITA ... ARE THE SAME PERSON

BETTY ELMS IS A TEENAGER

RITA IS A 30+ YEAR OLD WOMAN

BETTY REPRESENTS "PRE-HOLLYWOOD" INNOCENCE

"A FRESH BUTTERFLY"

RITA REPRESENTS A BUTTERFLY WHOSE WINGS ARE "STAINED" WITH THE REALITIES OF HOLLYWOOD

BETTY STILL HAS HER IDENTITY ... RITA HAS LOST HERS

BETTY REPRESENTS THE HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPICAL "START PRODUCT"

RITA REPRESENTS THE HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPICAL "END PRODUCT"

ULTIMATELY, ALL HOLLYWOOD ACTRESSES HAVE AN "EXPIRY DATE" - THE DATE THEY ARE REPLACED BY A "NEWER MODEL" IN LEADING ROLES

BUT THAT "NEWER MODEL" IS, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, JUST ANOTHER STEREOTYPICAL "CLONE" ... OFF THE (DARK AND SHALLOW) HOLLYWOOD "PRODUCTION LINE"

"THIS IS THE GIRL"

THE "HIT" ON LAURA HARRING'S CHARACTER EFFECTIVELY REPRESENTS ...

IT'S THE MOB THAT ACTUALLY CONTROLS WHO IS "IN" ... AND WHO IS "OUT" ... IN HOLLYWOOD

(THE HOLLYWOOD ERA LYNCH IS DEPICTING)

"HOLLYWOOD HARDENED" BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ARE "DISPENSABLE"

THE HOLLYWOOD "DREAM FACTORY" CREATING CONVEYOR BELT QUEUES OF DESPERATE "WANNABE" ACTRESSES ... WHO WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET ON THE DARK AND SHALLOW ROAD TO STARDOM ... BUT WHO, UNLESS THEY ACTUALLY SACRIFICE THEIR IDENTITY IN THE PROCESS (BY BECOMING A HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPE ... A "CLONE" ... WHICH INCLUDES HAVING THE RIGHT COLOR HAIR, THE RIGHT "SUBSERVIENCE", AND SLEEPING AROUND) WILL NEVER GET ANYWHERE ...

(WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS TO THE VERSIONS OF CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN THAT LIVE AT SIERRA BONITA)

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "INNOCENCE" IN HOLLYWOOD - ALL ROADS TO STARDOM LEAD TO THE "DRUG" ... AND EVERYONE GETS ADDICTED TO THE "DRUG" ... NO ONE (ORIGINAL IDENTITY) SURVIVES THE "DRUG"

HOLLYWOOD IS THE "DRUG"

BETTY AND RITA REPRESENT HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPES - THE "START" AND "END" PRODUCTS FROM A BRUTAL, CONTINUOUS, HOLLYWOOD "CONVEYOR BELT"

BETTY REPRESENTS AN ACTRESS "ON HER WAY IN"

RITA REPRESENTS AN ACTRESS "ON HER WAY OUT"

BETTY AND RITA REPRESENT THAT IT'S NOT JUST TALENT ALONE THAT IS NEEDED TO PROGRESS UP THE (VERY SLIPPERY) LADDER IN HOLLYWOOD

RITA REPRESENTS THE END RESULT - LOSING YOUR IDENTITY AND CONFIDENCE ... AND BEING DISCARDED AND REPLACED

(NOTICE THAT BETTY IS ACTUALLY THE CONFIDENT ONE)

DIANE SELWYN REPRESENTS THE DESPERATION, HUMILIATION, AND DISCRIMINATION OF AN ACTRESS THAT DOESN'T "FIT" THE STEREOTYPE (A REDHEAD)

CAMILLA RHODES REPRESENTS THE LENGTHS ACTRESSES WILL GO TO (DYING THEIR HAIR, LOSING THEIR IDENTITY, AND SLEEPING AROUND) - TO MAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD ... AND STAY THERE

BETTY - RITA - CAMILLA - DIANE ... ARE ALL EFFECTIVELY "COMPOSITES" OF EACH OTHER

BETTY AND RITA REPRESENT THE "BEFORE" AND "AFTER" - ULTIMATELY, ALL "IDENTITIES" ARE DESTROYED BY HOLLYWOOD

(RITA - "I DON'T KNOW WHO I AM")

EFFECTIVELY - HOLLYWOOD TURNS "BETTYS" ... INTO "RITAS"

WHEN BETTY DISAPPEARS - AFTER VISITING "SILENCIO" (WHICH IS A REPRESENTATION OF HOLLYWOOD, AND TRAUMATIZES HER) - IT REPRESENTS THE "DEATH" OF HER "INNOCENT" PERSONA

(BETTY ALWAYS "DIES" BECAUSE "INNOCENCE" ALWAYS "DIES" IN HOLLYWOOD)

RITA IS CONTINUOUSLY "RECYCLED" ... WHICH REPRESENTS THE "CLONE" ASPECT OF THE HOLLYWOOD "DREAM FACTORY" - CHURNING OUT EXPENDABLE "BARBIE DOLLS" ON A DESTRUCTIVE "CONVEYOR BELT" OF IDENTITY OBLIVION

MR ROQUE REPRESENTS THE "DARK FORCES" THAT ACTUALLY CONTROL HOLLYWOOD ... THE "DARK FORCES" THAT CREATE THESE "STAINED" BUTTERFLYS ON A CONTINUOUS, DESTRUCTIVE "CONVEYOR BELT"     

(AFTER THE CAR ACCIDENTS BOTH 30 YEAR OLD BIG-TIME ACTRESSES GO TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN - THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS END)

(THE CENTER "COMPOSITE" DRAFT ALSO ENDS AT THE SAME MOMENT - WHEN RITA GOES "INTO" THE BLUE BOX - AT AROUND 4AM IN THE MORNING)

  
NEW DRAFTS START
(ALL THREE NEW DRAFTS START AT THE SAME MOMENT)

TEENAGE REDHEADED CAMILLA RHODES WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN IN THE RIGHT HAND DRAFT
 
TEENAGE REDHEADED DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN IN THE LEFT HAND DRAFT

REDHEADED TEENAGER DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN - SHE HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - DYES HER HAIR (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) - GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION - GETS HIRED (BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE / BRUNETTE) - EMBARKS ON CAREER AS BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN

AT LEAST 12 YEARS LATER

CAR ACCIDENT

GOES TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN
DRAFT ENDS

NEW DRAFT STARTS

REDHEADED TEENAGER CAMILLA RHODES WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN - HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - DYES HER HAIR (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) - GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION - GETS HIRED (BECAUSE SHE'S BLONDE / BRUNETTE) - EMBARKS ON CAREER AS BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES

AT LEAST 12 YEARS LATER

CAR ACCIDENT

BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES GOES TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN

 DRAFT ENDS

NEW DRAFT STARTS

 CYCLE REPEATS 

IT IS RITA ... WHEN SHE GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL ... THAT GIVES THE TWO TEENAGE REDHEADS (ONE IN EACH RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFT) THE "NOUS" TO DYE THEIR HAIR, SLEEP AROUND, AND BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES

WHEN COMPOSITE RITA DONS A BLONDE WIG - IT INDICATES SHE WILL IMPART HER "NOUS" INTO A REDHEADED TEENAGER (HIDING IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT) - WHO WILL DYE HER HAIR BLONDE - GO TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION - AND GET HIRED (BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE) INSTEAD OF HER REDHEADED TEENAGE RECIPROCAL (LIVING AT SIERRA BONITA) THAT ALSO AUDITIONS ... WHO IS ONLY DESTINED TO BE A SMALL-TIME ACTRESS ... BECAUSE OF HER REDHAIR

(NEXT "REWRITE" OF THE BETTY ELMS / RITA DRAFT WILL HAVE LAURA HARRING PLAYING BETTY ELMS - AND NAOMI WATTS PLAYING RITA - RITA WILL DON A BRUNETTE WIG BEFORE DISAPPEARING INTO THE BLUE BOX PORTAL - SHE WILL GIVE HER "NOUS" TO A REDHEADED TEENAGER HIDING IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - WHO WILL DYE HER HAIR BRUNETTE - GO TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION - AND GET HIRED BECAUSE SHE IS BRUNETTE)

(BUT RITA REMAINS EXACTLY THE SAME CHARACTER WHETHER SHE IS PLAYED BY LAURA HARRING OR NAOMI WATTS)

THE "BRUNETTE" WOODY KATZ MENTIONS AT THE AUDITION (IN THE COMPOSITE BETTY ELMS DRAFT) - MUST BE A "BLEED" ACROSS DRAFTS - BECAUSE WE CAN DEDUCE THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AT SIERRA BONITA ARE ALWAYS ACTUALLY REDHEADS

SO - THIS MEANS THAT THE "BRUNETTE" WOODY MENTIONS MUST BE THE "DESTINED TO BE A BIG-TIME ACTRESS" - DYED BRUNETTE (BUT ACTUALLY REDHEADED) TEENAGER DIANE SELWYN FROM LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

(IF CAMILLA RHODES (MELISSA GEORGE) DYED BLONDE HAIR COLOR CAN BE BELIEVED)

WE CAN DEDUCE THE "BRUNETTE" COMMENT COVERS BOTH "BIG-TIME TO BE" DYED HAIR BRUNETTE TEENAGERS FROM LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT ... AND IS ACTUALLY BRUNETTE CAROL WHEN THE DYED HAIR BLONDE TEENAGERS AUDITION IN THE TWO OTHER DRAFTS  

THIS MEANS (THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX) THAT THE BETTY ELMS RITA STORY CAN BE REDUCED DOWN TO JUST ONE DRAFT ONSCREEN (THE ONE WE SEE)

SO - ALTHOUGH NEXT TIME, WE CAN DEDUCE THAT (THEORETICALLY) WOODY WOULD SAY THEY AUDITIONED A "BLONDE" ACTRESS - HIM SAYING "BRUNETTE" WOULD STILL BE TECHNICALLY CORRECT

(MELISSA GEORGE'S CHARACTER SEEMS TO BE A REDHEAD DYED BLONDE - WHICH I THINK IS ANOTHER CLUE FROM LYNCH - AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT CAROL (ALSO AUDITIONING) SEEMS TO HAVE DYED HER HAIR AS WELL) 

   THIS WOULD MEAN THAT ALTHOUGH THERE ARE (THEORETICALLY) TWO DIFFERENT VARIATIONS OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - (AND FOUR BLONDE / BRUNETTE VARIATIONS OF THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS - AND THERE ARE, FOR THE FULL MOBIUS STRIP TO WORK PROPERLY) - WE WOULDN'T NEED TO SEE ALL OF THEM - BECAUSE THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY CHANGES (IN THE RIGHT HAND DRAFT REWRITES / LEFT HAND DRAFT REWRITES) ... IS HAIR COLOR ... AND THAT'S THE POINT LYNCH IS MAKING - HAIR COLOR IS / SHOULD BE ... IRRELEVANT

(BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES IS BOTH BLONDE AND BRUNETTE / BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN IS BOTH BLONDE AND BRUNETTE ... TAKE OUT THE HAIR COLOR ... AND FOUR DRAFTS BECOME TWO - THE TWO DRAFTS LYNCH IS "RUNNING" AT THE SAME TIME ... ALL HAIR COLOR BECOMES IRRELEVANT)

THE TWO VARIATIONS OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT CAN BECOME ONE - BECAUSE WOODY KATZ DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE CHARACTERS BY NAME - JUST HAIR COLOR (BRUNETTE)

REFINING THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT DOWN TO JUST ONE VARIATION MEANS WOODY WOULD BE REFERRING TO BRUNETTE CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN (TWO OF THE FOUR TIME PERIODS) ... AND ANOTHER BRUNETTE ACTRESS - PROBABLY CAROL - (THE OTHER TWO TIME PERIODS) (THINKING "OUTSIDE THE BOX")

(AND THE CLUE IS WHEN CAROL SAYS "MY MANAGER WILL BUG YOU DAY AND NIGHT" - IT'S LIKELY HER "MANAGER" IS LINNEY JAMES - AND SHE AUDITIONED FOR WALLY BROWN)

WHAT DOES THIS TELL US? - IF BETTY ELMS IS A TEENAGER (AND SHE IS) - THEN ALL THESE AUDITIONS ... ARE FOR TEENAGERS ... AND NOTICE THE TWO SONGS BEING MIMED ... TEENAGE LOVE SONGS

(CAMILLA RHODES (MELISSA GEORGE) MUST BE A "COMPOSITE" OF BOTH SMALL-TIME VERSIONS OF CAMILLA RHODES (COVERING TWO BIG-TIME (BLONDE / BRUNETTE) DIANE SELWYN DRAFTS - WHERE ADAM KESHER REFUSES TO CAST HER - AND THE MOVIE IS SHUT DOWN) - AND ALSO A "COMPOSITE" OF THE TWO "BIG-TIME TO BE" TEENAGE VERSIONS OF CAMILLA RHODES (ONE BLONDE / ONE BRUNETTE) THAT ADAM KESHER WILL REFUSE TO CAST - THE MOVIE WILL BE TAKEN OFF HIM AND GIVEN TO BOB BROOKER - AND THEY WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES)

(ADAM KESHER ONLY CAPITULATES AND HIRES CAMILLA RHODES IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT - AND THAT DRAFT IS ALWAYS SCRAPPED - WHEN RITA "GOES INTO" THE BLUE BOX)

("A MAN'S ATTITUDE GOES SOME WAYS TOWARD HOW A MAN'S LIFE WILL BE" REFERS TO ADAM KESHER CHANGING HIS DESTINY - CASTING / OR REFUSING TO CAST CAMILLA RHODES) 


WHAT IS GOING ON AT SILENCIO?  

"SILENCIO" IS A REPRESENTATION THAT HOLLYWOOD EFFECTIVELY TRAUMATIZES AND DESTROYS INNOCENT YOUNG ACTRESSES (BETTY ELMS) - BUT IT IMPARTS "NOUS" TO ACTRESSES WHO "HARDEN UP" AND "PLAY BALL" BY DYEING THEIR HAIR AND SLEEPING AROUND (EFFECTIVELY LESS TRAUMATIZED RITA) ... WHO IN TURN, IMPARTS THIS "NOUS" (TO DYE THEIR HAIR AND SLEEP AROUND) INTO THE TWO REDHEADED ACTRESSES THAT WAKE UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AND HIDE IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

(LYNCH HAS ONE "POOL" OF ACTORS ... FOR ALL THREE DRAFTS (STORIES) - HE IS VERY CLEVERLY SWITCHING SOME OF THEM AROUND - TO MAKE A VERY POWERFUL POINT)

(MELISSA GEORGE PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS / RITA DRAFT - SHE PLAYS AN UNKNOWN CHARACTER IN THE RIGHT HAND CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT ... WHO KISSES CAMILLA RHODES AT THE DINNER PARTY) 

In Mulholland Drive small continuity errors such as the bowl of fruit on the table at Aunt Ruth's, and the blood / lack of blood on the right side of Laura Harring's face as she makes her way to Aunt Ruth's, subtly show us there are multiple and extremely similar scenarios being portrayed ... there are clues that Lynch is running both sides of the mobius strip (right and left drafts) at the same time

(The bowl of fruit on the kitchen table belongs to the Betty Elms "center" draft ... when there is no bowl of fruit on the table ... it's not Aunt Ruth's apartment ... it's Louise Bonner's)

AUNT RUTH'S APARTMENT ... IS ONLY AUNT RUTH'S ... IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT ... THE APARTMENT ACTUALLY BELONGS TO LOUISE BONNER IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS (AUNT RUTH DOESN'T EXIST IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS ... SHE'S DEAD)

(WE NEVER ACTUALLY SEE AUNT RUTH IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - THE WOMAN WE SEE COLLECTING HER KEYS AND LEAVING IN THE TAXI ... IS ACTUALLY LOUISE BONNER)

(LOUISE BONNER IS PLAYED BY ANOTHER ACTRESS ... LEE GRANT ... IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT ... JUST AS MELISSA GEORGE PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES IN THE CENTER DRAFT) 

Note:

We are watching big-time actress Camilla Rhodes and big-time actress Diane Selwyn make their way from the car accident to Coco's apartments ... the deliberate continuity errors subtly show us this ...

(Effectively, we are seeing the end of both the Camilla Rhodes (right hand) and Diane Selwyn (left hand) drafts ...and then the beginning of new Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn drafts)

(The Betty Elms / Rita draft starts at exactly the same moment as well ... although we don't see this draft until Betty Elms arrives at LAX)

Lynch is "running" both sides of the mobius strip ... at the same time

The two women (both played by Laura Harring to fool us) go to sleep in Coco's garden

This is the end of both the right and left hand drafts

New drafts start (all three) at 4am

We then see Laura Harring wake up and enter Coco's apartment building

ls she playing one character ... or two?

(If Laura Harring was playing just one character (as a "true" representation of that character) she would go to sleep as a brunette - and wake up a blonde (and the mobius strip wouldn't "work" properly - there would only be brunette versions of Camilla Rhodes, and blonde versions of Diane Selwyn) ... but she doesn't ... so it's my assumption she is playing both big-time actress Camilla Rhodes and big-time actress Diane Selwyn ... then playing teenage versions of Camilla and Diane in the new drafts which start at 4am)

She goes to sleep

New drafts start sometime later - 4am

She then wakes up as both redheaded teenager Camilla Rhodes and redheaded teenager Diane Selwyn ... and hides in Louise Bonner's apartment

(Lynch is still running both sides of the mobius strip ... at the same time)

(Aunt Ruth doesn't exist in the left and right drafts ... she's dead in these drafts)  

 Although Betty Elms is created by two teenagers ... Rita must be a composite of two big-time actresses (because of her memories / lack of memories)

(You can only be certain you are actually watching the "raw" "center" Betty Elms / Rita story ... when Betty Elms is actually in a scene ... although, everything that happens after Betty Elms arrives at LAX (until Betty and Rita disappear) ... effectively "becomes" the "center" Betty Elms draft ... but many scenes in the "center" draft are "splices" from the left hand (Diane Selwyn) and right hand (Camilla Rhodes) drafts) 

Laura Harring is playing both big-time Camilla Rhodes and big-time Diane Selwyn - and teenage redheads Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn - so the transition between drafts is totally seamless, and fools us

The Firetruck says "119" - the Ambulance "911" - this is actually another clue that we are seeing "both sides" of the mobius strip "at the same time"

(Both sides of the mobius strip are "playing out" at the same time - and the actresses (over a complete mobius cycle - which would have happened in the TV series) are playing reciprocal roles as Camilla Rhodes / Diane Selwyn - each "cycle" through the "twist" (and the "twist" is the Betty Elms draft) reverses the roles (because each time you "cycle" through the "twist" in a mobius strip, you are on the opposite side (inside or outside) of it - see later diagram) - the actresses switch (blonde becomes brunette and vice versa) ... so in one cycle Laura Harring is playing the characters we see in the car accident and hiding in Louise Bonner's apartment ... in the next cycle Naomi Watts would play the characters in the car accident and hiding in Louise Bonner's apartment ... so in the next cycle of the mobius strip ... Laura Harring would play Betty Elms ... and Naomi Watts would play Rita)

  (Have you spotted the problem? We don't actually know whether we are watching Laura Harring play a blonde Camilla Rhodes and a brunette Diane Selwyn - or a brunette Camilla Rhodes and a blonde Diane Selwyn ... and that's actually the point ... it doesn't matter ... "Rita" is always the exact same character no matter what actress plays her - the same actually goes for Betty, Camilla, and Diane, and in fact, all the characters in "Mulholland Drive")

This is "Mulholland Drive" - the TV series - the "pinch point" is the blue box - "Mulholland Drive" (the movie) is an extremely truncated "mosaic" of the originally envisioned TV series

 (The "reality" is ... when we see Laura Harring in the limo at the start of the film ... she could actually be Camilla Rhodes ... or Diane Selwyn ... we don't actually know where (at which point in time) we are "entering" the (full) mobius strip ... and that's the whole point ... we end up seeing both of them .. Lynch is running both sides of the mobius strip at the same time ... it's hard to grasp ... but it's the most powerful and clever piece of filmmaking in Hollywood's history)

(It's complicated ... but that's what's actually happening ... it gets even more complicated when I explain that there is a very big distinction between ACTRESSES and CHARACTERS ... and that Betty and Rita remain the same CHARACTER (with the same physical attributes) no matter what actresses are playing them)

(This is the genius of "Mulholland Drive" - the CHARACTERS are the same no matter what actors are playing them - it's irrelevant whether Laura Harring or Naomi Watts plays Betty or Rita - the CHARACTERS remain EXACTLY the same PHYSICALLY in both cycles of the full mobius strip - this is why we only need to see one cycle of the Betty / Rita part of the mobius strip to rationally deduce what is actually going on)

(Lynch is also showing us that, just like in a book, the real characters only exist in the author's (or audiences) head - and that actors are only "approximations" of those characters - more often than not, stereotypes dictated by Hollywood - and that it is the quality of the screenwriter's "visualization" and acting ability of the actors that is most important, rather than physical attributes such as hair color or cosmetically accentuated beauty) 

LYNCH IS, EFFECTIVELY, RUNNING BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... AT THE SAME TIME - AND MAKING AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL POINT

The SCRIPT is, effectively, two dimensional - two drafts (stories) - left and right hand drafts running side by side like the left and right lanes of a road (but in the same direction > time) - the drafts very cleverly "combined" into one ... the Betty Elms "combined" draft (like the center line in this "road") ... this gives us the visual story of "Mulholland Drive"


THE SCRIPT

IS WHAT WE ACTUALLY SEE

The movie is, effectively, actually three dimensional (the whole movie is actually "three dimensional" in the sense that you have to deduce a three dimensional "holographic message" from what, outwardly, appears to be a standard, but confusing and weird, two dimensional story) - the inside and outside of the mobius strip running concurrently (effectively in the same direction), and being combined three dimensionally "through the paper wall" of the mobius strip ... the "paper wall" (see my diagram of a mobius strip) effectively itself becoming the center Betty Elms draft while the left and right hand drafts run either side of it ... that's why I describe the movie as a Hologram (the movie itself actually becomes three dimensional as you decipher it) ... and it can only be "visualized" in the "screenwriters" head ... what is ACTUALLY going on can only be rationally deduced ... it can't actually be shown onscreen

(Even if Lynch tried to show us EXACTLY what was going on visually ... it would be even more confusing ... and this will become even more obvious further into this explanation)

Once you realize ...

THE MOVIE IS ACTUALLY "3D" ...

IT BECOMES A PUZZLE ... A PUZZLE THAT CAN ONLY BE SOLVED RATIONALLY

(The script is just a two dimensional representation of the three dimensional "movie" going on in Lynch's mind ... the "movie" can't be meaningfully represented literally on paper or on screen)

So - the actual "movie" in Lynch's mind needs rational interpretation to get it onto paper (the "script" - effectively a screen-ready "encryption") - which is then literally converted to screen (filmed as a movie) ... then needs rational interpretation to convert (decrypt) it back into the actual "movie" that was originally conceived in Lynch's mind - in between it becomes an incredible puzzle

(Lynch catches (very) "big fish" in his mind - he corrals them into very unique "aquariums" that aren't subject to the same laws of the universe that other mere mortals attach to the "run of the mill" "fish" and "aquariums" in their minds - then shares his "alternative universe Lynchian aquariums" with us ... as unique "Lynchian" representations on the big screen)

 Nothing is lost in translation ... it's just Lynch translates his mind directly into his language ("Lynchian") ... not ours ... other Directors may do it to some (small) extent ... but Lynch's genius enables him to push it way further than any other (so is therefore more "alien" and confusing to us than virtually all others - hence Lynch's work gets trademarked "Lynchian") - there are some pretenders, but without the depth of Lynch's mind, their films become hollow "mush" ("The Neon Demon") ... counterfeit fakes lacking the cerebral "density" that makes Lynch's films masterpieces even without translation ... attempting to mimic Lynch is a futile exercise of style over substance ... every time ... you have to get right inside Lynch's mind before you stand any chance of credibly imitating him ... hopefully some young filmmakers will do exactly that in the future

(The big dreams ... happen in Lynch's mind ... not the minds of his characters)  
  
The "3D" puzzle that is "Mulholland Drive" is an extremely (mindbogglingly) clever screen representation of commentary or an "address" from Lynch's mind - he's not telling a story ... he's making a point ... probably one of the most profound statements ever made on celluloid ... we're viewing a movie ... but he's really giving us an extremely clever, powerful lesson (the cleverest lesson I've ever come across by far) ... he literally is giving Hollywood, as well as us, a "piece of his mind"

(I really struggle to put into words how incredibly clever and powerful this "address" by Lynch is ...
I stress - it's the finest lesson in screenwriting / filmmaking in history ... but his intrinsic covert message on discrimination / equality, and it's mind-twisting delivery ... puts it into the realms of a speech by Lincoln, Churchill, or Luther King ... "Mulholland Drive" will be studied for decades ... both it's message ... and the delivery of that message ... it's true place in history is still yet to be discovered ... but, at the very least, it must go down as one of the most profound statements about discrimination ever made ... Hollywood or otherwise)  

(The script is a 2D rational representation of a "3D movie" playing out in Lynch's mind ... the film we see is a literal representation of this "2D script" ... the movie we see needs rational interpretation to turn it back into the "3D movie" from Lynch's mind)

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS AN EMPIRICAL REPRESENTATION OF A RATIONAL PUZZLE    

When Betty and Rita disappear - the draft is scrapped ...

And we then see Aunt Ruth BEFORE SHE WENT AWAY - Lynch is throwing us a very big clue as to what is actually going on - the draft will be rewritten

(There's even two screenplay drafts visible on the bedside table ... the other two drafts)

Note: 

When Betty and Rita disappear, and we again see Aunt Ruth, ... Lynch is, effectively, "erasing" the Betty Elms draft, and going all the way back to the start of the movie, where he left off showing us "splices" from both the Camilla Rhodes (right hand) and Diane Selwyn (left hand) drafts - briefly "cutting" to the right or left draft again to show us Aunt Ruth having one last check of her bedroom, before she leaves for "Canada" ...

But here's the kicker ... Aunt Ruth only exists in the Betty Elms (composite) draft (as someone we don't see) - she doesn't exist in the other two drafts
 
(If Aunt Ruth doesn't exist in the right-hand Camilla Rhodes draft or the left-hand Diane Selwyn draft... where does redheaded teenager Camilla Rhodes (and redheaded teenager Diane Selwyn) go after the car accident ... could it be they hide ... in Louise Bonner's apartment?)

(New drafts have started (at around 4am) and it's actually redheaded teenage versions of Camilla and Diane that hide in Louise Bonner's apartment)

I think that Aunt Ruth only exists in the Betty Elms draft (as someone we don't see) ... and the woman we see leaving the apartment is actually Louise Bonner in one (actually both) of the other drafts (played by another actress ... it's different stories in the other two drafts (but they all interconnect) ... in "Mulholland Drive" there is one "pool" of actors playing all the characters in all three drafts ... but Lynch is very cleverly switching some of them around ... and Lee Grant doesn't necessarily have to play Louise Bonner in all three drafts ... just as Melissa George plays Camilla Rhodes in the composite Betty Elms draft ... then plays an unknown character who kisses Camilla Rhodes at the dinner party (in the Camilla Rhodes draft) (Lynch is actually dropping another very big clue here ... that "identities" aren't necessarily what they appear ... particularly for women who kiss each other) - The dead aunt Diane Selwyn mentions (in the Camilla Rhodes draft) has nothing to do with Coco's apartments (Aunt Ruth doesn't exist in the right and left hand drafts (she's dead) ... it's actually Louise Bonner we see leaving the apartment ... we are just tricked into assuming it's Aunt Ruth leaving for Canada ... a very reasonable assumption until you realize there are three drafts going on) ... that's why the small-time actresses actually stay at Sierra Bonita ...
(there is more on Louise Bonner later)

INCONTROVERTIBLE PROOF

1) The robe with the note from Aunt Ruth - when "Louise Bonner" checks her bedroom before leaving in the taxi - there is no robe on the bed

2) When "Louise Bonner" retrieves her keys from the kitchen table ... there is no fruitbowl - when Betty Elms arrives ... there is a fruitbowl

This shows us we are seeing at least two separate drafts edited together

(Film Editor Mary Sweeney gave away a big clue when she talked about the importance of "smooth and invisible editing" in an interview about "Mulholland Drive")

ANOTHER LEVEL OF CONFUSION!

LYNCH'S TEN CLUES

 (I DIDN'T REALLY TAKE MUCH NOTICE OF HIS TEN CLUES, AS I BELIEVE THEY WERE "FORCED" OUT OF HIM BY THE STUDIO - AND HE, LIKE HE OFTEN DOES, MAY HAVE JUST BEEN TAKING THE PISS)

LYNCH SAYS: "WHERE IS AUNT RUTH?"

AUNT RUTH IS DEAD IN THE RIGHT AND LEFT DRAFTS - SHE'S IN CANADA IN THE CENTER DRAFT

SO SHE IS, EFFECTIVELY, IN THE CONTEXT OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"- BOTH DEAD AND ALIVE

THIS IS ACTUALLY A REFERENCE TO A SCHRODINGER'S CAT

SO, THE WOMAN WE SEE GETTING INTO THE TAXI AT COCO'S COULD BE BOTH AUNT RUTH AND LOUISE BONNER - JUST AS LAURA HARRING IS BOTH CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN IN THE OPENING SCENES - BUT SHE IS DEFINITELY NOT AUNT RUTH WHEN WE SEE HER CHECKING THE BEDROOM LATER - BECAUSE THE ROBE WITH THE NOTE ISN'T PRESENT

SO, FOR THE SAKE OF SIMPLICITY AND CLARITY - I HAVE SAID SHE IS NOT AUNT RUTH TO AVOID AN EVEN GREATER LEVEL OF CONFUSION

(BECAUSE A LOT OF THE "EDITING" IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS "VIRTUAL" RATHER THAN ACTUAL IT BECOMES WAY TOO UNWIELDY TO ARGUE RE ALL THE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS RE AUNT RUTH / LOUISE BONNER AND THE TAXI - BECAUSE ANYTHING IS VALID AS LONG AS THERE IS NOTHING SUCH AS A PROP OR DIALOGUE TO CONTRADICT AN IDENTITY

SHE IS DEFINITELY LOUISE BONNER - NOT AUNT RUTH, WHEN WE SEE HER IN THE BEDROOM - SHE COULD BE LOUISE BONNER OR AUNT RUTH WHEN WE SEE HER OUTSIDE ABOUT TO LEAVE IN THE TAXI

SO, FROM HERE ON - I'M GOING WITH WHAT I BELIEVE IS LYNCH'S INTENTION - JUST AS I BELIEVE IT IS HIS INTENTION WE DON'T ACTUALLY SEE RITA UNTIL THE SHOWER SCENE

 ALL THREE DRAFTS APPEAR TO END / START AROUND 4AM (WHEN RITA DISAPPEARS "INTO" THE BLUE BOX) - THIS EFFECTIVELY STARTS THREE NEW DRAFTS AT THIS MOMENT OR SHORTLY AFTERWARDS - SO ALL THREE DRAFTS HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED AT THE POINT WE SEE LAURA HARRING WAKE UP AND ENTER LOUISE BONNER'S / AUNT RUTH'S APARTMENT - SO (DEPENDING HOW YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT) CAMILLA RHODES / DIANE SELWYN / RITA ALL ENTER THE APARTMENT AT THE SAME TIME

(THIS WOULD MEAN THAT WHEN WE SEE LAURA HARRING HIDING UNDER THE TABLE SHE IS EITHER REDHEADED TEENAGER CAMILLA OR REDHEADED TEENAGER DIANE - SHE CAN BE EITHER AT THIS POINT - WHEN SHE IS IN THE LIMO, SHE COULD ALSO BE EITHER BIG-TIME CAMILLA OR BIG-TIME DIANE

BUT THE BIGGEST CLUE ... IS WOODY KATZ SAYS THEY AUDITIONED A BRUNETTE "EARLIER"

THIS WOULD MEAN THAT THE REDHEADED TEENAGER HIDING IN LOUISE BONNER'S DYED HER HAIR BRUNETTE

WHEN YOU PLOT THE VARIOUS SCENARIOS OUT ... YOU GET A BRUNETTE CAMILLA RHODES

THIS ALL ACTUALLY PROVES THAT LAURA HARRING IS PLAYING MULTIPLE ROLES WHEN WE SEE HER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM

(PROOF LYNCH IS RUNNING BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP AT THE SAME TIME ... BECAUSE IF HE WASN'T ... IT WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE BEEN A BLONDE IN THE LIMO)  

SCHRODINGER'S CATS


I LIKE TO THINK OF IT THAT WE ARE SEEING TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES OR TEENAGE DIANE SELWYN HIDING UNDER THE TABLE (THERE IS NO FRUIT BOWL - SO SHE DEFINITELY ISN'T RITA) WHEN LOUISE BONNER RETRIEVES HER KEYS (WHICH IS ACTUALLY AFTER THE BEDROOM SCENE CHRONOLOGICALLY) - SO SHE IS LOUISE BONNER

TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES / TEENAGE DIANE SELWYN / RITA ALL ENTER THE APARTMENT EXACTLY THE SAME WAY - WHEN LOUISE BONNER IS LEAVING IN A TAXI (THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS - AUNT RUTH IS DEAD IN THESE DRAFTS) - RITA ENTERS WHEN AUNT RUTH IS LEAVING IN A TAXI (THE CENTER DRAFT - BUT WE DON'T SEE RITA TILL THE SHOWER SCENE - SO THEREFORE WE DON'T SEE AUNT RUTH

(AND BOTH BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES AND BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS AND MAKE THEIR WAY TO COCO'S AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM (PERHAPS EVIDENCE WE ALSO SEE  A "COMPOSITE" END TO THE FILM - WHICH ACTUALLY FLOWS INTO THE BEGINNING VIA THE "CATALYST" AND "EXPENDABLE" BETTY / RITA STORY) - IT'S A DIFFICULT CONCEPT TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND - BUT IT'S WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN TERMS OF THE "3D HOLOGRAM" LYNCH IS ACTUALLY SHOWING US IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

WE NEVER ACTUALLY SEE AUNT RUTH AT ALL IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF "VIRTUAL" SPLICING AND "SCHRODINGER CATS" IS VERY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF FULLY UNDERSTANDING "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

MOBIUS STRIPS - JUST LIKE REAL LIFE - ARE CONTINUOUS AND UNBROKEN - BUT SCREEN REPRESENTATIONS (MOVIES AND TV) ARE NOT - MOVIES JUST SHOW SNIPPETS OF OVERALL STORIES, CLEVERLY EDITED TOGETHER TO FIT INTO A TWO HOUR OR SO TIMEFRAME

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS NO EXCEPTION - THE "STORIES" ALL FINISH / START SOMETIME AROUND 4AM - BUT THE "SCREENWRITER" IS CHOOSING TO SHOW US SELECTIVE "SNIPPETS"

(Rita mentioning the car accident and the aunt's red hair (Rita does see Aunt Ruth (but we don't) - likely just as it happened for Camilla and Diane seeing Louise Bonner leave - so Aunt Ruth does have red hair) - being scared when she sees mobsters etc - are just being treated as "leftover artifacts" from the two individual drafts - obviously the car accident has to be an "artifact" in the Betty Elms draft (as does things like Rita remembering the name Diane Selwyn) - but Rita is actually a separate character in the Betty Elms draft - Betty does not comment on the red hair comment because she assumes Rita knows her aunt)

Rita mentioning Aunt Ruth's red hair ... is actually very strong evidence ... that we have NOT in fact seen Aunt Ruth ... Lynch is letting us know what color her hair is ... because we haven't actually seen her ... so we now know - both Aunt Ruth and Louise Bonner have redhair

(Every so often ... we get a glimpse of the true genius lurking in Lynch's mind ... he truly is "a man from another place") 

(We see two other redheaded "Aunt Ruth" lookalikes with suitcases - one at the airport when Betty arrives ... and the other at the Sierra Bonita apartments - this is the clue that you can't assume a middle-aged woman with suitcases is Aunt Ruth ... Louise Bonner lives in "Aunt Ruth's" apartment in the other two drafts ... we can work this out from later clues)

(We are actually seeing "the end" of both the Camilla Rhodes draft, and the Diane Selwyn draft at the beginning of Mulholland Drive ... within a few days both small-time actresses living at Sierra Bonita apartments will commit suicide (actually from drug overdose - in the two right and left individual drafts - (there is only a gun in the ADD-ON ENDING - which is a necessary change (from the TV series) for Lynch to show us parts of the big-time Camilla Rhodes / small-time Diane Selwyn story in flashback)... effectively ending each draft (and the composite draft actually ... that's why Betty disappears) ... but new ones will be written ... because the Cowboy (David Lynch?) is never satisfied)

(See the descrepancy here? - if all the drafts end / start at 4am ... how do the two small-time actresses take a drug overdose and live on for another 3 days or so? ... Betty Elms seems to be created (in a third "concurrent" "center" draft) when two small-time actress wannabes fly into LAX in the two separate right and left drafts ... and seems to die "12 years or so later" when they commit suicide and die from drug overdose ... this actually proves that Betty and Rita are both from different time periods (they are actually the same person ... both "composites" of the same two wannabe actresses ... that have made different choices as they navigated the yellow brick road through Hollywood) ... and that there are multiple "games" playing out on this monopoly board ... at the same time ... every 3 days or so, Betty Elms dissappears ... and, at the same time, another Betty Elms boards a plane in Canada bound for LAX)

(When Betty and Rita return from Silencio with the blue box (in the Betty Elms draft), there is a big-time blonde / brunette actress lying asleep in Coco's front garden in each respective left / right draft ... effectively "another" Rita, for a new "center" Betty Elms draft, all ready to go ... and another Betty Elms is about to board a plane in Canada ... and this cycle happens continuously every 3 days or so)

(The Blue Box seems to be a "Gateway" to Hollywood - an "opportunity" offered to Betty Elms after her "introduction" to Hollywood (Paramount then Silencio) that she is too "innocent" (shown by her "traumatization" at Silencio) to use ... but "not so innocent" Rita can)

(Silencio seems to introduce us to the "fakeness" of Hollywood ... it's dark mysterious core)

(So two small-time wannabes always create Betty Elms ... and Betty Elms dies when they die ... Rita is effectively another version of Betty Elms (older, more experienced, has already been through the Hollywood "mill", and has embedded Hollywood "nous" ... although her situation is a metaphor she has been "discarded") ... that is continuously "recycled" into two teenage wannabe actresses that have the "nous" to make it in Hollywood ... but all versions of innocent Betty Elms from Deep River Ontario are ultimately destroyed by dark and shallow Hollywood)
 
THE OLD COUPLE EXIST IN ALL THREE DRAFTS (BECAUSE WE SEE THEM IN THE OPENING SCENE TWICE - AND WITH BETTY ELMS) - THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DIE BY DRUG OVERDOSE IN THE CONTINUOUS MOBIUS STRIP - BUT DIE BY GUNSHOT WHEN THE COWBOY DECIDES TO CLOSE (END) THE MOBIUS STRIP (GIVING THE MOVIE CLOSURE) .... I THINK THE TV SERIES WOULD HAVE SHOWN A CONTINUOUS MOBIUS STRIP (DRUG OVERDOSES - (HOLLYWOOD "CONVEYOR BELT") DESTROYING YOUNG ACTRESSES) - ...BUT WITH ONLY 30 EXTRA MINUTES OR SO TO PLAY WITH RE MOVIE RUNNING TIME, LYNCH WAS FORCED TO SHOW US ONE DRAFT IN FLASHBACK (AS OPPOSED TO THE SEVERAL EPISODES HE WOULD HAVE HAD IN A TV SERIES VERSION) SO LYNCH ENDS THE MOBIUS STRIP WITH GUN(S) = CONTINUOUS MOBIUS STRIP (SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE) - MOBIUS STRIP ENDS (SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES SHOOT THEMSELVES)

(I THINK THAT WE ARE HEARING BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP (AT THE SAME TIME) AT THE END OF THE MOVIE, RATHER THAN SEEING IT)

(IN THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM, LYNCH IS RUNNING BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - IT'S VERY LIKELY THE ENDING OF THE FILM IS A "COMPOSITE" SCENE AS WELL - EXCEPT I THINK THAT MAYBE WE HEAR IT, RATHER THAN SEE IT - THE SCREAMING STARTS BEFORE NAOMI WATTS STARTS SCREAMING - AND THERE APPEARS TO BE TWICE AS MUCH NOISE AS WE ARE ACTUALLY "SEEING) 

(The drafts are rewritten in consecutive order ... Diane Selwyn draft - Betty Elms draft - Camilla Rhodes draft - Betty Elms draft - Diane Selwyn draft - Betty Elms draft etc.)

NOTE:
The Betty Elms "composite" center draft is being treated like an "expendable" catalyst - it does it's job - then it's scrapped - but all drafts are actually continuously "rewritten" in the complete Mulholland Drive "universe"

NOTE: Everything we see after Betty Elms arrives at LAX ... until Betty and Rita disappear ... effectively "becomes" the Betty Elms (composite) draft ... even though parts of it (like the boardroom scene ... itself a "splicing" of drafts) are "splices" from the other two drafts

THE BLUE BOX

(The Blue Box just represents the screenwriter's imagination ... it's actually the "Gateway" to Hollywood ... and Rita always holds the "key" ... which opens the "box" to Hollywood)

(Small-time Diane Selwyn - who we see in the Camilla Rhodes draft, living at Sierra Bonita - is also actually a REDHEAD on paper, just being played by a blonde)

(REDHEADED TEENAGER Betty is actually a "composite"of two REDHEAD wannabe actresses - the two small-time actresses that live at Sierra Bonita in the right and left hand drafts - despite their great acting ability - as evidenced by Betty's audition (which they actually repeat in their respective drafts - in different time frames) - they will never get anywhere in Hollywood ... due to the COLOR OF THEIR HAIR)

On paper, "Rita" is also a REDHEAD

(BLONDE + BRUNETTE = REDHEAD)
she is just being played by a brunette ...

(which foxes us - because Lynch is making a point about redheaded actresses)

In the Golden Age of Hollywood, redheaded actresses were the biggest movie stars of all time - Clara Bow, Betty Davis, Rita Hayworth, Greer Garson, Katharine Hepburn etc. - but in black and white - redheads have struggled to become major box office attractions in the age of color movies

(Nicole Kidman is probably a good example, of a redhead dyeing her hair blonde or brunette in most roles)

(Lynch is making the point that actresses shouldn't have to dye their hair, change their names (lose their identity), and sleep around, to get Hollywood roles - just like Norma Jeane Mortenson ... aka Marilyn Monroe ...

... Lynch is making the point that Hollywood destroys a lot of young, innocent actresses - and that Hollywood is a "dark" and shallow place)

CAMILLA / DIANE HIDING UNDER THE TABLE ... IS A TEENAGER

THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS BOTH START WITH THE MAIN CHARACTERS AS TEENAGERS - THEN "PLAY OUT" OVER A PERIOD OF AT LEAST 12 YEARS

BETTY ELMS IS A TEENAGER

THE JITTERBUG OPENING SCENE - THEY'RE ALL TEENAGERS

THE AUDITION ... IS FOR A TEENAGER

WOODY - WOULD "GO TO JAIL" - TEENAGER BETTY ELMS IS AUDITIONING FOR THE PART OF A TEENAGER

(WALLY BROWN (AND OTHERS) TREATS BETTY LIKE A TEENAGER) 

THE THREE DRAFTS MAKING UP MULHOLLAND DRIVE ARE CONTINUOUSLY REWRITTEN IN CONSECUTIVE ORDER - CREATING A CONTINUOUS MOBIUS STRIP

THERE ARE TWO "SINGULAR" DRAFTS AND ONE "COMPOSITE" DRAFT - ALTHOUGH ALL DRAFTS ARE ACTUALLY DEPENDENT ON THE OTHER TWO

A mobius strip is a "twisted" 3 dimensional loop, with an "inside" that flows into the "outside" - and an "outside" that flows into the "inside"

A MOBIUS STRIP IS MADE UP OF TWO CONTINUOUS CYCLES

(AN INSIDE CYCLE WHICH FLOWS SEAMLESSLY INTO AN OUTSIDE CYCLE - AND AN OUTSIDE CYCLE WHICH FLOWS SEAMLESSLY INTO AN INSIDE CYCLE ... THEY ARE EFFECTIVELY "MIRROR" IMAGES ... THE "TWIST" ALIGNS THEM SO THEY FIT TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY ... IN AN ENDLESS "LOOP")

(NOTE: AS LONG AS THERE IS A "TWIST" SOMEWHERE - TO ALIGN WHERE THE "MOVIES" JOIN - THE STORIES DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE EXACT "MIRROR" IMAGES ... BUT THEY DO NEED TO "FLOW" SEAMLESSLY TOGETHER ... AND THEY VERY CLEVERLY DO IN MULHOLLAND DRIVE)

(THE KEY - IS THAT EACH TIME YOU TRAVEL "THROUGH" THE "TWIST", YOU ARE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF IT - THE INSIDE - THEN THE OUTSIDE - ON ONE SIDE RITA IS BRUNETTE AND BETTY IS BLONDE - ON THE OTHER SIDE RITA IS BLONDE AND BETTY IS BRUNETTE)

MULHOLLAND DRIVE IS MADE UP OF THREE DRAFTS
 
(ALL DRAFTS ARE ACTUALLY "COMPOSITES" OF THE OTHER TWO DRAFTS - BUT CHARACTERS AND STORIES COMBINE IN THE CENTER DRAFT, CREATING NEW CHARACTERS, AND A NEW (3RD) STORY)

(BETTY, RITA, CAMILLA, AND DIANE - ARE ALL "COMPOSITES" - OR "COMBINATIONS" - OF EACH OTHER)

THIS ACTUALLY GIVES US TWO "MOVIES" (CYCLES) OVER THE COMPLETE MOBIUS STRIP CYCLE 

(as per my later diagram)

(BUT BECAUSE ACTRESSES (AND HAIR COLOR) ARE ACTUALLY IRRELEVANT AND INTERCHANGEABLE, ONLY ONE CYCLE OF THE "MOVIE" MOBIUS STRIP IS NECESSARY ... EXTREMELY TRUNCATED AS IT IS)

NOTE: THE TV SERIES WOULD HAVE GIVEN US A "LONG" TEN OR THIRTEEN PART MOBIUS STRIP - THE MOVIE IS A "TRUNCATED" VERSION OF IT - BUT IS ITSELF, EFFECTIVELY, A MOBIUS STRIP
 
THE CENTER DRAFT (THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT) IS ALWAYS IDENTICAL IN EACH MOVIE CYCLE (story-wise only) - SO WE ONLY NEED TO SEE IT ONCE

THE LEFT AND RIGHT DRAFTS ARE SIMILAR, BUT NOT IDENTICAL - AND ALWAYS ALTERNATE BLONDE AND BRUNETTE (all drafts actually alternate blonde and brunette) - TWICE EACH COMPLETE (TWO "MOVIE") MOBIUS CYCLE

LAURA HARRING PLAYS THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES IN ONE HALF CYCLE OF THE COMPLETE MOBIUS STRIP ... NAOMI WATTS PLAYS THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES

(NAOMI WATTS PLAYS BETTY ELMS)


IN THE OTHER HALF OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... NAOMI WATTS WOULD PLAY THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES IN THE CAR ACCIDENT ... AND LAURA HARRING WOULD PLAY THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AT SIERRA BONITA

(LAURA HARRING WOULD PLAY BETTY ELMS)

(BUT THE DRAFTS ARE ALL THE SAME ... THE ACTRESSES JUST SWAP ... EXCEPT FOR WOODY'S LINE ABOUT AUDITIONING AN ACTRESS (IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT) ... WHICH "WOULD" CHANGE FROM "BRUNETTE" ... TO "BLONDE" (TECHNICALLY IT COULD STAY THE SAME) ... THIS BECOMES THE CLUE AS TO WHAT LYNCH "WOULD" CHOSE TO SHOW US IN THE ALTERNATE "MOVIE" HALF CYCLE)

DAVID LYNCH IS SHOWING US "SPLICES" FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COMPLETE MOBIUS STRIP CYCLE IN MULHOLLAND DRIVE

(BUT NOTE: THE "SPLICES" HE SHOWS US ACTUALLY "BECOME" PART OF THE CENTER BETTY ELMS "DRAFT" - WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE EFFECTIVELY WATCHING UP TILL THE POINT BETTY AND RITA DISAPPEAR - SO THE BETTY ELMS PART OF THE STORY IS ALWAYS THE SAME IN BOTH CYCLES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - THAT IS WHY WE ONLY NEED TO SEE IT ONCE - ALONG WITH PART OF ONE OTHER "DRAFT" (AFTER BETTY AND RITA DISAPPEAR) TO DEDUCE WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING - THE WHOLE STORY IS DEDUCED FROM A VERY SMALL % OF THE OVERALL MOBIUS STRIP - THIS IS THE GENIUS OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

Betty and Rita only exist in the center "overlaid" Betty Elms draft, but Naomi Watts and Laura Harring play characters in all three drafts

BETTY AND RITA ARE THE SAME PERSON 

(Betty is a composite of Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn from one time period within the mobius cycle (Betty Elms is a redheaded teenager) - Rita is a composite of Camilla and Diane from another time period within the mobius strip (Rita is a 30+ year old "Hollywood hardened" version of Betty) - the two composites exist in the same time period in the center draft - so not only is Lynch "overlaying" left and right drafts, he is also "overlaying" parts of the "inside" and the "outside" cycles of the mobius strip)

(Lynch is playing with time (as well as us) in Mulholland Drive)

(Rita is a composite of dyed blonde or dyed brunette big-time actress Camilla Rhodes (from the left or right draft), and dyed blonde or dyed brunette big-time actress Diane Selwyn (from the opposing left or right draft) - big-time actress Camilla Rhodes and big-time actress Diane Selwyn always have opposing blonde / brunette hair color- combined they give us redheaded Rita)
 
(BUT BOTH BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ONLY EXIST IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT DRAFTS BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT)

RITA AND BETTY DON'T EXIST IN THE TWO LEFT AND RIGHT DRAFTS

BETTY ELMS IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN

RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN

BETTY ELMS AND RITA ARE THE SAME PERSON

THE THREE DRAFTS FORMING MULHOLLAND DRIVE GO TOGETHER LIKE A 3 DIMENSIONAL ZIP - EFFECTIVELY FORMING A "HOLOGRAPH"

DAVID LYNCH IS SHOWING US PARTS OF THE "INSIDE" - THE "OUTSIDE" - THE "LEFT" AND THE "RIGHT" OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - THROUGHOUT THE FIRST PART OF MULHOLLAND DRIVE

THE SECOND PART OF MULHOLLAND DRIVE IS PREDOMINANTLY ONE OF THE "INDIVIDUAL" DRAFTS - BUT NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF IT

IE. THE MASTURBATION SCENE IS NOT NECESSARILY DIANE SELWYN

(LYNCH COULD BE SHOWING US THE LEFT HAND DRAFT HERE - WHERE NAOMI WATTS PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES ... AND LAURA HARRING PLAYS BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN)

(NOTE: IN THE NEXT MOVIE CYCLE ... NAOMI WATTS WILL PLAY RITA ... AND LAURA HARRING WILL PLAY BETTY ... SO BETTY WILL BE BRUNETTE ... AND RITA WILL DON A BRUNETTE WIG BEFORE DISAPPEARING INTO THE BLUE BOX PORTAL ...

SHE WILL "JUMP" THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL INTO THE "NEXT MOVIE" CYCLE - A REPEAT OF THE MOVIE WE ARE ARE WATCHING ... SHE WILL "REAPPEAR" (ON SCREEN) AS (TEENAGE) CAMILLA RHODES AND (TEENAGE) DIANE SELWYN - WAKING UP IN COCO'S GARDEN - THEN NAKED ON THE COUCH / KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF DIANE SELWYN'S APARTMENT AT SIERRA BONITA (AT LEAST 12 YEARS LATER) ... BUT PLAYED BY A DIFFERENT ACTRESS INSTEAD OF ONE WEARING A WIG

WOODY WILL SAY THEY AUDITIONED A BLONDE ACTRESS IN THE "NEXT MOVIE" CYCLE - WHICH WILL ALWAYS BE THE OPPOSITE HAIR COLOR TO THE WIG RITA DONS IN THAT HALF-CYCLE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP)

(WOODY SAYING THEY AUDITIONED A BRUNETTE ACTRESS IS A BIG CLUE AS TO WHAT LYNCH WILL CHOOSE TO SHOW US IN THE "NEXT MOVIE" CYCLE)

I BELIEVE THE ENDING IS A "COMPOSITE" SCENE - DEPICTING BOTH SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES AND SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN (EFFECTIVELY SIERRA BONITA BETTY ELMS) COMMITTING SUICIDE - PARTICULARLY AS IT INVOLVES THE "OLD COUPLE" FROM THE BETTY ELMS PART OF MULHOLLAND DRIVE - (ALTHOUGH I NOW BELIEVE THE OLD COUPLE ACTUALLY EXIST IN ALL THREE DRAFTS)

(Lynch's mobius strip is like a road - with left and right hand "lanes" (but both going in the same direction - time >) - with a center line down the middle - the center draft - which is a composite of the two outside "lanes" - the "road" only exists with all three components - Lynch has then "separated" the two cycles that make up the mobius strip (the "inside" and the "outside") ... and "overlaid" parts of them ... the cleverest piece of screenwriting and filmmaking in history)

MULHOLLAND DRIVE IS A "TRUNCATED" COMPOSITE, MADE UP OF "PARTS" OF A COMPLETE MOBIUS STRIP, AT TIMES, MULTIPLE "PARTS" - "OVERLAID" OR "SPLICED" TOGETHER

LYNCH'S FULL MOBIUS STRIP COVERS AT LEAST 12 YEARS - WE ONLY SEE A FEW DAYS OF IT

(THE BODY ON THE BED IS SEVERAL WEEKS OLD (POSSIBLY A LOT OLDER) - THIS TELLS US THAT THE FULL MOBIUS STRIP COVERS A MUCH GREATER TIME PERIOD THAN (APPARENTLY) DEPICTED - THE PIECES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP THAT LYNCH HAS USED FOR "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ONLY SHOW US A VERY SMALL % OF THE COMPLETE MOBIUS STRIP TIME PERIOD)

(IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FATHOM JUST WHAT TIME PERIOD THE BODY ON THE BED REPRESENTS - I THINK THE BODY ON THE BED IS A "COMPROMISE" - LYNCH WANTED TO SHOW US THE REDHAIR - SO I THINK IT REPRESENTS SEVERAL DOZEN 3 DAY BETTY ELMS / RITA DRAFTS - RATHER THAN AN (UNREALISTIC) FULL MOBIUS CYCLE OF 12 YEARS) 

THE MOBIUS STRIP, AND THE "MOVIE", CAN ONLY "EXIST" IN THE SCREENWRITERS HEAD - IT IS LIKE A 3 DIMENSIONAL "ESCHER" - AND IT ONLY EXISTS AS A "HOLOGRAM"

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A HOLOGRAM

(THE SCRIPT (SCREENPLAY) WOULD DESCRIBE ONE CAR ACCIDENT / ONE CHARACTER MAKING HER WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS - THE "HOLOGRAM" IN LYNCH'S MIND HAS TWO CAR ACCIDENTS AND TWO CHARACTERS ... COMBINING TO GIVE US REDHEADED CHARACTERS ... THAT WE DON'T ACTUALLY "SEE" ... IT'S A "HOLOGRAM" ... IN LYNCH'S HEAD ... I THINK THAT THIS IS PROBABLY A "FIRST" FOR HOLLYWOOD)

THE BULK OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A VERY CLEVER COMBINATION OF DRAFTS - WHICH WILL GIVE US BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN (RITA DONS A BLONDE WIG - SO PLAYED BY NAOMI WATTS) THAT WILL EXIST IN THE SECOND PART OF THE "NEXT MOVIE" (VIA THE BLUE BOX PORTAL) INTERACTING WITH SMALL-TIME ACTRESS (REDHEAD) CAMILLA RHODES (PLAYED BY LAURA HARRING IN THIS "MOVIE" HALF-CYCLE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP)

THE "NEXT MOVIE" CYCLE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP WOULD GIVE US EXACTLY THE SAME SCENARIO IN THE FIRST PART OF THE MOVIE - (BUT BETTY WOULD BE BRUNETTE - AND RITA WOULD BE BLONDE - RITA WOULD DON A BRUNETTE WIG ... AND "JUMP" THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL TO BECOME BRUNETTE BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES IN THE "NEXT MOVIE" CYCLE (THE "MOVIE" CYCLE WE SEE) 

(THE ACTRESSES CHANGE - FROM ONE WEARING A WIG - LAURA HARRING DONS A BLONDE WIG - SHE WILL BECOME BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN IN THE "NEXT MOVIE" CYCLE - BUT PLAYED BY BLONDE NAOMI WATTS IN THAT CYCLE)

(SO EACH HALF CYCLE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP PRODUCES THE BIG-TIME ACTRESS WE WILL SEE IN THE "NEXT MOVIE" CYCLE - COMBINED THEY GIVE US "RITA")

(IT'S SORT OF LIKE A "TRIPLE" DNA "HELIX" THE WAY MULHOLLAND DRIVE "FLOWS" TOGETHER)

WOODY WOULD SAY THAT THEY AUDITIONED A BLONDE ACTRESS EARLIER - THIS THE CLUE AS TO WHAT DRAFT LYNCH WILL USE FOR THE SECOND PART OF THE MOVIE - SO THE NEXT "MOVIE CYCLE" WE WILL SEE 


(THE BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN STORY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN AS INTERESTING ... THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN LOVERS (GOODBYE SOFA SCENE) ... WE CAN ONLY DEDUCE REDHEAD CAMILLA RHODES PAYS THE MOB TO HAVE BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN WHACKED ... PROBABLY SO SHE CAN GET A ROLE IN A MOVIE)

(NOTE: BETTY AND RITA BEING LOVERS IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN DIANE SELWYN AND CAMILLA RHODES ARE LOVERS IN THE OTHER TWO DRAFTS - BETTY AND RITA ARE SEPARATE CHARACTERS IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT)

THE STORY

A REDHEADED TEENAGE young wannabe actress, Diane Selwyn, arrives at LAX in the left hand draft

(A REDHEADED TEENAGE young wannabe actress, Camilla Rhodes, arrives at LAX in the right hand draft)

SEPARATELY, these two actresses catch a taxi to Sierra Bonita apartments in each respective draft

Combining the left and right drafts gives us REDHEADED TEENAGER Betty Elms arriving at LAX - she catches a taxi to Coco's apartments - Aunt Ruth's

Big-time actresses Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn are in car accidents in the respective right and left-hand drafts - they both make their way to Coco's apartments and go to sleep in the garden in each respective draft - combined in the Betty Elms (composite) draft they merge into a separate character who meets Betty Elms, and goes on to call herself Rita - Rita is a composite of "Hollywood hardened" big-time actress (blonde or brunette) Camilla Rhodes and "Hollywood hardened" big-time actress (blonde or brunette) Diane Selwyn

Betty and Rita meet - they are the same person - except redhead Betty is a composite of two "innocent" un-dyed wannabe teenage actresses - redhead Rita is a composite of two hair-dyed (blonde and brunette) "Hollywood hardened" big-time actresses (from the last "movie" cycle of the mobius strip - the complete mobius strip is two "movie" cycles)

Note:

The outside of the mobius strip creates the inside - and the inside creates the outside - so all drafts actually combine together like a 3 dimensional zip, but time is not linear

REDHEADED TEENAGER Betty Elms goes to her audition - Wally Brown ("Wally's days were up twenty years ago" - a relic from The Golden Age of Hollywood) loves Betty, as does ageing star Woody - Director Bob Brooker couldn't be more disinterested

(Now you realize why Wally and Woody had to be "old-timers" - they don't discriminate against redheads) 

The "inference" is - Betty is going to have to dye her hair (and sleep her way) up the ladder in this "new" era of Hollywood

(Note: Wally Brown's office is straight out of "Sunset Boulevard")

Betty catches Director Adam Kesher's eye - it is at this point you realize - that Adam Kesher too, in the center Betty Elms draft, is a composite - in the left draft he likes blondes - in the right draft he likes brunettes - in the combined center draft ... he likes redheads

Betty and Rita go to Sierra Bonita apartments - they find a dead body on the bed - the body is actually a REDHEAD - it is a "composite" of both (redheaded) small-time actresses (Camilla and Diane) that committed suicide by drug overdose many weeks or months previously 

(remember - the Betty Elms / Rita draft is rewritten every few days - there is a "conveyor belt" going on)

(The dead body is actually - THEM - Betty and Rita are both composites of Camilla and Diane ... and so is the body on the bed ... Lynch gives us a clue with the "merged" faces when they run back outside)

(Two actresses that get "nowhere" in Hollywood (small-time actresses Diane and Camilla) because they don't change their names, dye their hair, or sleep their way to the top - they commit suicide by drug overdose)

(Betty and Rita are "composites" and only exist in the "composite" Betty Elms draft - and the body they find on the bed is also a composite that "exists" separately in the combined Betty Elms draft - it's a redhead - a combination of the two small-time actresses that live at Sierra Bonita apartments in the right and left drafts (also both redheads on paper) - but there is no gun - the gun only exists in the "add-on" composite scene which effectively ends the "truncated" movie - the "individual" actresses actually die from drug overdose - the Cowboy was created purely for the "truncated" movie version - to wake the small-time actress(es) up so the story can be told in flashback and then "closed out" with the gunshot suicide (Lynch couldn't do the flashback if the actress remained asleep (as would probably have happened in the full length TV series (Lynch would have had the time to show us the story in linear fashion, so wouldn't have needed the heavily truncated flashback we see in the movie version) - the drafts are always rewritten (mobius strip) - the TV series would probably have just shown us the two small-time actresses going to sleep after a drug overdose (in each "individual" right or left story-line) - as is alluded to in the opening scenes of the movie)

(Lynch may still have closed out the TV series with a gun, but small-time Camilla Rhodes would have died from drug overdose, and there would have been no need to wake Diane Selwyn up to show us flashback scenes (as we would have already "seen" the story) - so it's likely we would have just seen Diane Selwyn take a drug overdose and head for the pillow as per the bed/pillow scene we see in the opening scenes in "Mulholland Drive") 

Betty and Rita make love - Lynch is having a joke because Betty and Rita are the same person

Betty and Rita go to Club Silencio - which is a representation of Hollywood - innocent Betty is traumatized - Hollywood hardened Rita is less traumatized

(Betty is "introduced" to the "reality" of Hollywood ... she now has the "Gateway" to Hollywood (the Blue Box) in her purse ... but Rita is the "key" to Betty getting into Hollywood)

Betty and Rita disappear - Betty disappears first, and effectively, Rita becomes Betty (Rita is effectively "Betty+") - Rita disappears through the "portal" of the Blue Box (the "Gateway" to Hollywood - you have to "harden-up" and dye your hair the right color to use this gateway) - from one cycle of the mobius strip - to a future point in the other cycle of the mobius strip (actually the beginning) - where "Betty+" (a teenager) will become big-time actress Camilla Rhodes or big-time actress Diane Selwyn - who will interact with the small-time actresses, (redhead) Camilla Rhodes or (redhead) Diane Selwyn, respectively

(So Rita actually becomes (already is another, older version of) Betty (who is a "composite" teenager) = Betty + "nous" - goes into the Blue Box - and then "becomes" the two teenagers that wake up in Coco's garden - hide in Louise Bonner's apartment - and go on to become big-time actresses)

(Rita has "given" Betty the "hardened experience" (the Blue Key) to dye her hair (represented by the wig), change her name, and sleep her way to the top ... so the Blue Box actually represents Betty's introduction to Hollywood - her audition etc ... and Rita provides the "key" (nous) that will get Betty hired)

(Note: The hair color change is actually provided by the wig - we have "redheaded" Rita (Betty+) donning a blonde (brunette in the next movie cycle) wig - then "jumping" through the Blue Box portal to the "other" side (inside / outside) of the mobius cycle - to be played by another actress (whose hair matches the wig) ... this is the "twist" that aligns the "inside" and the "outside" cycles so they seamlessly "loop")

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT (THEORETICALLY) HAPPENS TWICE OVER THE COMPLETE MOBIUS STRIP - ONCE ON THE "INSIDE" AND ONCE ON THE "OUTSIDE"

ACTUALLY, ALL DRAFTS REPEAT TWICE OVER ONE COMPLETE CYCLE OF THE (FULL) MOBIUS STRIP - EACH DRAFT REPEATS BUT BLONDE/BRUNETTE IS REVERSED IN ALL DRAFTS - AS IS WOODY'S COMMENT RE BLONDE/BRUNETTE ACTRESS AT AUDITION (THEORETICALLY)

SMALL-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN ("INSIDE") INTERACTS WITH BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES (WHO HAS COME THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL FROM THE "OUTSIDE" OF THE MOBIUS STRIP)

Jealous in love and career, small-time redheaded actress Diane Selwyn will hire a hitman to kill big-time actress Camilla Rhodes

(Small-time redheaded actress Camilla Rhodes will hire the mob to kill big-time actress Diane Selwyn in the "left hand" draft)

(SMALL-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES ("OUTSIDE") INTERACTS WITH BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN (WHO HAS COME THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL FROM THE "INSIDE" OF THE MOBIUS STRIP)

The hits in all drafts are always destined to fail - Rita always turns up at Betty Elms

Left hand draft

Adam Kesher has relationship with big-time actress Diane Selwyn (who has come via the blue box portal, from the "inside" of the mobius strip) - redhead Camilla Rhodes hires the mob to whack Diane Selwyn - it fails - Diane Selwyn goes missing - Adam Kesher refuses to cast mob actress redhead Camilla Rhodes - mob shuts the movie down - out of work redheaded Camilla Rhodes kills herself 

Right hand draft

Adam Kesher refuses to cast mob actress Camilla Rhodes in the right hand draft - the mob ensure that he doesn't direct the movie - Bob Brooker directs the movie with Camilla Rhodes in the lead - later, Adam Kesher will have an affair with blonde / brunette Camilla Rhodes on the set of another movie - redhead Diane Selwyn hires hitman (agent) to kill Camilla Rhodes - it fails -  Camilla Rhodes goes missing - redhead Diane Selwyn kills herself

Center draft

Adam Kesher bows to mob pressure in the "center" draft, and casts Camilla Rhodes (Melissa George) - this draft is always scrapped (Betty and Rita vanish into thin air) - then we see another draft ... thanks to the cowboy

(Notice the redheads in "ancillary" roles on set when Adam Kesher is auditioning actresses - backup singer - wardrobe etc. - count how many redheads you see in "Mulholland Drive")

There is no Betty Elms at Sierra Bonita - but both redheaded versions of Camilla and Diane, effectively combine to produce Betty Elms committing suicide at Sierra Bonita apartments

SO, OVER ONE COMPLETE MOBIUS CYCLE, WE END UP WITH TWO BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES - ONE BLONDE AND ONE BRUNETTE - AND TWO BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYNS - ONE BLONDE AND ONE BRUNETTE

EACH DRAFT IS PLAYED OUT TWICE (EFFECTIVELY TWO MOVIES) OVER ONE COMPLETE MOBIUS CYCLE

SO THIS GIVES US TWO RITAS - ONE BLONDE AND ONE BRUNETTE

SIMILARLY, WE HAVE TWO SMALL-TIME REDHEAD CAMILLA RHODES - AND TWO SMALL-TIME REDHEAD DIANE SELWYNS - OVER ONE COMPLETE MOBIUS CYCLE - COMBINED, THIS ALSO GIVES US TWO BETTY ELMS - ONE BLONDE AND ONE BRUNETTE

(ALTHOUGH, ON PAPER, BOTH SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ARE ALWAYS REDHEADS, AS ARE BOTH (COMPOSITE) BETTY AND RITA) 

NOTE

We see the cowboy attempting to wake a brunette actress - then we see "blonde" Diane Selwyn wake up - but this is just Lynch dropping us a clue - the two actresses at Sierra Bonita are always redheads (on paper)

(The three drafts combine together forming a "holograph" - giving us a "Schrodinger's Cat" situation)

Betty Elms (Rita > Betty+) will (effectively) "split" - becoming the two redheaded teenagers that will dye their hair and become "big-time" actresses, Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn in the two main "left" and "right" drafts (which the two "small-time" actresses will try to kill respectively)

(Rita/Betty+ possibly becomes the two small-time actresses arriving at LAX in each new cycle as well - but I like to think that the teenagers arriving at LAX every three days are innocent "new blood" with no "nous")

("Innocence" is always destroyed in Hollywood)

We can deduce that the story in each "individual" draft concentrates on the "upward" progression of the big-time actresses in Hollywood from the point of getting hired ... to the point where they go missing ... and the downward spiral of the small-time actresses getting hired in small-time roles ... but both big-time and small-time actresses being "swallowed up" in the dark side of Hollywood ... as is alluded to in the second part of Mulholland Drive ... the Betty Elms draft starts just after the big-time actresses go missing ... and ends when the small-time actresses commit suicide ... only a matter of days ... but it creates the "catalyst" which drives the story portrayed in the second half of the movie ... (which actually portrays a much longer time period)

In my diagram - the Betty Elms situation mirrors Rita's  - the car accidents just become taxi rides - merging at Aunt Ruth's

The "individual" incoming actress at LAX ("left" and "right" drafts) catches a taxi to Sierra Bonita apartments - replacing the Camilla or Diane that has killed herself ... the cycle continues

THE KEY IS:

RITA IS ALWAYS CAMILLA, DIANE, AND RITA

BETTY IS ALWAYS CAMILLA, DIANE, AND BETTY

RITA AND BETTY ARE THE SAME PERSON

Throughout "Mulholland Drive" we are shown "splices" and "overlays" from all scenarios (drafts) - particularly in the boardroom scene

In "Mulholland Drive" Lynch is making a comment about Hollywood destroying young innocent actresses
 
(Just like Marilyn Monroe, who changed her name, and dyed her hair, to make herself more employable)

I think both actresses actually commit suicide by drug overdose (but are continuously "woken

up" by the Cowboy, because the script isn't good enough and needs to be rewritten), and the ending in "Mulholland Drive" is just symbolic of an innocent young actress's "dream" being "shot"

(Just as "Rita" is actually two characters "overlaid" - the CHARACTER we see shoot herself at the end ... is also possibly two characters "overlaid" - giving us the body of "Betty Elms" on the bed - but it can also be argued that Diane and Camilla actually die by drug overdose)

(I think the two individual redheaded actresses at Sierra Bonita - Camilla and Diane - commit suicide by drug overdose - but the "composite" of the two of them, effectively Sierra Bonita Betty Elms - who (like Rita and the Aunt Ruth's Betty Elms) is actually a separate character in the holographic universe of "Mulholland Drive" - and does things that don't exist in the other two drafts (none of the drafts can actually exist alone) - symbolically shoots herself - because her "dream" is "shot" - this is an "add-on" to give the "truncated" movie version of Lynch's original vision "closure")

I HAVE SINCE REALIZED THAT BECAUSE OF TIME CONSTRAINTS RE THE TWO HOUR MOVIE FORMAT, LYNCH HAD TO SHOW US THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT IN VERY TRUNCATED FORM - AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THIS WAS TO WAKE DIANE SELWYN UP FROM HER OVERDOSE - SHOW US PART OF THE STORY (CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT) IN VERY ABBREVIATED FLASHBACKS - THEN HAVE HER KILL HERSELF IN A DIFFERENT WAY

Note:

The "holographic" nature of "Mulholland Drive" means that none of the "three drafts" can actually exist - they only exist in the "screenwriters head" - the "Monster" behind Winkie's - all drafts interact with each other - this is why Betty and Rita are each actually three characters in one - and blonde, brunette, and redhead at the same time ...

(WHICH MEANS ALL HAIR COLOR CANCELS ITSELF OUT - HAIR COLOR IS IRRELEVANT)

The two big-time actresses interact with the two small-time actresses in the "left" and "right" hand drafts respectively

The two redheaded actresses (one in each draft - Camilla and Diane respectively) at Sierra Bonita apartments become hardened by their bitter experience of not getting anywhere in Hollywood (they don't dye their hair, change their names, or sleep their way to the top) - they become corrupted anyway, and enlist the mob and hitmen to try to make it in Hollywood by killing the two big-time actresses - they always fail

The Blue Box effectively becomes a portal which "jumps" us from the "inside" of the mobius strip, to the "outside", or vice versa - it actually restarts all the drafts - at approximately 4am in the morning - the big-time to be actresses wake-up in Coco's garden (they wake up as TEENAGERS) - the small-time actresses are probably boarding a flight to LAX in Canada

(They wake up ... as redheaded TEENAGERS ... have the "nous" to dye their hair ... go to Wally Brown's auditions ... which is for the part of a teenager ... get the part, and embark on Hollywood careers ... this proves the entire time-frame for Mulholland Drive is many years - 12 or more)

(Note - this produces young actress "stars" - just like Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland) 

RITA IS ALWAYS RITA, CAMILLA, AND DIANE (BLONDE, BRUNETTE, AND REDHEAD) AT THE SAME TIME, DEPENDING ON CONTEXT

BETTY IS ALWAYS BETTY, CAMILLA, AND DIANE (BLONDE, BRUNETTE, AND REDHEAD) AT THE SAME TIME, DEPENDING ON CONTEXT

QUESTION:

IF BETTY ELMS IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO WANNABE REDHEADED ACTRESSES - HOW IS IT SHE IS BLONDE, BRUNETTE, AND REDHEAD AT THE SAME TIME?

(ALL THREE DRAFTS ARE ACTUALLY "PLAYING OUT" CONCURRENTLY - AS A HOLOGRAM - AND BETTY, RITA, CAMILLA, DIANE ARE ALL ACTUALLY COMPOSITES OF EACH OTHER)

(ALL ACTRESSES EFFECTIVELY "CREATE" EACH OTHER ... AND "DESTROY" EACH OTHER)

THE BIG-TIME AND SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ACTUALLY "CANCEL" EACH OTHER OUT - NEITHER BIG-TIME OR SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ACTUALLY MAKE IT (SURVIVE) IN HOLLYWOOD

BETTY, RITA, CAMILLA, DIANE ARE ACTUALLY INEXTRICABLY COMBINED ACROSS THE HOLOGRAM THAT IS "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

ALL SCENARIOS COMBINED IN THE 3D UNIVERSE OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" BETTY IS BLONDE, BRUNETTE, AND REDHEAD

ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT - IS THAT BETTY AND RITA ARE THE SAME PERSON - MERGING THEM GIVES US

REDHEAD = BLONDE + BRUNETTE

(BETTY = RITA)

OR

BLONDE + BRUNETTE = REDHEAD

(RITA = BETTY)

(NOTICE HOW ALL HAIR COLOR CANCELS ITSELF OUT - HAIR COLOR BECOMES IRRELEVANT)

NOTE:

THE PORTRAIT IN THE HALLWAY AT AUNT RUTH'S - OF A WOMAN WITH HER HAIR COVERED BY A SCARF - HER HAIR COLOR IRRELEVANT - THE INCREDIBLE GENIUS OF DAVID LYNCH!

(WHEN RITA REMEMBERS THE ACCIDENT ON MULHOLLAND DRIVE, WE SEE THE PORTRAIT FRAMED BETWEEN THE TWO WOMEN - A BLONDE AND A BRUNETTE - LYNCH EVEN SUBTLY DRAWS OUR ATTENTION TO IT WITH A BRIGHT LIGHT)

(WE SEE THIS "LIT" PORTRAIT SEVERAL TIMES ... IT'S A BIG CLUE)

AND THE PICTURE ON THE WALL BESIDE IT
(WHICH WE SEE IN ANOTHER SCENE)
 ... IS A REPRESENTATION ...

... OF A MOBIUS STRIP!!!!!!!!!!

(WITHOUT THE "TWIST" ... BECAUSE THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ITSELF IS THE "TWIST")

(IT'S A REPRESENTATION OF THE BLONDE / BRUNETTE RECIPROCITY OF MULHOLLAND DRIVE) 

(THIS IS WHEN YOU FALL TO YOUR KNEES ... AND YOU BELIEVE EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU ABOUT DAVID LYNCH ... YOU WON'T FIND A CLEVERER DIRECTOR IN HISTORY)

 
(NAMES BECOME IRRELEVANT FOR THE SAME REASON AS HAIR - (BETTY AND RITA ARE THE SAME PERSON) - ALL THAT MATTERS IS:

WHO THE CHARACTERS ACTUALLY ARE - AND HOW GOOD THE ACTORS CAN ACT)

WHAT AN ESSAY LYNCH HAS GIVEN US


BECAUSE HAIR COLOR (AND THEREFORE ACTRESSES) EFFECTIVELY BECOMES IRRELEVANT - THE STORY SIMPLIFIES FROM A 2X3 PART MOBIUS STRIP TO A 1X3 PART MOBIUS STRIP

BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES IS IN CAR ACCIDENT

WAKES UP AS TEENAGE DIANE SELWYN

BECOMES BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN

SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES TAKES OUT CONTRACT ON BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN

BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN IS IN CAR ACCIDENT

WAKES UP AS TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES

BECOMES BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES

SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN TAKES OUT CONTRACT ON BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES

(MOBIUS STRIP REPEATS)

EDITED INTO "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

(WHICH CREATES THE THIRD PART
THE BETTY / RITA STORY)
 

SUMMARY:

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS MADE UP OF MULTIPLE SCREENWRITING DRAFTS

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A CRYPTIC ESSAY ABOUT THE "DARK SIDE" AND SHALLOWNESS OF HOLLYWOOD

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A LESSON IN SCREENWRITING / FILMMAKING - FROM ONE OF THE GREATEST SCREENWRITERS / FILMMAKERS IN HISTORY

Ultimately, Hollywood always destroys Betty Elms - the young girl who arrived from Deep River, Ontario

There are very heavy "Mob" overtones in "Mulholland Drive"

(Mr Roque appears to be the head of the Studio - and the head of the Mob - when Mark Pellegrino says "just doing some work for a guy" - he is referring to Mr Roque - when he says "I hope you don't get in trouble" - the hitman agent is actually in very big trouble - Mr Roque is having him killed - by taking the "Black Book", Mark Pellegrino's character then becomes the agent (who you will later see in the diner with Diane Selwyn) - and will eventually, over the complete mobius cycle, end up, effectively, killing himself - he "cycles" between becoming the hitman, and becoming the agent - there is a full explanation of this cycle near the end of my analysis)

THIS IS A BASIC DIAGRAM OF THE STORY

BUT THE ACTRESSES PLAY THE CHARACTERS ONE RIGHT / LEFT CYCLE OUT OF STEP (SO MOVE RIGHT OR LEFT HAND DRAFTS UP OR DOWN ONE STEP TO SEE HOW WE ACTUALLY SEE THE MOVIE IN TERMS OF NAOMI WATTS AND LAURA HARRING - BLONDE / BRUNETTE)

Basic Diagram Mulholland Drive drafts (3D)

(I made this diagram in 10 minutes using an online app - it is only a basic concept to give some visualization to this complicated movie)

Note:

(The connecting lines are only representations - ie. "Betty+" goes through the blue box portal ... to the "next movie" cycle - the actress Woody mentions - the 3 drafts are "sliding" in different time periods relative to each other in the diagram)

Betty (innocent persona) effectively dies

Rita effectively becomes Betty+ (Betty + nous)

Donning a wig is a very big clue that Rita has the nous / will impart the nous - to dye her hair

NOTE:

While the two Betty Elms drafts (within one complete cycle of the mobius strip) are identical story-wise - in the alternating draft ... Rita will don a brunette wig ... because (theoretically) Naomi Watts will be playing Rita ... and Laura Harring will be playing Betty ... and Woody will say they auditioned a "blonde" actress earlier (because blonde-wigged Rita "jumps" through the blue box portal into the "next movie" cycle of the complete mobius strip cycle)

Betty Elms draft always sits between two main drafts in each cycle of the mobius strip

Lynch edits drafts into Mulholland Drive

NOTE

The two cycles making up a mobius strip always have to "twist" - so the "mirror image" outside can seamlessly connect with the inside ... and vice versa - the "twist" in Mulholland Drive is Rita donning a wig ... and "jumping" through the Blue Box portal to the other half cycle ... (and then being played by another actress)

NOTE:

When we see Dan and his therapist in Winkie's - the drafts (dreams) he refers to are the "left" and "right" drafts - the Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn drafts - combining in the Betty Elms draft to produce his "death" scene - effectively, the third draft

(When Dan and his therapist go behind Winkie's, Lynch shows us the back door of Winkie's - with an arrow and a sign that says to use the front door - we deduce that there is a sign on the inside that mirrors the outside - this is when you realize the incredible depth of Lynch's genius - Winkie's is the key to the whole movie)

(Lynch shows us the back door to Winkie's twice - it's an important clue)

(Lynch also cleverly uses mirrors in Mulholland Drive - when Rita exits the shower, and when Rita dons the blonde wig - as clues to the reciprocity of Mulholland Drive)

(The Fire Truck at the car accident is numbered "119" - the Ambulance says "911") 

THESE "MIRROR IMAGES" ARE CLUES ... THAT YOU ARE WATCHING "BOTH" SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - "AT THE SAME TIME"

Rita becomes a totally separate character (but still a "Schrodinger's Cat" composite) in the "holographic" universe of "Mulholland Drive"

When Adam Kesher kisses Camilla Rhodes on set, it's not The Sylvia North Story - it's another movie set (check out what Diane Selwyn says at the dinner party) - another clever trick Lynch pulls to fox us

In the Camilla Rhodes draft, The Sylvia North story actually gets made (by Bob Brooker) - so Adam Kesher recasting his lead actress can't have anything to do with the car accident

("The Sylvia North Story" is itself a clue we are dealing with "stories" ... and there are four interconnected - North, South, East, West ... Betty, Rita, Camilla, Diane)

Melissa George is playing another character at the dinner party (it's a different draft) - but we have no idea who she is

(Camilla Rhodes is the mob actress in the Diane Selwyn draft - she is also the mob actress in the Betty Elms draft - the last two drafts always create the third draft - so Camilla Rhodes is also the mob actress in the Camilla Rhodes draft = Camilla Rhodes is always the mob actress)

Note: 

(I think Coco's apartment complex, and the Sierra Bonita apartment complex ... are havens ... for redheaded people ... which is a sort of joke reference - instead of having havens for retirees - Hollywood has havens for redheaded people)

(Coco's apartment building is actually a haven for redheads "ditched" by Hollywood)

(Notice that Coco's apartments have the same "creeping paralysis" that afflicts Norma Desmond's mansion in Sunset Boulevard)

Betty Elms is, effectively, a composite of the two redheaded actresses that live at Sierra Bonita in the right and left drafts  - they commit suicide - effectively Betty Elms commits suicide = Betty Elms disappears at the "same time" ... Rita is continuously "recycled" as "Betty+" > big-time Camilla or big-time Diane Selwyn

IT'S LOGICAL - WHEN IT DAWNS - THAT IF WE ARE SEEING LOUISE BONNER, NOT AUNT RUTH, THEN WE ARE SEEING THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT DRAFT(S) - NOT THE END - HENCE ALL THE DRAFTS EFFECTIVELY START WHEN LAURA HARRING WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN

THIS IS A MIND-BLOWER

THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND DRAFTS RESPECTIVELY

THEY MAKE THEIR WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS - IT IS LOUSE BONNER WE SEE LEAVING FOR CANADA, NOT AUNT RUTH - AUNT RUTH ONLY EXISTS IN THE CENTER DRAFT (AS A CHARACTER WE NEVER SEE)

THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES (WHO DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE) FALL ASLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN - THIS IS EFFECTIVELY THE END-POINT OF ALL DRAFTS



THIS PROVES THAT THE BETTY ELMS RITA STORY IS AN "OVERLAP" - IT EXISTS IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD AS OTHER DRAFTS ARE "PLAYING OUT"

(BUT IT'S AN ILLUSION - BECAUSE THE BETTY /RITA DRAFT HAPPENS EVERY THREE DAYS - SO THERE ISN'T ACTUALLY AN OVERLAP)

RITA IS "CREATED BY AN INCIDENT THAT HAS JUST HAPPENED - THE CAR ACCIDENTS WITH TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - BETTY IS "CREATED" BY EVENTS THAT HAVE JUST HAPPENED - TWO YOUNG WANNABE ACTRESSES FLYING INTO LAX ... SO BETTY AND RITA ARE FROM TWO DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS (DIFFERENT SETS OF DRAFTS MOVING AROUND THIS "MONOPOLY BOARD")

(SILENCIO SEEMS TO PROPEL BETTY ELMS INTO A "FUTURE" TIMELINE WHERE PAST VERSIONS OF HER "CREATORS" ARE COMMITTING SUICIDE ... AS IF TO WARN THIS INNOCENT GIRL OFF - SHE DISAPPEARS - RITA ON THE OTHER HAND SEEMS TO BE PROPELLED INTO A "PAST" TIMELINE WHERE SHE CREATES NEW VERSIONS OF HERSELF ... ENHANCED WITH "NOUS" THAT WILL ENCOURAGE THEM INTO HOLLYWOOD)

BETTY'S "CREATORS" EMBARK ON A 12+ YEAR JOURNEY AROUND THE MONOPOLY BOARD THAT WILL END IN SUICIDE - RITA'S "CREATORS" ARE ENDING THEIR 12+ YEAR JOURNEY AROUND THE MONOPOLY BOARD SYMBOLICALLY DISCARDED ... BUT THEN RECYCLED AS "REPEAT CLONES" - HOLLYWOOD "STEPFORD WIVES"
 

RITA IS THE ONE WITH THE INHERENT NOUS AND EXPERIENCE - THAT AQUIRES BETTY'S YOUTH - AND EFFECTIVELY BECOMES THE TWO TEENAGERS DESTINED TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - RITA IS EFFECTIVELY "RECYCLED" AS A "CLONE" - FOREVER ON THE HOLLYWOOD "DREAM FACTORY CONVEYOR BELT" TO OBLIVION

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" OCCUPIES IT'S OWN SPACETIME - IT APPEARS TO BE A "TIMEWARP" - BUT THE "CONVEYOR BELT" NATURE OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON TAKES IT TO AN EVEN GREATER LEVEL OF GENIUS 

BETTY AND RITA GO TO CLUB SILENCIO AT 2AM - THEY DISAPPEAR SHORTLY AFTERWARDS - BETTY DISAPPEARS BECAUSE THE ACTRESSES AT SIERRA BONITA COMMIT SUICIDE BY DRUG OVERDOSE (IN EACH SEPARATE DRAFT) 

RITA (BETTY+) DISAPPEARS INTO THE BLUE BOX PORTAL - AND WILL WAKE UP IN COCO'S GARDEN (but in the next "movie cycle" - the other side of the mobius strip) - AS TEENAGE DIANE SELWYN OR TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES - WHO THEN HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - SUBSEQUENTLY GOES TO AN AUDITION - AND GETS HIRED - (AND WILL BECOME A BIG-TIME ACTRESS) - AND THE FULL MOBIUS STRIP SCENARIO "PLAYS OUT" (WHAT WE SEE PARTS OF IN THE SECOND PART OF MULHOLLAND DRIVE) - WHILE LOUISE BONNER IS AWAY

(LOUISE BONNER RETURNS (IN THE TWO SEPARATE DRAFTS) TO FIND "THAT ONE" IN HER APARTMENT - BUT "THAT ONE" HAS ACTUALLY BEEN STAYING IN HER APARTMENT FOR MONTHS ... THEN LYNCH GIVES US A LITTLE CAMEO WITH LEE GRANT AS LOUISE BONNER IN THE (COMPOSITE) BETTY ELMS DRAFT TO GIVE US THE CLUE

(BECAUSE ALL DRAFTS ARE ACTUALLY PLAYING OUT IN THE SAME TIME FRAME (HOLOGRAPHICLY) LYNCH CAN GET AWAY WITH "INFUSING" CLUES (LIKE LOUISE BONNER AND WOODY) INTO THE COMPOSITE BETTY ELMS DRAFT)

(LYNCH ALSO GIVES US A CLUE WITH WOODY (IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT AS WELL) - BUT WOODY SAYS HE CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE ACTRESS - AS THIS WOULD GIVE THE GAME AWAY)

(SO HERE LYNCH IS "INFUSING" CLUES INTO THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ... AS OPPOSED TO THE "SPLICES" AND "OVERLAYS" HE HAS BEEN SHOWING US IN OTHER PARTS OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT)

THEY EFFECTIVELY REPLACE BETTY ELMS - WHO MET AND IMPRESSED LINNEY JAMES THE DAY BEFORE - BUT "DISAPPEARED" OVERNIGHT - BETTY+ BECOMES CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN IN EACH RESPECTIVE DRAFT - DESTINED TO BECOME A BIG-TIME ACTRESS

(SO "BETTY+" GETS HIRED BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE OR BRUNETTE)

SUMMARY

DIANE SELWYN IS IN THE CAR ACCIDENT - LOSES HER MEMORY - GOES TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN - DRAFT ENDS - NEW DRAFT STARTS - WAKES UP AS TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES (VIA RITA/BETTY+ FROM THE BLUE BOX) - HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - DYES HER HAIR - GOES TO AUDITION - GETS HIRED (BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) - REDHEADED BETTY ELMS DOESN'T IMPRESS BOB BROOKER DESPITE HER TERRIFIC ACTING SKILLS

(REDHEAD DIANE SELWYN DOESN'T IMPRESS BOB BROOKER AT HER AUDITION - IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - JUST AS DIANE SELWYN TELLS COCO AT THE DINNER PARTY)

(WE ARE OBSERVING THIS FROM THE "COMPOSITE" BETTY ELMS DRAFT - THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT IS BEING "INFUSED" INTO THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - AND THEN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS "ERASED" - LEAVING THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT TO "PLAY OUT")

(NEW DRAFTS START -EVERY THREE DAYS - THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS (HUNDREDS) OF MOBIUS STRIPS PLAYING OUT ON THIS 12+ YEAR "MONOPOLY BOARD" - ACTRESSES ARE DYING / NEW VERSIONS ARRIVING AT LAX EVERY 3 DAYS)


CAMILLA RHODES IS IN THE CAR ACCIDENT - LOSES HER MEMORY - GOES TO COCO'S - GOES TO SLEEP IN THE GARDEN - DRAFT ENDS - NEW DRAFT STARTS - WAKES UP AS TEENAGE DIANE SELWYN (VIA BETTY+ FROM THE BLUE BOX) - HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - DYES HER HAIR - GOES TO AUDITION - GETS HIRED (BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) - REDHEADED BETTY ELMS DOESN'T IMPRESS BOB BROOKER DESPITE HER TERRIFIC ACTING SKILLS

(REDHEAD CAMILLA RHODES DOESN'T IMPRESS BOB BROOKER - IN THE DIANE SELYN DRAFT - SHE WILL GO ON TO HIRE THE MOB TO KILL DIANE SELWYN)

(NOTE - BOTH SMALL-TIME REDHEAD ACTRESSES INHERIT MONEY FROM AUNT RUTH IN EACH RESPECTIVE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFT)

(WE ARE OBSERVING THIS FROM THE "COMPOSITE" BETTY ELMS DRAFT - THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT IS BEING "INFUSED" INTO THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - AND THEN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS "ERASED" - LEAVING THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT TO "PLAY OUT")

COMBINED DRAFT: BOTH BIG-TIME ACTRESSES MERGE AND BECOME RITA - WHO BETTY FINDS IN THE SHOWER AT AUNT RUTH'S

THIS IS MIND BOGGLING

Note:

It can be argued that one actress arrives at LAX per (left and right) draft - redheaded Camilla OR Diane

It also can be argued that two actresses arrive at LAX per (left and right draft) - redheaded Camilla AND redheaded Diane - one goes to Coco's - one goes to Sierra Bonita - but then Rita (Betty+) would have to somehow connect with the Camilla / Diane characters already existing at Coco's in the left and right drafts - after going through the blue box portal - something she has already done in the center draft

I prefer a single redheaded actress arriving per left and right draft - with Rita acting as a "continuous" catalyst for the transformation of Betty (who arrives from LAX) into big-time actresses Camilla or Diane 

THE OLD COUPLE

I think the old couple may represent a "non-Hollywood" life - a happy marriage, and a happy life, into old age - not something that generally happens with actors / actresses in Hollywood

I think this is the reason they "torment" "Betty Elms" at the end ... it is what she has given up ... what she has lost ... and she realizes that, just before she commits suicide ...

I think when Betty says goodbye to the old couple, it represents she is saying goodbye to her likely future outside Hollywood ... and embarking on a Hollywood future (her only potential at this point) ... her destiny is already sealed in this Hollywood universe that Lynch has created for her

(The small-time actresses stay true to themselves ... but, ultimately, are still over-powered by the drug ... Hollywood)

I think Lynch is saying that it is a hell of a big risk - trying to become an actress in Hollywood - and the sacrifices and stakes are extremely high - even if you "make it", Hollywood (the dark side and shallowness) will probably destroy you

The old couple actually appear with "Betty Elms" twice in the opening scene - so it's possible we are being shown the old couple with wannabe actress Camilla Rhodes and wannabe actress Diane Selwyn - representing the right and left-hand drafts - with the "Jitterbug" dancers representing the "composite" Betty Elms draft (as there are multiple "copies" of each dancer being superimposed)

The ending has the same impact either way - we are either seeing a "composite" "Betty Elms" (Naomi Watts playing both small-time Camilla Rhodes and small-time Diane Selwyn - just as Laura Harring played both big-time Camilla Rhodes and big-time Diane Selwyn at the very start of the movie (which is the interpretation of the ending I like - and it balances the start / ending in terms of the two blonde / brunette actresses) - or we are just being shown Naomi Watts as small-time Diane Selwyn shoot herself (which seems just a little too simplistic after all the other "composition" that has taken place in the film to twist our heads off - and with that in mind, does seem to leave the ending "unbalanced") - but it works either way as far as the point Lynch is making and the poignancy at the end after the shooting scene

(Lynch seamlessly "splices" many scenes in "Mulholland Drive" - such as the opening scenes - the boardroom scene - I think the eye contact between Adam Kesher and Betty Elms is "spliced" - so it's not unreasonable to conclude the shooting at the end is a "spliced" scene as well - but, as I said, it does work either way)

IT IS POSSIBLE WE ARE HEARING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP (SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES KILLING HERSELF) RATHER THAN SEEING IT AT THE END OF THE MOVIE - AS SCREAMING STARTS BEFORE DIANE SELWYN ACTUALLY STARTS SCREAMING, AND WE SEEM TO BE HEARING TWICE THE NOISE ACTUALLY PORTRAYED ON SCREEN   

A DREAM?

Some may argue that the period covered by the Betty Elms draft is a dream Diane Selwyn has after attempting suicide by taking a drug overdose ... the period of days between Betty Elms arriving and disappearing ... but the "logic" does not bear this out

Diane Selwyn would have to take a drug overdose just AFTER the car accident ... how would she know about the car accident?

Why would Diane Selwyn dream the car accident up?

Why (and how?) would she dream the whole Betty Elms scenario?

Why would there be conflicting story lines and other actresses as Camilla Rhodes (Melissa George) ... why (and where from?) would she dream up Melissa George etc?

"Dream logic" just does not stack up ...

NOTE

As all three drafts start and end at the same time ... and the Betty Elms draft effectively starts when the two small-time actresses take a drug overdose ... and ends when they actually die ... it could be argued that the Betty Elms draft is a "combined dream" of the two small-time actresses

This would imply that the two big-time actresses probably were killed by hitmen (in "reality")

It would also imply that there is a "reality" ... but the point is ... that the whole mobius strip is happening in the screenwriter's head ... as a "hologram" ... there is no reality ...

You could say the whole movie is a "dream" ... of a "failed screenwriter"

Whichever way you look at it ... there is no "reality" or "dream" ... just a mind-blowing message delivered as an even more mind-blowing puzzle

It could be argued that "reality" creates the "dream" - and the "dream" creates "reality" - but, again, it's an "Escher"

... and that's the point ... it's an "Escher" in the screenwriter's mind - there is no "dream" or "reality"

It's a "Hologram"

It could be argued that Betty is a "composite" of two unconscious small-time actresses - but, due to the genius of "Mulholland Drive", Betty is actually a composite of two very much awake actresses

Rita is also a "composite" of two (very much awake) big-time actresses

(This is due to the very clever "conveyor belt" nature of "Mulholland Drive" - that is explained later)

The Betty Elms draft does occupy a sort of "dream-space" (but it's actually more of a limbo space or time-warp) ... but it's not a dream of an individual in the normal sense ... but it could be, perhaps, described as "Betty Elms dream" ... and Betty Elms only exists in her own "dream" ... once again, it's an "Escher"

(Describe "Mulholland Drive" in one word - "Escher")

DUE TO HER INNOCENCE ... IT WOULD APPEAR THAT BETTY ELMS IS A COMPOSITE OF THE TWO "NEW" INCOMING ACTRESSES THAT ARRIVE AT LAX ... RATHER THAN THE TWO CORRUPTED ACTRESSES THAT COMMIT SUICIDE BY DRUG OVERDOSE

(BUT THIS CREATES A PROBLEM WITH HER DISAPPEARANCE ... RATHER THAN DISAPPEARING BECAUSE THE TWO "PREVIOUS DRAFT" ACTRESSES DIE ... IS IT BECAUSE SHE "MERGES" WITH RITA?)

RITA WOULD APPEAR TO BE A COMPOSITE OF THE TWO "PREVIOUS DRAFT" ACTRESSES (THAT WERE IN THE CAR ACCIDENT) - BECAUSE SHE HAS LOST HER MEMORY ... RATHER THAN THE TWO "NEW" TEENAGE ACTRESSES THAT WAKE UP IN COCO'S GARDEN IN NEW RIGHT AND LEFT DRAFTS

IT IS CONVENIENT TO THINK OF BETTY ELMS AS A COMPOSITE OF THE TWO "SLEEPING" SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AT SIERRA BONITA ... IT ESPECIALLY CONVENIENTLY EXPLAINS HER DISAPPEARANCE - BUT DOESN'T ACCOUNT FOR HER INNOCENCE

LIKEWISE, RITA MUST BE A COMPOSITE OF THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES FROM THE (PREVIOUS DRAFTS) CAR ACCIDENT(S) ... BECAUSE SHE HAS AMNESIA ... BUT THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT TWO "UNCONCIOUS" OR AMNESIC ACTRESSES EXIST IN THE SAME "OVERLAP" "LIMBO" SPACE THAT THE TWO DRUG-OVERDOSED SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES OCCUPY - WHICH, AS IT IS UNLIKELY THEY REMAIN ASLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN, ISN'T SO EASY TO EXPLAIN

SO, IT WOULD SEEM, THAT RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO "PREVIOUS" DRAFT(S) BIG-TIME ACTRESSES - BETTY IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO "CONCURRENT" DRAFT(S) SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - HENCE, THEY ARE THE SAME PERSON, JUST FROM DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS WITHIN LYNCH'S FULL MOBIUS STRIP - THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES IN SOME FORM ... AND THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN DO THAT, IS IF BETTY "MERGES" WITH RITA

(HENCE MY ASSUMPTION THAT BETTY ELMS IS A COMPOSITE OF THE TWO "POSITIVE +" POTENTIALS THAT EXIST WHEN REDHEAD WANNABE ACTRESSES CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN ARRIVE AT LAX WOULD APPEAR TO BE CORRECT - THROUGH THEIR "POSITIVE+" POTENTIALS ... (THAT FORM BETTY ELMS WHEN THEY BOTH ARRIVE AT LAX) ... AND RITA (BETTY+) ... THE TWO SMALL-TIME WANNABE ACTRESSES DO IN FACT MAKE IT TO THE BIG-TIME - CONFIRMING BETTY AND RITA ARE IN FACT THE SAME PERSON)  

At any point (horizontal cross-section of the diagram) Lynch is either "overlaying" drafts, or using individual "splices" from the drafts - the movie effectively has three "axes" - making it a "hologram" from Lynch's mind


THE MOVIE DOESN'T ACTUALLY MATCH THE "SCRIPT"

LYNCH HAS ACTUALLY REVERSED THE ACTRESSES IN THE MOVIE (WHAT WE ACTUALLY SEE) ON ONE SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP (GREEN PAPER) ... SO BIG-TIME BRUNETTE CAMILLA RHODES WOULD "REACH THROUGH THE PAPER" AND ACTUALLY FIND BRUNETTE BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN (HENCE BOTH PLAYED BY BRUNETTE LAURA HARRING)  ... AND VICE VERSA IN THE NEXT MOBIUS CYCLE WITH NAOMI WATTS PLAYING THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES ... COMBINING TO FORM A BLONDE VERSION OF RITA

THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ARE ALWAYS REDHEADS (ON PAPER) ... IN THE SCRIPT, (BLONDE) NAOMI WATTS, AS SMALL-TIME REDHEADED DIANE SELWYN, WOULD REACH THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GREEN PAPER ... AND FIND (BRUNETTE) LAURA HARRING AS SMALL-TIME (BUT REDHEADED) CAMILLA RHODES ... SO ALWAYS FORMING A REDHEADED BETTY ELMS

BUT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN THE MOVIE ... NAOMI WATTS (BLONDE) AS SMALL-TIME (REDHEADED) DIANE SELWYN WOULD REACH THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GREEN PAPER ... AND FIND (BLONDE) SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES ... PLAYED BY HERSELF ... BECAUSE LYNCH HAS CLEVERLY SWITCHED THE ACTRESSES AROUND (ONE CYCLE OUT OF STEP) - THE SAME WOULD HAPPEN IN THE NEXT MOBIUS CYCLE WITH LAURA HARRING AS THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES

(THIS MEANS THAT THE BODY ON THE BED THAT RITA AND BETTY FIND IS A COMBINATION OF ALL FOUR CHARACTERS ... AND THAT WOULD SEEM RIGHT ... AS BETTY AND RITA ARE BOTH "COMPOSITES" OF TWO CHARACTERS ... AND THEY ARE, EFFECTIVELY, FINDING "THEMSELVES")

(LYNCH HASN'T REALLY MISSED A BEAT WITH THIS MOVIE ... IT IS INCREDIBLY CLEVER ... MIND-BLOWING IS CERTAINLY NO EXAGGERATION)
   

LYNCH IS TAKING A (VERY) BIG "SWIPE" AT HOLLYWOOD

RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA AND DIANE - BETTY IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA AND DIANE

THEY ARE, EFFECTIVELY, THE SAME PERSON

One draft represents Lynch's project being canned ...

One draft represents Lynch being forced to do the project the studio's way, not his ...

One draft represents the project being taken off Lynch, and given to another director ...

("History repeats" - sounds like the latest Twin Peaks situation in 2015 as well doesn't it)

The irony is ... all drafts combined ... Lynch makes a movie he wants to make ... his way ... and gets away with "murder"

Mulholland Drive is Lynch's "middle finger" salute to Hollywood ... and it will go down as the cleverest screenplay in history

Hollywood is never going to forget David Lynch or Mulholland Drive ... and neither is anyone else ... long after they forget who got what Oscar ...

Mulholland Drive is "a dish best served cold" - and will forever be a standout in Lynch's legacy

The pranks Lynch has pulled off:

1) He has (cleverly) "edited" or "merged" three "virtual drafts" together

2) Mulholland Drive is full of "amateur" screenwriting errors

(Joe Gillis is a "failed" screenwriter)

3) Lynch has cleverly merged "faceless characters" and has created a "timeless era" - seamlessly merging props from the 1950's through to the 2000's

4) Lynch, effectively, makes the CHARACTER relevant, but the actor playing that CHARACTER, irrelevant - he's making a point about acting ... making that important, rather than the physical attributes of any one particular actor

5) Lynch has made an extremely clever movie about the dark side and shallowness of Hollywood - on paper a story about redheads - but has used stereotypical blonde / brunette actresses to make a subtle, but damning point about Hollywood

6) Lynch is taking a very big swipe at Hollywood - right under their noses ... and has got away with it for over 14 years

7) Technically, this movie should never have been made ... yet it will go down as one of the greatest examples of screenwriting / filmmaking in history

8) On paper, Lynch's movie is about redheads - but "to get his movie made" and make the most subtle, powerful statement about Hollywood in history - he cleverly uses stereotypical Hollywood blonde / brunette actresses 

THE TV SERIES

Was the TV series going to show us the full mobius strip?

Say the TV series was going to be 13 episodes

Episode 1: Basically the movie we see up till the point when Betty and Rita disappear (I haven't seen the original pilot)

Episodes 2 - 6: Rita jumped through the blue box portal with a blonde wig - so Naomi Watts would play Diane Selwyn living at Coco's apartments - who goes for her audition and gets the part. The next five or so episodes would show her develop into a big-time actress, have a relationship with Adam Kesher, and interact with redhead small-time actress Camilla Rhodes (played by Laura Harring) living at Sierra Bonita apartments

Camilla Rhodes would hire the mob to kill Diane Selwyn and then commit suicide by drug overdose because she didn't get the part - the movie was canned

Episode 7: Blonde Diane Selwyn (Naomi Watts) would be in a car accident and stagger to Coco's apartments - and meet redheaded Betty Elms (played by brunette Laura Harring) - at the end Naomi Watts (as Rita) would don a brunette wig and disappear through the blue box portal (Note: Melissa George would play Camilla Rhodes - again)

Episodes 8 - 12: Brunette Camilla Rhodes (living at Coco's apartments) would go to her audition and get hired - she would become a big-time actress and form a relationship with redheaded Diane Selwyn (played by Naomi Watts) living at Sierra Bonita, and would also have a relationship with director Adam Kesher

Episode 13: Jealous Diane Selwyn would hire a hitman to kill Camilla Rhodes 

Diane Selwyn kills herself  by drug overdose - but we would effectively see Betty Elms kill herself with a gun in the very last scene (I think the last scene, where Naomi Watts is hounded by the old couple, and kills herself with a gun, is just an "add-on" which effectively gives an "ending" to the continuous mobius cycle)

Apart from the "composite" structure of the "Betty Elms" story, the TV episodes would run the three stories "individually" ie. less "incriminating" "splicing" 

(Although the TV series may have shown all three drafts consecutively ... I think there would have been some subtle clues (just like the movie) that all three are happening in the same time-frame - ie. - at the same time - all three drafts actually occur (in the screenwriters head) at the same time)

MULHOLLAND DRIVE

 

POINTS TO NOTE IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

THE "MONSTER" BEHIND WINKIE'S IS BASED ON THE FAILED SCREENWRITER FROM "SUNSET BOULEVARD" 1950

JOE GILLIS

(IF HE HADN'T RUN INTO NORMA DESMOND)

LYNCH HAS DELIBERATELY INTRODUCED A LOT OF "SCREENWRITING ERRORS" INTO "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" TO SEE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE US TO NOTICE THEM

(BECAUSE THIS IS A "FAILED SCREENWRITER" - THAT HAS GOT HIS MOVIE "MADE")

SOME ERRORS IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

THE DETECTIVES AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE

(THEIR DIALOGUE IS "ON THE NOSE")

"AUNT RUTH" GOES TO THE DRAWER, THEN GETS THE KEYS OFF THE TABLE

THIS IS UNNECESSARY AND BAD SCREENWRITING

THERE IS VIRTUALLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH EVERY SCENE IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

LYNCH HAS DELIBERATELY FILMED THEM "JUST SLIGHTLY THE WRONG SIDE OF CREDIBILITY"

FOR INSTANCE:

THE TWO DETECTIVES

THE OLD COUPLE IN THE LIMO

THE WINKIE'S SCENE - PARTICULARLY DAN'S DEATH

COCO TALKING ABOUT A FIGHTING KANGAROO

THE "COFFEE SITUATION" IN THE BOARDROOM

THE "PAINT" SITUATION AT ADAM KESHER'S

ADAM KESHER AND HIS WIFE NOT CHANGING OUT OF THEIR PAINT COVERED CLOTHES

ADAM KESHER - A RICH MOVIE DIRECTOR - HOLED UP IN A FLEA-BITTEN HOTEL - BEFORE HE KNOWS THE MOB ARE AFTER HIM

ADAM KESHER'S ASSISTANT BEING ABLE TO "MAKE A FEW CALLS" AND FIND OUT HE IS BROKE

THE COWBOY "SITUATION"

THE BUNGLING HITMAN - THIS SCENE IS TO SHOW HIS "HITS" ALWAYS GO WRONG

BOB BROOKER IN BETTY'S AUDITION - HIS LINES ARE RIDICULOUS
  
NAOMI WATTS IS A GROWN WOMAN - WHEN SHE AUDITIONS AS BETTY, THE PART SEEMS TO BE FOR A TEENAGER - WOODY WOULD GO TO JAIL IF THE POLICE WERE CALLED

NOTE: MANY SCENES ARE A "MIXTURE OF ERAS"

A LOT OF SCENES HAVE PROPS FROM THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES ... BUT WITH MODERN PROPS MIXED IN 

EVERYTHING ABOUT MR ROQUE SCREAMS 1950'S OR 60'S ... BUT THERE ARE SELF-OPENING DOORS ... AND SOME SORT OF HIGH-TECH SCREEN IN THE BACKGROUND ... HE IS USING A TONE-DIAL PHONE ... WITH SOME SORT OF BLUETOOTH HEADSET

OFFICES ARE ANCIENT ... BUT THERE ARE LATER ERA PROPS

(THE COMPUTER MONITORS - BUBBLE WRAP - POWER BOARDS - MULTI-LOCKS ON DOORS - TELESCOPE - PIZZA POSTER - MODERN FIRE ALARM - "HEALTHY ENZYMES")

RITA HAS A BLUE KEY - AND LOADS OF CASH (IN A DKNY (EST. 1984) BAG) - HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN?

ONLY THE HITMAN CAN BE IN POSSESSION OF CASH AND THE BLUE KEY AT THE SAME TIME

WHEN DRIVING TO HIS HOUSE, ADAM KESHER IS TAIL-GATED BY A 1950'S CAR ... WHILE TALKING ON A HANDS-FREE CAR-PHONE (IN HIS PORSCHE)

RITA AND BETTY LOOK UP THE LA TELEPHONE DIRECTORY ... AND THERE IS ONLY ONE "D. SELWYN" - YEAH RIGHT!

OTHER THINGS TO NOTE IN

 "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

THE "ORANGE", "RED", AND "BROWN" TONES THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE

THE NUMBER OF CHARACTERS WEARING RED - PARTICULARLY COCO AND RITA

IN THE BOARDROOM SCENE - WHEN THE BUTLER DELIVERS THE COFFEE HE HAS A PIMPLE ON HIS KNUCKLE - WHEN HE DELIVERS THE NAPKIN ... THERE IS NO PIMPLE - THIS IS A CLUE THAT WE ARE WATCHING MULTIPLE DRAFTS

(I THINK THE PIMPLE IS A PROP - A FAKE PIMPLE - CREATED BY THE MAKE-UP DEPARTMENT ... THE INCREDIBLE DETAIL LYNCH GOES TO)


THE DINNER PARTY

CAMILLA AND ADAM ARE ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE THEIR ENGAGEMENT - WHO WOULD BE THERE?

COCO - ADAM'S MOTHER ... AND OF COURSE, CAMILLA'S MOTHER ... WHO SITS OPPOSITE AND SPEAKS TO HER IN SPANISH (NOW YOU KNOW WHY CAMILLA SPEAKS SPANISH) ... BUT THE BIGGEST THING OF NOTE ... CAMILLA'S MOTHER IS A REDHEAD ... LYNCH IS GIVING US A BIG CLUE ... THAT CAMILLA IS A REDHEAD ... WHO HAS DYED HER HAIR ... TO BECOME A BIG-TIME ACTRESS

(DON'T YOU JUST LOVE ALL THE CLUES LYNCH HITS US IN THE FACE WITH?)

(AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE REALLY SAD THING IS? - ONE DAY A JOURNALIST IS GOING TO ASK DAVID LYNCH ... "IS MULHOLLAND DRIVE ABOUT REDHEADS?" ...)


THE "MIRROR" SCENES

THE JITTERBUG OPENING SCENE - THERE ARE MULTIPLE "COPIES" OF THE DANCERS SUPERIMPOSED - A CLUE TO MULTIPLE DRAFTS "SUPERIMPOSED"

(NOTICE THE "MIRROR IMAGES" - THE SHADOW IMAGES IN THE BACKGROUND - THERE'S TWO VERSIONS OF EACH DANCE MOVE GOING ON)

THE SUPERIMPOSED LIMO AS IT TRAVELS UP MULHOLLAND DRIVE

THE FIRETRUCK SAYS "119" - THE AMBULANCE SAYS "911"

LYNCH SHOWS US THE BACK DOOR TO WINKIE'S - WE DEDUCE A SIGN ON THE INSIDE MIRRORS THE SIGN ON THE OUTSIDE - LYNCH SHOWS US THIS DOOR TWICE - IT'S A CLUE

THE PHONE BOX - THERE ARE TWO "PERFORATED PHONES" - EITHER SIDE OF THE PHONE BOX

RITA AND THE RITA HAYWORTH POSTER IN THE MIRRORS

("THERE NEVER WAS A WOMAN LIKE GILDA" ... THERE NEVER WAS A WOMAN LIKE RITA ... OR BETTY ... BECAUSE THEY ARE "COMPOSITES")

RITA DONNING THE BLONDE WIG

THE "MIRRORED" DIALOGUE - SUCH AS "WE DON'T STOP HERE"

THE LIMO JOURNEY "MIRRORED" LATER IN THE MOVIE (WITH DIANE SELWYN)

THE NAME BADGES IN THE DINER - THESE ARE SHOWN IN CLOSE-UP

(THE WAITRESS HAVING TWO NAMES IS A VERY BIG CLUE - MULTIPLE DRAFTS)

(THE WAITRESS HAVING TWO NAMES IS A VERY BIG "REVERSE" CLUE - THAT THE SAME ACTORS ARE PLAYING MULTIPLE CHARACTERS (IN DIFFERENT DRAFTS) - AND THAT PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS DO NOT NECESSARILY DEFINE CHARACTERS)

THE ACTUAL CLUE ON THE NAME-TAGS IS "SUNSET BLVD"

("MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A FAMOUS STREET IN HOLLYWOOD)

"SUNSET BOULEVARD" IS ANOTHER FAMOUS STREET IN HOLLYWOOD

SUNSET BOULEVARD + HOLLYWOOD 

= "SUNSET BOULEVARD" 1950 - BILLY WILDER

...

NORMA DESMOND'S ISOTTA FRASCHINI PARKED AT PARAMOUNT STUDIOS

THE EYE CONTACT BETWEEN ADAM KESHER AND BETTY

DIANE SELWYN GOES TO AN AGENT FOR A HITMAN - WHOEVER HAS THE BLACK BOOK ... IS THE AGENT ... NOT THE HITMAN

MARK PELLEGRINO PLAYS BOTH THE AGENT ... AND THE HITMAN

THE MASTURBATION SCENE IS NOT NECESSARILY DIANE SELWYN

(THE ROCK WALL SHOWS US THE CHARACTER IS MASTURBATING IN FRUSTRATION ... NOT AN EROTIC FANTASY)

(ANY SCENE WHERE CHARACTERS ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFIED BY NAME (OR CONTEXT) ... MAY NOT BE WHAT IT SEEMS)

WINKIE'S

DAN'S DIALOGUE REFERS TO SCREENWRITING ...

THE "MONSTER" BEHIND WINKIE'S IS THE SCREENWRITER

THIS SCENE IS TO SHOW THAT THE "SCREENWRITER" HAS IMMENSE POWER OVER THE CHARACTERS


MR ROQUE'S PHONE CALL

WE SEE MR ROQUE PHONE HIS "AGENT" (FOR HITMEN)

THE AGENT PHONES A HITMAN ... AND SAYS "THE SAME"

THIS IS ANOTHER REFERENCE TO MULTIPLE DRAFTS

THIS PHONECALL HAS BEEN MADE "BEFORE"

(THE HITMAN DOES NOT PHONE DIANE SELWYN - THIS IS A "SPLICE")

WE SEE MULTIPLE ACTORS PLAYING THE AGENT AND THE HITMAN

MARK PELLEGRINO PLAYS BOTH THE HITMAN ... AND THE AGENT

BETTY ARRIVES LAX

NOTE THE OLD FASHIONED BANNER - THE OLD FASHIONED CLOTHING ON EXTRAS - OLD FASHIONED SUITCASES - EVEN THE TAXI

THE OLD COUPLE

THERE'S SOMETHING NOT QUITE RIGHT ABOUT THE OLD COUPLE

SUCH AN EXAGGERATED, HAPPY OLD COUPLE - THEY ARE "OUT OF PLACE" IN HOLLYWOOD

NOTE IRENE DOESN'T HAVE A WEDDING RING - IS THIS A DELIBERATE OMISSION? - WE SEE THE OLD COUPLE WITH NAOMI WATTS TWICE (TWO DRAFTS?) AS THE MOVIE OPENS, INDICATING SOME FORM OF RELATIONSHIP - YET WHEN BETTY ELMS ARRIVES AT LAX (3RD DRAFT) IT SEEMS SHE HAS ONLY MET THE OLD COUPLE IN TRANSIT ... MORE CLUES TO MULTIPLE STORY LINES (DRAFTS)

"WE'LL BE WATCHING FOR YOU ON THE BIG SCREEN" INDICATES THEY ARE NOT PART OF HOLLYWOOD - THEY REPRESENT "A NORMAL HAPPY LIFE" ALBEIT THEY ARE "EXAGGERATED" CHARACTERS

(WE CAN PROBABLY ASSUME THAT THE OLD COUPLE ARE "GRANDPARENTS" IN THE LEFT AND RIGHT DRAFTS - AND WHAT ARE GRANDPARENTS? ... ROLE MODELS FOR MOST OF US ... AS TO HOW OUR LIVES "SHOULD" TURN OUT ... BUT IN THE COMPOSITE BETTY ELMS DRAFT THEY BECOME TORMENTORS ... FOR THE MISTAKES BETTY HAS MADE ... AND FOR WHAT SHE HAS SACRIFICED ... THE OLD COUPLE REPRESENT THE "OPPORTUNITY COST" OF HOLLYWOOD) 

NOTE THE "CREEPING PARALYSIS" AT COCO'S APARTMENTS - I BELIEVE COCO'S APARTMENTS ARE A "HAVEN" ... FOR REDHEADS

AUNT RUTH'S

WHEN BETTY ARRIVES AT AUNT RUTH'S ... THERE IS A ROBE WITH A NOTE ATTACHED ON THE BED

WHEN RITA DISAPPEARS ... WE AGAIN SEE "AUNT RUTH" HAVING ONE LAST CHECK OF HER BEDROOM BEFORE SHE LEAVES IN THE TAXI ... THERE IS NO ROBE ON THE BED ... BECAUSE SHE'S NOT "AUNT RUTH" ... SHE'S ACTUALLY LOUISE BONNER ... LYNCH IS CLEVERLY TRICKING US

I INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT LYNCH "REWINDS" TIME - THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS AN "OVERLAP" - BUT OF COURSE - WHEN WE SEE LOUISE BONNER CHECKING HER BEDROOM AFTER RITA DISAPPEARS - IT'S A NEW DRAFT (IT'S THREE DAYS LATER)

OPENING SCENES

WE SEE SOME SORT OF "JITTERBUG" CONTEST

NOTE THE CLOTHING IS ALL 1950'S 

THIS IS THE OPENING SCENE OF ONE DRAFT ... PROBABLY THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT
(AS IT IS A "COMPOSITION" WITH MULTIPLE VERSIONS OF THE SAME DANCERS) 

SUPERIMPOSED WE SEE BETTY ELMS AND THE "OLD COUPLE"

THIS IS THE OPENING SCENE FROM THE EITHER THE RIGHT OR LEFT HAND DRAFT
(THE BLONDE (NAOMI WATTS) COULD BE DIANE SELWYN OR CAMILLA RHODES ... THIS IS A POINT LYNCH IS SUBTLY MAKING THROUGHOUT THE MOVIE)

THEN WE SEE NAOMI WATTS AGAIN SEPARATELY ... BUT AT THE LAST MOMENT SHE IS ALSO JOINED BY THE OLD COUPLE
(THIS REPRESENTS THE START OF THE OTHER RIGHT OR LEFT HAND DRAFT)

THE THREE OPENING SCENES ALL BECOME "SUPERIMPOSED" ... A CLEVER CLUE THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY THREE DRAFTS

THEN WE SEE A BED ... AND PILLOW ... SOMEONE IS APPROACHING THE BED BREATHING HEAVILY

THIS REPRESENTS THAT IN ONE OF THE DRAFTS ... SOMEONE HAS JUST TAKEN A DRUG OVERDOSE

THE CAR ACCIDENT

 WE SEE A LIMOUSINE TRAVELING UP MULHOLLAND DRIVE

AT TIMES ... THE LIMO IS "SUPERIMPOSED" ... THIS IS A CLEVER CLUE

LAURA HARRING SAYS "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ... WE DON'T STOP HERE ..."

(THIS LINE WILL BE REPEATED LATER BY NAOMI WATTS ... IT'S A CLEVER CLUE AS TO THE "DUPLICITY" OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

LAURA HARRING EXITS THE LIMO DISORIENTATED AND DAZED

SMALL CONTINUITY ERRORS SHOW US THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY TWO SCENARIOS GOING ON ... WE ARE ACTUALLY WATCHING TWO CHARACTERS MAKE THEIR WAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE CAR ACCIDENT ... LAURA HARRING IS PLAYING BOTH CHARACTERS ... TO FOOL US

WE SEE A FIRETRUCK WITH THE NUMBER "119" ... AND AN AMBULANCE WITH THE NUMBER "911" 

THESE NUMBERS ARE MORE CLUES THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY WATCHING TWO SCENARIOS (FROM "OPPOSITE" SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP)

THEN WE SEE TWO POLICE DETECTIVES OBSERVING THE CRASH SCENE

THE DIALOGUE IS DELIBERATELY "ON THE NOSE"

(THIS SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN SCREENWRITING)

NOTICE THE DETECTIVES CAR

"LOUISE BONNER"

LAURA HARRING IS WOKEN BY A MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN WITH RED HAIR PREPARING TO LEAVE IN A TAXI

(WE ARE WATCHING ONE / BOTH OF THE TWO RIGHT / LEFT "INDIVIDUAL" DRAFTS ... THIS IS ACTUALLY LOUISE BONNER LEAVING FOR CANADA, NOT "AUNT RUTH")

NOTE THE WOMAN'S SUITCASES

NOTE THE STOVE - HOW OLD IT IS

THE WOMAN LOOKS IN A DRAWER ... THEN RETRIEVES HER KEYS FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE

(THIS IS UNNECESSARY ... AND "BAD" SCREENWRITING)

NOTE THERE IS NO BOWL OF FRUIT ON THE TABLE

ALSO NOTE THE WOMAN'S APARTMENT HAS AN "ORANGE" TONE ... IN EVERY ROOM

WINKIE'S DINER

DAN IS AN ANXIOUS TYPE

HIS TWO DREAMS REFER TO SCREENWRITNG DRAFTS ... THE RIGHT AND LEFT HAND DRAFTS

WE ARE SEEING HIM IN THE CENTER "COMPOSITE" DRAFT ... THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

HE DOESN'T TOUCH HIS FOOD ... 

(I BELIEVE THIS REFERS TO "ENTER LATE ... LEAVE EARLY" ... A RULE OF SCREENWRITING)

HE IS CONFRONTED BY THE "MONSTER" THAT LIVES BEHIND WINKIE'S AND DIES FROM FRIGHT

THIS SCENE IS TO SHOW THAT THE "MONSTER" BEHIND WINKIE'S WELDS CONTROL ... OVER THE CHARACTERS IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ... BECAUSE THE "MONSTER" IS ACTUALLY THE "SCREENWRITER"

"HE'S THE ONE WHO'S DOING IT"

THIS "SCREENWRITER" IS ACTUALLY LYNCH'S VERSION OF THE "FAILED" SCREENWRITER FROM "SUNSET BOULEVARD" 1950

JOE GILLIS

IF HE HADN'T RUN INTO NORMA DESMOND

NOTE LYNCH SHOWS US THE BACK DOOR TO WINKIE'S ... THIS IS ANOTHER "MIRROR" CLUE THAT WE ARE SEEING BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP "AT THE SAME TIME"

(BECAUSE THIS IS THE "COMPOSITE" CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT)

(LYNCH ALSO SHOWS US THE BACK DOOR TO WINKIE'S AGAIN WHEN BETTY AND RITA MAKE THE PAYPHONE CALL)

THE COFFEE CUPS

I INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT DIANE SELWYN CAN'T "INTERACT" WITH BETTY AND RITA AT WINKIES ... BUT SHE DOES EXIST IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT (BETTY AND RITA GO TO HER APARTMENT IN SOME SORT OF WEIRD TIME WARP) ... AND SO DOES CAMILLA RHODES ... SO I NOW THINK DIANE SELWYN IS A WAITRESS AT WINKIE'S

THE QUESTION IS ... IS SHE THE WAITRESS WE SEE SERVE BETTY AND RITA?

WE SEE CAMILLA RHODES IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ... IT SEEMS PLAUSIBLE WE WOULD ALSO SEE DIANE SELWYN ... BUT WHY DOESN'T RITA RECOGNIZE HER, WHEN SHE REMEMBERS THE NAME DIANE SELWYN ... AND LATER, RECOGNIZES A VOICE (WHICH COULD ACTUALLY BE DIANE SELWYN OR THE NEIGHBOR)

THE CONCLUSION - THE COFFEE CUPS ARE A SIGNIFICANT CLUE (IT'S VERY LOGICAL THAT SMALL-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN WOULD BE A WAITRESS AT WINKIE'S ... SHE HAS THE SAME COFFEE CUPS IN HER APARTMENT) - LYNCH IS REALLY PLAYING WITH OUR MINDS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE COFFEE CUPS - AND THE ONLY CONCLUSION I CAN THINK OF IS THAT THERE ARE TWO DIANES WORKING AT WINKIE'S ... OR THE NEIGHBOR WORKS AT WINKIE'S

(DIANE SELWYN HAS ALREADY TAKEN A DRUG OVERDOSE AT THIS POINT - SO IT CAN'T BE "THE" DIANE SELWYN THE NEIGHBOR TALKS ABOUT ... AND IT CAN'T REALLY BE A "TIME WARP" VERSION FROM ANOTHER "SET" OF DRAFTS EITHER ... AS ALL THE CHARACTERS ARE PHYSICALLY THE SAME NO MATTER WHICH ACTORS ARE PLAYING THEM ... SO, THEORETICALLY, RITA WOULD STILL RECOGNIZE DIANE SELWYN ... AT LEAST HER VOICE)

THE COFFEE CUPS ARE PROBABLY THE MOST "UNEXPLAINABLE" THING IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" - THEY COULD EASILY BE DISMISSED, AND OMITTED FROM ANY ANALYSIS ... AND NO ONE WOULD QUESTION IT ... BUT THE THING IS ... LYNCH HAS INCLUDED THEM IN HIS TEN CLUES ... AND PLAYING WITH OUR MINDS OR NOT ... THAT MAKES THEM SIGNIFICANT - HE DIDN'T JUST USE THE SAME COFFEE CUPS AT BOTH LOCATIONS ... THEY MEAN SOMETHING

THE BOARDROOM SCENE

"THE COFFEE SITUATION"

THE CASTIGLIANE BROTHERS ARE "MOB" REPRESENTATIVES

(NOTE THE PARKING CHARGES AND THE BUILDING FACADE WHEN THEY ARRIVE - WHAT ERA DO THESE BELONG TO)

(THE BOARDROOM IS "DATED")

LYNCH IS HAVING A BIG "DIG" HERE ... CAN YOU IMAGINE A DIRECTOR TAKING A GOLF CLUB INTO A HOLLYWOOD BOARDROOM? ... LYNCH CAN ...

THE BOARDROOM SCENE IS A "COMPOSITE" SCENE - MADE UP FROM SPLICES FROM MULTIPLE DRAFTS

THE MOST NOTABLE CLUES - MELISSA GEORGE IS PLAYING CAMILLA RHODES - AND THE BUTLER'S PIMPLE!

THE CASTIGLIANE BROTHERS APPALLING BEHAVIOR IS ANOTHER CLUE THAT THE STUDIOS BOW TO THE MOB

THE HITMAN

THE HITMAN IS BY FAR THE MOST COMPLICATED CHARACTER IN MULHOLLAND DRIVE

WE SEE DIANE SELWYN HIRE THE AGENT (IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT) TO KILL CAMILLA RHODES

THE AGENT IN TURN HIRES A HITMAN TO KILL CAMILLA RHODES

THE HIT FAILS

CAMILLA RHODES TURNS UP AT COCO'S APARTMENTS - GOES TO SLEEP IN THE GARDEN - WAKES UP AS DIANE SELWYN (IN THE NEXT DRAFT) - AND HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT - GOES TO AUDITION - GETS HIRED

(THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT PLAYS OUT (AT THE SAME TIME) AND IS THEN SCRAPPED - AND A NEW DRAFT STARTS)

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

A NEW DRAFT STARTS BEFORE THE EARLIER DRAFT(S) HAVE PLAYED OUT (A NEW DRAFT STARTS THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER CAMILLA RHODES/DIANE SELWYNS AUDITION - YET WE KNOW THEY (CAMILLA/DIANE) WILL GO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESSES) - THREE NEW DRAFTS START ACTUALLY, AS ALL DRAFTS START AT THE SAME MOMENT

THIS WILL BE FULLY EXPLAINED LATER

THIS CREATES:

CAMILLA RHODES WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS DIANE SELWYN (IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT) - SHE WILL GET HIRED AND GO ON TO BECOME A BIG-TIME ACTRESS

 IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT, MARK PELLEGRINO IS PLAYING ANOTHER CHARACTER (A HITMAN HIRED BY MR ROQUE TO KILL THE AGENT ... WHO WAS PLAYED BY MARK PELLEGRINO IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT (COMPLICATED!) ... BUT IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT IS NOW PLAYED BY A DIFFERENT ACTOR)

WE CAN WORK OUT THAT MR ROQUE TRIES TO HAVE DIANE SELWYN WHACKED IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT ... BUT THEN THAT DRAFT "ENDS" ... AND DIANE SELWYN THEN BECOMES CAMILLA RHODES (COURTESY OF THE BETTY ELMS ELMS DRAFT "CATALYST")

SO THIS MEANS THAT WHEN WE SEE THE HITMAN (AGENT) LOOKING FOR A BRUNETTE ... HE IS ONLY LOOKING FOR A BRUNETTE ... THE CHARACTER HE IS LOOKING FOR DOESN'T ACTUALLY EXIST ANYMORE ... AND IS NOW "NAMELESS" ... (THE SAME AS THE "WOODY" CLUE ABOUT THE ACTRESS WITH THE BLACK HAIR)

(THE SCENE WITH THE HITMAN (AGENT) AND THE HOOKER MUST BE THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - 

BECAUSE THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES GO MISSING (IN THE RIGHT HAND OR LEFT HAND DRAFTS) AS ONE ACTRESS / HAIR COLOR - THEN WAKE UP IN THE NEXT RIGHT OR LEFT DRAFT AS ANOTHER ACTRESS WITH DIFFERENT HAIR COLOR -

IE. DIANE SELWYN GOES MISSING IN DIANE SELWYN DRAFT - WAKES UP IN CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT AS CAMILLA RHODES WITH OPPOSITE HAIR COLOR - CAMIILA RHODES (CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT) WAKES UP AS DIANE SELWYN (IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

- SO THIS MEANS THAT IN THE NEXT BETTY ELMS DRAFT - THE HITMAN (AGENT) WILL SAY HE IS LOOKING FOR A BLONDE -

BUT IN BOTH BETTY ELMS DRAFTS (BOTH SIDES OF MOBIUS STRIP) - THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES NOW ONLY EXIST AS "RITA"

SO THIS CLUE IS SIMILAR TO THE "WOODY" BLACK (BLONDE NEXT DRAFT) HAIR CLUE IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT(S)

NOTE:

THERE IS NO BLUE KEY IN HIS POCKET WHEN THE HOOKER GETS A CIGARETTE - HE ALWAYS GIVES DIANE SELWYN THE BLUE KEY ERRONEOUSLY

(HE MUST BE THE AGENT ... BECAUSE THE ACTUAL HITMAN GETS KILLED IN THE CAR ACCIDENT ... AND IT MUST BE THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT, BECAUSE THE TWO OTHER DRAFTS BOTH END ONLY HOURS AFTER THE CAR ACCIDENT (THEN START AFRESH AS NEW DRAFTS IE. BEFORE THE CAR ACCIDENT HAPPENS) ... BUT LYNCH CAN PUT THE AGENT INTO THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT JUST AS HE DOES WITH LOUISE BONNER AND OTHER "ARTIFACT" ELEMENTS FROM THE RIGHT AND LEFT DRAFTS BECAUSE IT IS A "COMPOSITE" DRAFT)

IE. CAMILLA RHODES IS NOT DEAD

THERE IS NO BLUE KEY IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT

CORRECTION: THE BLUE KEY HAS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE COMPOSITE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - IT ALSO PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - IN BOTH IT SIGNIFIES IT OPENS THE "GATEWAY" TO BIG-TIME HOLLYWOOD - SO LOGIC WOULD SUGGEST IT ALSO EXISTS IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT - AND IS GIVEN TO CAMILLA RHODES BY THE BUNGLING HITMAN, IN THIS INSTANCE WORKING FOR THE MOB  

(CAMILLA RHODES HIRES THE MOB TO KILL DIANE SELWYN ... NOT THE HITMAN / AGENT)

THIS IS HOW IT PLAYS OUT

(FORGET ALL ACTORS ... THE ACTORS ARE BEING SWITCHED AROUND)

SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES HIRES THE MOB (MR ROQUE) TO KILL BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN (DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

HIT FAILS

(CAR ACCIDENT)

BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN GOES TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN

TEENAGE CAMILLA RHODES WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN (IN CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT) ... SHE WILL GET HIRED ANDGO ON TO BECOME BIG-TIME ACTRESS

MR ROQUE ISN'T HAPPY

HE HIRES HITMAN TO KILL THE AGENT
 
HITMAN KILLS AGENT

HITMAN BECOMES AGENT 

SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN HIRES AGENT TO KILL BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES

THE AGENT HIRES A HITMAN

HIT FAILS

(CAR ACCIDENT)

BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES GOES TO SLEEP IN COCO'S GARDEN

 TEENAGE DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN (IN DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES HIRES MOB (MR ROQUE) TO KILL BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN

THE CYCLE CONTINUES

(NOTE: THE HITMAN IS KILLING THE AGENT FOR MR ROQUE - BUT ALSO KILLING THE AGENT TO RETRIEVE THE BLACK BOOK (INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE THAT HE TRIED TO WHACK MOB ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES ... AS THE AGENT ... AGAIN ... IT'S AN "ESCHER")

ADAM KESHER

WE CAN WORK OUT THAT ADAM KESHER FINDS HIS WIFE IN BED WITH THE POOL MAN IN BOTH THE CAMILLA RHODES (RIGHT HAND) AND DIANE SELWYN (LEFT HAND DRAFTS)

WE CAN ALSO WORK OUT THAT BOTH BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES AND BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN ARE ACTUALLY HIRED VIA THE WALLY BROWN / BOB BROOKER AUDITIONS

IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - THE MOVIE IS TAKEN OFF ADAM KESHER - THE MOVIE IS GIVEN TO BOB BROOKER, WHO HIRES CAMILLA RHODES - SO THIS INDICATES THAT BOTH BIG-TIME ACTRESSES IN THE CAR ACCIDENT (DIANE SELWYN AND CAMILLA RHODES) MUST HAVE A BAG FULL OF MONEY - WHEN DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS CAMILLA RHODES, SHE MUST USE THE MONEY TO "BUY" THE MOB'S HELP TO GET HIRED IN THE MOVIE

THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT, AND THE WAY EYE CONTACT BETWEEN "BETTY" AND ADAM KESHER IS EDITED, TELLS US THAT ADAM KESHER HAS A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH BOTH CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN

ADAM KESHER MUST REFUSE TO CAST CAMILLA RHODES IN BOTH THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT, AND THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT

(ALTHOUGH WE SEE HIM AGREE TO SEE THE COWBOY IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT (WHICH I THINK IS JUST TO FOOL US ONCE AGAIN) - HE MUST TELL THE MOB WHERE TO GO - HENCE THE MOVIE REMAINS SHUT DOWN - BUT THE BOARDROOM SCENE / SHUTDOWN COULD HAPPEN IN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TIME FRAME RELATIVE TO THE OTHER TWO DRAFTS - TIME IS NOT LINEAR BETWEEN THE THREE DRAFTS)

HERE'S HOW IT PANS OUT

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT

BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN IS IN THE CAR ACCIDENT - GOES MISSING WITH A BAG OF MONEY

ADAM KESHER REFUSES TO CAST SMALL-TIME MOB ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES

BETTY ELMS DRAFT

(NOTE: BETTY ELMS DRAFT PLAYS OUT AS AN "OVERLAP" AND A "CATALYST")

(SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES KILLS HERSELF - BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS - RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL)

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT

DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS CAMILLA RHODES - STILL HAS A BAG OF MONEY

HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

PAYS MOB - BECOMES MOB ACTRESS

GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION

ADAM KESHER REFUSES TO CAST MOB ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES

MOVIE IS GIVEN TO BOB BROOKER

CAMILLA RHODES BECOMES BIG-TIME ACTRESS - HAS RELATIONSHIP WITH ADAM KESHER AND SMALL-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN

DIANE SELWYN PAYS AGENT TO HAVE CAMILLA RHODES WHACKED

CAMILLA RHODES IS IN THE CAR ACCIDENT - GOES MISSING WITH A BAG OF MONEY

BETTY ELMS DRAFT

(NOTE: BETTY ELMS DRAFT PLAYS OUT AS AN "OVERLAP" AND A "CATALYST"

(SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN KILLS HERSELF - BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS - RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL)
 
DIANE SELWYN DRAFT

CAMILLA RHODES WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS DIANE SELWYN - STILL HAS A BAG OF MONEY

HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT

GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION

GETS HIRED - BECOMES BIG-TIME ACTRESS

SMALL-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES PAYS MOB TO HAVE BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN WHACKED

DIANE SELWYN IN CAR ACCIDENT

ADAM KESHER REFUSES TO CAST (SMALL-TIME) MOB ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES

MOB SHUTS THE MOVIE DOWN

BETTY ELMS DRAFT

(BETTY ELMS DRAFT PLAYS OUT AS AN "OVERLAP" AND A "CATALYST")

(SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES KILLS HERSELF - BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS - RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL)

(NOTE: SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AT SIERRA BONITA INHERIT MONEY FROM DEAD AUNT RUTH)

(THE BIG-TIME ACTRESS HAVING A BAG OF MONEY WOULD SEEM TO BE A MISTAKE - AND THE REASON THE COWBOY ALWAYS "INSISTS" THE DRAFTS BE "RE-WRITTEN")

THE ENDING OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS WITH THE END OF THE FILM

(I NOW THINK THAT THE OLD COUPLE EXIST IN ALL THREE DRAFTS - AND REPRESENT THE "OPPORTUNITY COST" OF AN ACTRESS "STAKING IT ALL" ON A HOLLYWOOD CAREER)

OPTION ONE:

WE SEE A "COMPOSITE" SCENE - LYNCH HAS CREATED AN "ADD-ON" (BETTY ELMS DRAFT) TO CLOSE OUT THE MOVIE - AND WE SEE A "COMPOSITE" OF BOTH SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES (REDHEADS CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN - BOTH PLAYED BY NAOMI WATTS) COMMIT SUICIDE BY SHOOTING THEMSELVES - EFFECTIVELY SIERRA BONITA BETTY ELMS KILLS HERSELF

(IN MUCH THE SAME WAY LAURA HARRING PLAYS BOTH BIG-TIME ACTRESSES AT THE START OF THE FILM, NAOMI WATTS IS PLAYING BOTH SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AT THE END OF THE FILM)

SO THE MOVIE STARTS SHOWING US BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP (WITH LAURA HARRING PLAYING TWO CHARACTERS) ... AND ENDS SHOWING US BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP (WITH NAOMI WATTS PLAYING TWO CHARACTERS)

OPTION TWO:

WE SEE REDHEAD SMALL-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN COMMIT SUICIDE BY SHOOTING HERSELF (CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT) - THIS WOULD IMPLY THAT REDHEAD SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES ALSO COMMITS SUICIDE BY SHOOTING HERSELF (DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

THIS IS FEASIBLE - AS WE ACTUALLY SEE "TWO" LOTS OF THE OLD COUPLE IN THE OPENING SCENES (SUPERIMPOSED OVER THE JITTERBUG SCENES) - THEY JOIN NAOMI WATTS RIGHT AT THE LAST MOMENT - IMPLYING THEY ARE ACTUALLY PRESENT IN ALL THREE DRAFTS

BUT I FEEL IT IS MORE LIKELY THAT THE ORIGINAL TV SERIES WOULD HAVE HAD THE ACTRESSES COMMITTING SUICIDE BY DRUG OVERDOSE - GOING TO SLEEP IN THE TRANSITION BETWEEN DRAFTS

WHEN NAOMI WATTS RUNS FROM THE COUCH TO THE BEDROOM IN THE FINAL SCENES - LYNCH VERY CLEVERLY DOESN'T SHOW US THE PART OF THE COFFEE TABLE WHERE THE KEY WAS (IS THIS THE REASON LYNCH ASKED PROJECTIONISTS TO ADJUST THE HEADROOM- TO HIDE THE KEY?) LEADING ME TO BELIEVE OPTION ONE IS THE CORRECT OPTION

OPTION TWO WOULD LEAVE US WITH "TWO" DEATHS BY GUNSHOT - THEN NO GUN IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT WHEN BETTY AND RITA FIND THE DEAD BODY

I PREFER TWO DEATHS BY DRUG OVERDOSE - AND THE GUN DEATH JUST AN ADD-ON TO CLOSE THE MOVIE (PERHAPS THE TV SERIES AS WELL)

(I HAVE SINCE DEDUCED THERE ARE TWO MODES TO MULHOLLAND DRIVE - A "CONTINUOUS MODE" (MOBIUS STRIP) ... AND THEN A "CLOSURE MODE" - THE DEATHS FROM DRUG OVERDOSE ARE "CONTINUOUS MODE" ("IF YOU DO BAD YOU WILL SEE ME TWICE") - THE DEATHS BY GUNSHOT ARE "CLOSURE MODE" (IF YOU DO GOOD YOU WILL SEE ME ONCE") ... THE VERSION OF THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT WE SEE IS MODIFIED (WE SEE THE STORY IN FLASHBACK) FOR THE MOVIE (LYNCH ONLY HAD 30 MINUTES OR SO TO SHOW US THE STORY ... RATHER THAN SEVERAL EPISODES IN A TV SERIES) ... THE GUN ONLY EXISTS IN THIS "CLOSURE MODE")  

(LYNCH IS "CUTTING AND SPLICING" THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT "ALL OVER THE PLACE" - NOTE THE PAPER TOWEL HOLDER ON THE BENCH - THE COMMENT "HAVEN'T SEEN HER FOR A FEW DAYS" REFERS TO THE TIME PERIOD OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - DIANE SELWYN IS "ASLEEP" DURING THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - A "LIMBO" PERIOD ... THEN DIES ... AND BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS)

(WHEN BETTY AND RITA ENTER NUMBER 17 ... THEY APPEAR TO ENTER A "TIME-WARP" - A "LIMBO" BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT-HAND DRAFTS ... WHICH THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT EFFECTIVELY IS - LYNCH IS VERY MUCH PLAYING WITH TIME IN "MULHOLLAND  DRIVE")

ALTERNATIVE SIERRA BONITA FOR THE MOVIE

IT'S MY BEST GUESS THAT BOTH SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES WOULD DIE BY DRUG OVERDOSE IN THE TV SERIES (AND BE REPLACED BY NEW SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ARRIVING AT LAX IN THE NEXT DRAFT) - BUT LYNCH CHANGES THIS IN THE FILM  (HE HAS TO - SO HE CAN SHOW A VERY TRUNCATED VERSION OF THE STORY IN FLASHBACK) - AND DIANE SELWYN (AND CAMILLA RHODES IN THE RECIPROCAL MOBIUS UNIVERSE) WAKES UP FROM THE DRUG OVERDOSE (THE BLUE KEY IS ON THE COFFEE TABLE) ... THEN LYNCH SHOWS US SOME OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT BY WAY OF FLASHBACK ... THEN CREATES AN "ADD-ON" WHERE (IN MY OPINION) BOTH SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES SHOOT THEMSELVES (IN A "SPLICED" "COMPOSITE" SCENE (BOTH SIDES OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - JUST LIKE THE WAY THE MOVIE STARTED) ... TO GIVE THE MOVIE "CLOSURE")

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WE ARE HEARING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP, RATHER THAN SEEING IT, AT THE END OF THE MOVIE - AS THERE SEEMS TO BE "DOUBLE" THE SOUND WE SHOULD BE ACTUALLY HEARING - IE THERE SEEMS TO BE TWO WOMEN SCREAMING AND POSSIBLY THE SOUND OF TWO OLD COUPLES TORMENTING

"THE MONOPOLY BOARD"

THINK OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" AS A MONOPOLY BOARD

(SQUARES ON THE BOARD DO NOT REPRESENT TIME - JUST EVENTS)

(FOR EXAMPLE - THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT COVERS JUST A FEW DAYS - IT STARTS AT THE ("GO" SQUARE) AND ENDS ON THE ("JAIL" SQUARE) - ONE SIDE OF THE BOARD - TRAVEL ROUND THE REST OF THE BOARD REPRESENTS MONTHS - EVEN POSSIBLY YEARS)

ALL THREE DRAFTS START ON "GO"

ALL THREE DRAFTS END ON THE ("JAIL" SQUARE)

THE MOVIE ITSELF ENDS ON THE ("JAIL" SQUARE)

BUT THE WHOLE "GO" SQUARE TO "JAIL" SQUARE LOWER QUARTER OF THE BOARD ACTUALLY REPRESENTS A "CATALYST" TIME WARP - AS ALL DRAFTS ACTUALLY START / END AT THE SAME MOMENT

BIG-TIME ACTRESSES CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS (AT THE ORANGE "CHANCE" SQUARE)
(IN EACH RESPECTIVE CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

(LYNCH IS SHOWING US BOTH "SIDES" OF THE MOBIUS STRIP "AT THE SAME TIME - "OVERLAID" (AND BOTH ROLES PLAYED BY ONE ACTRESS - TO CREATE AN ILLUSION)

THEY HAVE OPPOSING BLONDE / BRUNETTE HAIR COLOR
(BUT ARE BOTH PLAYED BY ONE (BRUNETTE) ACTRESS)

THEY MAKE THEIR WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS

BETTY ELMS DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

BETTY ELMS ARRIVES AT LAX (DAN DIES AT WINKIE'S / CAMILLA / DIANE MERGE INTO RITA - WHO WAKES UP AND HAS A SHOWER) ("GO" SQUARE)

BETTY MEETS RITA (BROWN SQUARES)

BETTY GOES FOR HER AUDITION (PINK "CHANCE" SQUARE)

BETTY & RITA FIND DEAD BODY AT SIERRA BONITA
(2ND LIGHT BLUE SQUARE)

BETTY AND RITA GO TO SILENCIO
(THIRD LIGHT BLUE SQUARE)

BETTY DISAPPEARS (DIES) ("JAIL" SQUARE)
(BETTY DIES BECAUSE THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES AT SIERRA BONITA DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE - AT THE SAME TIME)

(THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES - REDHEADS CAMILLA AND DIANE - EACH TAKE A DRUG OVERDOSE (DARK BLUE SQUARES) IN EACH RESPECTIVE DRAFT - GO TO SLEEP - BUT DON'T ACTUALLY DIE UNTIL THE END OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT (A FEW DAYS LATER) - CAUSING BETTY ELMS TO DISAPPEAR AT THE SAME MOMENT ("JAIL" SQUARE)

RITA (BETTY+) GOES THROUGH BLUE BOX PORTAL ("JAIL" SQUARE) ... ENDING THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

BETTY ELMS DRAFT ENDS ("JAIL" SQUARE)

THEN

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

THESE TWO EVENTS HAPPEN AT (EFFECTIVELY) THE SAME TIME ... SO NOTICE THE TIME-WARP "OVERLAP"

(TIME IS EFFECTIVELY "REWOUND" TO THE (LAST DARK BLUE SQUARE) - LOUISE BONNER CHECKS HER BEDROOM - THEN LEAVES IN THE TAXI)

(THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ACTS AS A "CATALYST" - THEN IS "ERASED" (SCRAPPED) - AND WE, EFFECTIVELY, GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT (AND START AGAIN WITH A NEW DRAFT (CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN DRAFT) THAT HAS JUST BEEN "INFLUENCED" BY THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT) 

RITA (BETTY+) (VIA THE BLUE BOX PORTAL) WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS:

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT - BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES (WITH AMNESIA FROM THE CAR ACCIDENT) WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS DIANE SELWYN ("GO" SQUARE)

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

(SO RITA (BETTY+) COMBINES WITH BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES ... AND BECOMES BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN)

(SO BETTY / RITA / BIG-TIME CAMILLA / BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN ARE ALL "COMPOSITES" OF EACH OTHER) 

  DIANE SELWYN GOES TO AUDITION (PINK "CHANCE" SQUARE)

DIANE SELWYN GETS HIRED (PINK SQUARES)
(BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE OR BRUNETTE)

DIANE SELWYN GOES ROUND THE BOARD BECOMING A BIG-TIME ACTRESS - TILL SHE GETS TO THE ORANGE "CHANCE" SQUARE - AND IS IN CAR ACCIDENT

SMALL-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES TAKES DRUG OVERDOSE (DARK BLUE SQUARES)

DIANE SELWYN MAKES HER WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS (WITH AMNESIA) ...

BETTY ELMS DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

*THIS BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS RECIPROCAL TO THE LAST BETTY ELMS DRAFT - BLONDE / BRUNETTE WILL BE REVERSED* 

BETTY ELMS ARRIVES AT LAX (DAN DIES / CAMILLA / DIANE MERGE = RITA WAKES UP AND HAS A SHOWER) ("GO" SQUARE)

BETTY MEETS RITA (BROWN SQUARES)

BETTY GOES FOR HER AUDITION (PINK "CHANCE" SQUARE)

BETTY & RITA FIND DEAD BODY (2ND LIGHT BLUE SQUARE)

BETTY AND RITA GO TO SILENCIO (3RD LIGHT BLUE SQUARE)

BETTY DISAPPEARS (DIES) ("JAIL" SQUARE)

RITA (BETTY+) GOES THROUGH BLUE BOX PORTAL ("JAIL" SQUARE) ...

BETTY ELMS DRAFT ENDS ("JAIL" SQUARE)

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

THESE TWO EVENTS HAPPEN AT (EFFECTIVELY) THE SAME TIME ... SO NOTICE THE TIME-WARP "OVERLAP"

 (THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ACTS AS A "CATALYST" - THEN IS "ERASED" (SCRAPPED) - AND WE, EFFECTIVELY, GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT (AND START AGAIN WITH A NEW DRAFT (CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN DRAFT) THAT HAS JUST BEEN "INFLUENCED" BY THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT)

(BETTY ELMS DRAFT REPEATS - RITA (BETTY+) GOES THROUGH BLUE BOX PORTAL)
  
... WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS:

 CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN AS CAMILLA RHODES ("GO" SQUARE)

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

(SO RITA (BETTY+) COMBINES WITH BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN AND BECOMES BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES)

CAMILLA RHODES GOES FOR AUDITION (PINK "CHANCE" SQUARE)

CAMILLA RHODES GETS HIRED (PINK SQUARES)
(BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE OR BRUNETTE)

CAMILLA RHODES GOES ROUND THE BOARD BECOMING A BIG-TIME ACTRESS - TILL SHE GETS TO THE ORANGE "CHANCE" SQUARE - AND IS IN CAR ACCIDENT
  
SMALL-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN TAKES DRUG OVERDOSE (DARK BLUE SQUARES)

CAMILLA RHODES (WITH AMNESIA) MAKES HER WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS

BETTY ELMS DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

SHE WAKE UP IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT ... AS DIANE SELWYN ... WHO WILL GO TO AUDITION ... AND GO ROUND THE BOARD BECOMING BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN ... UNTIL ... SHE GETS TO THE ORANGE "CHANCE" SQUARE - AND IS IN CAR ACCIDENT

THE MOBIUS STRIP IS CONTINUOUS

(UNTIL THE COWBOY DECIDES THE SCRIPT (DRAFTS) IS GOOD ENOUGH)

(THIS IS REALLY JUST BECAUSE LYNCH IS FORCED TO SHOW US A VERY TRUNCATED VERSION OF THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT IN FLASHBACK - AND MUST WAKE THE CHARACTER (SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN) UP TO DO THIS)

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT - SMALL-TIME REDHEAD ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES TAKES DRUG OVERDOSE (DARK BLUE SQUARES)

(THE SCRIPT IS NOT GOOD - THE COWBOY TRIES TO WAKE THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESS TWICE (WE SEE HIM TWICE) - BUT SHE'S DEAD - THE DRAFTS WILL BE REWRITTEN - THE MOBIUS STRIP CONTINUES - A NEW SMALL-TIME ACTRESS ARRIVES AT LAX ("GO" SQUARE)

THE MOBIUS STRIP CONTINUES 

SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP (WOKEN BY THE COWBOY) FROM DRUG OVERDOSE (PINK "CHANCE" SQUARE)

(SCRIPT IS GOOD - WE SEE THE COWBOY ONCE - DRAFTS ARE NOT REWRITTEN)

MOBIUS STRIP ENDS

SMALL-TIME REDHEAD ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN SHOOTS HERSELF ("JAIL" SQUARE)

THE MOVIE ENDS

THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES EXPLAINED 

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

SMALL-TIME REDHEADED WANNABE ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES ARRIVES AT LAX - GOES TO SIERRA BONITA ("GO" SQUARE)

GOES ROUND THE BOARD - NEVER GETS ANYWHERE - ARRANGES HIT ON BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN  (GREEN SQUARES)

TAKES DRUG OVERDOSE (DARK BLUE SQUARES)

GOES TO SLEEP - DIES ("JAIL" SQUARE)

BETTY ELMS DRAFT STARTS / ENDS

CAMIILA RHODES DRAFT STARTS ("GO" SQUARE)

SMALL-TIME REDHEADED WANNABE ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN ARRIVES AT LAX - GOES TO SIERRA BONITA ("GO" SQUARE)

GOES ROUND BOARD - NEVER GETS ANYWHERE - ARRANGES HIT ON BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES (GREEN SQUARES)

TAKES DRUG OVERDOSE (DARK BLUE SQUARES)

"IF YOU DO WELL ... YOU WILL SEE ME ONCE ... IF YOU DO BAD ... YOU WILL SEE ME TWICE"

THIS EXPLAINS THE ENDING OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

IF THE SCREENPLAY IS "GOOD" ... THE COWBOY WAKES THE ACTRESSES UP ... ENDING THE MOBIUS STRIP AND THE MOVIE ENDS WHEN THEY SHOOT THEMSELVES

(THE END OF THE MOVIE AND MOBIUS STRIP)

IF THE SCREENPLAY IS BAD ... THE COWBOY CAN'T WAKE THE ACTRESSES (PINK "CHANCE" SQUARE) ... THE SCREENPLAY DRAFTS HAVE TO BE RE-WRITTEN ... THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE ("JAIL" SQUARE) ... AND NEW DRAFTS ARE WRITTEN WITH NEW ACTRESSES (FOR ALL THREE DRAFTS) ARRIVING AT LAX ("GO" SQUARE) ... THE MOBIUS STRIP CONTINUES

SUMMARY

BAD SCREENWRITING = THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE  - THE COWBOY TRIES TWICE TO WAKE THEM - BUT FAILS ("IF YOU DO BAD YOU WILL SEE ME TWICE") - THE TWO ACTRESSES (COMBINED) FORM THE BODY THAT BETTY / RITA FIND AT SIERRA BONITA - BETTY ELMS DRAFT ENDS (BETTY AND SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DIE AT THE SAME MOMENT) - NEW SMALL-TIME WANNABE ACTRESSES ARRIVE AT LAX (LEFT AND RIGHT HAND DRAFTS - COMBINING TO FORM BETTY ELMS IN THE CENTER DRAFT) - THE MOBIUS STRIP CONTINUES = ALL DRAFTS ARE CONTINUOUSLY REWRITTEN

(THIS IS THE "COMPOSITE" BODY WE SEE ON THE BED IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT - THIS BODY IS THE RESULT OF DRUG OVERDOSES)

(THE GUNSHOT ENDS THE MOVIE (THE MOBIUS STRIP HAS ENDED - SO WE NEVER SEE THESE BODIES AFTER THE FACT - IE - IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE (COMPOSITE) BODY BETTY AND RITA FIND AT SIERRA BONITA TO BE A RESULT OF GUNSHOTS - IT'S DRUG OVERDOSES) 

GOOD SCREENWRITING = THE COWBOY WAKES THE ACTRESSES UP (FIRST ATTEMPT - "YOU WILL SEE ME ONCE IF YOU DO GOOD") - WE SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN "FLASHBACK" - A SHORT TIME LATER THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES SHOOT THEMSELVES - THE MOBIUS STRIP ENDS (THE SHOOTING SCENE IS AN "ADD-ON" (ONLY IF "YOU DO GOOD") - THE MOVIE ENDS

THIS IS THE ENDING WE SEE IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" 

IT IS A "FINAL" ENDING - THE MOBIUS STRIP DOES NOT CONTINUE

I NOW THINK THE MOBIUS STRIP DOES ACTUALLY CONTINUE - IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE HOLLYWOOD "CONVEYOR BELT" THAT LYNCH IS ACTUALLY SHOWING US

THIS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE BEEN THE ENDING FOR THE TV SERIES AS WELL

SO - IN SUMMARY

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A MOBIUS "STORY" - IT IS CONTINUOUS (BOTH IN A "LONG" FORMAT TV SERIES OR "SHORT" FORMAT MOVIE)

LYNCH CREATES AN "ADD-ON" ENDING FOR "CLOSURE" WITH THE COWBOY

(IF YOU SEE THE COWBOY TWICE (YOU HAVE DONE BAD - THE SCRIPT ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH - THE ACTRESSES DON'T WAKE-UP AND DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE - AND NEW ACTRESSES ARRIVE AT LAX TO REPLACE THEM) - THE MOBIUS STRIP CONTINUES UNTIL THE SCRIPT IS GOOD ENOUGH)

(IF YOU SEE THE COWBOY ONCE (YOU HAVE DONE GOOD - THE SCRIPT IS GOOD ENOUGH - THE ACTRESSES WAKE-UP FROM THEIR DRUG OVERDOSES - AND A FEW HOURS LATER SHOOT THEMSELVES) - THE MOBIUS STRIP DOES NOT CONTINUE

I NOW THINK IT DOES CONTINUE - "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A COMMENTARY ON HOLLYWOOD - NOT A ROADBLOCK

THE MOBIUS STRIP / MOVIE (AND, PROBABLY THE TV SERIES) IS BROUGHT TO A CLOSE / CONCLUSION

EXPLAINING THE COWBOY WAKING THE ACTRESS

THE COWBOY TRIES (FIRST TIME) TO WAKE A BRUNETTE SMALL-TIME ACTRESS AT SIERRA BONITA (CAMILLA RHODES - DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

THE ACTRESS DOES NOT WAKE UP BECAUSE THE COWBOY IS NOT HAPPY WITH THE SCRIPT

A NEW DRAFT STARTS (THEY ALL ACTUALLY START AT THE SAME TIME  (BECAUSE THIS IS ACTUALLY A HOLOGRAM)

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT AND THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT

BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS

BUT CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT CONTINUES (MANY MONTHS)

COWBOY DECIDES SCRIPT IS "GOOD"

WAKES BRUNETTE ACTRESS (FROM STILL ALIVE (FIRST TIME) ... BED IS NOT ALL "CHEWED" UP SHOWING (BAD SCREENWRITING) TIME-LAPSE WE SEE THE SECOND TIME) ... BUT ACTRESS WAKES UP AS BLONDE DIANE SELWYN BECAUSE IT'S THE NEXT DRAFT IN THE MOBIUS CYCLE ... BUT THE POINT WHERE HE WAKES HER UP ... IS NEAR THE END OF THE DRAFT (BECAUSE IT'S ALSO NEAR THE END OF THE OTHER DRAFT ... AND THE ACTRESS IS ASLEEP (DYING)

(THE COWBOY CAN ONLY EVER WAKE THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES UP AT THIS POINT ... THAT'S WHY THE STORY IS TOLD IN FLASHBACK ... A FEW HOURS AFTER WAKING UP ... THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES (BOTH DRAFTS) WILL SHOOT THEMSELVES)

(SO WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE ACTRESS DOESN'T ACTUALLY WAKE (SHE STAYS ASLEEP) ... BUT THE ACTRESS IN THE NEXT DRAFT WAKES UP ... INSTEAD OF DYING ... THEY'RE ASLEEP AT THE SAME TIME ...AND THEY DIE AT THE SAME TIME (HOLOGRAM)

(BUT THE COWBOY MUST ALSO DO EXACTLY THE SAME WITH THE "BLONDE" ACTRESS (WHO ACTUALLY IS A REDHEAD) ... TRY TO WAKE HER TWICE TOO ... SO WE DEDUCE THAT LYNCH HAS ACTUALLY CREATED A VERY CLEVER SCHRODINGER'S CAT SITUATION AT THIS POINT IN THE MOBIUS STRIP (MOVIE)

(HE HAS DONE EXACTLY THE SAME IN THE BOTH DRAFTS ... SO BOTH SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES HAVE DIED ... THIS IS THE ("COMPOSITE") BODY BETTY AND RITA FIND ... BUT BECAUSE LYNCH HAS CREATED A SCHRODINGER'S CAT SITUATION (WHEN COWBOY DECIDES SCRIPT IS GOOD) ... ACTRESSES BOTH WAKE-UP (FIRST TIME WE SEE HIM) ... AND DIE (SECOND TIME WE SEE HIM)

(THIS IS WHY LYNCH DOES IT THE WAY HE DOES ("WAKE-UP" THE FIRST TIME AND "DIE" THE SECOND ... IT SEEMS ILLOGICAL ... BUT IT'S (ONCE AGAIN) PURE UNDILUTED GENIUS) ... THEY BOTH DIE AND WAKE-UP AT THE VERY END OF THE MOBIUS STRIP)

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I SAID THIS?

DAVID LYNCH IS GOING TO GO DOWN AS THE CLEVEREST FILM DIRECTOR IN HISTORY

SUMMARY - ALL THE DRAFTS ARE HAPPENING (IN THE SCREENWRITERS HEAD) AT THE SAME TIME - HENCE "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS A HOLOGRAM

THEY CREATE A CONTINUOUS MOBIUS STRIP

 UNTIL THE COWBOY DECIDES THE (OVERALL) SCRIPT IS "GOOD" AND ENDS THE MOBIUS STRIP - PROBABLY ONLY IN THE MOVIE VERSION, BECAUSE LYNCH IS FORCED TO SEVERELY TRUNCATE THE STORY AND USE FLASHBACKS

THE CONVEYOR BELT (TIME)

AFTER YOU OVERLAY "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" ONTO A MONOPOLY BOARD ... YOU REALIZE A FEW THINGS

ONE:

THE MONOPOLY BOARD IS THREE DIMENSIONAL

(IMAGINE IT'S MADE OF SEE-THROUGH GLASS)

THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND DRAFTS PLAY OUT ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE BOARD ... IN THE SAME TIME FRAME

TWO 

ALL THREE DRAFTS START AT THE SAME POINT ... AT THE SAME TIME

THREE:

ALL THREE DRAFTS END AT THE SAME POINT ... AT THE SAME TIME

CONCLUSION

LYNCH HAS CREATED A "CONVEYOR" BELT

HE'S REPRESENTING HOLLYWOOD AS A CONTINUOUS CONVEYOR BELT OF NEW ACTRESSES (GETTING DESTROYED)

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ONLY REPRESENTS A FEW DAYS IN TIME

EVERY TIME BETTY ELMS DIES (DISAPPEARS) ... TWO NEW ACTRESSES ARRIVE AT LAX

CREATING A NEW BETTY ELMS

(RITA IS ALWAYS "RECYCLED")

THE IMPLICATION OF THIS ... THERE ARE DOZENS OF BIG-TIME AND SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES GOING AROUND (BOTH SIDES OF) THE MONOPOLY BOARD AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME

(THERE ARE DOZENS OF BIG-TIME CAMILLA'S / DIANE'S AND DOZENS OF SMALL-TIME CAMILLA'S / DIANE'S "IN PLAY" AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME)
 
EVERY TIME BETTY ELMS DIES (EVERY FEW DAYS) ... TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES DIE ... TWO NEW ONES ARRIVE AT LAX (ONE EACH SIDE OF THE MONOPOLY BOARD) ... CREATING A NEW BETTY ELMS

RITA GOES THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL EVERY TIME BETTY DIES ... ENDS UP ON THE OPPOSING SIDE OF THE BOARD ... AS THE RECIPROCAL BIG-TIME ACTRESS

BUT WE KNOW THAT EVERY TIME WE HAVE A NEW BETTY ELMS ... WE ALSO HAVE A NEW RITA ... THIS MEANS THAT JUST AS THE TWO INCOMING SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES (AT LAX) "COMBINE" TO CREATE A NEW BETTY ELMS ... RITA MUST "SPLIT" TO "COMBINE" WITH THE TWO BIG-TIME ACTRESSES (LEFT AND RIGHT DRAFTS) SLEEPING IN COCO'S GARDEN ... AT THE SAME TIME AS WELL ... ONE DRAFT EITHER SIDE OF OUR GLASS MONOPOLY BOARD ... WE GET A NEW RITA CREATED AT EXACTLY THE SAME MOMENT AS A NEW BETTY ELMS IS CREATED ... JUST FROM DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS IN THE MOBIUS STRIP

(THIS IS HOW BETTY AND RITA (BOTH "COMPOSITES OF ACTRESSES FROM DIFFERENT TIME PERIODS) CAN EXIST IN THE SAME TIME PERIOD - THEY ARE EACH "COMPOSITES" FROM DIFFERENT "SETS" OF BIG-TIME / SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES "GOING ROUND" THE MONOPOLY BOARD)

(EACH "SET" COMPRISES OF TWO BIG-TIME (BLONDE / BRUNETTE) ACTRESSES AND TWO SMALL-TIME (REDHEADED) ACTRESSES)

(EACH TIME A NEW "SET" IS CREATED - THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES HAVE RECIPROCAL HAIR COLOR - BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN IS BLONDE ONE "SET" AND BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES BRUNETTE - THE NEXT "SET" HAIR COLOR ON THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES IS REVERSED - THE SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ARE ALWAYS REDHEADS)

(THERE ARE DOZENS OF BIG-TIME / SMALL-TIME CAMILLA'S / DIANE'S GOING AROUND THE MONOPOLY BOARD AT THE SAME TIME (THREE SIDES OF THE MONOPOLY BOARD REPRESENTS MANY MONTHS - THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ONLY REPRESENTS A FEW DAYS - AND CONTINUOUSLY "REPEATS" EVERY FEW DAYS - SO THERE ARE DOZENS (AND DOZENS) OF "SETS" OF BIG-TIME / SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES GOING AROUND THE MONOPOLY BOARD AT ANY ONE TIME ... EACH ("SET") IN IT'S OWN "TIME-FRAME" "MULHOLLAND DRIVE")

AT ANY ONE POINT IN TIME ... THERE IS ONLY ONE RITA AND ONE BETTY ELMS (BUT DOZENS OF BIG-TIME / SMALL-TIME CAMILLA'S / DIANE'S EXISTING IN DIFFERENT TIME ZONES (DIFFERENT STAGES OF "MULHOLLAND DRIVE") ON THE MONOPOLY BOARD)

BUT EACH TIME BETTY ELMS DIES A NEW BETTY ELMS (PLAYED BY ANOTHER ACTRESS WITH RECIPRICOL HAIR COLOR ... BLONDE BECOMES BRUNETTE ... AND BRUNETTE BECOMES BLONDE) IS GENERATED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BOARD (MOBIUS STRIP)

RITA IS ALSO REGENERATED WITH RECIPRICOL HAIR COLOR (RITA AND BETTY ALWAYS HAVE OPPOSING BLONDE /BRUNETTE HAIR)

(BETTY AND RITA ARE ALWAYS REDHEADS ON PAPER)

THE "CONVEYOR BELT" REALIZATION GETS ME THINKING ... WOULD LYNCH HAVE ENDED THE TV SERIES WITH THE GUN? (BECAUSE THE GUN "CLOSES" (ENDS) THE MOBIUS STRIP) ... MAYBE JUST THE DRUG OVERDOSE? ... BECAUSE I KIND OF LIKE THE NEVER ENDING CONVEYOR BELT THEME (HOLLYWOOD CONTINUOUSLY DESTROYING A "CONVEYOR" BELT OF YOUNG INNOCENT ACTRESSES) ...
WE WILL NEVER KNOW ...

(LYNCH SEEMS TO BE SHOWING US THAT ACTRESSES WHO MAKE IT BIG ARE JUST "RECYCLED STEREOTYPES" THAT "ACCOMMODATE" HOLLYWOOD'S INTRINSIC SHALLOWNESS AND CORRUPTION  - WHILE ACTRESSES THAT REMAIN TRUE TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR OWN UNIQUE IDENTITY WILL NEVER MAKE IT BIG IN HOLLYWOOD DUE TO THIS DARK, UNDERLYING, INHERENTLY DISCRIMINATING AND CORRUPTING CULTURE)

THE AUDITIONS EXPLAINED

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

BETTY ELMS GOES TO HER AUDITION (ON THE SECOND LIGHT-BLUE SQUARE)

DESPITE HER ACTING SKILLS. BOB BROOKER IS NOT IMPRESSED

(ADAM KESHER IS AUDITIONING - CAMILLA RHODES)
 (MELISSA GEORGE)

BETTY GOES TO SIERRA BONITA - SILENCIO - THEN DISAPPEARS

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT

BIG-TIME CAMILLA RHODES (BLONDE / BRUNETTE) GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION

SMALL-TIME DIANE SELWYN (REDHEAD) ALSO GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION

BOB BROOKER ISN'T IMPRESSED BY DIANE SELWYN DESPITE HER GREAT ACTING SKILLS (BECAUSE SHE'S A REDHEAD)

BOB BROOKER HIRES CAMILLA RHODES (BECAUSE SHE'S BLONDE / BRUNETTE) ... AS HE HAS ALSO BEEN GIVEN "THE SYLVIA NORTH STORY" CAMILLA RHODES ALSO GETS THE LEAD IN THAT MOVIE

REDHEAD DIANE SELWYN GETS BIT PARTS
(AS SHE MENTIONS AT THE DINNER PARTY)

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT

THIS GETS A BIT MORE COMPLICATED
BIG-TIME DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP IN COCO'S GARDEN - GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION

SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES ALSO GOES TO WALLY BROWN'S AUDITION

DESPITE HER ACTING SKILLS, REDHEAD CAMILLA RHODES DOES NOT IMPRESS BOB BROOKER

BOB BROOKER HIRES DIANE SELWYN
(BECAUSE SHE IS BLONDE OR BRUNETTE)

DIANE SELWYN BECOMES BIG-TIME ACTRESS AND HAS RELATIONSHIP WITH ADAM KESHER

CAMILLA RHODES IS NOT HAPPY ... SHE CONTRACTS THE MOB TO WHACK DIANE SELWYN

DIANE SELWYN IS IN CAR ACCIDENT (ORANGE "CHANCE" SQUARE)

ADAM KESHER NEEDS TO REPLACE HIS ACTRESS

IN BOARD MEETING (THIS TIME HAPPENING IN DARK BLUE SQUARES ON MONOPOLY BOARD) HE REFUSES TO HIRE SMALL-TIME (REDHEAD) CAMILLA RHODES

MR ROQUE (MOB) CLOSES MOVIE DOWN
SMALL-TIME CAMILLA RHODES TAKES DRUG OVERDOSE
(DARK BLUE SQUARES ON MONOPOLY BOARD)

THE END / START OF THE DRAFTS EXPLAINED

CAMILLA RHODES / DIANE SELWYN (BIG-TIME ACTRESSES) ARE IN CAR ACCIDENTS IN THE RIGHT / LEFT HAND DRAFTS

THEY MAKE THERE WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS ... AND FALL ASLEEP IN THE GARDEN

THIS IS EFFECTIVELY THE END OF THE DRAFT(S)

(SOMEWHERE AROUND 4AM - 5AM)

BETTY ELMS DISAPPEARS (EFFECTIVELY DIES - AS DO THE TWO SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES IN THE RIGHT / LEFT HAND DRAFTS) IN THE CENTER BETTY ELMS DRAFT SOMEWHERE AROUND 4AM - 5AM IN THE MORNING - RITA DISAPPEARS THROUGH THE BLUE BOX PORTAL SHORTLY AFTER - THIS IS THE END OF THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

(SO ALL DRAFTS EFFECTIVELY END AROUND 4AM - 5AM IN THE MORNING)

START OF NEW DRAFTS

CAMILLA RHODES WAKES UP AS DIANE SELWYN IN THE GARDEN OUTSIDE COCO'S APARTMENTS (SHE'S CONFUSED - US TOO)

(NOTE: HAIR COLOR CHANGES BLONDE / BRUNETTE EVERY "MOVIE" CYCLE - SO BIG-TIME CAMILLA AND DIANE CAN BE BLONDE OR BRUNETTE - AS CAN SMALL-TIME CAMILLA AND DIANE BE BLONDE OR BRUNETTE (ALTHOUGH, ON PAPER, THEY ARE BOTH ACTUALLY REDHEADS)

(THIS MEANS WE COULD BE SEEING CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN WAKE UP IN COCO'S GARDEN - OR BOTH OF THEM DEPENDING ON EDITING - WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION ... WHAT IF LYNCH HAD SHOWN US NAOMI WATTS WAKING UP IN THE GARDEN ... AND LAURA HARRING AS BETTY .... WOULDN'T THAT HAVE BEEN INTERESTING ... AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST AS LEGITIMATE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE MOVIE ... DID HE GIVE US THE "EASY" OPTION? ... OR WOULD IT HAVE GIVEN THE GAME AWAY? ... AS RITA DONS A BLONDE WIG BEFORE SHE DISAPPEARS, IT WOULD (THEORETICALLY) BE A BLONDE (NAOMI WATTS) WAKING UP IN COCO'S GARDEN (AS A CONFUSED CAMILLA OR DIANE) AND HIDING IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT IN THE NEXT DRAFT ... BUT LYNCH IS DECEIVING US BY RUNNING THE END OF TWO DRAFTS, AND THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT DRAFT(S), TOGETHER, ALL USING THE SAME ACTRESS (LAURA HARRING) - TO FOOL US INTO THINKING WE ARE WATCHING A "NORMAL" MOVIE ... WHEN WE ARE ACTUALLY WATCHING ANYTHING BUT A NORMAL MOVIE ... AND THIS IS ACTUALLY MORE PROOF THAT LAURA HARRING IS PLAYING BOTH A BRUNETTE AND A BLONDE AS SHE MAKES HER WAY TO COCO'S APARTMENTS AFTER THE CAR ACCIDENT) 

SHE HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT AS LOUISE BONNER LEAVES FOR CANADA

DIANE SELWYN WAKES UP AS CAMILLA RHODES IN THE GARDEN OUTSIDE COCO'S APARTMENTS

SHE HIDES IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT AS LOUISE BONNER LEAVES FOR CANADA

(NOTE: LOUISE BONNER HAVING ONE LAST CHECK OF HER BEDROOM HAPPENS JUST BEFORE THE ACTRESSES WAKE UP IN THE GARDEN)

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ACTUALLY STARTS WHEN SHE GETS ON A PLANE TO LOS ANGELES (WE ASSUME 4AM - 5AM IN THE MORNING)

(IT CAN BE ARGUED - THAT AS BOTH BETTY AND RITA ARE COMPOSITES (OF TWO CHARACTERS) - THAT WHEN BETTY DISAPPEARS, RITA (BETTY+) IS ACTUALLY A COMPOSITE OF FOUR CHARACTERS, AND NOT ONLY DOES SHE BECOME THE BIG-TIME ACTRESSES HIDING IN LOUISE BONNER'S APARTMENT, SHE ALSO BECOMES THE TWO "REPLACEMENT" SMALL-TIME ACTRESSES ARRIVING AT LAX - WHO ALSO EFFECTIVELY "CREATE" BETTY ELMS) 


THE "JITTERBUG"

THE ERA OF THE JITTERBUG DANCE IS ROUGHLY FROM THE 1930'S TILL THE 1950'S - ROUGHLY COINCIDING WITH THE BLACK AND WHITE ERA OF HOLLYWOOD "TALKIES"

IRONICALLY - "THE JITTERBUG" SONG WAS CUT FROM "THE WIZARD OF OZ" - IT WAS AN "ARTIFACT" LEFT OVER FROM EARLY DRAFTS OF THE SCRIPT

("THE WIZARD OF OZ" WAS ONE OF THE MOST RE-WRITTEN HOLLYWOOD SCRIPTS IN HISTORY)

"THE WIZARD OF OZ" WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED AS A SERIES OF MUSICAL CONTESTS, AND DOROTHY'S "JITTERBUG" WON THE GRAND PRIZE

"THE JITTERBUG" WAS THE MOST FAMOUS "CUT" FROM "THE WIZARD OF OZ"

THE PRODUCERS OF "THE WIZARD OF OZ" ORIGINALLY INSISTED ON GARLAND WEARING A BLONDE WIG - BUT AFTER SHOOTING HAD STARTED, IT WAS CONSIDERED TOO FAKE, AND REMOVED

JUDY GARLAND - PERHAPS ANOTHER (REDHEADED) "VICTIM" OF HOLLYWOOD

JUDY GARLAND WAS FROM GRAND RAPIDS, MINNESOTA

(DEEP RIVER, ONTARIO?)

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

THE BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS

IF YOU FOLLOW THE PIED PIPER DOWN THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD ... YOU WILL HAVE TO SELL YOUR SOUL TO THE DEVIL FOR THE CHANCE TO REACH THE END OF THE RAINBOW ... 

AND THE END OF THE RAINBOW IS JUST A GRAVEYARD OF DARK SHADOWS ... ALL THE LIGHT ... IS IN THE SKY ...

IT'S ALL ... AN ILLUSION ...

"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

A BIG-TIME BLONDE/SMALL-TIME REDHEAD ONE SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP ... A BIG-TIME BRUNETTE/SMALL-TIME REDHEAD THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOBIUS STRIP

THE "TWIST" IN THE CENTER ... FORMS BETTY/RITA 

THANKS FOR READING

BELOW IS THE PROCESS I WORKED THROUGH TO SOLVE "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

I HAVE LEFT IT LIKE THIS BECAUSE "MULHOLLAND DRIVE" IS AN INCREDIBLY COMPLEX (AND CLEVER) MOVIE ... AND I THINK THIS MAY HELP PEOPLE GRASP THE LOGIC BEHIND "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

The KEY to Mulholland Drive .... is the title itself

Mulholland Drive is a STREET in Los Angeles .... namely, a very famous street in 

HOLLYWOOD

Some famous streets in Hollywood – maybe:

Rodeo Drive

Hollywood Boulevard

Melrose Avenue

Mulholland Drive

Sunset Boulevard

Yes ...  you guessed it ... David Lynch IS taking the piss out of Hollywood ...

Now, actress Laura Elena Harring is involved in an accident in Mulholland Drive, then ends up in Sunset Boulevard ... the question is ... what’s in SUNSET BOULEVARD?

WINKIE’S is in SUNSET BOULEVARD ... HOLD that in your mind ... because WINKIE’S IS THE REAL KEY to MULHOLLAND DRIVE ...

MULHOLLAND DRIVE - QUICK AND DIRTY EXPLANATION

(THIS IS BASICALLY A BREAKDOWN OF MY ANALYSIS PROCESS - AS I WORK MY WAY THROUGH SOLVING THIS PUZZLE - I HAVE LEFT IT LIKE THIS BECAUSE THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY HARD MOVIE TO GRASP - AND I THINK SHOWING THE PROCESS I WORKED THROUGH WILL HELP)

ARTWORK KINDLY SUPPLIED BY KEVIN TONG - THANK YOU

There is a TRUE STORY – The mob whacks an actress in Mulholland Drive, so they can get their actress Camilla Rhodes, the leading role in a movie

The Director refuses to cast their actress, and the mob shuts the movie down

Hollywood makes a movie about it – Let’s call it – THE SYLVIA NORTH STORY

Two actresses, Diane Selwyn and Camilla Rhodes (the mob did get their actress into this movie) fall in love on the set of The Sylvia North Story – Diane Selwyn, playing a bit part, dumps her lover so that she can be with the other actress

During filming, (of the hit scene), there is a freak car accident, and actress Camilla Rhodes goes missing

Diane Selwyn, thinking she has been dumped (because her ex girlfriend isn't telling Police and mobsters looking for her (trying to find Camilla Rhodes), that she's actually holed-up in number 17), commits suicide by taking a drug overdose

Once again, Hollywood makes a movie about it – Let’s call it – THE BETTY ELMS STORY

The Betty Elms Story incorporates the making of The Sylvia North Story - the freak car accident and suicide of the actress are written into this movie as drama

But, before filming is completed, Hollywood decides it doesn't like the result so far , so they get it rewritten, and make another story about it – Let’s call it – THE DIANE SELWYN STORY

The Diane Selwyn Story incorporates The Sylvia North Story, and The Betty Elms Story

In The Diane Selwyn Story, actress Camilla Rhodes has a love affair with Director Adam Kesher and they plan to get married

Jealous lover, Diane Selwyn, arranges a hit on Camilla Rhodes, and then commits suicide by shooting herself

In The Betty Elms Story, Director Adam Kesher gives in to mob pressure, and casts Camilla Rhodes in his movie (Melissa George plays Camilla Rhodes in The Betty Elms Story)

In The Diane Selwyn Story, the car accident doesn't happen - the story becomes about Diane Selwyn taking out a hit on Camilla Rhodes - and the original scene in Mulholland Drive with the limo, is changed to Diane Selwyn riding in the limo

Then along comes David Lynch – he combines all three movies, and makes a movie called – MULHOLLAND DRIVE  – and has Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring, and Justin Theroux in the lead roles (and Ann Miller), except actress Melissa George is playing Camilla Rhodes in The Betty Elms Story

(All these movies fit together like Russian Dolls)

Kind of ... (but .... David Lynch messed them up a bit).... so the small doll on the right (back row) would represent the true story, then the three movies, then the large doll would represent Mulholland Drive

You are WATCHING MOVIES  – Adam Kesher ISN'T a Director, he’s an actor playing a Director in a movie (the original "real life" Director (Adam Kesher) filming the movie where the leading lady was whacked by the mob on her way home)  - the whole scenario at his house is a MOVIE (a movie within a movie)

Everything you see in MULHOLLAND DRIVE – IS A SCENE FROM ONE OF THREE MOVIES, that have all been SHOT using THE SAME ACTORS (Watts, Harring, Theroux, Miller etc)

So – Naomi Watts is playing an actress playing an actress in three movies

Laura Elena Harring is playing an actress playing an actress in three movies, but actress, Melissa George, is playing Camilla Rhodes (in The Betty Elms Story) playing the actress that stands in for the actress that (has now gone missing when she) was about to star in the real life movie (something like that anyway – it’s a mind-bender)

Justin Theroux is playing an actor playing Adam Kesher, who was the real life director of the real life movie when the actress got whacked

(Bob Brooker was the Director of the original "The Sylvia North Story", but is obviously an actor playing Bob Brooker when we see him, because he says such ridiculous lines, that a Director just wouldn't say)

COMPLICATED – it is really complicated - and it will twist your head off

So – all this is really CLEVER, and it throws a new light on Mulholland Drive – it’s really, really clever ...

BUT HOLD ON ....

.... but hold on just a minute – SOMETHING'S .... NOT ... QUITE ... RIGHT .... HERE ...   

If you look really hard things don't seem to add up – like Betty Elms coming from Deep River, Ontario, and Diane Selwyn coming from Deep River, Ontario – are they the same person?  

Does Betty Elms find herself, Diane Selwyn, in bed, dead from a drug overdose? 

(it’s a DIFFERENT ACTRESS, playing Diane Selwyn, lying dead in bed btw)

Is Aunt Ruth dead or alive?

Why is Diane Selwyn now riding in the limo and saying the same lines as actress Camilla Rhodes? 

No matter how you play around with the above scenarios, they just don’t quite add up.... under hard scrutiny .... nothing quite works properly

These five Russian Dolls look okay on the face of it .... but they won't quite stack together properly ... 

WHY????

And why  - does Camilla Rhodes say “We don’t stop here”, and then, later, Diane Selwyn says “We don’t stop here”?

Why do they keep saying “This is the girl!”

And WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON AT WINKIE’S?

The clue is the NAME BADGES on the waitresses ... we get full-on close-ups of the name badges ... 

Oh ... you already know ... you already figured that out ... Yeah?  – it’s the NAMES ... BETTY, and DIANE ...

You think? .... the names are just to fox us

But the names ARE a BIG CLUE 

re

INTERCHANGEABILITY

But .... the REAL CLUE is .... the name badges say....

“WINKIE'S – SUNSET BLVD”

SUNSET BOULEVARD is (another FAMOUS street) in HOLLYWOOD

Put the two TOGETHER – you get a MOVIE 

... that is supposedly one of the GREATEST American movies ever ...

and it’s about a FAILED SCREENWRITER

(A CHARACTER called Joe Gillis)

“SUNSET BOULEVARD” (1950)

... and it won the Academy Award in 1950 for
BEST SCREENPLAY

.... the movie that stars GLORIA SWANSON in her most famous role, as Norma Desmond – a SILENT ERA movie star 

Starting to see the connection to:

“SILENCIO”

SILENCIO – they sometimes speak in Spanish – there is no band, there is no orchestra.... where the performers MIME their performances ....

.... it’s all an ILLUSION – where the screenwriter can arrange to make you frightened, shake, weep, and then make a blue box materialize in your purse ...

(I THINK "SILENCIO" IS A REPRESENTATION OF HOLLYWOOD - THERE IS NO "BAND", NO "ORCHESTRA" - IT'S ALL AN ILLUSION ... AND ALL THE "PERFORMERS" ARE JUST "PUPPETS")

Gloria Swanson spent her childhood in Puerto Rico (Spanish) ....

Now, I haven't seen "Sunset Boulevard", but apparently it has an "autobiographical" aspect to it, with all the photos in the movie actually being of Gloria Swanson - also a silent era actress ....

In SILENCIO, is the lady sitting up the back with blue hair, supposed to represent Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson)? .... and is the joke that she speaks, and says “Silencio”?

( Be Quiet )

I used this photo of another representation of Norma Desmond (played by Glenn Close) because it's not that far away from the woman above

... You see ... there PROBABLY WASN’T a true story .... 

....and there certainly WASN’T ANY MOVIES 

.... the movies YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING in MULHOLLAND DRIVE

.... are only happening
IN THE SCREENWRITER’S HEAD 

.... the MONSTER that lives behind WINKIE’S

.... "There’s a man.... he’s the one who’s doing it"

... "I can see him through the (4th) wall"

THE SCREENWRITER

.... the man who PLOTS EVERYTHING

.... the man that puts DAY or NIGHT at the end of each SLUGLINE

(remember the man in the diner, Dan, says it's not DAY or NIGHT)

... the man who can make CHARACTERS just drop dead from fright

.... the man who can name the waitress Diane in one draft, .... and Betty in another ....

The man that can change the emphasis of the plot, from being a story about a CHARACTER called BETTY ELMS, to that of a ANOTHER CHARACTER, called DIANE SELWYN .... 

... the man who can think up 

MYSTERIOUS BLUE BOXES and BLUE KEYS

.... and have actresses talk about kangaroos
(Naomi Watts is Australian)

.... and come up with weird characters like ....

THE COWBOY

This SCREENWRITER is Joe Gillis, if he hadn’t run into Norma Desmond ...

In SUNSET BOULEVARD ... BETTY is a SCRIPTREADER ...

... at PARAMOUNT, who RUBBISHES Joe’s script ...

(and the Paramount gates are shown in both Sunset Boulevard and Mulholland Drive)

(And do you notice - I think it's even the same car - subtly reversed 180 degrees - Lynch is throwing in a big clue here)

Norma Desmond owned a 1929 Isotta Fraschini (more expensive than a Duesenberg, only 950 ever made) and I would bet my teeth, that the car parked in the Paramount driveway, in Mulholland Drive, is a 1929 Isotta Fraschini

UPDATE:

I just found this:

David Lynch: 

"[…] The car that you see in that shot [Paramount Gates] is the actual Sunset Blvd car. I think they found it in Vegas."

YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING MOVIE DRAFTS BEING PLAYED OUT IN THE SCREENWRITERS HEAD

 – YOU ARE WATCHING THREE "DRAFT" REVISIONS OF THE SAME MOVIE, EACH OF WHICH LYNCH HAS "FILMED" WITH THE SAME POOL OF ACTORS - BUT EACH DRAFT REVISION HAS RADICAL CHANGES - PLOT CHANGES - CHARACTER CHANGES - NAME CHANGES - AND SOME ACTORS ARE PLAYING DIFFERENT CHARACTERS IN DIFFERENT DRAFTS

(this is like an acting class, with a dozen or so students ... and each day the tutor is getting them to act out a different draft ... some of them getting to play different characters)

LYNCH IS CLEVERLY SPLICING SCENES FROM ALL THREE DRAFTS TOGETHER - SOMETIMES EVEN SPLICING WITHIN A SCENE - AND EDITING THE MOVIE IN A NON-LINEAR FORMAT - TO FOOL US EVEN MORE

WHEN BETTY AND RITA DISAPPEAR ... THE DRAFT EFFECTIVELY WENT IN THE BIN ... THE "STUDIO" WASN'T HAPPY WITH IT ... THE SCREENWRITER DECIDED TO REWRITE BETTY'S CHARACTER ... THEN TO REWRITE RITA'S CHARACTER ... THEN IT BECAME A VIRTUAL PAGE ONE REWRITE ...

After Betty and Rita "disappear", we again see Aunt Ruth ... BEFORE SHE WENT AWAY ... the clue this "draft" has gone "in the bin"... and we’re virtually back at square one ... and the robe with the note on it is missing ... and the blue box has gone ... the writer is starting again ...

(and it bugs me every time I see it ... when Aunt Ruth leaves the house earlier, she goes to a drawer and looks for the keys, then gets them off the table... it was unnecessary, and bad screenwriting)

Lynch is deliberately introducing screenwriting errors as a prank to see who notices
(because this movie is really about a "failed screenwriter", that actually gets his movie "made")

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT WAS DESTINED TO HAVE ADAM KESHER CAST BETTY ELMS IN HIS MOVIE
(THE ACTRESSES THEY WERE AUDITIONING, DIDN'T HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SING, JUST MIME)
AND A ROMANCE WAS TO DEVELOP BETWEEN THEM - BUT IT GOT SCRAPPED BEFORE IT GOT THAT FAR

(BUT IT WILL HAPPEN IN THE OTHER TWO DRAFTS - BETTY ELMS WILL BECOME CAMILLA RHODES IN ONE DRAFT - AND BE CAST IN ADAM KESHER'S MOVIE - IN THE OTHER DRAFT SHE WILL BECOME DIANE SELWYN, AND BE CAST IN HIS MOVIE)

(I figured out what the long eye contact represented)

(Linney James is an "expensive" casting agent - she is going to push for Betty to get the part)

(Carol - auditioning - is the clue - she says "My manager is going to bug you day and night till I get the part")

Then we see The Cowboy ... “Hey pretty girl ... it’s time to wake up” and it fades to black, then we see the Cowboy again ... “You will see me twice if you do bad” (the screenplay was no good)

(The COWBOY "wakes" the "dead body" up - the dead body is actually the end of the "movie'' (draft) - but it's no good - so the death becomes a drug overdose, and the CHARACTER wakes up - the "draft" is rewritten - as a new, and slightly different draft, forming a "mobius strip" (of 3 drafts)

MULHOLLAND DRIVE RUNS LIKE AN ESCHER DRAWING .... BECAUSE LYNCH IS FOOLING US

The clues to watch out for ...

There were many scenes that convinced me I was watching a “movie” within a movie

(A movie within a movie is a hard thing to get your head around - because it doesn't really exist - it's like recording a TV news bulletin with actors as news readers, then broadcasting it 15 minutes later, in it's normal time slot, as the bona-fide news - you would never know, without an extra piece of information (say, you normally watch the real newsreaders, or they make a small mistake, that real newsreaders wouldn't make, that makes you suspicious - in this case, I suppose it was subconsciously knowing that Lynch is a better writer / director than he was actually portraying)

... the detectives talking at the accident scene

... the old people in their limo (btw - is it my imagination? ... or is there something wrong with the limo driver?)
(Do we see this nose again ... behind Winkie's?)

... Betty Elms says to Rita "It'll be just like in the movies ... we'll pretend to be someone else"

... Adam Kesher pouring paint onto his wife’s jewelry
(the background music is like a 1960's comedy)

... the bungling, almost comedic hitman scene

... Coco talking about a fighting kangaroo

... Why is Adam Kesher, a rich movie director, holed up in a flea-pit hotel? ... he doesn't know the mob are looking for him till AFTER Cookie tells him ...

(He also doesn't know he's "broke" until Cynthia tells him)

How does Adam Kesher's assistant "make a few calls" ... and find out he is broke?

It just went on and on ... till it became ... "pick any scene” ... it’s just not quite right

... this is a “FAILED SCREENWRITER" that has somehow got his MOVIE "MADE"

THE OPENING SCENES – the jitterbug contest is the opening scene of one movie draft - "The Diane Selwyn Story" draft ...

... the Betty Elms, old couple, is the opening scene of "The Betty Elms Story" draft ...

... We see the pillow as Diane Selwyn approaches the bed after taking a drug overdose in “The Sylvia North Story” draft ...

(UPDATE: THERE ARE THREE DRAFTS - CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - BETTY ELMS DRAFT (WHICH IS SCRAPPED HALF WAY AND REWRITTEN) - DIANE SELWYN DRAFT)

(Scrapping the Betty Elms draft half way, is a plot vehicle to give us a clue as to what is really going on, but it will be rewritten (in the screenwriters head - effectively Lynch's head)

FROM HERE ON, I WILL CHANGE THE NAME OF THE SYLVIA NORTH DRAFT TO THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT

You notice how other characters look like Diane (the hooker, the waitress) ... a problem in screenwriting is making your characters different ...

"Remember I’ll be watching for you on the big screen"

All screenwriters are waiting to "get their movie on the big screen"

The limo number plate 2GAT123 has been used in many Hollywood movies

Havenhurst is supposed to be where old movie stars go to retire ...

Diane is having a relationship with her neighbor – she moves in with her neighbor – when she falls for Camilla Rhodes, she breaks up with her lover, and her lover moves into Diane’s old apartment

The out of kilter time periods 

(we seem to be in the 50's or 60's, but with props from the 70's, the 80's, the 90's, even the 2000's - deliberately mixed in as "screenwriting" errors - Lynch seems to be a genius at pulling this off - just what era are we supposed to be in?)

The expository, on the nose dialogue at times, particularly the detectives, who didn't say much, but what they did say was really on the nose
(on the nose, and expository dialogue are screenwriting faults to be avoided) 

(The detectives was the very first clue - and it hit me in the face on the first watch - that I was watching a movie within a movie - somehow Lynch has filmed these scenes with just the right nuance, that they fall, just slightly, on the wrong side of credibility - probably the worst examples are Coco talking about the fighting kangaroo, and Bob Brooker in Betty's audition)

“Yeah ... they showed me” - not “Yeah ... they told me”... that’s screenwriting, where you “show, don’t tell”

“I’ve had this dream two times”... this is the second draft ...

(actually ... he's referring to the Camilla Rhodes draft and the Diane Selwyn draft ... he's "in" the middle draft ... the Betty Elms draft ... where he dies)

"they start out that I'm in here" ... of course they do, screenwriters don't bother with boring stuff like how you got there - they just say:

INT. WINKIE'S DINER - SUNSET BLVD - DAY

It's pretty quiet. Two men sit at a booth. DAN (30), and his therapist, HERB (40) Breakfast on the table. But Dan hasn't touched his food, he looks an anxious type.

DAN

I just wanted to come here

“I can see him through the wall”... this is “the fourth wall”... in reverse

“WWF” tagged on the wall ... the “WWF” is “FANTASY” wrestling ( again, what era are we supposed to be in?)

The “Monster” slides on a dolly ...

In the diner ... when the man and his, presumably, therapist leave ... the therapist pays the bill ... which may indicate that he was there first, and ordered the food ... because the other man’s food is untouched ... I believe this represents “enter late, leave early” – a rule of screenwriting ... and represents the man arrived after his therapist

When the hitman phones Diane Selwyn (he doesn't actually phone her - this is a "splice"), we see the red lamp and the full ashtray - but who smokes?

Camilla Rhodes is the smoker - she stays over with Diane Selwyn

When the hitman is looking for "the girl" on the street (CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT) - it is "RITA" as Camilla Rhodes he is looking for - he is looking to finish the job after his failed hit (he is actually the agent at this point) - the mob is looking for their actress, Camilla Rhodes

(so this is a scene from the CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT)

Later, when "RITA" cowers down in the taxi when she sees a mob car, Lynch is giving us clues about her "dual" identity - the mob is looking for Camilla Rhodes in one draft - but looking to kill Diane Selwyn in the other

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - LEH PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES - NW PLAYS DIANE SELWYN

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT - NW PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES - LEH PLAYS DIANE SELWYN

(Lynch must have had a smile on his face writing this)

The boardroom scene - the "Coffee Situation" as Tarantino would say -"What was it last time?" - this is a reference to "the previous draft"

The Butler's hair style?

The Butler has a pimple on his knuckle when he delivers the coffee - when he delivers the napkin, there is no pimple - I believe the draft changes every time the Butler leaves the room 

(I know - I can't believe it either - a pimple!)

My take on the HITMAN scene in the office: 

The first time we see Mr Roque, he is phoning his hitman "middleman"- an agent (we see the back of his head) - the middleman is in somewhat opulent surroundings, with a chandelier in the background - the middleman rings one of his hitmen - the hitman makes a phone call - BUT NOT TO DIANE SELWYN (this is where a "splice" occurs) I believe this shows the hitman ringing another "sub-contractor" 

Mr Roque says "the girl is still missing" - this indicates time has passed - and is not too long before "the shut it down" scene

How does Diane Selwyn get a hitman? 

She goes to an "agency"

When we see the hitman assassination in the office - I believe this is ANOTHER VERSION of the hitman "middleman" - an agent - and that the reference to his "digs" is the clue

We later see the hitman in the diner with Diane Selwyn (the Camilla Rhodes draft) where he is actually the agent (he has the black book)

So we actually see three different actors playing the agent - one in each draft

The hitman is a subcontractor ("just doin' some work for a guy") (Mr Roque) - after it goes wrong, and the mob is out in force looking for Camilla Rhodes, he realizes he has tried to whack a mob actress, so goes to the agent, who doesn't realize this hitman was behind the hit, to kill him and get his black book (incriminating evidence)

 The mob is actually looking for "both" Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn in the combined Betty Elms draft - this is very clever

 The mob is looking for Camilla Rhodes (mob actress) and looking to kill Diane Selwyn (finish the job)

Mark Pellegrino is looking to get the black book because he realizes that (as the agent in the last draft) he tried to kill a mob actress - and wants to get the evidence (so effectively he is both the agent and the hitman in the combined Betty Elms draft

This scene is to show us the hitman's "hits" always go wrong

"I hope you're not going to get in any trouble" .... (because the hit went wrong)

The Black Book: Hitmen and powerful people phone numbers

The Rita Hayworth poster... “There NEVER was a woman like Gilda” – there never was a woman like "Rita" - because "Rita" is a composite - as is Betty

What era are these “movies” set in? – Jitterbug? 

To me, it looks like it's supposed to be the 1960's

(Betty's suitcases, the taxi, Aunt Ruth's place)

(Could we even be in the fifties - many of the props could be the fifties - could this be a story of the fifties, told in a very clever, subtle way - a disguised era - by a genius director? Just as the CHARACTERS become FACELESS, do the PROPS become TIMELESS?)

Lots of things look 1960’s and 70’s, but there are phones in the limos and Rita’s bag says DKNY – a company that was formed in 1984 – these are errors screenwriters make

We’re in the LOS ANGELES telephone directory ... and there’s only one D. Selwyn ... yeah right ... another mistake a screenwriter would make ... 

At one stage, Betty is using a cordless phone? 

... and the first time we see Mr Roque, he dials a tone - dial phone ... is this a mistake? 

And what's he using, some sort of bluetooth headset?

Mr Roque - everything looks 1960's, but it looks like some sort of high-tech screen in the background? - self opening doors?

Fax machines? ... again, what era are we in? ... possibly another screenwriting error 

When the hitman is joking about the car accident, there is a computer monitor on the desk , and in the office next door - and Healthy Enzymes - when did they come into fashion?

The telescope in the agents office? The pizza poster?

Bubble-wrap? - wiring over the floor? - anti-surge power-board? - multi locks on a door? - how long is that vacuum cleaner's cord? - how dumb is the cleaner? - why would you shoot a vacuum cleaner?

(He spent more time messing around with the gun, than it would have taken to just switch it off) 

modern fire alarm?

In the establishing shot, there is no "Healthy Enzymes" poster on the window
(not really a screenwriting error though)

Does the drive to Silencio fit the era? 

Note: "Cookie" is playing another "part" at Club Silencio

(another draft)

In Aunt Ruth's bedroom, there is a TV, VCR, and a DVD

Should Adam Kesher's Porsche have a number plate on the front? - and what year is the model?

When Adam Kesher is driving his car - he talks to his assistant on a HANDS-FREE CARPHONE - while the car tail-gating him is a 1950's car

Why does Adam Kesher’s wife not change out of her paint covered clothes?

 ... why doesn't Adam Kesher buy some new clothes?

... because the "bad" screenwriter hasn't written it in the script ...

... in Winkie's, when Dan says it's "not day or night" ... it's "half-night" - this is a common error amateur screenwriters make - they try to describe the light by something other than just "DAY" or "NIGHT" at the end of their sluglines 

The Cowboy? ... just another pimped-out (Lynch) screenplay character? ... yes 

(but who wrote Mulholland Drive? - David Lynch ... and who wears a cowboy hat? - David Lynch)

“You will see me one more time if you do good”... if your screenplay is good, the next time you see me will be on screen ...” if you do bad, you will see me two more times”... you will have to rewrite the script

Cowboy: “Just stop for a little second, and think about it" ... – take the time to think about what you’re writing

“I’m riding in a buggy” ... don’t important people ride around in buggies on Hollywood studio lots? ... if you write well, you too can ride in the buggy with me

The audition script that Betty and Rita practice with ... has the names BETTY and RITA as the characters (I found this online) ... “such a lame scene” – this is a joke - because it actually becomes one of the most important scenes in Mulholland Drive

"Don't play it for real ... until it becomes real"

(This is a bit of a joke ... because that is exactly what is happening ... because this is all "draft screenplays" going on in the screenwriter's head ... being played "for real")

"the two of them .... with themselves" - is this some sort of clue about Betty and Rita - being the same person? 

"Rita" and Betty are both composites - "Rita" is a composite of Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn - Betty becomes either Camilla Rhodes or Diane Selwyn
(Betty is, effectively, a composite of Camilla and Diane as well) - they are, effectively, the same "person" 

"Rita" begins to wear a wig to look like Betty - when Betty disappears, "Rita" effectively becomes Betty (so both Camilla and Diane) - when the script is rewritten Betty will go and see agent Linney James, who will convince her to change her name - to actress Camilla Rhodes (Camilla Rhodes draft) - or to actress Diane Selwyn (Diane Selwyn draft)

(Melissa George can only play Camilla Rhodes in the Betty Elms draft - because the roles of both Camilla and Diane are taken by LEH and NW in the other two drafts - so this means that at least some of the boardroom scene, is the Betty Elms draft)

(When actress Camilla Rhodes disappears, she is already the mob actress)

(Who Melissa George is playing at the dinner party is a mystery - she can't be Camilla, Diane, or Rita)

David Lynch did not conduct screenplay reading auditions when casting

Director Bob Brooker has ridiculous lines that don’t make sense 

Diane Selwyn's appliances look 1950's or 60's ... except for the coffee machine ...

A different actor is playing THE COWBOY at the dinner party - of course - it's a different draft

When Betty and Rita knock on the door of apartment 12, Diane’s ex lover seems to recognize Rita, and isn't too friendly - but it's Camilla Rhodes that has been having an affair with Diane Selwyn, not Rita (remember - Melissa George is playing Camilla Rhodes in the Betty Elms (this draft) so I think she thinks that Betty and Rita are ... Police Detectives - or Lynch is once again "splicing scenes" to fool us ... and she is actually talking to Police detectives

(Note: There is only one "pool" of actors - and in this draft (the composite Betty Elms draft) Melissa George is playing Camilla Rhodes - and we can confidently assume that a different actress is also "playing" Diane Selwyn - because NW and LEH are playing Betty and Rita, who exist as separate and distinct characters in the composite draft

("Haven't seen her for a few days" ... is referring to a drug overdose)

Lynch (once again) is cleverly editing the film to fool us 

NOTE:

The complete mobius strip comprises two "movie" cycles - and each "movie" cycle contains a Betty Elms draft - it is possible that Melissa George would be auditioning as Camilla Rhodes in one Betty Elms draft, and Diane Selwyn in the other Betty Elms draft - but this would mean that the Betty Elms draft would change significantly in each cycle - "inverse" mirror images of the story (ie. Diane Selwyn would be the mob actress put forward in the board room) - but I think the stories in the other two (left and right) drafts have slightly differing plots - so the Betty Elms draft would just alternate blonde/brunette each time

(To my mind, just having the two individual drafts as virtual mirror images of each other (Diane Selwyn and Camilla Rhodes just swap places as such) would be rather pointless - Mulholland Drive is much more than that)

This would mean that Adam Kesher would say "This is the girl" when auditioning Camilla Rhodes in the "next movie" cycle (the "Betty Elms"story would be identical (just blonde would become brunette and vice versa) - but would refuse to cast Camilla Rhodes in the two individual drafts (after catching Betty's eye in the Betty Elms draft) - movie is canned - Camilla Rhodes kills herself (at some later point) (left-hand Diane Selwyn draft) - (in the other (right-hand Camilla Rhodes) draft the movie is given to Bob Brooker)

(More evidence the boardroom scene is "splices" - we can only deduce that the Sylvia North Story is taken off Adam Kesher and given to Bob Brooker (in the Camilla Rhodes draft) and that the Sylvia North Story is canned (in the Diane Selwyn draft) - but in slightly different "time" periods relative to the story being "mosaic-ed" together in the Betty Elms draft - the three drafts are "sliding" in time relative to each other - but are being "spliced" and "inserted" into the same (but relatively different) time periods in the Betty Elms draft)
 
(I think Camilla Rhodes is a composite of Betty and Rita - 
ie: Betty plus the "Diane Selwyn component" of Rita = Camilla Rhodes - and Betty plus the "Camilla Rhodes component" of Rita = Diane Selwyn)

This would mean that the body on the bed would always be redheaded Diane Selwyn in one Betty Elms draft - and redheaded Camilla Rhodes in the other Betty Elms draft (both played by the same"dead" actress) so the shooting at the end is just an add-on that effectively closes the "truncated" mobius loop (the actual movie we see) with a composite "Betty Elms" killing herself - her (everybody's) "dream" is shot

(The body on the bed is always (a "time-warp") from the "previous" Betty Elms draft (so the Betty Elms drafts themselves are "composited" together) - or is some sort of "time-warp" from the "previous" Camilla Rhodes or Diane Selwyn  draft - as the body is weeks old) 

(The only person that can definitively "map" this whole scenario completely ... is David Lynch - but I am now absolutely certain that he has indeed done this with the precision of a genius mathematician ... and this masterpiece completely "adds up" - if only in the deepest realms of what I now call "Challenger Deep" ... his mind ...)


BUT LET'S WORK IT THROUGH

IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

BETTY IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO ACTRESSES

RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF TWO ACTRESSES

EVEN ADAM KESHER IS A COMPOSITE OF "TWO" ADAM KESHERS

SO, WE CAN PROBABLY SAFELY ASSUME - THE BODY ON THE BED AT SIERRA BONITA IS A COMPOSITE - OF REDHEADED CAMILLA RHODES AND REDHEADED DIANE SELWYN FROM BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT HAND DRAFTS

  

When Betty and Rita go from number 12 to number 17, they both glance at number 16, and we see a light on in the entrance-way - the impression I got was "the light is on, but no one's home" - something very subtle went on when Betty and Rita passed number 16 - and this is really interesting - because the name for apartment 16 was A. Gonzales .... now in 2000, a director called Alejandro Gonzalez ("Birdman") made an Oscar nominated movie called "Amores Perros" (Love's A Bitch) - and it was made up of three intertwining stories within the one movie - it has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 92% I believe - is Lynch having a "dig"? ... or just giving us a (very subtle) clue? ...

(I have detected a subtle, but I think, distinct "rivalry" between Inarritu and Lynch since starting my blog - sorry Alejandro ... but I think the score is about 2 - 1 ... to Lynch ...)

(Is Director Adam Kesher hiding in apartment 16 in this draft? ... Number 16 is on the door when he is hiding at Cookie's Downtown) 

When Betty and Rita ring apartment 12, it is DIANE SELWYN'S ANSWERPHONE (because Rita recognizes the voice), that is still connected in apartment 12, that they hear (but Diane (or someone?) is already dead from a drug overdose in apartment 17) - but a short time later, when Betty and Rita are at (number 12) the neighbor's door, the phone rings, and it's NOT DIANE SELWYN'S ANSWERPHONE - it has a DIFFERENT ring tone 

Later, we see DIANE SELWYN'S ANSWERPHONE working in number 17 (it's after she changed apartments, because it's at the end of her affair with Camilla Rhodes), and Diane pickup the phone (with the full ashtray beside it), before going in the limo to Mulholland Drive - these are (deliberate) screenwriting errors (and clues that "splices" have been made between various "drafts")

When Betty suggests that Rita may be a "roommate", I think this refers to Camilla Rhodes staying over at Diane Selwyn's

(This is an incredibly complex movie, and I'm still hoping that it all "adds up" somehow - but that may defeat the purpose, of what I think is the underlying theme - "bad" screenwriting)

When The Cowboy appears, and tells the ACTRESS in the bed to wake up - I initially thought that this represented the drug overdose had failed - because the next scene we see Naomi Watts wake up - but this is very clever misdirection by Lynch -  the body on the bed is already dead - we see the Cowboy try to wake her twice (I will explain this scene later) - then we see Naomi Watts wake up

When the hitman shows Diane the blue key ... and she says “What’s it open”? ... the hitman begins to laugh ... because the blue key opens (the screenwriters imagination) anything the screenwriter wants it to open ...

NOTES / QUESTIONS

APARTMENT 17

I cannot reconcile the "chewed up" bed - there is no scenario I can come up with - sheets do not move after you are dead - stuffing does not come out of a mattress after you are dead - I can only conclude that this is a "dumb" representation of the passage of time - again - a deliberate screenwriting error

(When the cowboy says "it's time to wake up - it's a (brunette?) on the bed, and the bed is messed up - then it fades to black - then we see the brunette on the bed again, with the bed "chewed up" (and I mean "chewed up - the stuffing is coming out of the bed - racking my brain to figure that one out) - then we see Diane Selwyn on the bed, with the bed only slightly messed up, and she wakes up

I now believe this is the COWBOY trying twice to "wake" the actress up - unsuccessfully - and depicting the passage of time 
(the full explanation of this scene will come at the end)

RITA

Who is "Rita"?

Rita is a "composite" of Camilla Rhodes from one draft, and Diane Selwyn from another draft 

Betty is also a composite of Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn

Betty and Rita are actually the same person


THE RITA HAYWORTH POSTER

Lynch shows us the "Gilda" poster, then again in a mirror image - another big clue, re the reciprocity of Mulholland Drive 
(oh, the mind of a genius director)

THE MONEY

Why does Rita have a bag full of money and a blue key?

(only the hitman can be in possession of the money and the key at the same time) 

  When the hitman is looking for Camilla Rhodes, and talks to the hooker, she reaches into his pocket to get a cigarette - there is no key - the bungling hitman gave the key to Diane Selwyn prematurely - Camilla Rhodes is not dead

Neither Camilla Rhodes or Diane Selwyn should have a bag full of money and a blue key - this is the reason that all drafts are re-written

I  believe Camilla Rhodes pays the mob the money to have Diane Selwyn whacked (Diane Selwyn draft)

Diane Selwyn takes out a contract to have Camilla Rhodes whacked because of jealousy over acting roles / and romance 
(Camilla Rhodes draft)

Camilla Rhodes has a relationship with Adam Kesher in the Camilla Rhodes draft

Diane Selwyn is the big time actress and has the relationship with Adam Kesher in the Diane Selwyn draft

THE REDHEADS

Throughout the movie we see middle-aged redheads getting into taxis with bags - I think this represents a "dig" at Hollywood - that you have to be blonde or brunette to get work - otherwise you end up working in "Canada"

Linney James (redhead), the casting agent, is also an actress - obviously forced to be an agent through lack of work

Aunt Ruth is a redhead, and her apartment has an "orange" tone

Is Lynch making some kind of reference to the Golden Age of Hollywood, where redheads like Rita Hayworth, Clara Bow, Katharine Hepburn, Greer Garson, Bette Davis etc ruled the box office (but in black and white), and the age of color movies, where they may have struggled to become household names and box office draw-cards?

COCO

My question is: Was Ann Miller a redhead - who dyed her hair black?

Because I think that Coco's apartments are a haven - for redheaded people - particularly  other redheaded actresses - I believe Coco has a soft spot for actresses "who haven't made it" and redheaded people

Louise Bonner is played by Lee Grant 
(a redhead)

Ann Miller herself "is known today for never quite making it big as a star" - "Queen of the B movies" - and the person who discovered Ann Miller was Lucille Ball - a redhead (dyed) - another actress described as "Queen of the B - movies"

Was Ann Miller the only actress Lynch was ever going to consider for "Coco"?

CYNTHIA / WILKINS

Why won't Adam Kesher stay over at Cynthia's? - it seems like an offer too good to turn down - to me anyway.

The reason - Cynthia lives in one of Coco's apartments (and Coco is Adam's mother - now I get it!)

Cynthia is ANOTHER VERSION of Wilkins - that's why Adam calls her "little doggie" - Wilkins is (also) Adam Kesher's assistant, and that is why he is at the dinner party, and Cynthia isn't (it's a different draft) - Adam Kesher's assistant, in at least one draft, is male (redheaded Wilkins)

And did you notice the clues?

The small dog droppings (the dog belongs to whoever is Adam's assistant (Cynthia in one draft, Wilkins in another)

 Producer Wally Brown has a MALE assistant

DIANE SELWYN IN THE LIMO

We see Diane Selwyn in the limo, and it proceeding up Mulholland Drive, mirroring the opening scenes - and then Diane says "We don't stop here!", mirroring Camilla Rhode's earlier lines

This is Lynch throwing us another clue that this movie is a composition of multiple drafts - remember, this is Camilla Rhode's limo, that has been sent to pick Diane up - the same limo that will later be totaled in the car accident


THE DINNER PARTY

I believe the dinner party is the Camilla Rhodes draft - and Coco does not know Diane Selwyn because this is a different draft (story) from the Betty Elms draft we saw in the first half of the movie

There is a redheaded woman sitting on Diane Selwyn's left - and, at one stage, she speaks in a foreign language - Adam Kesher replies, and Camilla Rhodes seems to understand the conversation

Coco has a foreign surname - is that why Adam Kesher speaks another language?

Betty Elms has a redheaded aunt - is Camilla supposed to have a redheaded mother?

I think the Spanish(?) at the dinner party is a clue - that Betty Elms does in fact become Camilla Rhodes in one of the drafts (we see "Rita" effectively become Betty Elms when Betty disappears - and "Rita" speaks Spanish)

The clue that Betty Elms also becomes Diane Selwyn in one of the drafts - is that Diane Selwyn says she comes from Deep River Ontario - NOT the fact that Naomi Watts plays both parts

MR ROQUE

I believe Mr Roque is the head of the studio - but it appears that he also is some sort of mobster, perhaps the head of the mob as well - is this another "dig" at Hollywood?
(The boardroom scenes, and Mr Roque, show us, it's actually the Mob running the studio)

(Mr Roque sounds like "Mr Rogue")
 
THE CAR ACCIDENT

The car accident happens in both the Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn drafts - the clues to this - the bowl of fruit on the table at Aunt Ruths, and the blood / lack of blood on the right side of Laura Harring's face after the car accident, as we follow her down to where she sleeps in the front garden of the Havenhurst apartments

DIANE SELWYN

In the Camilla Rhodes draft, Diane Selwyn misses out on acting roles, and is a jealous lover - she takes out a contract on Camilla Rhodes - Camilla Rhodes ends up with Betty as "Rita" - Diane Selwyn can't live with the guilt - masturbates (the wall shows us she is masturbating in frustration - not some erotic fantasy) - takes drug overdose - kills herself - but is woken up by the COWBOY because the screenplay wasn't good enough (the screenplay is never good enough, because this is a "bad" screenwriter)

(this could be Camilla Rhodes masturbating in frustration because the mob has shut the movie down - just before killing herself with a drug overdose)

I now think, that in the two main drafts, Camilla / Diane always kills herself with a drug overdose, but is then woken up by the Cowboy because the screenplay is never good enough (the draft is always rewritten) - Lynch ends the "mosiac" movie he has created from the mobius strip drafts with the shooting at the end, and this is just symbolic of Betty's (Camilla / Diane) "Dream" being "shot" 

In the Diane Selwyn draft, Diane Selwyn gets the role in a movie, and the mob attempt to whack her - she ends up with Betty Elms as "Rita"

When Diane Selwyn commits suicide by shooting herself - Camilla Rhodes is still alive - the hit will fail due to the car accident - the reciprocal happens in the other draft - Diane Selwyn is in the limo, and Camilla Rhodes commits suicide - Camilla/Diane's destiny is to turn up at Betty's as "Rita" - and the cycle (as per the drafts) repeats

When the neighbor says Diane Selwyn hasn't been around for a few days, it refers to a drug overdose

CAMILLA RHODES

In the Camilla Rhodes draft, Camilla Rhodes is the big actress, has an affair with Diane Selwyn, Adam Kesher, and Betty Elms as "Rita"

In the Diane Selwyn draft, Diane Selwyn becomes the big actress and has an affair with Adam Kesher - the mob try to whack Diane Selwyn so that Camilla Rhodes can get the part in the movie - in the Betty Elms draft, Melissa George (as Camilla Rhodes) is put forward by the mob)

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

I think the Betty Elms draft depicts that Hollywood "destroys" innocence, and that "success" is a false "pipe dream"

Rita is a composite of two hardened actresses, Camilla and Diane, but becomes "innocent" again due to her amnesia - Betty (who is a composite of the "innocent" versions of Camilla and Diane) is the "virgin", doe-eyed dreamer from Deep River, Ontario - Betty can't handle the performance at Silencio, which is, effectively, a portrayal of Hollywood - and Rita's time too, is up, after succumbing to the "dark side", but finding her inherent innocence (the facade is now dropped) ultimately weakens her (just like Norma Jeane) - both are "doomed" (by Hollywood)

The only way to survive in Hollywood is to "harden up" - but ultimately, all versions of Camilla / Diane are destroyed by their pursuit of the Hollywood "dream"

THE BOARD ROOM

The mob tells Adam Kesher "it's no longer your movie" - this is why Bob Brooker directed it in the Camilla Rhodes draft - so it's likely this statement was part of the Camilla Rhodes draft (I believe the boardroom scene is several "splices")

BETTY'S AUDITION

Betty Elms is played by a grown woman - Naomi Watts - yet the audition seems to be for the part of a teenager - Woody would go to jail if the Police were called - again, deliberate "screenwriting errors"

(For 14 years, so-called "film critics" have been analyzing this movie - how did they miss this? - and the dozens of other "errors"?) 

(Woody even brings up being arrested and thrown in jail before the audition even starts - Lynch is throwing clues at us in the audition scene)

THE WINKIE'S WAITRESSES 

The coffee cups at apartment 17 are the same coffee cups they use at Winkie's - are the waitresses the "wannabe" actress versions of Diane Selwyn and Betty Elms - tba

SOLVED: Betty Elms does not, at any point, live at number 17 - but both Camilla Rhodes and Diane Selwyn, at some point, do - it is difficult to reconcile this with the waitress being named both Diane and Betty, and coming into contact with Betty at the diner, or Camilla or Diane (Rita, at any point, is always Camilla or Diane)

Therefore I have concluded, as I did originally, that the names of the waitresses is just to "fox" us - the reason the coffee cups are from Winkie's, is because the NEIGHBOR works at Winkie's (as a DIFFERENT waitress) and the clue is when she collects her "dishes" 

There are dozens of references throughout the movie ... taking the piss out of Hollywood ... I’m not even going to mention them (the golf club one is about Jack Nicholson) ... they have been endlessly dwelled over by “critics” for the last 14 or so years (and I would feel like I was stealing them to mention them)

And the theories on Mulholland Drive are into the hundreds

... from it being about “Betty “ being sexually abused, and that the character Woody represents a penis, and that the abuse took place between the ages of 12 and 17 because the apartment numbers range from 12 to 17

To that the movie was about Diane’s psychosis after having an abortion

That the movie is about making deals with the Devil

That the second half of the movie is about Diane’s afterlife

That the blue box is a portal between two parallel universes (in the context of screenwriting drafts ... this one isn't that far off ... but somehow I don't think that's the context they had in mind)

Rita and Betty are “soul” wanderers

That the old couple represent Adam and Camilla (go figure!) 

One of the most laughable (there are literally thousands) - is connecting Rita's head injury to the assassination of Abraham Lincoln

(since writing my theory, I did find one guy online (Harry) that suggested that maybe Adam was only playing a Director – and that maybe the first half was a movie, not a dream - he was the only one I have found, out of hundreds I have read in the last few days (just to make sure I wasn't stealing anybody's thunder), that had got even lukewarm)

It goes on and on ... the real piss-take is that there are literally hundreds and hundreds of online pages out there ... hundreds of pages of absolute stonking rubbish written about Mulholland Drive, particularly about it’s metaphors

And all this time, for 14 years, David Lynch has been having a quiet laugh to himself ... just in his head of course ...

One very big standout - the stunning performance of Naomi Watts - once you know what is really going on, her performance takes on a magical quality ...  (although, it's a little unfair to concentrate on Naomi Watts, because Laura Harring's performance is also outstanding when you actually analyze it)

David Lynch actually got paid ... to take the piss out of Hollywood ... and us ... CLASSIC ... I now think that this must be one of the biggest piss-takes or pranks in Hollywood history ... I wonder who was actually in on this? ... or if Lynch alone, is behind this? (Film Editor Mary Sweeney must have been in on this too)

The "Russian Dolls" were never supposed to stack together properly - they were never "Russian Dolls" - they were three separate movie drafts, cleverly "mashed" together - it's not supposed to "add up"

(The more I analyze this movie, the cleverer it becomes - I'm now working on a theory that it does actually "add up" - Lynch is proving himself to be an exceptionally clever dude)

  - Lynch is making a point here - Lynch was testing us to see how long it would take us to notice his "bad screenwriting" movie that got made - but it is actually extremely clever screenwriting - the work of a genius - hats off to David Lynch - 14 years before the game was up - he hasn't done too bad has he ...

THE "MOVIE"

Once you realize that everything is INTERCHANGEABLE, the characters become FACELESS, just CHARACTERS ON A PAGE, played by the same group of actors ...

... on one day, the "tutor" is picking Naomi Watts to play Camilla Rhodes and Laura Elena Harring to play Diane Selwyn, and the next day, is picking Naomi Watts to play Diane Selwyn and Laura Elena Harring to play Camilla Rhodes 

Ultimately, - this movie is really about  

SCREENWRITING

(ACTUALLY - THIS MOVIE IS A TOUR DE FORCE OF SCREENWRITING - BUT THE REAL POINT LYNCH IS MAKING DOESN'T REVEAL ITSELF UNTIL THE END OF MY ANALYSIS)

So, here's how it actually breaks down in 

MULHOLLAND DRIVE 


I now believe the order of the drafts is:

THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT


THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT


THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT


THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT ALWAYS FOLLOWS ONE OF THE OTHER DRAFTS

THE LAST TWO DRAFTS WILL ALWAYS CREATE THE THIRD DRAFT

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT AND THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT WILL ALWAYS GENERATE THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT

THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT AND THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT WILL ALWAYS GENERATE THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT + BETTY ELMS DRAFT = BETTY ELMS TURNS INTO CAMILLA RHODES = DIANE SELWYN DOES NOT EXIST

ON THE FACE OF IT, THIS SEEMS ILLOGICAL

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT + BETTY ELMS DRAFT

CAMILLA RHODES IN LIMO - RITA IS CAMILLA RHODES - BETTY AND RITA FIND DEAD BODY - BETTY CAN ONLY TURN INTO CAMILLA RHODES (RITA) - AND IT MUST BE DIANE SELWYN THAT SHOOTS HERSELF (AND DEAD BODY) - BUT THAT ONLY GENERATES CAMILLA RHODES IN THE LIMO FOR THE NEXT DRAFT (SO DIANE SELWYN IS NEVER "GENERATED"), AND WE KNOW THE NEXT DRAFT IS THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT (DIANE SELWYN IN THE LIMO)


THIS WAS VERY HARD TO WORK OUT - BUT THE MOVIE ALWAYS STARTS WITH THE LIMO RIDE / HIT / CAR ACCIDENT FROM THE LAST "MOVIE"

THE TWO LIMO / CAR ACCIDENT SCENARIOS ARE EDITED TOGETHER TO GIVE US "RITA" - A COMPOSITE OF TWO DRAFTS, TO EXIST IN THE THIRD DRAFT - THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT (CAMILLA RHODES IN LIMO ATTEMPTED HIT) - BETTY ELMS DRAFT (SCRAPPED) - DIANE SELWYN DRAFT (BETTY ELMS BECOMES ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN - DIANE SELWYN IN LIMO ATTEMPTED HIT) - MOVIE (CAMILLA RHODES SHOOTS HERSELF) 

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT (DIANE SELWYN IN LIMO ATTEMPTED HIT) - BETTY ELMS DRAFT (SCRAPPED) - CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT (BETTY ELMS BECOMES ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES - CAMILLA RHODES IN LIMO ATTEMPTED HIT) - MOVIE (DIANE SELWYN SHOOTS HERSELF) 

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT (CAMILLA RHODES IN LIMO ATTEMPTED HIT) - BETTY ELMS DRAFT (SCRAPPED) - DIANE SELWYN DRAFT (BETTY ELMS BECOMES ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN - DIANE SELWYN IN LIMO ATTEMPTED HIT) - MOVIE (CAMILLA RHODES SHOOTS HERSELF)

(PINK PLUS BLUE WILL ALWAYS PRODUCE PINK - BLUE PLUS PINK WILL ALWAYS PRODUCE BLUE - IT IS A NEVER-ENDING CYCLE)

(LAURA ELENA HARRING WILL ALWAYS PLAY CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN IN SOME SCENES, AND NAOMI WATTS WILL ALWAYS PLAY CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN IN RECIPROCAL SCENES - BUT BLONDE WILL ALTERNATE WITH BRUNETTE)

THE LAST TWO DRAFTS WILL ALWAYS GENERATE THE THIRD DRAFT

CAMILLA RHODES (DRAFT) + BETTY ELMS (DRAFT) = DIANE SELWYN (DRAFT)

BETTY ELMS (DRAFT) + DIANE SELWYN (DRAFT) = CAMILLA RHODES (DRAFT) 

DIANE SELWYN (DRAFT) + CAMILLA RHODES (DRAFT) = BETTY ELMS (DRAFT)

IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS MOVIE IS A "MOBIUS STRIP" - A NEVER ENDING CYCLE - THE THREE DRAFTS COMBINE TO GIVE TWO SCENARIOS - CAMILLA RHODES SHOOTS HERSELF, OR DIANE SELWYN SHOOTS HERSELF

WHEN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT IS "SCRAPPED" - RITA HAS "MORPHED" INTO BETTY ELMS (THE BLONDE WIG)

(THE WIG IS ANOTHER "MISDIRECTION" BY LYNCH - NOTICE THERE ARE OTHER WIGS - THIS WILL BECOME EVIDENT LATER)

THEN BETTY DISAPPEARS LEAVING RITA AS "BETTY" (LYNCH IS DELIBERATELY GIVING US A CLUE HERE) - WHEN THIS DRAFT IS RE-WRITTEN BETTY WILL GET INTO ACTING THROUGH CASTING AGENT LINNEY JAMES, WHO WILL CONVINCE HER TO CHANGE HER NAME (AND DYE HER HAIR) TO "ACTRESS" DIANE SELWYN OR "ACTRESS" CAMILLA RHODES

ON EACH ALTERNATE CYCLE BETTY AND RITA (CAMILLA OR DIANE) FIND EITHER DIANE SELWYN DEAD IN BED, OR CAMILLA RHODES DEAD IN BED 

(BUT ONCE AGAIN, LIKE THE LIMO RIDE, THIS BODY IS FROM THE LAST "MOVIE" - THAT IS WHY THERE IS A REPRESENTATION OF THE PASSAGE OF TIME)

THE ACTUAL NAMES OF THE DRAFTS IS IRRELEVANT

THERE ARE THREE DRAFTS WHICH, DEPENDING ON THE ORDER THEY ARE COMBINED, CREATE TWO SCENARIOS 

THE DRAFTS COMBINE (LIKE A THREE DIMENSIONAL ZIP) TO FORM THE "MOVIE" 

THERE ARE TWO SCENARIOS - CAMILLA RHODES IN THE LIMO - CAR ACCIDENT - OR DIANE SELWYN IN THE LIMO - CAR ACCIDENT - THEN BOTH THOSE SCENARIOS, PLUS THE BETTY ELMS SCENARIO, ALWAYS CREATES THE MOVIE

THE BLUE KEY IS ALWAYS GIVEN ERRONEOUSLY - AND THE SURVIVING ACTRESS ALWAYS ENDS UP AT BETTY ELMS

THE SCREENWRITER ALWAYS MISTAKENLY GIVES THE WOMEN A BAG OF MONEY - WHICH LEADS TO HIM ALWAYS WRITING A NEW DRAFT

EACH NEW DRAFT IS ALWAYS FED BY THE TWO EARLIER DRAFTS

TO UNDERSTAND THIS MOVIE

THE TWO SCENARIOS ARE DIFFERENT, BUT SHARE MANY SIMILAR SCENES

LAURA ELENA HARRING AND NAOMI WATTS ARE BOTH PLAYING CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN 

NAOMI WATTS PLAYS DIANE SELWYN IN ONE DRAFT, AND CAMILLA RHODES IN THE OTHER DRAFT

(THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT, EFFECTIVELY, ALWAYS STARTS WITH HER ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT - AND ENDS WHEN AUNT RUTH APPEARS AFTER BETTY AND RITA DISAPPEAR)

CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT

LEH PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES
NW PLAYS DIANE SELWYN

DIANE SELWYN DRAFT

LEH PLAYS DIANE SELWYN
NW PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES

THIS MEANS THAT MELISSA GEORGE CAN ONLY PLAY CAMILLA RHODES IN THE BETTY ELMS DRAFT, AS SHE CANNOT REPLACE HERSELF IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT (LEH IS CAMILLA RHODES)

SHE ALSO CAN'T PLAY CAMILLA RHODES IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT, AS WE KNOW NW PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES IN THAT DRAFT

AS LEH AND NW ARE BOTH RECIPROCALLY CAST AS CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN IN TWO DRAFTS - MELISSA GEORGE CAN ONLY BE CAST AS ANOTHER CHARACTER IN THOSE DRAFTS - SO HER ROLE AT THE DINNER PARTY IS A MYSTERY


YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER - THERE ARE THREE DRAFTS - AND (THEORETICALLY) EACH HAS BEEN FILMED AS A MOVIE - EACH MOVIE HAS THE SAME CHARACTERS (ON THE PAGE, IN THE SCRIPT) , BUT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS - BUT EACH TIME THE DRAFT HAS BEEN FILMED, DIFFERENT ACTORS HAVE PLAYED SOME OF THOSE CHARACTERS - NAMELY, NAOMI WATTS AND LAURA ELENA HARRING HAVE SWITCHED CHARACTERS

THEN DAVID LYNCH HAS (THEORETICALLY) CHOSEN THE SCENES HE WANTS, AND EDITED THEM TOGETHER INTO ONE MOVIE 

IN THE CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT - LAURA ELENA HARRING PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES AND NAOMI WATTS PLAYS DIANE SELWYN

IN THE DIANE SELWYN DRAFT, NAOMI WATTS PLAYS CAMILLA RHODES, AND LAURA ELENA HARRING PLAYS DIANE SELWYN 

IN THE SECOND PART OF THE MOVIE, NAOMI WATTS PLAYS BOTH DIANE SELWYN AND CAMILLA RHODES (JUST LIKE LAURA ELENA HARRING PLAYED BOTH CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN IN THE FIRST PART OF THE MOVIE) - BUT WE SEE NAOMI WATTS, PREDOMINANTLY, AS DIANE SELWYN, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE SCENES LYNCH HAS SELECTED FROM THE THREE DRAFTS SWIRLING ABOUT IN HIS HEAD - SO, YES, WE COULD CONSIDER LYNCH AS THE MONSTER BEHIND WINKIE'S AS WELL (THE JOKE IS THAT LYNCH IS TURNING OUT TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST SCREENWRITERS OF ALL TIME, LET ALONE ONE OF THE GREATEST DIRECTORS)


MANY SCENES ARE IDENTICAL IN BOTH DRAFTS - THE CAR ACCIDENT - "RITA" FINDING HER WAY TO AUNT RUTH'S FOR INSTANCE

BUT MANY SCENES ARE UNIQUE AS WELL - ADAM KESHER KISSING CAMILLA RHODES ON THE SET - DIANE SELWYN ARRANGING THE HIT IN THE CAFE  (CAMILLA RHODES DOES NOT BECOME A JEALOUS LOVER - SHE CONTRACTS THE MOB TO WHACK DIANE SELWYN TO GET A ROLE IN A MOVIE - THE MOB ATTEMPT TO WHACK DIANE SELWYN IN THE LIMO - WHEREAS DIANE SELWYN HIRES A HITMAN TO WHACK CAMILLA RHODES IN THE LIMO) 

BETTY ELMS AUDITION  

Betty Elms catches Adam Kesher's eye - Betty Elms then disappears (in the Betty Elms draft - it's scrapped) - but "Rita" will effectively become "Betty+" and "jump" into the two individual drafts - as Camilla Rhodes in one, and Diane Selwyn in the other - and go on to become the big-time actress in each respective "individual" draft

THERE IS ONLY ONE DEATH (ON THE BED) PER "MOVIE"  

THE SCENE AT THE BEGINNING OF SOMEONE APPROACHING THE BED - IS DIANE SELWYN / CAMILLA RHODES APPROACHING THE BED AFTER TAKING A DRUG OVERDOSE - BUT CAMILLA / DIANE WILL WAKE UP

THE REAL END OF THE MOVIE (AND START OF THE NEXT "MOBIUS LOOP") IS THE COWBOY TRYING TO WAKE THE BODY IN THE BED UP - WE SEE HIM ATTEMPT TO WAKE THE BODY UP TWICE - AND TIME HAS PASSED IN BETWEEN -  (AND THE "DEAD BODY" DOES WAKE-UP - RESTARTING THE MOBIUS LOOP) - "IF YOU DO BAD, YOU WILL SEE ME TWICE" - THIS IS THE COWBOY INDICATING THE DRAFT HAS BEEN RE-WRITTEN - LYNCH HAS RUN THIS SCENE NON-LINEAR 

(I NOW REALIZE THAT THIS IS FROM THE LAST "MOVIE" - THE SAME AS THE LIMO RIDE - HENCE THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PASSAGE OF TIME) - CAMILLA / DIANE SHOOTS HERSELF - THEN WE SEE HER BODY IN THE NEXT "MOVIE"

LYNCH ALSO DOES THIS WITH THE "BLACK BOOK" - WE SEE THE HITMAN KILL FOR THE BLACK BOOK, THEN WE SEE HIM BEING CONTRACTED BY DIANE SELWYN TO KILL CAMILLA RHODES - WITH THE BLACK BOOK, ON THE TABLE IN THE DINER - SO THEREFORE BEFORE THE CAR ACCIDENT HAPPENS - THE HITMAN ASSASSINATION SCENE IN THE OFFICE ALWAYS REFERS TO THE "LAST" MOVIE - THE CAR ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENS IN THE OPENING SCENES, WHICH IS ACTUALLY FROM THE "LAST" MOVIE - SO "RITA" IS ALWAYS, EFFECTIVELY, THE "BETTY ELMS" FROM "THE LAST MOVIE" 

QUESTION: HOW DOES THE BLACK BOOK "CYCLE" BETWEEN THE AGENT AND THE HITMAN? 

MR ROQUE IS THE HEAD OF THE STUDIO - MR ROQUE IS ALSO THE HEAD OF THE MOB

MR ROQUE HIRES AN AGENT TO KILL BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN (FOR CAMILLA RHODES)

THE AGENT HIRES A HITMAN TO KILL DIANE SELWYN

THE HIT FAILS - MR ROQUE ISN'T HAPPY

MR ROQUE HIRES A HITMAN (MARK PELLEGRINO) TO KILL THE AGENT

(MARK PELLEGRINO) KILLS THE AGENT - GETS THE BLACK BOOK - BECOMES THE AGENT
 

(MARK PELLEGRINO) (AGENT) IS HIRED BY DIANE SELWYN TO KILL CAMILLA RHODES

(MARK PELLEGRINO) HIRES A HITMAN TO KILL CAMILLA RHODES (MR ROQUE'S ACTRESS)

HIT GOES WRONG

MR ROQUE ISN'T HAPPY SOMEONE TRIED TO KILL HIS ACTRESS

MR ROQUE HIRES A HITMAN TO KILL THE AGENT

HITMAN KILLS THE AGENT - BECOMES THE AGENT

(MARK PELLEGRINO) IS ALSO STEALING THE BLACK BOOK SO THE MOB DOESN'T FIND OUT HE WAS BEHIND THE OTHER ATTEMPTED HIT (AS THE AGENT - IT'S AN "ESCHER")

MR ROQUE HIRES THE AGENT TO KILL DIANE SELWYN

THE CYCLE CONTINUES

(DID I SAY EARLIER THAT DAVID LYNCH WOULD HAVE HAD A SMILE ON HIS FACE WRITING THIS?)

SO RITA AND BETTY WILL ALWAYS BE BLONDE AND BRUNETTE RECIPROCALLY - BLONDE ONE DRAFT, AND BRUNETTE THE NEXT - BUT OF COURSE, DAVID LYNCH IS JUST SHOWING US A MOVIE WHERE "RITA" IS ALWAYS BRUNETTE, AND "BETTY" IS ALWAYS BLONDE - BECAUSE HE IS "SPLICING" THE DRAFTS INTO ONE MOVIE, AND SPLICING DIFFERENT, BUT SIMILAR, ROLES/CHARACTERS TOGETHER - TO BE PLAYED BY ONE ACTOR, TO FOOL US - THE DRAFTS FORM A CONTINUOUS, BUT ALTERNATING, MOBIUS STRIP - THE COMPOSITE "SPLICED" MOVIE DOES NOT - IT IS A STAND-ALONE "MOSAIC" OF WHAT LYNCH SELECTS TO SHOW US FROM THE "3D HOLOGRAPH" GOING ON IN HIS HEAD - YES, I DO NOW THINK THAT THE MONSTER BEHIND WINKIE'S IS A COMPOSITE OF JOE GILLIS AND DAVID LYNCH

SO - ON THE "INSIDE" OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - RITA IS BRUNETTE (A BRUNETTE CAMILLA OR DIANE), BETTY IS BLONDE - ON THE "OUTSIDE" OF THE MOBIUS STRIP - RITA IS BLONDE (A BLONDE CAMILLA OR DIANE), BETTY IS BRUNETTE (AS PER THE BRUNETTE COMMENT AT THE AUDITION REFERRING TO "YESTERDAYS" DRAFT)

SO THE DEAD BODY IS ALWAYS FROM ALTERNATES FROM DIANE SELWYN IN ONE "MOVIE", TO CAMILLA RHODES IN THE OTHER 

THE ENDING EFFECTIVELY ALTERNATES FROM CAMILLA RHODES SHOOTING HERSELF, TO DIANE SELWYN SHOOTING HERSELF - THE FILM IS ALWAYS SPLICED AFTER WE LAST VIEW THE BLUE KEY - AND WE EFFECTIVELY HAVE BETTY ELMS SHOOTING HERSELF AS AN "END" TO THE MOVIE

EFFECTIVELY, THE BODY ON THE BED IS A MERGING OF THE TWO ACTRESSES - AND WE GET A REDHEAD

CAMILLA RHODES IS (PLAYED BY BOTH A BRUNETTE - LEH - AND A BLONDE - NW) - SO WE REALLY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HER HAIR COLOR IS (ON PAPER - IN THE SCRIPT)

IN THE FIRST PART OF THE MOVIE, WE ONLY SEE CAMILLA RHODES AND DIANE SELWYN AS A BRUNETTE

DIANE SELWYN IS (PLAYED BY BOTH A BLONDE - NW -  AND A BRUNETTE - LEH) - SO WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT COLOR HER COLOR IS (ON PAPER - IN THE SCRIPT) 

IN THE SECOND PART OF THE MOVIE, WE SEE DIANE SELWYN AS A BLONDE AND CAMILLA RHODES AS A BRUNETTE (WE DO NOT SEE THE "ALTERNATIVE" DRAFT, ALTHOUGH SOME SCENES MAY BE "SPLICED" - I BELIEVE IT IS ALWAYS DIANE SELWYN, OR CAMILLA RHODES, THAT SHOOTS HERSELF) 

BETTY IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA AND DIANE - RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA AND DIANE

RITA IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA AND DIANE

RITA IS (EFFECTIVELY) A REDHEAD

(RITA HAYWORTH WAS A REDHEAD)

BETTY ELMS IS A REDHEAD

BETTY ELMS IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA AND DIANE 

REDHEAD BETTY ELMS IS ALWAYS FORCED TO DYE HER HAIR BLONDE OR BRUNETTE TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL ACTRESS

MARILYN MONROE DYED HER HAIR BLONDE TO MAKE HERSELF MORE EMPLOYABLE, AND WAS FOUND DEAD IN BED - JUST LIKE CAMILLA / DIANE ("BETTY ELMS") 

(AND IT COULD BE THAT IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE DRAFTS, CAMILLA OR DIANE DOES ACTUALLY DIE FROM AN OVERDOSE, RATHER THAN A GUNSHOT WOUND, AS THERE IS NO GUN VISIBLE WHEN WE SEE THE BODY ON THE BED - THE GUN, "OLD PEOPLE" SCENE COULD JUST BE SYMBOLIC OF BETTY ELMS "FAILING" VS HER EXPECTATIONS ON HER TRIP TO HOLLYWOOD - HER "DREAM" IS SHOT)

BETTY ELMS ALWAYS BECOMES EITHER CAMILLA OR DIANE - AND, EFFECTIVELY, IT IS ALWAYS BETTY ELMS THAT SHOOTS HERSELF AT THE END

THE BODY ON THE BED IS A COMPOSITE OF CAMILLA AND DIANE - EFFECTIVELY, BETTY ELMS

(AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY, THE BODY THAT BETTY AND RITA FIND ON THE BED, IS ACTUALLY A REDHEAD)

(THEORETICALLY, THE BODY ON THE BED SHOULD BE BLONDE, BECAUSE WE SAW A BRUNETTE BODY ON THE BED EARLIER, AND TOGETHER, THE TWO BODIES "FORM" A "REDHEAD" BODY (ON PAPER), JUST AS CAMILLA AND DIANE "FORM" REDHEAD BETTY ELMS (ON PAPER) - BUT I THINK THERE IS A DEFINITE "RED" TINGE TO THE DEAD BLONDE ON THE BED - LYNCH "THROWING" US ANOTHER SMALL CLUE)

UPDATE: I now think that Lynch is showing us the Cowboy wake up a brunette - and a blonde (two drafts) - the order we see this (hair color) is irrelevant, because the hair color we actually see, is irrelevant - we see a brunette, then we see a blonde Naomi Watts wake up - but this does not necessarily represent the actual hair color dictated in the script - which is exactly Lynch's point - it should be irrelevant

EFFECTIVELY, ON PAPER - THE CHARACTERS OF BETTY AND "RITA" ARE REDHEADS


REDHEAD BETTY ELMS IS ALWAYS OVERLOOKED BY ADAM KESHER, AND BECOMES BIT-PART ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN - BUT BLONDE OR BRUNETTE BETTY ELMS ALWAYS CATCHES HIS EYE (OR BOB BROOKER'S), AND HE CASTS BETTY ELMS IN HIS MOVIE - AS ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN  

THE POINT BEING THAT ACTRESSES THAT ARE PREPARED TO "LOOK" LIKE MOVIE STARS (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE), SELL THEIR SOULS "TO THE MOB", OR SLEEP THEIR WAY TO THE TOP (CATCH THE DIRECTOR'S EYE), "MAKE IT BIG", WHILE ACTRESSES THAT REMAIN TRUE TO THEMSELVES, DO NOT MAKE IT BIG


THE REDHEAD VERSIONS OF BETTY ELMS ALWAYS END UP SHOOTING THEMSELVES - THE BLONDE AND BRUNETTE VERSIONS ALWAYS END UP BIG-TIME ACTRESSES


MOBIUS STRIP BREAKDOWN

1: BETTY ELMS DRAFT: ADAM KESHER GIVES IN TO MOB PRESSURE AND CASTS CAMILLA RHODES

2: CAMILLA RHODES DRAFT: ADAM KESHER REFUSES TO CAST CAMILLA RHODES, AND IS REPLACED BY BOB BROOKER  - WHO CASTS CAMILLA RHODES - WHO HAS AFFAIR WITH ADAM KESHER (ON THE SET OF ANOTHER MOVIE) - DIANE SELWYN KILLS HERSELF (BETTY ELMS (DIANE SELWYN) COMES TO HOLLYWOOD AND STAYS AT SIERRA BONITA APARTMENTS, NOT AUNT RUTH'S) 

THIS PRODUCES BIG-TIME ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES. WHO TURNS UP AT BETTY ELMS AS "RITA"

3: DIANE SELWYN DRAFT: ADAM KESHER REFUSES TO CAST CAMILLA RHODES - MOB SHUTS THE MOVIE DOWN - DIANE SELWYN HAS AFFAIR WITH ADAM KESHER AND BECOMES BIG-TIME ACTRESS - CAMILLA RHODES KILLS HERSELF (BETTY ELMS (CAMILLA RHODES) COMES TO HOLLYWOOD AND STAYS AT SIERRA BONITA APARTMENTS, NOT AUNT RUTH'S)

THIS PRODUCES BIG-TIME ACTRESS DIANE SELWYN, WHO TURNS UP AT BETTY ELMS AS "RITA"

ALTERNATE WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS MOVIE

"FORGET" ALL HAIR COLOR YOU SEE IN "MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

DRAFT ONE: REDHEAD BETTY ELMS COMES TO HOLLYWOOD - DYES HAIR BRUNETTE -BECOMES SUCCESSFUL ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN

DRAFT TWO: REDHEAD BETTY ELMS COMES TO HOLLYWOOD - BECOMES BIT-PART ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN

DRAFT THREE: REDHEAD BETTY ELMS COMES TO HOLLYWOOD - DYES HAIR BLONDE - BECOMES SUCCESSFUL ACTRESS CAMILLA RHODES OR DIANE SELWYN

EFFECTIVELY:

DRAFT ONE: DIANE SELWYN (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) COMES TO HOLLYWOOD

DRAFT THREE: CAMILLA RHODES (BLONDE OR BRUNETTE) COMES TO HOLLYWOOD

COMBINING (OVERLAID) TOGETHER TO FORM:

DRAFT TWO: BETTY ELMS (REDHEAD) COMES TO HOLLYWOOD (BUT PLAYED BY BLONDE NAOMI WATTS)

SELECTIVELY "MASH" OR "OVERLAY" ALL THREE DRAFTS TOGETHER = 
"MULHOLLAND DRIVE"

MULHOLLAND DRIVE = HAIR COLOR IS IRRELEVANT - NAMES ARE IRRELEVANT - WHAT REALLY MATTERS ...  TALENT AND PERFORMANCE!

I keep seeing some sort of "Calculus" equation - is David Lynch a maths genius as well as a film-making genius?


The evidence that Mulholland Drive is made up of multiple drafts is overwhelming

The evidence that Mulholland Drive is about bad screenwriting is overwhelming

The evidence that Mulholland Drive is about redheads is overwhelming

The big question is:

Will Lynch ever admit it?

The myth that Mulholland Drive is a dream

As MYTHBUSTERS would say: "BUSTED"


I THINK MAYBE THE MESSAGE LYNCH IS GIVING US:

ONE WAY, OR ANOTHER, HOLLYWOOD IS GOING TO DESTROY YOUNG, INNOCENT ACTRESSES

THANK YOU FOR READING 

(THIS ANALYSIS WAS DELIBERATELY WRITTEN WITH "BAD" FORMATTING AND MULTIPLE COLORS FOR A REASON - THE FORMATTING AND THE COLOR ISN'T IMPORTANT - IT'S THE "MESSAGE" THAT IS IMPORTANT)

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT ENEMY / MY ANALYSIS OF ENEMY - ENEMY IS A MIND BLOWING MASTERCLASS OF SCREENWRITING AS WELL

Appendix:

Continuity Errors:

In Mulholland Drive, continuity errors, such as the bowl of fruit on the table at Aunt Ruth's, the blood running down Laura Harring's face, the pimple on the butlers hand, and the different ring-tone at number 12, are all indications (clues) that similar stories are happening in different "timelines"(drafts), and being "spliced"(edited) together

Melissa George:

Is Melissa George also a natural redhead?

The Monster behind Winkies:

Why does Lynch have a woman playing the part of, what appears to be, a man?

This is a big clue from Lynch - about ACTORS playing CHARACTERS ... and, I think, the EQUALITY of ACTORS ... we've had an essay about EQUALITY re HAIR-COLOR ... this is one, perhaps, about GENDER EQUALITY within HOLLYWOOD ... ISSUES with HOLLYWOOD run very deep in MULHOLLAND DRIVE ...



THE NAMES:

I don't think the names of all the main characters are random - I'm going out on a limb here ... but I think Lynch wrote a long sentence ... including the words "Hollywood" "make" "redheads" "actresses" ... etc ... and then used all the letters to formulate the names ... I do not think they are just random

Here’s some links to just a very small selection of some of the rubbish written about Mulholland Drive.... you can have a quiet giggle... like David Lynch has been doing for 14 years

(And the "irony" is - it's now Dec 2015 ... and publications are still publishing rubbish articles about Mulholland Drive ... and it was actually deciphered in Jan 2015 (when will the penny drop?) ... I'm having a little chuckle every so often as well)

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/jan/17/artsfeatures.davidlynch

http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/scope/documents/2008/june-2008/hageman.pdf

http://screenprism.com/insights/article/in-mulholland-drive-what-happened-at-club-silencio

http://jaysanalysis.com/2015/11/29/esoteric-hollywood-occult-meaning-of-lost-highway-mulholland-drive/

http://flavorwire.com/544908/the-10-best-mulholland-dr-fan-theories

http://www.mulholland-drive.net/analysis/analysis04.htm

http://badassdigest.com/2012/03/04/film-crit-hulk-smash-hulk-vs-the-genius-of-mulholland-drive/

http://www.mulholland-drive.net/studies/audition.htm

http://www.mulholland-drive.net/studies/oz_reference.htm

http://www.mulholland-drive.net/analysis/analysis13.htm