Mulholland Drive

Throughout the beginning of the film, I was viewing it as something closer to a murder mystery like movie. However, once all of the characters switched parts, I thought to myself "Oh god, it's Last Year at Marienbad again!" We're seeing different events at random times and I'm lost as to what is or isn't real anymore.

After seeing the whole film and looking back though, I feel like if anything was more of a dream, it was the beginning before the character switch. To me, all the characters reversed roles of actor and the parts they play. Betty was bubbly and energetic through everything, more like a part you'd see in something like a romantic comedy. However, when she goes for her audition, she becomes very raw and sexual similar to how Diane was. While she's playing the part, we catch a brief glimpse at the real person of Diane, giving evidence for everything being reversed and unreal.

One of the things I noticed about the film was the old couple Betty met at the beginning. Once they leave in the limo, they are seen laughing to themselves. At the very end of the film, they appear once again laughing obnoxiously at Diane. I feel that in the film, they are the only ones who remain similar between the different parts. I think that they represent the reality that this is all just a dream, chuckling at the beginning cause they know the truth and laughing obnoxiously at Diane because they know it's come to the end of the dream.

I felt very similar about this film as I did to Marienbad because both play with that idea of what is real. However, I think that Mulholland Drive did it weirdly, in that, it's not a character that is what we think is the only reality, but the place. All of the character change roles, people aren't what they seem, but unlike Marienbad, the place is always the same. It's a strange thought that the place is what's real but it's constantly filled with illusions but I think it rather suits the purpose of this movie well.