034 Mulholland Drive (2001)

“THIS IS THE GIRL“ On this episode of Retro Grade Podcast, we talk about David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive from 2001. This is a special episode, as it is the first time we talk about a film from Austin’s favorite film director of all time. It’s also one of the few times our podcast has a shorter run time than the actual movie. We talk about the effect Lynch’s surreal, atmospheric and sometimes comedic style has on us, and why he is one of the best filmmakers of all time. He is famous, or perhaps, infamous for making films that are left up to audience interpretation. He often uses dream logic, genre tropes to give audiences a false sense of security, and brings out unique performances out of his actors to tell stories that are both “wonderful and strange.“ In time for the 20th anniversary of Mulholland Drive, we talk about what we think the film means. On the surface, it is a neo-noir mystery thriller about the Hollywood. It’s filled with all sorts of characters, an up-and-coming actress, an amnesic bombshell, a film director losing control of his film, a mysterious cowboy, mobster-like movie moguls and perhaps maybe the world’s worst assassin. As if the list of characters wasn’t enough, film also has a twist that left casual film-goers and film critics confused as to what it all meant. What was even “real?” Although David Lynch refuses to ever explain his films, he did leave behind 10 clues in the DVD release of the film, so we use them as guidelines to try and help each other understand this film and exchange theories as to what the film meant to us. If our film degrees mean anything, it was for this episode right here. We also talk about how the film is an authentic window into someone pursuing the Hollywood dream. What does the life of a person trying to “make it” in the film industry actually look like? What happens if our dreams come true? What happens if they never do? What do our dream reveal about us as people? Find out on this episode! Music is from Triune Digital and audio clips pulled from movies we will be reviewing in other episodes. Artwork by @jannelle_o