Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Director:

David Lynch

Writer (WGA):

David Lynch (written by)

Release Date:

26 October 2001 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

A Love Story In The City Of Dreams

Plot:

After a car wreck on the winding Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesic, she and a perky Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.

Plot Keywords:

Dream | Amnesia | Los Angeles California | Director | California

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 33 wins & 30 nominations

Cast

Naomi Watts	...	Betty Elms / Diane Selwyn
Laura Harring	...	Rita (as Laura Elena Harring)
Ann Miller	...	Catherine 'Coco' Lenoix
Dan Hedaya	...	Vincenzo Castigliane
Justin Theroux	...	Adam Kesher
Brent Briscoe	...	Detective Neal Domgaard
Robert Forster	...	Detective Harry McKnight
Katharine Towne	...	Cynthia Jenzen
Lee Grant	...	Louise Bonner
Scott Coffey	...	Wilkins
Billy Ray Cyrus	...	Gene
Chad Everett	...	Jimmy Katz
Rita Taggart	...	Linney James
James Karen	...	Wally Brown
Lori Heuring	...	Lorraine Kesher

Also Known As:

Mulholland Drive (France) (UK) (USA) (closing credits title)
Cidade dos Sonhos (Brazil) [pt]
El camino de los sueños (Argentina) [es]
Extraño camino hacia los sueños (Spain) (informal title) [es]
Mulholand Drive: Calea misterelor (Romania) [ro]
Mulholland çikmazi (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Mulholland Drive (Spain) [es]
Mulholland Drive (Germany) [de]
Mulholland Drive (Poland) [pl]
Mulholland Drive (Italy) [it]
Mulholland Drive (Denmark) [da]
Mulholland Drive (Finland) [fi]
Mulholland Drive - A sötétség útja (Hungary) [hu]
Mulholland Drive - Straße der Finsternis (Austria) [de]
Odos Mulholland (Greece) [el]
Straße der Finsternis (Germany) (TV title) [de]
Sueños, misterios y secretos (Mexico) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and some strong sexuality.

Runtime:

147 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Singapore:R21 (cut) | Iceland:16 | Italy:T | Brazil:16 | Chile:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KNT | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Ireland:15 | Israel:16 (TV rating) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #37982)

Filming Locations:

7400 West Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Les Films Alain Sarde

Trivia:

The limo that transports Rita/Camilla Rhodes has the license plate 2GAT123. The same California license plate also appears in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), L.A. Story (1991), Traffic (2000), Pay It Forward (2000), "Two and a Half Men" (2003), S.W.A.T. (2003), Go (1999) and Crazy/Beautiful (2001).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): In the scene were the detectives talk about finding the gun in the back of the limo, they call the limo a "Caddy" when in fact the limo is actually a late 1980's Lincoln Town Car Stretch Limo.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Rita: What are you doing? We don't stop here.

Movie Connections:

References Gilda (1946)

Soundtrack:

Crying

Where does it begin and end??

Hitchcock would be proud of this movie. Even when nothing happens, it is suspenseful. Director David Lynch overuses a few cheap thrill tricks here and there, but he intersperses them with other cinematographic techniques to keep it from becoming obtuse.

Altogether surreal, this movie is like waking up and remembering most of a dream but not enough to make it sensible. I am still trying to figure it all out and will probably have to see it again to catch things I missed and which may help me understand it better. It is a very detailed plot that very slowly comes together, so you must be patient and pay attention. Get your bathroom trip out of the way before it starts. And yet, the plot is overshadowed by the theme, the mood, the character development, and the filming techniques.

The dual roles of the main actress, Naomi Watts, showcase her enormous talent. That is, when I could get my eyes off of her co-star. What an acting pair.

Lynch surprises throughout the movie with unusual camera angles, the length/timing of editing cuts, jumping back and forth between scenes. Combined with smart use of music and sounds, it all helps to build suspense in our minds, doubtless a major objective of the director. Well, he kept me on the edge of my seat, even had me talking to the actors to be careful here, and not be so naive there. You know, the kind of stuff you want to smack your kids for doing at the movies.