Mulholland Drive Film Techniques

Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001), under the background of Hollywood, it tells the story between two pairs of characters, Diane and Camilla, Betty and Rita. David Lynch, the director, made the whole film outstanding from the traditional narrative style. Starting from the story of Betty and Rita, Lynch successfully tricked on audience’s perception, as most of them would assume the first scene was the beginning of a story. In flashbacks, the dreams are presented disconnectedly. On the one hand, this draws up audience’s curiosity and keeps them focus on the story. On the other hand, it helps to better convey the idea of the film by contrasting Betty with Diane. It is the reversal of coherence that contributes to these effects.

The chosen sequence focuses on the Diane’s reaction to the romantic relationship between Camilla and Adam and her plan about revenge. This sequence reveals most of the secrets and mysteries throughout the whole film. It contributes to audience’s better understanding about the whole film.

It starts with the party dinner. It was taken on an exact location, 6980 Mulholland Drive, which is actually 3760 Eureka Drive . Filming on location helps to save time and energy on details of setting, as the authenticity is convinced.

Starting from a blurred shot to

By showing the good dreams first, the effect of the bad reality comes with more power. When Betty makes her life goes better and better in Hollywood, her successful image has been built up in audience’ mind, which sets up for the fall of Diane in reality. Besides drawing up audience’s curiosity, the reversal exaggerates the tragedy of Diane by contrast, and therefore reveals the reality of the Hollywood world. Diane is not a single unit in Hollywood, but represents a group of people, who chase their dreams in Hollywood but end up with full disappointment. Their endings are made even more tragic by contrast to the success of people like