Azure Trance
First Post
1st Comment: No Spoilers Following. Not a review, but to sum up my feelings succintly immediately after the film:
"What the hell did I just watch?"
Of course that expression was never meant in a Pink Flamingos mental exclamation of what the hell (!), but more of a Donnie Darko confusement. Like you knew you saw something big, realized it and that it was important, but you just can't quite figure it all out. The puzzle isn't complete to you, even though the credits are rolling and all the pieces were there. Put 'em together, Columbo.
Usually, such as in the case of Requiem For A Dream, The Sixth Sense, or The Ring (Maybe Vanilla Sky too, I can't remember), I simply go to a movie message board forum and read the topics which will answer my hows, whose, whats and wheres. It's not that I'm totally impatient, but that I either like to see different points of view on the same subject or feel it's a minor enough point not worth rewatching the entire film for. And personally I like the minor touches that are often discussed since I think they add much more to the film. Themes like the color red in The Sixth Sense, symbolism of oranges in Requiem For A Dream, and those rainy days in The Ring. Oh yeah, Donnie Darko was very much over my head but unfortunately I don't have the DVD to replay it until it 'makes sense.'
But back to Mulholland Drive. This felt more like a mystery. It wasn't just a few themes or objects of symbolism to enhance the film, but several things / places / people / scenes which were critical in understanding the entire film plot itself. It seemed a bit cheap to just skip all the mental work of why, why, why and see what people already solved. It'd be akin to skipping to the last chapter of a book to see what the ending is when you just started.
David Lynch, the director, gave 10 points to look out for when you watch the film the second time and see how they all relate. There's a lot of stuff in those 10 points, but it also makes it more exciting in it's complexity. I'll watch it again when I have the time later tonight, and keep doing so until I get a brain aneurysm. I hope then, and only then when I feel like I answered it enough myself I'll see what other people say and believe.
"What the hell did I just watch?"
Of course that expression was never meant in a Pink Flamingos mental exclamation of what the hell (!), but more of a Donnie Darko confusement. Like you knew you saw something big, realized it and that it was important, but you just can't quite figure it all out. The puzzle isn't complete to you, even though the credits are rolling and all the pieces were there. Put 'em together, Columbo.
Usually, such as in the case of Requiem For A Dream, The Sixth Sense, or The Ring (Maybe Vanilla Sky too, I can't remember), I simply go to a movie message board forum and read the topics which will answer my hows, whose, whats and wheres. It's not that I'm totally impatient, but that I either like to see different points of view on the same subject or feel it's a minor enough point not worth rewatching the entire film for. And personally I like the minor touches that are often discussed since I think they add much more to the film. Themes like the color red in The Sixth Sense, symbolism of oranges in Requiem For A Dream, and those rainy days in The Ring. Oh yeah, Donnie Darko was very much over my head but unfortunately I don't have the DVD to replay it until it 'makes sense.'
But back to Mulholland Drive. This felt more like a mystery. It wasn't just a few themes or objects of symbolism to enhance the film, but several things / places / people / scenes which were critical in understanding the entire film plot itself. It seemed a bit cheap to just skip all the mental work of why, why, why and see what people already solved. It'd be akin to skipping to the last chapter of a book to see what the ending is when you just started.
David Lynch, the director, gave 10 points to look out for when you watch the film the second time and see how they all relate. There's a lot of stuff in those 10 points, but it also makes it more exciting in it's complexity. I'll watch it again when I have the time later tonight, and keep doing so until I get a brain aneurysm. I hope then, and only then when I feel like I answered it enough myself I'll see what other people say and believe.
