Review of Mulholland Drive (2001) by Iowa B — 11 Jun 2015

"Mulholland Dr" is the kind of film that works very well without a formalized plot(even thou it has one) simply by following it's rhythm.

In terms of mood and style Lynch proves once again that he is one the best around(in modern cinema, that is) and while its detractors complain about "Mulholland Dr." not making sense, you can actually get it quite easy if you just pay attention. But as I said before, this films works well with an improvised narrative as well. It is loose enough to be flexible, but not that loose to become chaotic or too vague(which is the trap in which many film projects taking the same approach fall).

There are also some scenes that work very well individually, like some pieces of music, if you may and while this was initially written for tv(was supposed to be a tv show) and then, when turned down, adapted for the big screen, the transitions are seamless.

Many people compare Lynch with Bunuel, for example. I think this is one of those unfortunate comparisons you stumble across a lot. It's not that Bunuel is a bad director, but they have two different brands of surrealism. Lynch's is darker, it has more emotional resonance, whereas Bunuel is more reminiscent of the anarchist comedy pattern. If you ask me, I take Lynch over Bunuel any time, as I find the latter to be too basic and artificial( "Belle de Jour", for example ).

And while Lynch nothing to do with Bunuel, in terms of style, "Mulholland Dr." shares some things(even a scene) in common with Bergman's "Persona" and maybe has a little in common with Kieslowski's "La Double Vie De Veronique"(a lovely film, if you as me)(yet, Lynch's film work better because of its powerful mood).

Overall, love-it-or-hate-it, "Mulholland Dr" might just be one of the most notable cinematic efforts of the past decade.