The Surrealism of Mulholland Drive

The Surrealists were a group of artists, writers, and poets who emerged in the early 20th century, primarily in France. They were influenced by the ideas of Sigmund Freud and his theories of the unconscious mind, dreams, and free association. The Surrealists sought to explore the depths of the unconscious and the irrational through their art and writing, and their goal was to liberate the imagination and create a new reality. The Surrealists were particularly interested in the idea of automatism, which involved allowing the unconscious mind to guide the creative process without the intervention of reason or conscious thought. They believed this approach could reveal hidden desires and fears, and tap into the true nature of the individual. The Surrealists published a manifesto in 1924, which outlined their goals and principles. In the manifesto, they stated their intention to "resolve the previously contradictory conditions of dream and reality into an absolute reality, a super-reality." They also called for the liberation of the imagination, the rejection of traditional moral and artistic values, and the exploration of the irrational and the uncanny. Overall, the Surrealists sought to create a new form of art and literature that would challenge traditional values and reveal the depths of the human psyche. Their influence can be seen in a variety of artistic movements, from abstract expressionism to pop art.

Artist and filmmaker, David Lynch, embodies much of the Surrealist ideals in his film, Mulholland Drive:

• Hidden desires and fears.

• The true nature of the individual.

• Absolute reality. Dream logic: The film follows dream logic, where events occur without any clear cause-and-effect relationship. This is a common characteristic of surrealism, where the subconscious mind is free to create its own rules. Blurring of reality and fantasy: The film blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, leaving the audience uncertain about what is really happening and what is just a hallucination or dream.

• Liberation of the imagination.

• Rejection of traditional artistic values. We can see this in Lynch’s non-linear narrative: The film's storyline is not presented in a linear manner, but rather jumps back and forth in time and space, creating a dream-like quality that is typical of surrealism. Adding to the ‘weirdness’ of Mulholland Drive is the lack of foreshadowing. David Lynch leaves clues, the DVD last his list of clues for audiences to look out for to help them understand the film, but we’re not talking about your everyday foreshadowing here.

• The irrational and uncanny. Lynch creates an uncanny atmosphere: The film's setting and atmosphere are strange and unsettling, with characters and locations that are often ambiguous or disorienting. One of the best ways Lynch creates this is through his use of a ‘floating’ camera and environments that change.

• Reveal the depths of the human psyche.
  

David Lynch utilises symbolic imagery throughout the film, which often has multiple meanings and interpretations, adding to the dreamlike quality of the story. Here are some of the most prominent symbolic images in the film:

1. Blue key: The blue key represents the key to unlocking the truth about the film's story. It is seen as a recurring image throughout the film, and its meaning is ultimately revealed towards the end.

2. Silencio: Silencio is a club that represents the illusion of entertainment and the power of performance. It is also where the film's main characters confront some of the harsh truths of their lives.

3. Winkies: Winkies is a diner where one of the film's most surreal scenes takes place. The diner represents the duality of existence and the fact that there is always a darker, hidden side to things.

4. The cowboy: The cowboy is a mysterious figure who appears throughout the film, and represents the harsh, masculine, and patriarchal aspects of Hollywood.

5. Rebekah del Rio's performance: Rebekah del Rio's performance at Silencio represents the illusion of reality and the power of performance to create emotions and experiences. This scene even uses the infamous Surrealist artwork, The Treachery of Images (This is Not a Pipe), by Rene Magritte, as a trope to have the audience question whether something is real or a representation.

6. The woman in apartment 17: The woman in apartment 17 represents the dangerous and seductive side of Hollywood, and her presence is a warning to the main characters.

7. The blue box: The blue box represents the illusion of desire and the consequences of pursuing that desire. It is a major plot device in the film and has multiple interpretations.
   

Mulholland Drive is a complex and layered film that explores various themes such as identity, reality, dreams, and the dark side of Hollywood. Here are some of the key themes of the film and how David Lynch represents them using the codes and conventions of cinema:

1. Identity: The film explores the theme of identity and the different personas that people adopt in order to fit into society. Lynch uses the convention of dual identities, as seen in the character of Diane/Betty, to show how people often create alternate versions of themselves to escape from their reality.

2. Dreams and Reality: The film explores the theme of dreams and reality and how they often intertwine. Lynch uses the convention of dream logic and non-linear narrative to blur the lines between the two, leaving the audience questioning what is real and what is not.

3. Hollywood and the Entertainment Industry: The film explores the dark side of Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and how it can be a place of corruption, exploitation, and deception. Lynch uses the convention of a glamorous, yet sinister Hollywood to represent the contrast between the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry and the reality of what goes on behind the scenes.

4. The Search for Happiness: The film explores the theme of the search for happiness and how people often go to great lengths to find it. Lynch uses the convention of the blue box, which represents the illusion of desire and the consequences of pursuing that desire, to show how the pursuit of happiness can lead to destruction. The masturbation scene is also used to convey this theme.

5. Female Representation: The film explores the representation of women and how they are often objectified and exploited in Hollywood. Lynch uses the convention of the femme fatale, as seen in the character of the woman in apartment 17, to represent the dangerous and seductive side of Hollywood.
   

Codes and conventions Lynch notably uses to the film’s success are:

• Sound and Music: Lynch uses sound and music to create an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. He often uses ambient sound to build tension and anticipation, and the music, composed by Angelo Badalamenti, is haunting and atmospheric.

• Cinematography: Lynch's use of cinematography in Mulholland Drive is often unconventional, with close-ups and extreme angles used to create a sense of unease and disorientation. The use of shadows and light also adds to the film's dreamlike atmosphere.

• Colour: David Lynch uses colour in Mulholland Drive to create a specific mood and atmosphere and to communicate symbolic meaning. Here are some of the ways Lynch uses colour in the film:

  
  

  A) Blue: Blue is a prominent colour in the film and is associated with the illusion of desire. The blue box and the key, which represent the desire for love and success, are both blue. Blue also appears in scenes that depict a dreamlike or surreal atmosphere.

  B) Red: Red is often used to signify danger or violence in films, and Lynch uses it in a similar way in Mulholland Drive. The red lampshade in the Club Silencio scene is a warning sign to the audience that something dangerous or disturbing is about to happen.

  C) Yellow: Yellow is associated with the sunshine and brightness of Hollywood, but Lynch subverts this convention by using yellow to signify decay and corruption. The yellow of the taxi cab and the yellow streetlights create a sickly and unsettling atmosphere.

  D) Green: Green is used to represent jealousy and envy in the film. In the scene where Betty and Rita are watching a movie, Betty wears a green shirt while Rita wears a pink one, symbolising the envy Betty feels towards Rita's beauty and innocence.

  E) Black and White: The opening scene of the film is shot in black and white, which creates a nostalgic and dreamlike atmosphere. The use of black and white is also a reference to classic Hollywood films.

  
  

  Overall, David Lynch uses color in Mulholland Drive to create a specific mood and atmosphere and to communicate symbolic meaning. The colors he uses often subvert traditional conventions, creating a surreal and thought-provoking cinematic experience.

Tropes are used by directors to tell their stories. Overused ones become cliché. What alienates many viewers from connecting with David Lynch’s film is the absence of clichés and limited use of tropes; he employs just enough to have a narrative and tell his story - without them, Mulholland Drive would otherwise be a time-based media artwork. On the flip side of the coin where his lack of clichés turn audiences away, others are drawn in by the originality and his surrealist, non-linear narrative. That said, the more obvious tropes identified in Mulholland Drive are:

1. Bad acting

2. Arriving Home Early and Discovers Partner Cheating with the Pool Cleaner

3. Horrible Hollywood.
   

Obviously, all three are anchored in Hollywood and are notorious clichés of its film industry.

Before wrapping this up, another brilliant film of David Lynch’s is Lost Highway. Similarly, Lost Highway employs a non-linear narrative structure and surrealistic imagery to create a sense of unease and disorientation. Lynch also uses multiple identities and altered environments in the film's dreamlike sequences and fragmented storytelling combined to create a disorienting experience for the viewer, as Lynch explores themes of guilt, identity, and the subconscious.

David Lynch has spoken about his admiration for Surrealism and its influence on his work. He has cited the Surrealists' emphasis on the subconscious and the irrational as important elements in his creative process. In an interview with The Paris Review, Lynch said, "I love the idea of the Surrealists and the world that they opened up, this idea that there's a whole other world underneath the surface." He has also expressed his admiration for Surrealist artists such as Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst.

However, Lynch has also said that he does not consider himself to be a Surrealist in the strict sense of the term. In an interview with The Guardian, he said, "I don't know that I would call myself a Surrealist, although there are definitely elements of Surrealism in my work."

The Treachery of Images by René Magritte

Overall, while David Lynch is clearly influenced by Surrealism and incorporates many of its techniques and themes into his work, even paying homage to the iconic Surrealist artwork, The Treachery of Images, and using that painting’s concept as a plot twist in Mulholland Drive, he does not necessarily identify as a strict adherent of the movement. Instead, he has created a unique style that blends elements of Surrealism with his own personal vision. Mulholland Drive is a film that will embed itself deep into your subconscious and you will never forget it. There are scenes in Mulholland Drive (and Lost Highway) that will haunt you for the rest of your life, and isn’t that what the Surrealists really wanted? To connect with their audience on a subconscious level?