Mulholland Dr.: challenging the "classical" interpretation

Started by Erniesam, April 23, 2017, 04:46:57 PM

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Erniesam

There are many different opinions and interpretations of MD, still there seems to be some sort of agreement of sorts called the classical interpretation. I do not go along with that explanantion; it doesn't make sense to me. I have a couple of questions regarding issues I believe this classical approach doesn't answer satisfactory.

1. If Diane had actually a person named Camilla killed and she is upset about thism, than why in her moment of absolute despair does she see this elderly couple? Why is the image of this elderly couple locked away in the blue box? What's their importance?

2. What relevance do all the sexual connotations have within this classical approach?

3. What significance does the kiss between Camilla and blonde Camilla have? IF the explanation of Diane's despair is the murder of her loved one than why is she so upset about this kiss? In the narrative she already lost Camilla to Adam so what's the point of being upset?

There are other poignont problems with the classical approach the way I see it, but for the discussion it's perhaps better to take it one question at a time. I hope people are interested in debating this.

mistahc

I'm not sure what the classical interpretation is but...

1. I thought they personified Diane's guilt/remorse over what she had done. Once she received confirmation that the deed was done, the dumpster man "unleashed" them on her. Not sure why they're in the blue box, maybe because that's where her memories were stored (we see the flashbacks after Rita opens it) and guilt is part of those memories. I also read a theory that supports this: The old woman's name is Irene, which sounds similar to Erinyes, who were Greek deities (also called the Furies) that resembled women and tormented the guilt.

2. Again, not sure what the classical approach is, but Camilla and Diane were in a romantic relationship and Camilla eventually wanted to break it off but Diane was obsessed with her.

3. Are you talking about the during the dinner scene toward the end? I think the kiss implied that Diane wasn't as important to Camilla as Diane had thought, that to Camilla she was just a fling and that the blonde was maybe both friends with Camilla and having sex with her. It made Diane far more jealous/humiliated.

Fuzzy Dunlop

I don't feel qualified to answer any of these, but this is my favorite analysis of the film, which may get your pot stirring:

http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2012/03/04/film-crit-hulk-smash-hulk-vs-the-genius-of-mulholland-drive