Experimental Flashcards
(13 cards)
What is the significance of dreams in the context of Mulholland Drive?
Dreams are used to explore unconscious fears and desires through the narrative structure
Freud argued that dreams help understand our unconscious, utilizing ‘Dreamwork’ to create narratives.
How does Mulholland Drive depict Hollywood?
As a ‘dream factory’ that exposes the cruel lies and illusions of the American film industry
The film’s first two-thirds present a hopeful narrative that is later revealed as an illusion.
What characterizes the duality in Mulholland Drive?
Many characters exhibit dual or transitional identities across the dream and real parts of the narrative
Diane’s dream alter-ego is Betty, illustrating this duality.
What are some techniques used in Mulholland Drive to mimic the dream process?
Temporal collapses, shifting identities, and displaced objects
These techniques provide insight into Diane’s psychological state.
Define ‘Radical Film Form’ as it pertains to Mulholland Drive.
Includes gliding Steadicam, double exposure, uncanny performances, and fragmented editing
These elements contribute to the film’s experimental nature.
Fill in the blank: The final third of Mulholland Drive reveals the _______ of Los Angeles.
underbelly
This includes themes of despair, betrayal, jealousy, failure, and death.
True or False: The narrative structure of Mulholland Drive is linear and straightforward.
False
The structure is split, featuring many dueling themes and ideas.
What is the Bardo State in relation to Mulholland Drive?
A liminal space between death and ‘re-birth’ connected to the film’s themes
This concept relates to the idea of identity not being fixed.
What is the argument against viewing Lynch as a true auteur?
His work may be too postmodern, relying on intertextuality and genre-fusion
This challenges the notion of personal vision in his filmmaking.
What does the term ‘postmodernism’ encompass in cinema according to the text?
Intertextuality, meta-fiction, pastiche, and genre-fusion
These elements lead to complex and fragmented narratives.
What production circumstances challenged the creation of Mulholland Drive?
Originally conceived as a TV pilot that was cancelled, leading to a restructured film
Lynch had to integrate previously shot material into a cohesive feature film.
What themes does Mulholland Drive explore?
- Identity
- Dreams
- Fantasy vs. Reality
- Hollywood and Cinema
- Guilt, Jealousy, and Betrayal
- The Subconscious and The Uncanny
- Fear, Desire, and Sex
- Power and Ambition
- Memory and The Past
These themes are interconnected and reflect Lynch’s exploration of the human psyche.
How does the film structure affect spectator engagement?
It forces the spectator into active participation with the narrative
This blurring of dreams and reality makes both equally important.
