3 consecutive evenings? That's commitment.

Welcome to the forum!

I've seen it the first time back in 2002, I guess it was February when it was released here in Italy. I've seen it 3 times in theatre, in the course of a couple of weeks ( I'm David Lynch fan).
The funny thing is that the previous summer I spent my holiday in the LA area, I was staying at a friend's of mine who lived in Pomona at the time ( when I later saw Inland Empire I thought that was kind of prophetic).

The first time I saw it, I went to the theatre alone and for some reasons I felt like I was still in LA; that particolar summer holiday of 2001 was like a dreamy type of situation, maybe because I was only 22, never been so far away from family and friends ( it was about 3 weeks) and LA really seemed like a dream place to me, as Betty says when she just gets to Hollywood. I was able to visit movie studios, meet people and see other Hollywood landmarks. When I later saw Mulholland Drive I still felt that type of Hollywood spirit.

luckyboy wrote:I've seen it the first time back in 2002, I guess it was February when it was released here in Italy. I've seen it 3 times in theatre, in the course of a couple of weeks ( I'm David Lynch fan).
The funny thing is that the previous summer I spent my holiday in the LA area, I was staying at a friend's of mine who lived in Pomona at the time ( when I later saw Inland Empire I thought that was kind of prophetic).

The first time I saw it, I went to the theatre alone and for some reasons I felt like I was still in LA; that particolar summer holiday of 2001 was like a dreamy type of situation, maybe because I was only 22, never been so far away from family and friends ( it was about 3 weeks) and LA really seemed like a dream place to me, as Betty says when she just gets to Hollywood. I was able to visit movie studios, meet people and see other Hollywood landmarks. When I later saw Mulholland Drive I still felt that type of Hollywood spirit.

Thanks for sharing that. I'd love to spend a bit of time in LA.

Welcome welcome.

I first saw it last year. I've been a huge fan of David's work for a very long time but for some reason never saw MD until then. I guess the stars weren't right until that moment. I had my library borrow it from another library. Ever since I think about it often and all the wonderful little moments and tantalizing hints and clues.

First saw it in October 08, streaming online from some website. (Not ideal conditions, of course). It was my first Lynch film. Suffice to say I thought it was weird, disturbing and had no idea what to think of it when it ended. In a sense, it's the most unique reaction I can recall having to a film; this state of total befuddlement, yet at the same time feeling as if I had just seen something extremely powerful and viscerally affecting, even if I couldn't quite articulate why.

I almost wish I could erase all the interpretations and subsequent viewings just to see it with fresh eyes again.

I ordered the DVD a few years ago, having only watched the trailer online and knowing little about Lynch (I've only seen Twin Peaks before MD) and boy was I amazed by this movie! I literally couldn't get it off my mind for weeks and I watched it again and again to make some sense out of it! I definitely came up with some ideas and then I found this site and it was fascinating to read all the theories and discussions and read about every little detail in the movie :)

After that first encounter, Mulholland Drive took a special place in my heart, and I even cried a couple of times at the end because I felt so sorry for Diane... but anyway, long story short, it quickly became my favorite movie of all time (tied up with Lost In Translation ;)

Welcome both.

peirucalueva wrote: In a sense, it's the most unique reaction I can recall having to a film; this state of total befuddlement, yet at the same time feeling as if I had just seen something extremely powerful and viscerally affecting, even if I couldn't quite articulate why.

I almost wish I could erase all the interpretations and subsequent viewings just to see it with fresh eyes again.

My sentiments exactly! I would adore to be able to just forget everything I know about this film and experience it for the first time again... that would be a dream come true.


My story:

MD was my second Lynch film. The first was Eraserhead when I was around 17 years old (~5 years ago). I don't remember what led me to watch Eraserhead the first time. I think it was just the name... it intrigued me a great deal and I felt I had heard about it before, so out of curiosity I watched it. I loved it, as it was the most unique film experience I've ever had. It was the first time I'd seen such an "artistic" film. It was also the first time I ever saw a film I didn't understand at all, yet still enjoyed it. I was curious to read what other people thought about it, and if there was an actual meaning behind it, so I went to the IMDB.com. Of course, over there most people were just trying to over-simply the film, narrowing it down into boring symbolism such as "The man on the planet = God, the baby = fear"... things like that, so I wasn't at all satisfied with the explanations offered there.

Anyway, IMDB has that feature which will recommend other film titles similar to the one you're viewing, so the Eraserhead page is what led me to Mulholland Dr. Again, just like with Eraserhead, I felt I've heard that title before and it intrigued me. So I watched MD and it was the most exciting, most mind-blowingly superb experiences of my life. Like many others have stated, after the first viewing I just could not get the film out of my head. It was stuck there, and the first Winkie's scene with Dan and the Bum, and the Club Silencio scene, were the two that affected me most. Again, like others have said, I didn't know what the hell happened, but I 'felt' it. I felt, intuitively, that there is a meaning, a purpose behind it all, I just can't narrow it down with words. I can't intellectualize it even though it kinda feels like it's possible to do so. It's not every day you find yourself crying and feeling unusually emotional during a song for no conceivable reason; or crying for a character you can't even relate to or even understand... Lynch manages to toy with my emotions and my thoughts in ways no other director can.

Interestingly enough, the only time I had ever felt so exhilarated and excited and intrigued during a [non-Lynch] film was while watching Sunset Blvd. which I then later discover is one of Lynch's all-time favorite films and deliberately referenced in MD.

Today, I now own all of Lynch's released works, music, literature.... I watch at least one of his films at least once a week (usually more)... totally, completely, obsessed. Lynch shaped me in to the cinephile I am today.

I was in my last year at Teesside University and a lecture theatre would host an evening every Thursday for an independent, arthouse and sometimes Hollywood blockbuster. This would have been approximately when the film was first released toward the end of 2001. I saw the review on Film 2001 with Jonathon Ross and he gave it quite high marks and I was fascinated by the footage. When I heard that it was showing at the uni I jumped at the chance, especially as the admission fee was quite low for us hard up students.

For the first time in my life I went to the cinema all on my own. I don't think any of my friends were available that evening but I was desperate to go. The cinema was packed and I had a seat right in the centre, about halfway back. It was fantastic and the film got a few laughs and some dumbfound silences.

On leaving the cinema the organiser of the event handed out 2 sheets of A4 paper with questions and answers about the film, but I don't think it helped much. Everyone was chatting and laughing about what they had just witnessed. It certainly was a film that stayed with many of us for years afterwards.

Well technically the first time I "saw" MD was back when it was on DVD, so aroudn 2002 or so...I think it was either when I was visiting relatives in California, or back when I was still in Utah (I've since moved and have lived in CA for almost two years). I didn't watch it then I thought it was "weird", but after getting into Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet and other Lynch-movies I watched Mulholland Drive the day it came on demand and was mesmorized by it. The movie is beautiful in a bizarre way and is not as linear or "straight forward" as Blue Velvet or Elephant Man, but that's what I like about it.

Rented it with a girlfriend (about 1998) for no particular reason. As far as Lynch's stuff I had only seen Blue Velvet, and didn't like it at all. I remember shouting "whoa" after the audition scene. I will NEVER forget the bittersweet music as Betty gets out of the cab for her audition. (I knew then that the odds of a happy ending were zero.) The cowboy scene struck me too, but on a more surface level... I have an authority problem, and could TOTALLY relate to what the cowboy was doing to Adam: If it was possible to push a button, he did. At the end of the movie I was clueless as to what it was all about, but positive it was a work of art. (Only other similar experience was Walkabout.) I watched it twice the next day, and figured out the basics. At that time, I barely used the internet, so I'm not sure how I stumbled, a couple weeks later, on the Rotten Tomatos bit on the movie. I read a paragraph of one interpretation, decided it was cool, hit CONTROL P to print it and left the room. When I came back, and saw 30+ pages on my printer, I was floored. Floored and hooked. It is far more powerful emotionally to me now then it was then. There is a TON going on subconsciously for me in this film. I cry "inappropriately" throughout the film now. (Cheap therapy.) It's the whole "innocence lost" thing that really gets to me.

Opps. 2008.

My first Lynch film was Eraserhead when I was 14. I'd never seen any avant garde cinema ever, nothing remotely like it and it totally blew me away. I've always liked things I don't understand, that feeling of being out at sea totally disorientated and then gradually seeing patterns... That's how I got into modern jazz and into 20th century classical music, like a voyage of discovery! Anyone else love Berio?

When I walked into the cinema to see MD in 2001 I didn't know anything about it. That's the way to see a film - I hate trailers because they ruin the film for you, and it's an insult to our intelligence to have everything explained. I had the same experience with Reservoir Dogs actually.

I remember Dan & Herb making all my hair stand on end! I didn't get that it was a dream at all and in fact couldn't make head or tail of the plot. When I got out of the theatre I said to my friends wow what was that about I didn't understand it at all! And my girlfriend at the time said, sure she understood it; it was about love and loss and regret and betrayal, and we all nodded wisely and said yeah you understood it! Then later I remember thinking hang on that's the theme but what was the actual PLOT? I thought it was a time travel narrative - the hit Diane sets up at the end of her story is the one that gives Rita amnesia and STARTS her story - like a loop.

I didn't think about it again until 2006 when I stumbled onto the forum and was gutted that all the detective work had been done pretty much. I bought a copy on dvd and started watching it really like deep viewing trying to get all the elements, taking it apart and watching scenes over and over. I was going through a heavy break up at the time and in retrospect it wasn't such a good idea! lol! But it resonated with my state of mind a bit too much and after a while I was like, I have to stop watching this film because that bum is going to start living in me too!

Still on that journey.... If I can just place that red lampshade...

First saw it about 3 1/2 weeks ago, on a dvd purchased from amazon. Have been analyzing it on and off, ever since then.

Welcome to the club, fonebone, we can always accommodate new obsessives!