This is an extremely long post. So long that I have divided it. It was created to 'sum up', an expand on, my "Other side of the mirror" thread at the IMDb forum. That thread had become so huge that it was intimidating to try and read. :)

The first thing I need to stress is that none of this film is part of a sleeping dream. It is a waking dream. A daydream, so to speak. And this is not a final draft. I reserve the right to change my mind on any given point. Lol! Why? Because this thing, Mulholland Drive, is very complex and I'm still exploring it.

Also, I want to give props to my friend, JJ, for his input into this idea. He has been very, VERY valuable, and I really appreciate it! Thank you so much, JJ!

Before I begin I want to tell everyone that I refer to the first part of this movie as Act 1 and the second part as Act 2. I refer to the redheads as RHL and the Blue-haired Lady as BHL. I refer to Irene and her companion as I&C. Aunt Ruth is AR. Sierra Bonita is SB. :)

This film is about Laura. Laura has suffered a terrible event. An event so horrible that she makes a choice to leave the real world and live inside a dream place, 'films' that play in her head. She pretends to be someone else. And she is always the lead role. (She is the opposite of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy wants to go back to 'real'. Laura wants to stay in the 'unreal'.) She plays the parts of everyone in these films. (She uses what I call the 'mirror trick' to become other people. The mirrors that are in Aunt Ruth's bathroom are the mirrors she uses to perform this trick.) These films, and the theater they are played in, are in a realm I refer to as the 'white realm'. The studio realm. Laura's dream place.

If you look closely at the keyring that 'Aunt Ruth' grabs from the table, you'll notice three beads on it. A yellow bead, a white bead and a blue bead. These beads represent three things. The yellow bead is possibly 'reality' and 'truth' and represents the real world. A deeper meaning, it could also represent 'the yellow brick road' that she traveled to get to her own 'OZ' (the white realm). This yellow bead could be, in essence, symbolic of the reasons why she came here. The white bead is the 'studio realm' (Laura's dream place...the imagined). The blue bead represents everything 'uncomfortable'.

Diane stars in one of these films. In this film, there is a scene that I like to call "Diane goes to a party". This is the limo ride. Both limo rides. They are the same scene being played by the VCR/DVD player that is Laura's mind.

As stated previously, Laura is everyone in these films. But she only 'becomes' the lead role in them. She 'dons costumes' to make herself appear as these characters in the films. The easiest way to convey this? Think of all of the characters in these films as 'dolls'. And Laura is controlling (directing) all of the dolls. All of these dolls are acting out scenes for Laura, the director. (I will use the term 'doll' quite a bit.) The character she plays will be how she appears. If she's playing the part of Diane Selwyn, she will appear as that character appears (Naomi Watts), not as she really looks (Laura Harring).

Laura hides in these many films to escape the truth of what has happened in real-life. But pieces of real-life are scattered throughout all of these films. The truth of what happened is much like a shattered mirror...and the mirror's pieces can be picked up and put back together again. But finding them is the hard part. I've come to believe that Laura's biggest 'trouble' involves being inside of a bed. I'm still exploring what this 'trouble' is...

Aunt Ruth represents the truth. All of the redheads who wear a scarf represent 'truth' and 'real'. And the redheads who wear a scarf are carrying luggage. This luggage represents their 'packing up' and hauling off the facade Laura is placing on the truth (to hide it). These redheads who wear a scarf, hauling away luggage, represent the truth 'tearing down' the costumes Laura puts on herself and everything else (set dressing) in the 'white realm'. Laura spends a lot of time editing these films, to rebuild what the RHL's take away. These edits are also necessary to make the stories that are created more believable. If something doesn't make sense, it exposes itself as 'fake', unreal. Ed represents Laura's screenwriter.

Think of the fairy tale 'The Three Little Pigs'. Laura is trying to build a house that will stand up to the RHL (the truth). One that the RHL cannot tear down.

And speaking of fakes, you see quite a few of them in this movie. Some are easier to spot than others.

There are 'fake' redheads...agents that work for the part of Laura that wants to stay in the white realm, Laura's 'Oz'. You can recognize these redheads simply because they do not wear a scarf. During Act 2 of this movie, Laura is still more inclined to stay than leave. These fake redheads are simply working for the ID...giving it what it wants. The same goes for I&C...they are also agents of the ID.

I&C are not 'directed' in the same way that Laura's characters are directed. And the redheads are not 'directed' by Laura at all. She cannot control them. Though we do not see them often, they come to represent Laura's inner conflict.

Living in a fantasy world is not healthy. And part of Laura begins to realize this. Thus, the inner conflict is born. Part of herself knows she should stop, while another part of herself wants to 'stay'.

Not only does Laura choose to live in fantasies, she chooses to displace her feelings. The uncomfortable ones. She places these uncomfortable feelings in some of her 'dolls'. Dan, the poor soul, is a doll that feels one of the worst of these feelings...the 'god awful' feeling.

Feelings are placed into one of two main categories: comfortable and uncomfortable. Blue is uncomfortable, while red is comfortable. The blue boxes contain the feelings Laura is uncomfortable with. Fear and love are two of the many uncomfortable feelings Laura has locked away in these boxes. These boxes are scattered as well. Found in many theaters around Laura's city of dreams.

We see one of these 'box' theaters. Club Silencio. The Blue-haired Lady that sits in the box seat of these theaters represents the part of Laura, the ID, that wants to remain in the dream place. (The 'fake' RHL's are her agents.) She is placed in the theater in a special place. The box seat area. It is her appearance in the box seat area that informs us of what kind of theater this is. This 'box seat' connects the theater to a 'box'. This theater, therefore, deals with an uncomfortable feeling that has been locked inside of a blue box...and the box is here. These boxes are opened with one key, a 'skeleton key'. This is Laura's special blue key. These 'box' theaters do not show the 'films' Laura has created.

All of the films Laura creates are viewed at the 'theater' of the white realm, the white house on Mulholland Drive. Casa Blanca.

Everyone that Laura has created serves one purpose, and that is to please the ID. Laura is the ID. If you are or become 'unpleasant' in the eyes of the ID, you can be replaced. There's a lot of brown-nosing going on at that 'party'.

Like Dan's dream, many of the scenes in Act 1 and Act 2 have been 'played' again and again. We get scenes of previous 'plays' mixed with more current ones. But they can appear to be fluid...like they happen just as we see them. "A continuation of that move..." Some scenes can be broken into two Acts...just like this movie. With Act 2 occurring before Act 1. The couch scene is one of those instances. The line "It's him, isn't it?" that Diane says at the end of that scene is actually an event that happened before Laura's statement "I tried to tell you this before"...this is why Diane's hands aren't where they should be if these two shots were 'fluid'. This scene has been 'acted out' before. Diane's statement was said during an earlier 'play' of this scene, while Laura's statement occurred in a later enactment. This scene on the couch, however, is not a scene from one of Laura's films. Why there are multiples of it will be explained later.

Differences, such as Diane's hands in that scene, are clues to these scenes being "all mixed up".

Act 2 of this movie occurs before Act 1. So I'll begin there.

Diane is a character, a doll, a persona that has been created by Laura and stars in one of Laura's films. Laura and Diane share a unique relationship...because Diane "drives her wild". Laura really enjoys being Diane. So not only does Laura 'become' Diane to play a part in a film, she spends time with 'her' outside of it, in the white 'studio' realm...more specifically, Sierra Bonita. Laura's 'dolls' live in SB. But Diane is not immediately aware of what she is. She thinks she's real. Everyone thinks they're real. And this is why Laura is misunderstood when she tells Diane that they "shouldn't do this anymore". Laura was referring to her living in a fantasy, and spending time with her 'doll'...she's beginning to realize it's not healthy...Diane thought she was talking about him. The scene we see next, the convertible scene, is Laura's way of showing Diane what she is. A character in one of her films. The opening of the garage door (that we only hear) is like a curtain being opened and exposing this fact to Diane. Diane's 'eyes' are being opened. Diane is devastated. This scene also shows us Adam's willingness to be a major 'brown-noser'. He is pleasing the ID, and he is living the good life because of it.

"I tried to tell you this before." When Laura showed Diane what she was (with the convertible scene), I think Diane went into a state of denial. But now, on this couch, she does understand what Laura means when she says "We shouldn't do this anymore". (We just didn't see the scene where she understands. We saw her reaction the first time it took place, where she misunderstood.)

The realization that she is only a fabric of Laura's imagination, along with Laura's obvious fondness for Adam the brown-noser, becomes more than she can bear. She begins to get jealous of Adam and his good life. But she is also stubborn. And has trouble dealing with what she is. "It's not easy for me!" She has the wrong attitude, a big no-no as far as Laura's concerned. This behavior (attitude) does not please the ID...Laura. Laura pleads with her not to let it be like this. But Diane doesn't listen, and Diane's good life is becoming less and less pleasant.

The red lamp and the black phone in Diane's apartment are the 'eyes and ears' of the studio realm. The studio of 'Laura'. When calls are made to Diane, they are 'curtain calls'. The red lamp shade is like the red curtains on a stage in a theater, and it tells us the purpose of the calls to the black phone next to it. She is being asked (told) to play her part in the film.

Laura has punished Diane's 'bad attitude' by editing the film she stars in. Ed is Laura's 'screenwriter'. He writes the scripts to these films. Now, when Diane plays the scene, she's involved in some kind of situation that is 'funny' (insert Ed's saying it's a funny story) and she's now the buttt of some sick joke. This is what the cigarette butts in the ashtray symbolize. They symbolize Diane's feelings. Firstly, that Diane is just something 'used', and secondly, that she is now 'the buttt' of the joke. (BTW - buttt is spelled incorrectly on purpose, so that the forum doesn't replace it with *bleep*...lol!) Diane was further punished by being moved to Apartment 17. "Not a recommendation." "Forced, maybe." Apartment 17's walls are blue. Diane has been placed in a sort of 'blue box'. A shoddy apartment...from the looks of it, not a 'good life' at all. She is outside of the 16...the 16 reasons why Laura loves this dream place. It's the last step before 'replacement'. Being moved to Apartment 17 is a serious warning to shape up. Fix your attitude.

Diane's 'life' is now some sort of sick purgatory...and she no longer wants to be here in this dream place.

In the call from Laura that we witnessed, Diane was being 'called up' to play the scene "Diane goes to a party". And Laura's tired of waiting. But Diane is real hesitant to play the part. I don't blame her.

And humiliating Diane does not help the situation involving Diane's attitude. It makes it worse. It has been so bad that, finally, Laura halts the scene (stops the limo) and brings Diane up to the theater. "Surprise!" There is a party happening here. And Laura's actions at this 'surprise' party are a warning to Diane that she will be replaced if she doesn't fix her attitude. Laura's actions are also a reminder to Diane of what she's missing by not having the right attitude. The kiss Laura shares with both Justin and Melissa are the most hurtful. But Laura's kiss with Melissa is a clue to Diane that she's about to be replaced with Melissa if things don't change.

During the limo scene, Diane is in the film playing the scene. After halting the scene, Laura takes her hand and leads her up to the pool. The blue pool is the indication of Laura's dismay. The lights around Diane's head, in the background, indicate that she is still, at the moment, the 'star' of this film. Next, Diane follows Laura into the 'theater' of the white realm. The transition from 'outside' (the stage/silver screen) to 'inside' (the audience area) of the theater is indicated by the blur we see as Diane enters this white house.

Everyone at this party is here for one reason. To brown-nose Laura. Make her feel good. Please the ID. As I stated before, Diane is shown 'what she's missing'...and is basically being warned to change her attitude.

After this party, life has now become unbearable for Diane. Where Diane was once happy to be here (to stay), she now despises it and wants to leave. She wants out of Oz. She wants this nightmare, this 'purgatory' that Laura has placed her in, to end.

Diane comes up with a plan.

She knows that part of Laura wants it to end as well (she finally understood what Laura meant on the couch). And she uses this to her advantage.

Now that she knows what she is, she soon realizes that this means that every 'magic trick' that Laura knows, she knows, too. Movie magic. But there has to be perfect timing to carry out a plan that will fool everyone.

She has to pretend that she still wants to be here, too.

The performance at Club Silencio also has two Acts. Act 1 informs us about the art of illusion. A few tricks are shown to us. The act of disappearing in a plume of smoke is demonstrated. Betty is taught this act, and shown a few other things, while she's here. Act 1 is a lesson for Betty. Act 2 is Rebekah's rendition of 'Crying Over You'. Her act is a lesson for Laura, which will be explained later.

I bring up Club Silencio at this point because what Diane's plan entails deals with 'magic tricks'. In our mind anything is possible. And when we don't understand that what we are seeing is taking place inside someone's mind, they appear as such...magic tricks. Because everyone inside Laura's creations believe they are real, things appear like magic tricks to them as well. This is displayed best by Adam. As he watches the Cowboy disappear. And our best example would be Betty's disappearing act.

When Diane learned that she was not real, she realized that she could pull off magic tricks. Every trick that Laura knows, she knows, too. Because her existence stems from Laura. But Diane has limits. Laura can pretend to be anyone she encounters out in the real world. If she sees someone, she can 'become' that someone. A huge ocean of possibilities. Diane's 'ocean of possibilities' is limited to the world in which she exists. She can only 'be' someone who exists within the world of Laura's mind. At certain points in Act 1 Diane is pretending to be others. When she pretends to be others, she is limited to how they appeared to her. This is why Coco is wearing the same outfit, at the point she finds Laura inside AR's apartment, that she is wearing at the party. This particular Coco, that finds Laura, is Diane pretending to be Coco. (She's 'checking' Betty.) And this particular Coco is wearing that red outfit we see her in at the party...because it is the only outfit Diane ever saw her wear. The Melissa George we see in the photo looks just like the Melissa George we see at the party. Diane created that photo. And Melissa appears, in the photo, the way she appeared to Diane at the party.

Now back to Diane's plan. Diane wants out of the 'white realm'. The only way she'll be able to leave is by convincing Laura that living in the white realm, and not facing her troubles, is not a healthy way to be. Laura needs to be convinced that she needs to live in the 'real'.

But Diane can't just hide. This is Laura's mind and she has 'eyes' everywhere. (This is where Adam screwed up, but he doesn't know what he is...unlike Diane.)

And the old couple? They are a lot of things, one of which is Laura's 'casting agents'. They offer up 'people' for Laura to pretend to be. Lead roles. Picked from the 'jitterbug contest' that represents the real world. Judges. (We 'judge' with our eyes.) And if Laura wants someone to be replaced, the old couple handle this. The old couple reside in the white realm as agents the ID. They also act as Laura's mind's 'eye'. They are the 'two detectives'. Eyes.

Laura knows Diane is up to something. Diane's not answering her 'curtain call'. The notion to replace Diane is eventually set in motion. We see the old couple come after her to replace her.

Why do they exit a blue box to come after her? A blue box that was held by a bum...behind Winkie's? I'll have to explain that later when I talk about Dan.

Diane sits on the couch (in her white robe) and waits for them...staring at the blue key that she received when she was forced to move to Apartment 17 as punishment. When the old couple arrive, she puts her incredible acting skills to work...she has to fool them into thinking that she'd rather die than be removed...which is, of course, a lie. And she's gooood!

She fakes her suicide and disappears. (We do not see it, but she will be gone when the smoke clears.)

And the old couple? Well, they're a couple of big dummies. Because Diane has tricked them, and trapped them. What they thought was Diane's blue-walled apartment was really a blue box. A fake one that Joe made for her. One that can be, and will be, locked. This is why the old couple's size changes. When they were in the white, bigger 'world' they were smaller, but now that the size of their new 'world' has changed to something smaller (this blue box), they now appear larger. In other words, it's not they who change size, but the things they are in. Proportion. This trap was at the entrance to the hallway. This is why we heard a weird noise as Diane appeared from the hallway to answer the neighbor's knock. And the neighbor, as she picks up her box, seems to notice something there...

The timing had to be perfect so that Diane's tricks would not be seen. So that the events that she's faking would appear real.

Part 2:
I believe that she needed a partner-in-crime to pull this whole stunt off. I believe that her PIC is Joe, pretending to 'be' Wilkins. (Joe is a good candidate...since he has stolen the 'movie scripts', black book, from Ed...Laura's 'screenwriter'.) 'Wilkins' is obviously at Havenhurst...because Coco gives him crap. Seems he's been misbehaving lately... And he sat next to Diane at the party...sort of resembling a date...yet Diane seems to despise him. This further leads me to believe that Joe is pretending to be Wilkins.

And with Ed's script in hand Joe and Diane can rewrite the scene "Diane goes to a party" before it is played again. And since the old couple are trapped, and have not removed/replaced Diane yet, she is available to take the 'curtain call' when it comes next time.

This is where they steal 'Diane' away from Laura...making it possible for Diane to work behind the scenes (hidden) and begin the process of getting Laura to stop wanting to live in the white realm. The suicide was to fool the old couple and everyone in the white realm. This next step steals 'Diane' away from Laura.

Act 1 begins with a limo ride. We see Laura in this limo. Though we see this woman as Laura, she is actually 'in character' as Diane, playing the scene "Diane goes to a party". She is wearing 'Diane'...like a costume...in her mind.

To better explain this, I'm about to post spoilers for both Lost Highway and Identity. So if you don't want to see these spoilers, please skip them. :)

Lost Highway: [spoiler]Fred imagines the whole Pete story from his 'prison'. Fred becomes Pete. Fred picks Pete up from the Lost Highway of his mind and becomes him. Fred is Pete. Fred plays Pete even after we begin to see him as Bill Pullman again.

When Alice and Pete are in front of the car, making love in the sand, the headlights shine on them as if they are a film being shown...with the headlights making the car appear as a movie projector. And, really, they are a film. A film, fantasy, in Fred's mind. When Alice gets up and walks away from Pete, we see Pete laying in the sand with his fists clenched. This is Fred desperately holding on to the dream...the fantasy. Next we see Bill Pullman stand...and the headlights go out. Signifying that the fantasy is over. He no longer looks like Pete. But he doesn't know it yet. He still believes that he is Pete, and he still believes that he looks like Pete.

We see Mystery Man in the back seat of the car. This is symbolic of Mystery Man being behind, and controlling, the projector (the car). It is Mystery Man who shut it down and ended the fantasy.

When Fred enters the cabin looking for Alice, Mystery Man tries to snap Fred into the reality that he's not Pete. He is Fred. MM tells him that her name is Rene. And demands to know who Fred thinks he is...he asks him his name. Fred, still thinking he is Pete, runs from him. He doesn't want to face what MM is trying to tell him. Believing that he is Pete, he runs...he doesn't want to see the video MM is taping...the video that exposes the truth.

Fred believes he is Pete all the way to the point of the car chase at the end of the film. Fred is speeding down the Lost Highway with cops right behind him. He can see them in his rear view mirror. And this is what breaks Fred. Because when he looked in that mirror he saw himself, as Fred. Once the shock of seeing his own face passes, he quickly begins a new metamorphosis...he begins to become someone else.[/spoiler]

Identity: [spoiler]At the end of this film, the man who is sentenced to death believes he is John Cusack's character. He thinks he looks like him and he thinks he is him...even though we see him as he really appears, for the most part. When the doc shows him a mirror, where he sees his own face, he (as Cusack's character) demands to know what happened to his face.[/spoiler]

We see Laura Harring, but the character in that limo is 'Diane'. The 'mystery' street light that we see through the windshield is like the light of a projector, as it projects the scene we see. It is symbolic. A clue that this scene is part of a film playing out, a fantasy.

Diane and Joe re-wrote the script to this scene...which now calls for an accident. This accident involved two white cars (cars from the white realm). One (which we later see is empty) crashed into the limo and the other sped by. The one that sped by carries the character, the costume of 'Diane' away. A purse and pearl earrings remain. One of which Laura still wears.

The script was rewritten to allow her to survive the accident.

The costume, 'Diane', has been stripped from Laura by the accident. But she still believes that she appears, looks, like 'Diane'. Her instincts are to go home. And she does. (This is why AR allows her inside Havenhurst. It's her residence.)

Now that Diane is 'free' from the scene, she can move on to the next step in getting Laura to stop. Joe, her PIC, is seen speeding around, preparing, as Laura makes her way home. That blue van that speeds by Laura? Yup, that's Joe. why does it look different than the one we saw him with? I'll explain later.

To make sure that Laura (whose memory is gone, thanks to the new script) stops at her 'home' without passing it by, she is confronted by a couple. But this 'couple' is none other than Diane and Joe (or Laney and Billy?), pretending to be someone else.

The gates of Havenhurst are closed, keeping Laura out, so that other preparations can be made before she's allowed in.

When morning comes, we see AR removing luggage from the apartment. Do you see the very heavy bag the cab driver loads into the trunk? It's my belief that this is Wilkins. Removing Wilkins allows Joe to pretend to be him. Laura sneaks inside. AR grabs the keys and leaves. Laura collapses under the table. This is where we see Dan.

Dan is one of Laura's dolls. One of Laura's most uncomfortable feelings has been placed in him. The 'god-awful' feeling. He should be locked up in a blue box, but we see him at Winkie's with Herb. How did he get out of his box?

Well, I have to revisit some stuff I said earlier to explain. Diane, as we can tell from their conversation, has met with Joe before. Joe made her the blue box that trapped the old couple. He also stole Laura's skeleton key and Ed's black book. He made of copy of the blue key and returned it. The black book contains not only scripts, but addresses and phone numbers. Addresses and phone numbers of every theater that contains a blue box...the box theaters. The addresses and phone numbers are being copied into a blue book. One Laura will not recognize, but Betty will need. It's color is an indication of the info it contains.

6980 Mulholland Drive is the address of the film theater. :)

Remember that I said earlier that everyone thinks they are real. Diane is the only one who knows differently.

The meeting between Diane and Joe, that we witness, was Diane's asking him to make the 'trap' blue box and place it in her apartment. The other things have already (mostly) been completed. (We see Joe with the black book.) Joe has been told by Diane, previously, what he is (we did not witness this part)...unreal...and now she shows Joe a picture of 'the one who's doing it'...the girl. An echo of Dan's statements. (An echo of "I've tried to tell you this before" can be used here, too.) Joe tells Diane that she will see the apartment key on her coffee table when he's finished. But how did he get that key?

Joe is clumsy. His clumsiness has caused him, in the past, to be placed in Apartment 17 as punishment. He still has his key. The skeleton on this key does not mean it is a 'skeleton key'...it refers to one being 'replaced'...removed...dead...it's a sick warning...signifying what being in Apartment 17 means. Joe's further punishment was to drive around in a van that was "a little beat-up". But he managed to work his way out of 'punishment'. He was able to move out of Apartment 17 and get a nicer van. A better life.

Dan is shown in Winkie's as Diane is shown the apartment key. Dan has already been released from his box at this point. By Joe. Behind Winkie's. Joe used the blue book to locate the feeling called 'god-awful', went to that theater and stole the box. He took it behind Winkie's, unlocked it and left it there. It was discovered by a bum. Upon exiting the box, Dan saw the bum. He's been absolutely terrified ever since. He thought it was a dream. But he doesn't know he was wrong. It wasn't a dream. It was real, in this dream place world.

Now back to Dan and Herb. (Phew!) Dan tells Herb that he dreamed about this place, Winkie's. And about the man behind it. And about the one who's doing it. Etc. Herb seems to have misundersand Dan. He appears to think Dan came here to 'see if he's out there'. Dan corrects him. Dan's desire is "To get rid of this god-awful feeling." But Herb isn't listening. He takes Dan out back, and when the bum pops out from behind the wall, Dan dies. With Dan's death, Laura unexpectedly (accidentally) 'took back' the 'god-awful feeling' that she had displaced in him.

Now she can feel it.

Part 3:
Notice that the Dan scene is 'sandwiched' by Laura 'sleeping'. Laura was Herb. And she wants to know why Dan's out walking around instead of inside of his box. He had been spotted by someone.

Everyone's eyes are Laura's eyes in this world...unless you know a trick to keep her from seeing what you see. Dan was spotted by Diane. On purpose. Diane allowed Laura to 'see' everything that she saw after Joe showed her the key. Dan...and the blue key...a scene which she made look 'innocent' by saying "What's it open".

This is how Laura came to know that Dan is out wandering around...outside of his box. She went looking for him (as Joe), but couldn't find him. Joe asked around for a brunette of the wrong gender...he has a reputation for being clumsy. I think he's just a good actor. He did this on purpose.

While under the table, Laura is finally 'allowed' to find Dan. In fact, Dan found her. She's Herb. And after hearing Dan's ranting, she's clued in as to where the box, that he escaped from, is. Behind Winkie's. She takes him back there to put him back in it. But she did not know that the bum was so frightening to Dan that it would kill him.

This is an accident. But an 'on purpose' accident orchestrated by Diane and Joe. And it caused Laura to 'take back' a feeling she didn't want. It was forced on her. She can now feel 'god-awful'.

Diane creates Betty. And she creates Betty in her own image for a reason that will soon be explained. She gives Betty all of her good qualities and her 'history'. It is very important to understand that Diane and Betty are two different people...they are not the same person.

But first I need to explain that, when I&C find a new candidate for Laura to 'be', they are brought into the 'white realm' via the airport. So that it makes sense, and is more believable. Stepping through the airport doors, to the outside, is another 'transition'. A transition from 'real' to the 'white realm'. But we don't see a blur this time. Why? Because Betty did not come from 'real'. If you are wondering why the old couple didn't notice this, I'll explain it shortly. :)

Betty arrives with I&C (and note that she has blue luggage). Irene gives Betty some pretty important advice, and Irene's companion wishes her luck. They stand outside the airport conversing with Betty as Laura makes a decision as to whether she likes Betty and Betty can stay. She is the final 'judge'. We know she passed Laura's 'test' when she answers the cab driver's question of "Where to?" with 1612 Havenhurst. If Laura had disapproved, the address would have sent Betty elsewhere. To make sure Betty had one foot in the door of approval, the cab driver took Betty's bags and placed them in the trunk...the cab driver is a fake.

We see the old couple in the limo next...sharing a knee-slapping laugh. Why? Because they are fakes, too. They are Diane and Joe in disguise, pretending to be I&C. And Laura just 'bought' their 'Betty'. That's the inside joke. And notice that they follow a blue van. This blue van is a clue to who they really are.

When Betty arrives at Havenhurst, she leaves her bags in the courtyard. These blue bags contain the blue box with the real I&C that Diane trapped previously. They are temporarily disguised as dog doo...so that no one will touch them. And, it serves as a reason for 'Wilkins' to be in the courtyard 'picking them up'. And while Coco takes Betty to the apartment, Joe grabs the blue box from her luggage. I believe it is Joe who eventually places these bags on the bed.

After Coco leaves, Betty looks around and winds up in the bathroom. Here's the really important part. Because at this point Laura still believes that she looks like 'Diane'.

A note: It is my belief that David Lynch 'exposes' the real protagonist of this story with complete nakedness. Laura is completely naked, exposed, while in the shower. While she is completely naked, there is no costume...this is how she really looks. She is the protag of this story.

Betty opens the shower door. Suddenly Laura is looking at a face that she thought she was wearing. And her reaction is shock. Her eyes dart around as she wonders what the heck is going on. She is feeling that 'god-awful' feeling. And after Betty leaves the bathroom, she immediately runs to the mirror to do the 'mirror trick'.

The mirror trick is how Laura changes her 'costume', becomes someone else. She transfers images onto herself, to become them. The only thing available for transfer is a poster of Rita Hayworth (Diane's doing)...so the trick doesn't work this time. But she steals the name on the poster for the time being. Rita.

Laura joins Betty in the bedroom and hears Betty's rendition of where's she from and why she's here. It hits Laura like deja vu, and Laura reels a little from it. She knows this story. She still doesn't know what's going on. And she decides to 'sleep' to see if 'sleep' will do it. Fix what's happening.

Once again we see Laura laying down. Enter Adam and Vincenzo. They both sorta look like her don't they?

Laura is Adam. And she's basically wanting to know "What is going on here!". She has lost control of her 'film'. "It's no longer your film." Laura is also Vincenzo. Adam and Vincenzo seem to resemble Laura's inner conflict.

She takes her anger out on a limo.

But back to Betty. Betty's 'mission' (the reason she has been created) is to expose Laura to feelings she's been displacing in others, to face truths (troubles) about herself, and face the 'terrible event' that caused her to be here. To show her that it's not that bad to be in the 'real', and give her the tools which will allow her to take care of herself properly.

But Betty has enemies. People who will try to thwart her mission. These are the RHL's who do not have a scarf...the ones who are agents of the BHL. I'm going to refer to these RHL's as B-RHL's (blue red-headed ladies). The RHL's that wear a scarf represent the truth (and the 'real') and they work for the part of Laura that wants to (and knows that she should) leave the white realm. I will refer to the RHL's that wear a scarf as R-RHL's (red red-headed ladies). Cowboy, though he is male, is a R-RHL.

Betty came here to this dream place be a great actress. Not necessarily 'in the movies'. But somehow she winds up being in an audition. The set up of the audition was the work of a B-RHL. The battle has started already!

We see Betty on the phone with 'Aunt Ruth' and learn that she has to study lines until she knows them inside and out. This is our first inkling that she has an audition. It's the first that Betty hears about it, too. "Acting is reacting." It is a B-RHL, pretending to be 'Aunt Ruth'. Notice that Betty, who just said she'd rather be known as a great actress than a movie star, talks about being a 'regular movie star' during this conversation. Diane has her work cut out for her, keeping Betty in check...keeping her focused on the task at hand. Betty's already being led astray.

The B-RHL set up the audition and, upon hearing that there's a Rita in the apartment, asks Betty to call the police. Calling the police on 'Rita' will end the mission. And it did once. The first time this 'played out' Betty obeyed and called the police. Causing Diane to stop the action (shut everything down) and start over. But before she starts over, Diane makes ajustments to the 'plan'...to try and prevent a recurrence of the event that caused the failure.

To explain, the battle between the B-RHL's and the R-RHL's are the 'contest' that Bob Brooker refers to. And when he says the comment "It's not a contest", he's really speaking to Linney. Linney is an agent of the BHL...she is a B-RHL. This 'cat fight' is the 'catty' comment Linney states as she leads Betty away from her audition.

The competition between the two types of RHL's also represent the inner conflict within Laura.

Betty is at the center of this battle. The B-RHL's are successful, several times, at halting Betty's mission. Causing Diane to start over. And Diane has to start over from Act 2...to keep herself focused...by reliving the events that led her to want to leave. A 'check'. We witness many scenes from all (or most) of the failed attempts mixed in with the current one. This is why scenes will have slight differences. Such as the pillow and lighting in AR's bedroom, along with a towel that suddenly appears on the bed (after Betty opens the door and says "You're awake"). This is why the red peppers appear on AR's kitchen table. A chair appears in front of the bedroom window. These differences in the scenes are not solely found in Act 1. Because Diane chooses to 'check' herself, by going all the way back to Act 2, things are 'replayed' there as well. And we notice little scene changes. The parts she relives in Act 2 are spliced together to make it shorter...because she's anxious to get started again. And she only needs to relive the important parts, anyway. :)

Back to the audition. An audition has been set up by one of the B-RHL's. And the effect has already begun to lead Betty down the wrong path. The next time this is 'played out', a R-RHL intervenes by faxing a script to Coco, who delivers it to Betty. The script is for a 'lame scene' and she is to audition for a film 'that will never get made'. This is how the R-RHL ensures that Betty doesn't become a 'star'...get a lead role. But, once again, a B-RHL steps in and changes things. She appears as a 'special guest' at Betty's audition. Linney. Linney leads Betty to Adam's set. This causes another failure in Betty's mission. Because Adam gives the lead role to Betty. (BTW - this is what is shown to us with the jitterbug scene - Betty 'won' the contest and became the lead role.) But the R-RHL has a plan, the next time around, to halt this as well. The next time this is 'played out', a R-RHL appears to Adam, as a Cowboy, and demands that he pick the girl he was shown earlier that day. And gives him a warning if he doesn't do what he's told. He will see Cowboy one more time if he does good, and two more times if he does bad. When Betty appears at his studio, he looks back at her. Twice. When he looks back the first time he sees Betty as Cowboy. A magic trick, missed by Linney because she was being distracted at the time. Adam makes his choice and then looks back again. This time he sees Betty. Not Cowboy. Because he 'did good'. Now Betty can leave...get back to the business of Laura. There's no reason to be here because the lead role has been given to someone else. The B-RHL's attempt to foil Betty's mission with the audition finally fails.

Now I want to talk about the Beatrice Cenci painting that hangs on the wall at AR's apartment. If you are unfamiliar with this painting, Beatrice Cenci was a 16th century Italian girl who, in her early twenties, was executed for the murder of her father. A man who had sexully abused her.

The painting can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cenci.jpg

This painting resembles, and can be mistaken for, a painting called 'Girl with a Pearl Earring", found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Johannes_Vermeer_(1632-1675)_-_The_Girl_With_The_Pearl_Earring_(1665).jpg

Over something so small as a pearl earring.

Laura is connected to these paintings. But how you see her depends on your point of view. If you view her one way, from the POV where her pearl earring is missing, you will see "Beatrice Cenci". If you view her from the other POV, the view where you can see the earring that remained after the accident, you will see "Girl with a Pearl Earring".

As a side note, the identity of the girl in the painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring" is a mystery. To this day, no one has been able to determine who she was. Laura, at this point in the story, connects with this girl in that same way.

Betty chooses, for the most part, to view Laura from the side that donned the pearl earring. She is almost always on Laura's right side. It is symbolic for Betty's ability to see Laura's 'good' side. But she doesn't overlook, or totally ignore, Laura's 'troubled' side.

Part 4:
I'm going to move a little faster now...so that you can see how Betty assists Laura with her 'troubles', exposes her like a therapist would, on your own.
I want to talk about the corpse.

I believe that the corpse is a 'prop' of sorts. Left/brought by the R-RHL we see at SB. The R-RHL that Betty tells Laura she does not need to fear...or hide from. (Truth doesn't need to be feared.) And like the garage door that opened Diane's eyes earlier, the corpse opens Laura's eyes. To what she is doing and where it will lead her if she doesn't stop. When they confront the corpse, Laura feels the 'god-awful feeling' that she had previously displaced in Dan. Once again, Laura survived it. She did not collapse and die as she feared she would (as Dan did). Betty was there to catch her if she fell. Betty was her support while being 'exposed' to this feeling.

Upon their return to Havenhurst, Laura (who is still reeling from the knowledge of what she has been doing) tries once again to change herself. But Betty stops her. (She places the scissors on the blue book. It is symbolic for cutting Laura's ties with her blue boxes.) And asks Laura to let her do it. Betty's way of changing Laura is a very simple, temporary one. One that is easily removed. But it helps to make Laura more comfortable with 'being more like Betty'. We learn that Laura likes 'being' Betty and likes looking at herself. She's familiarizing herself with it by looking at herself in the mirror. The red towel is a visual signal that she is 'comfortable'.

Next, Betty works on Laura's feelings of self-worth. She invites Laura to bed to sleep. The fact that Laura says "No, it's okay" eludes to Laura's current feelings about herself. She doesn't feel worthy. But Betty tells her that it's not okay to sleep on that couch (she is worthy) and tells to get in.

I think Laura has 'trouble' with being inside of a bed. Something happened in a bed which makes it a place she doesn't want to be. It's uncomfortable for her. We saw her 'sleep' under a table, and we watched her 'sleep' on top of a bed, but not in one. The red throw that is on the bed is a visual signal to Laura that it is 'comfortable'.

We see another instance where Laura becomes 'exposed'. She removes the wig (like Betty told her she should) in front of a mirror, fluffing her hair afterwards. She's very comfortable seeing herself as she really appears in this mirror. Next, she removes her towel and enters the bed completely naked. Completely exposed. This time she's very comfortable being naked...exposed...without a costume. She's becoming more and more comfortable with being herself. And her nakedness once again exposes her as our true protag.

Betty just worked Laura through several issues Laura had, and Laura didn't even realize it. Betty's really good.

At this point I want to remind everyone that Laura created Diane, and Diane created Betty. So, in essence, Betty is Laura too. It's important. Because what happens during the love scene is this: Laura (Betty) confesses love to herself. Laura has learned how to love herself. But in the correct way. Not in the narcissistic way (like Coco sees her self - in all her living glory).

Betty is nearing the end of her mission. She's almost done.

After the love scene, Laura begins the 'Silencio' stuff. Betty tells Laura to wake. Notice that Laura is being told to wake even though her eyes are open. This is a clue to this being a 'waking' dream...not a 'sleeping' dream. Laura says "No" when Betty tells her to wake. She doesn't want to wake...not yet. "It's okay", says Betty. "No, it's not okay [to wake]."

Laura does want to wake, but she wants to go somewhere first. And she wants to go now. Betty has given Laura the tools she needs to survive in the 'real', and Laura is anxious to get started.

The love scene with Betty made Laura realize that she wants to feel certain things for Betty, but can't because they're locked away. 'Silencio' and 'No hay banda' refer to the fact that the songs that these feelings are associated with are not playing for her. They're locked up with the feeling, therefore 'there is no song'. No song played for Laura as she acted out 'love' with Betty. She can't feel love.

The locked blue boxes contain feelings and their associated songs. At the theater, the song is performed by the 'doll'...lip synced.

She wants the feeling back, and she wants to be able to hear the feeling's 'song'. And she wants them both back now.

The song we heard during the love scene was coming from Betty. It was Betty's 'Love' song. A song that was Diane's once upon a time...

As Betty and Laura get a cab, we see a sign on a post that reads 'Hollywood is hell'. A reminder to Laura that's she's doing the right thing. As they travel to the 'club' (theater) we see that Laura's view of going there is a nervous one...and Betty is nervous because she has no idea where they're going.

Laura needs to learn how to enter and exit the theater the 'correct' way. The way most people do. Betty shows her how to enter and exit the correct way. They sit in the regular audience seats instead of in the special box seat.

What happens at Club Silencio happens in two acts. Act 1 teaches Betty about the art of illusion. Betty is taught the disappearing trick. This happens while she trembles. Notice that the Magician is trembling as well. She is 'mimicking' him. And this also opens Betty's eyes to what she really is. Act 2 is Rebekah's rendition of 'Crying Over You'. This act is for Laura. From this act, Laura 'takes back' the ability to feel 'sadness and loss regarding others, especially the ones who are loved'. Exactly what the song is about. Sadness and loss related to others, not one's self. She takes it from Rebekah, within whom Laura had placed it. Because it was Rebekah's only function, to feel that feeling in Laura's place, she collapses when Laura 'takes it back'. This feeling is what 'powered' her. Like a battery in a toy.

This is why Laura wanted to come here before she 'woke'. Left the dream place. She needed to retrieve this 'feeling'.

As Rebekah's performance ends, Betty finds a blue box in her handbag. It is the feeling 'sadness and loss related to others', still locked inside. There is good reason that it was given back inside of that locked blue box instead of just put back inside of Laura. She had to 'go home' and then unlock it...and face it. Lose herself in it...swim in it...become comfortable with it. Betty was there for her as she did this. One by one. With every single box.

Many theaters were attended to gather these many blue boxes. I can imagine that this took quite a while.

With every shot we see of the blue box, the keyhole appears to 'turn'. It changes positions. This is because there are many boxes, many feelings, that Laura had to gather. Laura didn't just go to CS, she went to many 'clubs', and retrieved many boxes. At the box theaters, every performer is a singer...of a song that relates to the feeling that is there. Laura's shutting them down. Removing their batteries. Taking all of these feelings/songs back. Betty is with her during each one. We don't see every box being opened, but we get shots of several of the boxes...whose holes face different directions. Though this scene seemed to appear 'fluid' as one instance, it was actually shots from many instances of opening a blue box upon their return.

There's one more box to open.

When Diane trapped the old couple inside of a blue box, she locked up the 'two detectives'. The eyes of Laura's mind. They are in darkness. Diane could not 'kill' the old couple...Laura needs them. They are a necessary function of the mind. They have to be released. But Betty can't be around when they are released. She risks getting 'replaced'...because she looks just like Diane. And Diane will still be removed when they are released. The order was already given. And Diane knew this. She knew that when Betty succeeded at her task, Diane would be no more. A sacrifice. For Laura. Because she loves her. So before the trap box is opened, Betty must disappear and hide until after Diane is removed.

This is the blue box 'opening' that we see Betty disappear on. She uses the trick she was taught at the club. Laura is on her own now. And she's nervous to open it...and wake. But she does...and we see the blackness, that those old folks have been seeing, become Laura's blackness. Immediately Laura begins to go back to 'real'. Begins to wake. We see the transition (what some call the 'double-pump'). And then we see Laura in the 'real'...in reality. Laying on a bed. Cowboy, with a smile, says "Time to wake up, pretty girl".

Further thoughts:

The twins that we see inside of the airport are a clue. Identical twins are two separate people who look exactly the same. This is what Betty and Diane are (though not birth twins). Two separate people who look exactly the same.

The idea came to Diane during her meeting with Joe. She saw the waitress with the name tag 'Betty'. Diane had previously been served here by her twin, Diane.

At Club Silencio, there are clues to the first performance (Act 1) being strictly for Betty and the second performance (Act 2) being strictly for Laura. When the Magician addresses the audience, he speaks in English, Spanish and French. But the trembling, along with his stare, are only affecting Betty. When the MC comes out to announce Rebekah, he addresses the audience in Spanish only. It is not also translated, like the Magician did, to English and French.
*************

"Dad's best friend goes to work."

The reason the blue box is given to Betty is because it's what Laura wanted. Laura is the one who placed it there. It is a way of telling Betty that she wants her to be there with her when she opens it. She trusts Betty. She's her best friend.

An echo of the audition scene.

Another echo of the audition is also hidden within the Dan fiasco. He's wandering around after leaving his box...after he found himself 'unlocked'.

"You're still here." (I thought sleep would fix it, but I still feel you.)
"I came back. I thought that's what you wanted." (I thought you released me.)
"Nobody wants you here." (Get back in your box.)

*****************
As Adam, Laura left the meeting and took her anger out on a limo. But she didn't stop there. The scene we see next, after Betty 'check's Laura, is Joe. Laura is Joe. (This is the reason for the two-colored eyes - it shows his duality.) Laura's ticked off at Ed. What is happening has to be his fault. He wrote the script and messed it up badly. With the ability to hide what he sees from Laura (a trick he learned from Diane, a trick called 'kill the lights') he steals the book. In essence, not only do his eyes show duality as to who he is, but they also show the duality of his motive...why he's here.

He uses this same trick when he sees Laney. To please Laura, he pretends to look for a brunette (though of the wrong gender)...but he 'turned out the lights' (turns off her eyes) and keeps Laura from seeing what he does next. This is why Laney reaches into his pocket...it is a clue to us that this scene has a connection somehow to the scene with Diane and Joe at the diner - where Joe took something out of that very pocket...the blue key. The connection is the 'trick' being used. Diane and Joe both used it at the diner - hid everything until Dan. What Joe hides from Laura, during the scene with Laney, is his using Laney for something...

But the cigarette Laney takes also connects this scene to something else...to clue us in to a function of an item we find mysterious. An item where we see cigarettes.

The red lamp. "Kill the lights"...a trick that turns off Laura's ability to see. The red lamp is also Laura's 'eyes'.

BTW - Once we understand that 'kill the lights' is a magic trick, this makes the scene in the convertible much more tragic than we first thought.

It makes it just as painful for Diane as the party announcement, where we next hear crashing dishes. Because this means that Adam has been taught at least one of Laura's magic tricks. He has climbed higher on the 'good life' ladder than Diane realized/suspected.

Here goes my first edit. Lol!

It's regarding the drunk couple that Laura encounters outside Havenhurst.

The scene we see of the bum, that appears after the 'Diane and Joe at Winkies' scene, is a 'key' to unlocking 'Mulholland Drive'. It's all about 'connection'.

We connect Dan to this scene. As stated earlier, he was 'unlocked' and left back there where the bum is. This is why we see him right before we see the bum holding a blue box. This connects Dan to the bum and a blue box.

The box the bum holds has no keyhole. This connects to the 'Diane and Joe at Winkies' scene because at this point, this is the box she's hiring him to make. A 'trap' blue box. Like Diane's apartment door, it has a 'peephole' that can be opened and closed. The old couple are seen coming from this box. This connects them to being the ones trapped inside of it. Once they exit they are walking in a odd fashion and laughing. This connects them to the couple Laura encounters outside of Havenhurst, who are laughing and walking oddly.

When Laura collapses in the bushes, she collapses in a way that resembles being 'shut down'. This is because she was, in essence, shut down.

When the old couple were trapped inside of Diane's blue box, and thrown into complete darkness, this shut Laura down. The fact that we see a couple laughing and walking oddly right before she does this tells us that this is when Diane trapped the old couple. This is why Joe was seen in the blue van racing around. And heading in the direction of Sierra Bonita, I might add. He's hurrying Diane back to her apartment to be confronted by the old couple to 'fake' her suicide. The old couple are on their way, and the young (drunk) couple symbolize this event. When Diane traps them and throws them into darkness, Laura's 'mind's eye' is shut off. Turned off. Becomes black like the end of a film. "Kill the lights". She shuts down.

The light Dan talks about, half-night, is what the old couple see when the 'peephole' is opened. It is this 'peephole' that Diane uses to allow Laura to see certain things. And it was through this peephole that Diane trapped the old couple. The sound we hear, as Diane goes to the door to answer the neighbor's knock (as she leaves the hallway), sounds so much like the peephole that she opens to look out the door...because they are alike.

Diane is using the trap box to start up/shut down Laura.

Everything that is seen involving the bum (after the 'Diane and Joe' scene) is symbolic...a key.

To better explain this:

The scene with the bum holding the box, and everything that happens here, is a 'key', unlike the physical key that we just saw Joe with. It is a 'key to our understanding' of 'what's going on here'. Not things that are actually happening.

We understand by making 'connections'.

Notice that we also see red and blue light here. And smoke. The smoke is a connection to the Magician at Club Silencio...and what he does when we see it there with him. We connect this smoke with Diane...and that is how we learn 'what's going on' when we see it at Diane's. When the old couple arrive at Diane's, we're going to see smoke. And like the Magician at CS disappeared, it means she's going to disappear.

I had a revelation. It has to do with 'replays' of events after 'failures' on Betty's part to complete her mission. A flaw in my theory. If Diane faked her death (immediately after the limo scene we see with Laura - as she pretended to be 'Diane'), then how can 'Diane' still be available for the next 'curtain call'? She can't be available (she has to hide and work behind-the-scenes), therefore, she's not. Laura 'tries the next one', the next 'girl' (doll) when she wants to 'play the scene' that is 'Diane goes to a party'.

The next time Laura plays the scene, she uses her (we'll guess, and say) 'Camilla Rhodes' doll. Melissa George. (Who she uses next doesn't really matter in the whole scope of things.)

The one she 'tries next' (Melissa George) gets 'stripped' during the next re-enactment...and hauled away. When the next failure happens, Laura's 'pool' of 'girls' to 'be' is smaller. A 'girl' is now missing.

Forcing Laura to 'try the next one' when she plays the scene again. Let's guess and say...Lorraine Kesher is the next one she uses to play the scene with.

During the next re-enactment, Lorraine gets stripped from her by the accident and is hauled away. The pool just got even smaller than before.

Eventually, as Laura goes through her 'girls' to 'play the part', Laura's 'pool' dries up. She has Joe look for a girl to play the scene...on the streets. She's getting desperate now. He finds Laney. But Laney is also stripped during the next re-enactment...

Laura gets even more desperate...and starts using her 'guy' dolls to play the scene. They eventually dry up as well.

AR - "There's one more bag after that."

"The girl is still missing." - in fact, many girls 'go missing'. Guys, too.

Laura's pool and well have dried up. "I'm sure she meant 'well'."

The fountain that we see at Havenhurst is a symbol of the pool at the 'theater' on Mulholland Drive. It symbolizes the pool getting smaller.

Eventually the fountain is symbolized by a cup. A coffee cup. While the size of the cup is the new symbol of her 'pool' of choices, the color of the fluid in the cup (coffee/espresso - "Tis sh:t") symbolizes the type of people she has left to choose from. They're all 'sh:t' (quoting Luigi). Until she has no choice.

"I don't know who I am!"

This is what the SOS on Laura's coffee cup (that Diane sips from), at the party, is all about. It connects to Melissa George...which is why the kiss is shown at the same time the cup is shown. And the glance between Diane and Luigi. Another connection.

It just dawned on me that Diane's sip is also symbolic. With every sip, the contents of the cup are being depleted. It is symbolic of Diane's antics, as she slowly empties Laura's 'pool'. One sip at a time.

Laura's 'ocean of possibilities' has now been reduced to a coffee cup. That is still being further 'drained' by Diane.

Edit******

This shows David Lynch's humorous, side. When you look at the fountain at Havenhurst, at the artwork there...and what the artwork is doing. Lol!

Think of Humpty Dumpty...Laura's broken. I'll post the rhyme for those not familiar with it, starting with the one that is well known:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

And it's origin:

Humpty Dumpty sate on a wall,
Humpti Dumpti had a great fall;
Threescore men and threescore more,
Cannot place Humpty dumpty as he was before.

The problem with Humpty Dumpty is that they sent men to do the repairs. A woman was needed. (This is a joke, of course...lol.) But, on a serious note, Betty is her 'repair man'.

To sum up what I have written so far (this is an unfinished, ongoing project), Laura has displaced all of her feelings. It is not uncommon for someone who has experienced a devastating event in their life to have severe emotional problems.

I have not discovered, yet, what that event was. I may never know. It might not be what is important. Only how she reacted (by splintering herself) and how she was repaired may be what Lynch wanted to show us. "Acting is reacting."

Laura has placed her feelings inside of 'dolls'. The feelings that are uncomfortable are locked away. The ones that are comfortable are out and about, inside of dolls that she 'pretends to be'. This is how she experiences her feelings. Through her dolls.

She also hates being herself. She does not appear in the 'white realm' as herself...ever...until she is forced to. She was forced to when 'the pool dried up'. Now that she is herself, she doesn't know who she is.

Now that Laura is a blank slate and 'exposed' (with no one else to 'become'), Betty goes to work. "Dad's best friend goes to work."

Betty exposes Laura to her feelings. We witness the ones she finds the most uncomfortable. Betty convinces her to 'take them back' from the dolls, placing them where they belong. Inside of herself.

Betty is slowly putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.

The robes play an important part for the feeling 'love'. We know the robes are associated with 'love' because of the note. "We'll leave her a note."

Louise is Laura's 'intuition'. Sometimes it's wrong. But sometimes it's right.

Sometimes there's a conflict. Notice the events surrounding her visit.

"I'm not sure about this."

Betty says that they'll be careful and it will be okay. It's not too far. She promises. But Laura's not sure yet if she trusts her. She's 'on the fence', so to speak.

The conflict of Laura's intuition:
"Someone's in trouble."
"That one is in my room and she won't leave."

Louise asks Coco to get 'her' out.

The next day, Coco tells Betty that if there's trouble, get rid of it. And that she trusts Betty to sort it out.

Betty is getting rid of the trouble already. Coco's statement lets us know that Laura is beginning to trust her.

Like the comma in "Aunt Ruth's" note, a comma in Betty's statement changes the context of what is being said.

In the note on the robe, we see "Love, Aunt Ruth". This should read "Love Aunt Ruth". And this is a sort of repeat of what Irene told Betty to do, before she left the airport. "Take care of your self and be care full."

The comma that I'm referring to in one of Betty's statements to Louise tells us who she is really talking to. She is talking to Laura's 'intuition'.

How many times did we hear Betty say "I'm sorry..." to Laura when she first arrived? Many. And we hear another as Betty talks to Louise.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are. And [I'm trying to figure that out]..."

Who doesn't know who they are? Laura. Louise is a part of Laura.
***************

The reason why Coco leads Louise away is made clear the next day...during the conversation with Betty. Coco knows that sometimes 'intuition' is wrong. She's gonna give Betty a chance to 'sort it out'. A little more time will tell whether Laura's 'intuition' was right or wrong.
***********

Something that I've basically said without coming right out and saying it: Laura is Ruth. She is the Ruth that Louise has come to see.
***********

A B-RHL was in the 'ear' of Louise. Telling Louise that Betty was 'trouble'. And I think this B-RHL could also be who Louise wants out of her room. She won't leave.

An allusion to both types of RHL's.

The R-RHL sent the fax, the B-RHL has been in Louise's ear, stirring up trouble for Betty.

But Laura's robe, the next morning, shows who won the battle that went on the night before. As does Betty's.

Mr. Roque. I'm still thinking about him, but he may be a sort of counterpart to the Blue-haired Lady that sits in the 'box' theater.

He could represent the audience in general at the theater on Mulholland Drive (which would be why he's in a chair). He's broken because the film, the film that includes the scene "Diane goes to a party, is broken. While Betty does her work, the film continues to 'break' at the point of the car accident. Again and again. Therefore 'the audience' (represented by Mr. Roque) misses 'the girl' that used to play the scene out before Diane 'broke' it.

I hope that made sense. Lol! It would kinda be like seeing 'The Wizard of Oz' a hundred times. We've watched it a hundred times because we love Dorothy (Judy Garland). And by now we know how the story goes. But on the 101st time, all of a sudden, a meteor came crashing down on the party as they made their way to Oz, killing everyone but Toto. We see the film again after a supposed repair (everyone who was killed was recast), but the same accident happens. Killing everyone again.

Again and again. And, we begin to miss Judy Garland...Dorothy.

Who's in charge of this thing? Why can't it seem to get repaired correctly? In the case of the film that contains the scene 'Diane goes to a party', it appears to be Ed's fault. This is why he is 'killed' (replaced) after the 'meeting' scene.

And, we begin to miss Dorothy.

This reminded me of something that is said at the meeting:
Ray - "A recommendation."
Vincenzo - "Not a recommendation."

In TWoO, when Dorothy is 'replaced' with another actress, the film is just not the same.

Think of the phone call chain where the 'Back-of-the-head' dude says "the same".

No it's not. Like Vincenzo would say, it's not the same. :)

Mr. Roque is placing a complaint, but the Back-of-the-head guy either just ain't getting it (misunderstood) or he doesn't care. Like Herb doesn't listen to Dan, he's not listening.

He could represent the audience

The more I think about this, the more this seems to be the case. The room he is in lightens up like a theater would when a film ends. He's in a chair. There's a man wearing a red jacket standing by the exit. This man looks like a door man. And the table with the blue lamp is where the BHL would be found if she wasn't hanging out at the other theater (she's missing). The glass serves as a screen. Mr. Roque is speaking to a man behind this 'screen'. Talking to someone 'behind the scenes'.

The film is broken and he appears to want it 'shut down' because of it.
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What is 'roque'?

The answer: 'Broque' without the 'b'.

'B' being Betty, 'Broke without the Betty'.

:)