A poster in another forum suggested that Bob Brooker was a therapist. This struck a nerve in me.

Bob Brooker was a therapist. You know, he kinda did act much like a therapist...staring at his pad (did he take notes?) and appearing indifferent. And, at times, kinda asinine, like Herb.

My wheels are turning again. Lol!

Therapists have many abilities and powers. Especially if they hypnotize someone. They can really mess someone up if they don't know what they're doing...and from what I understand, they can plant false memories or distort real ones. They can abuse a person, too...in many ways. And for many reasons. Just because they can (power trip). Just to get their jollies off (just plain sick). Just to take their anger out on someone (because they just found their spouse with another). Or maybe in an act of revenge...who knows.

This makes me think of Dan again...how, when he says he sees a man through a wall, he's really looking into a mirror and not recognizing himself. Was this at the hands of his therapist, Herb? Did Herb plant an idea in Dan's head that he is blonde with blue eyes?

I'm not sure Bob is the one who has screwed someone up royally, though. I don't want to get too deep into this yet, but I've said before that Ed is the only person we see killed who bleeds. He was really shot and killed? Joe and Billy both eat a hotdog at Pink's...they really talked to someone about finding a girl?

When someone is hypnotized, there is 'key' that 'wakes' them. Usually a sound...three claps, a spoken word, etc. What if the therapist also uses a 'key' to place them in a hypnotic trance?

What if the 'key' used was such a common sound that the poor person is constantly put into and taken out of a hypnotic trance? The use of a common sound was the mistake of the amateur therapist? Or someone who's not a therapist at all, but someone who's learned just enough to hypnotize someone, and playing a dirty trick? Having fun?

Hmmm...

Here's what I'm thinking right now.

I said, about a year ago, that I thought Joe and Ed were discussing films they were making. Joe's film was called "Ends Meet" and Ed's film was "My Digs". They would be porno films. Maybe even snuff films. Ed's story about a car accident is just that...a story...an idea for a film.

Doesn't the dialogue in Betty's audition seem to belong in a porno?

When I see Mr. Roque, I think of an old man who enjoys pornos. And he reminds me of the old man in 8mm who hired a crew to make a snuff film for him.

I think that people are starring in a porn film, but they are unaware of it...they think they're playing a role in something else...because the 'something else' has been planted by hypnosis. They are under hypnosis while 'playing their parts'. Or, they are, knowingly, porn stars, but unknowingly making a snuff film...possibly for Mr. Roque.

So, returning to Betty's 'audition', I think that Betty actually 'got it on' with Woody (a very porno sort of name). But what we see is how she remembers it. Because that is what was planted in her mind.

Why does Laura Harring's character lose her memory, not know who she is? Not because of the accident. It's because when the accident occurred she was in the middle of filming. Therefore, she was under hypnosis. And she still is. Under hypnosis with no identity. And no one to give the 'key' to snap her out of it.

Hypnosis and the power of suggestion

"You see Adam, there are some suggestions that are to be brought forward and I know that you said you would entertain suggestions. And that's all anybody here is asking you to do."
"What are you talking about?"
"An open mind."

Lynch's 1st clue: Pay particular attention to the beginning of the film: At least two clues are revealed before the credits

Yup. And the 2 clues are represented in the same part. A duel meaning. A duel implication.

I've mentioned before that Freud says dancing, in dreams, represents sexual intercourse. This is the first clue. Someone, before moving to the pillow, just had sex.

That someone, who just had sex, doesn't remember that they just had sex. They think that they just danced in a jitterbug contest and won. They were under hypnosis...and the jitterbug contest is what was suggested to them. The noise we hear, but can't quite make out, is the 'key' that 'snaps' this person from the trance. This is clue number 2.