AP Analysis of Mullholland Dr. (David Lynch, 2001)

Mulholland Drive

Genre

• This film belongs to the genre of thriller and the sub-genre of psychological thriller. 
• The film as a whole follows the generic conventions of a psychological thriller film, for example, Mulholland Dr. is focused more on conflict of the mind rather than physical conflict which is more prevalent in other sub-genres of thriller. 

• The opening sequence of Mulholland Dr. is the 'psychedelic' dancing of a Jitterbug contest that the main character Diane supposedly won. However,  the audience's minds then start to wonder if there is something more sinister behind this apparently cheery opening with the juxtaposition of the dancing with the disorientation in the bedroom. 

• I think that this opening fulfils the audience's generic expectations of a psychological thriller opening sequence because it connotes a feeling of confusion and seeing as this open gets the audience thinking it is playing with their minds. 

Film Language

• Examples of mise-en-scene are the bed and dark red sheets at the end of the sequence which has negative connotations. The colour red links to blood and the crumpled and creased sheets shown when panning across them after Diane's dream suggests signs of restlessness and unease.
• In addition to this, the blurred POV shot after the dance sequence connotes a sense of confusion, as does the diegetic heavy breathing heard at the same time. This makes the dance sequence appear as if it were a dream.
• The main part of the sequence (the dancers) is shot in MLS with no camera movement, which allows the audience to focus on the strange dancers that appear to 'flow' through each other like ghosts.
  
• Another image then gradually fades in to reveal a picture of three people smiling and looking happy. This image is whitewashed and contrasts against the bold blue original background.
• Diane (the main character) is shown in the image above over the contest, smiling as if she has won it and therefore establishes our main character even if to the audience it does not appear to be obvious.
  
• The music played over this sequence reflects the mood of the dance sequence. It is upbeat and fast-paced. However, this is then juxtaposed with silence and heavy breathing when the scene changes.

Narrative

• The audience are positioned with whoever is witnessing or dreaming the dancing. This is particularly evident after the sequence when we appear to wake-up disorientated. The heavy breathing and handicam are used to position us with this character and make us active in our viewing of the film because we start to develop our own ideas about what is going on.
• Major themes of this narrative include happiness which is then contrasted with disorientation.