Shieh

Nicholas Shieh
Exercise 5 Final Draft
November 24, 2014
Mulholland Drive: the Good and Bad in Hollywood
Mulholland Drive, directed by David Lynch, begins; a purple background with
black silhouettes of young couples occupies the screen. For a few brief seconds, the
couples dance in slow motion, and the scene cuts to four different couples jitterbugging to
an upbeat song. Different couples rotate to the foreground, showing off their mastery of
the jitterbug while the other pairs dance in the background. The unseen audience
applauds and cheers, and it is clear that the opening scene is a jitterbug competition. The
dancing, applause, and competition last for one minute before a white, transparent smoke
fills the screen. The ghostly image sharpens and presents a beaming blonde woman with
short hair, along with an elderly couple, smiling into the spotlight. On the left of the
younger woman is an elderly, balding man, wearing glasses; on the right is old woman
with short, wavy hair. The image disappears, only to be replaced by the blonde woman,
the star and winner of the competition, waltzing up to the foreground. She bursts with
excitement and pride as the light shines on her, while the audience grows louder in their
applause. The music ends abruptly, but the cheering and whistling linger, and the crowd
chants Betty. The camera fades to a bedroom and heavy breathing is heard. The blurry
outline of the smoke appears again, and the camera shifts towards the red satin bed
sheets, eventually pausing at a close-up of the pillow. The camera zooms in, fading into
blackness.

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The film continues, in which the jitterbug winner, Diane Selewyn, played by
Naomi Watts, moves to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. Jealous of her friends
success and love relationship with a film director, Diane orders a hit man to kill Camilla
Rhodes, played by Laura Harring. Traumatized by the murder, Diane enters a dream-like
state, in which she plays the role of Betty Elms, a successful aspiring actor in Hollywood.
In the dream, Betty befriends Rita, a survivor of an attempted murder, and the two of
them embark on a journey to discover Ritas identity.
At first glance, the opening scene entails a snippet of Dianes stardom and
personality. Upon closer examination, the jitterbug scene sets the stage for the
overarching paradox in the film: that Hollywood, a city known for its fame and success,
can also lead to failure and disappointment. The spotlight, the applause, and the
celebration in the scene parallel the preconceived notions of Hollywood Diane has,
particularly its glamorous lifestyle, wealth, and stardom. The glimmer of satisfaction and
content in Dianes eyes after the competition prompts her career as an actress. Wishing to
experience those very same elated emotions, Diane truly believes she can succeed in
Hollywood. She wants to celebrate her success as she did with the old couple, but on the
big screen in the big city. These expectations and past experiences culminate in the
idealized and dream version of Diane, who is portrayed as Betty, a successful and
talented actress.
Lynch creates an impactful first impression of the female protagonist with the
jitterbug scene. Here, the viewer catches glimpses of the couples sophisticated twirls,
spins, and dance moves. The competition is top-notch and fast-paced, and a star emerges.
Already, Lynch hints at the notion of stardom and acclaim, particularly for our blonde

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character. The cheering of Bettys name as the jitterbug scene fades away imprints a
strong impression in the viewer that this is a tale about an upcoming star.
As a continuation of the beginning scene, this motif of stardom for Betty is
repeated throughout the film. Betty arrives at Los Angeles with the old couple, in awe of
the great city, while the camera pans over the majestic Hollywood sign and the city
landscape. Optimistic and chirpy, Betty looks forward to her new start as a potential,
successful actress. She thanks the old couple for their kindness and friendship, and the
elderly woman says to Betty: Ill be watching for you on the big screen. The couple
believes in Bettys ability to succeed, as she does in the dance competition. In the past
two scenes, Lynch portrays Betty as a striving, ambitious lady, capable of excelling in the
acting industry.
Predictably, Betty excels in Hollywood. In just her first audition, she puts on a
stellar and passionate performance, acting intimately with the male lead role. The casting
team is stunned for a few seconds before applauding her performance. Betty receives
glowing appraisals as the director tells her it was extraordinary. Other casting agents
attempt to steal her and recruit her to other movies as well. Betty lands her first major
role in Hollywood on her first try, and she is scouted by casting agents for other roles.
With her immediate success after moving to Los Angeles, one can assume that Bettys
future is that of a celebrity actress. This start of acclaim parallels the pride and euphoria
Betty feels when she wins the jitterbug competition. This is what Diane expects of
Hollywood and her future, acting career multiple, star roles and a dazzling ability to
perform.

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Not only is Betty successful in her acting career but she also has the woman of her
dreams. Betty takes in Rita and the two of them grow closer together. Glimpses of
intimacy and love between them are shown through body language and eye contact. One
night, the two of them share a passionate kiss, Betty tells Rita, Im in love with you.
They spend the night together, embraced in the arms of each other. From Bettys romantic
relationship to her debut in Hollywood, everything seems to fall in place for the actress.
Lynch stages the first two-thirds of the movie on Betty, the idealized and dream
version of Diane. In reality, Diane is a failing actress in Hollywood. Diane is first seen
when she awakes from her dream, disoriented and frustrated from the knocking at the
door. Her neighbor comes seeking her lamp and dishes, while remarking come on Diane,
its been three weeks. There is something peculiar about Diane, who seems to be an
antithesis of Betty. First is Dianes unkempt, ragged appearance, a stark contrast to that of
Betty. In addition, the neighbors comment is the first negative remark one that our
female protagonist has ever received. While Betty has only been surrounded by
compliments and a supportive cast, the first impression of Diane the viewer receives is
negative.
Though the same actress plays Diane and Betty, the portrayal of the two
characters is different. Betty is optimistic and chirpy, while Diane is slow and sluggish.
Betty is eager for new opportunities, always striving towards her goal. Dianes body
language resembles that of a diffident person; she lacks motivation and confidence, as if
she is burnt out by Hollywood. Her apartment is dirty and unorganized, a shack compared
to Bettys apartment.

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Furthermore, Diane seems to have no success at all in the acting industry. She has
no noteworthy films to speak of. To support herself financially, Diane is a waitress at a
diner, which indicates that Diane does not make enough money from acting. The only
success one hears about Diane is during a dinner party, where she tells everyone: I won
this jitterbug competition. That sort of led to acting. You know, wanting to act. From
Dianes tale, one can infer that Diane does not have any recent accomplishments. She still
clings on to her past self, a time when she truly felt like a star and winner. Diane herself
corrects her statement of led to acting to wanting to act. In this sense, Diane knows
she is a failure; she does not feel adequate enough to call herself a true actress. Diane
even loses the main role for a movie to her friend and competitor, Camilla. Diane
wanted the lead so bad, but in the end, Camilla got the part. Ever since, Diane has
relied on Camilla for getting small parts in various films she stars in. Thus, the roles
Diane receives are not of her own doing, but of Camillas doing.
Diane is not only rejected from Hollywood but she is also rejected from her lover
and friend, Camilla. Once a secretive, love affair between Diane and Camilla, their
relationship falters after Camilla warns Diane that we shouldnt to this anymore. The
love turns out to unrequited, and Diane becomes jealous her relationship with Adam, the
film director. Camilla and Adam share glances and kisses during the dinner party, while
Diane looks on. Diane glares at the two of them throughout the scene, but tears up when a
blonde woman walks up to Camilla and passionately kisses her on the lips. Though Diane
has strong feelings
From the first moments of the film to when Diane wakes up from her dream,
Lynch portrays the female protagonist as a young Hollywood talent. By showcasing

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Bettys talent and accomplishments in the beginning of the film, we as viewers are
deceived into believing that her success from the jitterbug competition carries on into her
future acting career. The opening scene imprints Dianes stardom into the viewers mind,
while setting forth the notion that Diane is a soon-to-be movie star. On a deeper level, the
story of Betty serves to lay the foundation for the paradox of Hollywood.
Though Hollywood is known for its output of fame and wealth, something must
be said of the citys negative characteristics. Here, Lynch argues that Hollywood might
not be as glamorous and luxurious as one would think. In the idealistic and fantasized
world, Betty is successful in all aspects of her life; however, the stark reality is that Diane
is foundering underneath her failures. By mixing these two components of the film,
Lynch creates a paradoxical view of Hollywood, that the city can both be good and bad.
He does so by first tricking the viewer into thinking Betty is a real character. She
represents the glamorous side of Hollywood and its possibilities for fame and wealth.
When Diane awakes from her dream, the contrast in setting is immediate. The uplifting
music, bright imagery, and air of optimism no longer appear, instead replaced by the dull
colors, somber music, and pessimistic atmosphere. The switch from fantasy to reality is
so sudden that one is left confused in the narrative structure of the film. In these very
moments, Lynch formulates and unveils the paradox of Hollywood through the
transformation from Betty to Diane. By the time the viewer notices and comprehends
Lynchs methodologies behind the dual persona, the message and paradox has already
been established.
The portrayal of Diane and her idealized self propels Lynchs representation of
Hollywood. The film at first engraves Betty in the viewers mind, but then surprises us

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with Diane, a polar opposite of Betty. While Betty resembles everything that is in
accordance with Hollywood, Diane resembles everything that is not. Thus, Lynch
masterfully crafts the narrative structure of the film around these two distinct, yet familiar
characters, while shedding light on the good and bad of Hollywood.
Works Cited
Mulholland Dr. Dr. David Lynch. Perf. Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Laura Elena
Harring, Ann Miller, and Robert Forster. 2001. Universal, 2002. DVD.