Directed by: David Lynch
Starring: Naomi Watts, Ann Miller, Laura Harring, Dan Hedaya, Justin Theroux, Brent Briscoe, Robert Forster, Katharine Towne, Lee Grant
Ratings:
Gross~ Perfect 3 out of 3 (Genius)
Subtle~ Perfect 6 out of 6 (Genius)
Causal~ Perfect 9 out of 9 (Genius)
Review:
This is a profoundly significant movie. The entire film is one moment as it occurs in the Bardo, and what we view is the history and karma of one soul burned away by radiating agents as it is 'dunked' in between lives. The purification is conducted through the identity (seemingly) being fractured / parsed into different characters which are then experienced as "others", and through their dramatic inter-action the necessary spiritual cleansing is achieved. However, as the figures are aspects of one self, compound parts of a whole, the film is not only an expert portrayal of the enigmatic process of transfiguration, but a brilliant metaphor for what the Absolute experiences in the moment-to-moment unfolding of all phenomena, AKA: the Universe. The irony is, since film is a medium which requires sequence, the director must stretch out what is actually an instant (or an atemporal 'event') to make the work accommodate human faculties. The result- Mulholland Drive- is an almost unparalleled achievement in cinema, and required viewing for any dedicated practioner. Beyond being one of the great mandalas of the 20th century, Mulholland is a sobering reminder that without serious, lifelong meditation practice our soul will just pass out at death, forfeiting our usefulness to all beings / caving on our vow to Love.
