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My Interpretation
Mulholland Drive is classically weird Lynch. The movie is meant to make you uncomfortable and make you think. My only complaint is that, as a stand-alone movie, it is a little weak. Fire Walk with Me was so much better because he was able to tie in threads from Twin Peaks. He was able to explore the possibilities of his symbolism in a deeper way because he could assume that his audience was already somewhat initiated into the world that he created.

What Didn't Change?
Essentially, I think that the key to Mulholland Drive lies in what didn't change when the movie split into the alternate world. Very few characters didn't change roles. Chief among them was the movie director. Why? Because he assented and carried out the wishes of the Man in the Chair (the god-like character of the movie). The only other characters that didn't change roles were direct representatives of the Man in the Chair, such as the Cowboy (seen walking in the background of the final scene.)

Religious Overtones
Lynch frequently draws upon religious (specifically Christian/Catholic) symbolism, then twists it and molds it to fit his allegory. This movie is a big religious allegory, a twisted parable of sorts. He's exploring sin, mysticism, death, life, love, etc.

Roles and Symbols
Here are some of the more obvious ones:

• The Man in the Chair - represents God. He is hidden and has representatives out in the world. The movie can be shut down or re-cast at his will.
• Homeless Guy behind Winkies - represents the Grim Reaper. As imagined by the guy at the beginning of the movie, he is the "guy doing all of these things".
• Rita and Betty - with these two characters, Lynch is using and playing with the artistic formula of good/bad, blond/brunette.
• The Director - I think that this director character the one that is at the highest level of this twisted version of reincarnation. He is in the position of believing that he is in control of his movie. He is faced with a direct choice: submit or lose everything. The cowboy advises him to 'change his attitude.' When he does, he gets to maintain his role despite a change in everyone else's roles.
• Coco/The Mother - the archetypal crone in various roles. She's wise to the world around her.
• Homosexuality - Lynch always explores the taboos of society and the most fashionable one right now is lesbianism - especially bisexual women.
• Greed, Obsession, Lust, Adultery - these are the other 'sins' that Lynch threw into the mix. They form the motivation for the actors to act.
• "Silencio - no hai banda"/Lip Synching - I think that the (overly long) scene in the theater is the 'deus ex machina' portion of the movie. She wakes from post-sex sleep to go to the theater. The blue box 'magically' appears during this time. The actors are merely lip synching. Even though the performences are moving (they cry) those are not their voices. They only act out a pre-recorded tape. This is a major clue to the overall theme.
• Blue - Anything Electric Blue has a mysical power related to reincarnation. The blue keys are different, but both lead to the changing of roles. The blue box swallows the person. The blue-haired woman who oversees the 'Silencio' scene is a mystical underworld type figure.

Want someone else's opinion on the movie? Read Eric's review

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