Whaddaya mean, "We don't know about the box"?

Readers deliver a dizzying spectrum of interpretations of the mysterious goings-on in David Lynch's sexy, scintillating "Mulholland Drive."

Oct 26, 2001 |

The article "Everything you wanted to know about 'Mulholland Drive,'" by Bill Wyman, Max Garrone and Andy Klein, generated a big batch of letters, as viewers tried to piece together the sensational film's puzzles against the interpretation provided in the story. A sampling is below, in which persuasive and provocative new interpretations of the film alternate with ... rather more far-fetched ones.

The original article, incidentally, has been revised and updated. Readers are warned that major plot points of the film are discussed in detail in the letters below.

The writers wish it noted that the remark, oft-disparaged by readers who wrote in, to the effect that "We don't know about the box" was a joke. The box was discussed in the subsequent question.

The original stories:

Everything you wanted to know about "Mulholland Drive"
The scary cowboy! The mysterious box! All that sex! We answer all your questions about David Lynch's latest outrage -- the weirdest movie of the year.
By Bill Wyman, Max Garrone and Andy Klein

"Mulholland Drive" -- Salon's original review
The ultraweird director's horrorshow look at Hollywood has a malevolent movie industry, debauched actresses and lots and lots of steamy lesbian sex.
By Stephanie Zacharek

The letters:

Bill Wyman, Max Garrone and Andy Klein do a good job of explaining David Lynch's great new film, but they leave a few blanks that I think I can fill in.

First off, the writers say they "don't know about the box." The box in Diane's fantasy (or delusion, or hallucination) is based on the blue key that the hit man leaves for her to tell her he's done the job and killed Camilla. When she asks him what it opens, he laughs (probably because it doesn't open anything and he thinks it's a stupid question, but she piles on the portent in her fevered state). As she has done with countless other things in her fantasy, Diane turns something of grave discomfort for her into a mysterious, almost supernatural thing that is loaded with menace but has nothing at all to do with her killing her ex-girlfriend (the avoidance or denial of which motivates the whole thing). And yes, the locked box ends up representing the concealed truth and reality of things.

The "monster" from the dream-within-a-dream shows up a third time: the neighbor who comes by muttering about someone's being in trouble at least looks a lot like a cleaned-up version of that nightmare vision, and I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that it was the same actor.

Finally, it's a mistake to say that the old couple may be Diane's parents. It is clear from that first scene that they are strangers she only just met on the plane, which is important because it is our first indication that her sunny reality is somehow askew. They are the main representatives of her fantasy of innocence: nice old people immediately recognize this perfect Betty as a sweet, innocent girl and wax grandparental.

-- Alexander Rubens

Thank god Bill, Max and Andy explained "Mulholland Drive" to me because when I saw it, I thought I didn't like it. Now I see I just wasn't doing my homework. It was my job to infer the deep and meaningful symbolism inherent in evil lesbians, powerful cowboys and tiny old people, therefore coming to the now embarrassingly obvious conclusion that it was all a dream.

Of course! It must be a dream if bad dialogue is being delivered badly! It must be a dream when one plodding, soul-sucking scene has nothing to do with the next. You especially know it's a dream when the dreamer lets her lesbian lover have her own dream during it! That makes it perfectly clear. Now "Mulholland Drive" is my favorite movie of all time because I realize the director actually factored me, the viewer, into its plot! I was supposed to provide it! Thanks, Mr. Lynch. You make me feel smart.

-- Karen Kilgariff

Wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your explanation of "Mulholland Drive" if for nothing else but you actually came extremely close to my interpretation. After hours of debate with friends, it's good to see that I'm not necessarily crazy.

One thing that is clear to me though is the significance of the mobsters. I believe that they are really a red herring in the story. In Diane's warped mind her rationalization of how somebody with her talent can be denied recognition in Hollywood is the evil influence of this ominous organization working behind the scenes. She has to blame somebody.

I'm going to see it again this weekend to try to work out some other issues.

I've got issues!

-- Bruce Bridges

OK, so what about the box?

The blue box glows just like television, especially in the demon's hands as he turns it in the light. What if the blue box, the box that contains the narrative of Diane's masturbatory fantasy, is a television container that shows us what it was that ABC-TV wanted from Lynch? Or, on a less literal level, television as a happier, revised story, as opposed to the darker provenances of the movies (the scary opening video-type stuff reinforces this divide).

-- Josephine Park

"Rosebud"

-- W. Knoll

This movie was the most fun I've had at the cinema for a long time; the article was a perfect complement.

However, I believe Diane becomes the homeless person in the alley behind Winky's Diner -- a metaphorical death.

As for the "box" it is a reference to the feminine belief that "no man can do us like we do ourselves!" The sex is what made Diane crazy.

-- Madeline Pinelli

Next Page: What about Diane's neighbor?

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