Mulholland Drive

The city of dreams becomes a nightmare dreamscape in what’s often described as the greatest film of the 21st century.

Betty (a revelatory Naomi Watts) is having the best day of her life. She’s just arrived in Los Angeles from a small town and is determined to make it big, just like her aunt did.

Rita (Laura Harring), however, is having her worst. After staggering away from a car accident in the Hollywood Hills with a concussion, a bag of cash and no memory of who she is, she’s found hiding in Betty’s apartment.

Driven by Betty's plucky enthusiasm, the ingénue pair set out to unlock the mystery of who Rita really is.

Curator’s note

Mulholland Drive is a miracle of a film.

Originally shot as a network TV pilot, it was shelved until Canal+ funded additional shoots to turn it into a feature film. What one might expect to become a cobbled mess, transformed into a masterpiece. Barely any of the pilot was removed, yet every scene is strangely vital.

Strange, confusing, disorientating: Mulholland Drive is proudly all of these. It’s possibly Lynch’s most dreamlike work. When the final credits roll, you might feel like you’re waking up, desperate to remember the frightening and beautiful dream you’ve just had.

Luckily, it’s unforgettable.

– Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)