The Rice Thresher, Vol. 89, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, October 26, 2001 Page: 17 of 28
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THE RICE THRESHER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26,
2001
13
\\) iill\(11HAi MOVES!
Bewildering 'Mulholland Drive' far from a 'Straight Story'
Stephen Fell
FOR THE THRESHER
David Lynch, the king of the bi
zarre and all of its synonyms, has
always been a writer/director who
puzzles his audience.
'mulholland drive'
Rating: iriririt
(out of five)
In theaters.
A few of the films in the short
Lynch library, especially Blue Vel-
vet, stand as bewildering works of
art. If you had any doubt about
whether Lynch would return to his
peculiar style after his shockingly
orthodox yet powerful The Straight
Story, his new film Mulholland Drive
will make your head spin.
The story begins with a beautiful
amnesia victim named Rita (Laura
Harring) entering into the life of
Betty (Naomi Watts), prompting a
journey to uncover the secrets and
mysteries behind Rita's affliction.
This propels us through the world of
the weird as we observe creepy, con-
niving senior citizens, a magician, a
hilarious robbery scene of Tarantino
proportions, a home-wrecking
poolman played by achy-breaky Billy
Ray Cyrus, sexy lesbian plot twists,
a beastly caveman who inhabits the
back alleyway of a breakfast diner, a
slow-talking cowboy, a pretentious
film director (Jason Theroux) and
the incorporation of '50s nostalgia.
The list goes on.
Adding to the surrealism, Lynch
carries us through to the end with-
out ever using one word of profanity,
a difficult task for an R-rated film.
Theroux sums up the mood of the
film unfolding before him: "It's been
a strange day, and getting stranger."
The story surrounding the
completion of the film is almost as
unique as the film's plot. Mulholland
Drive was originally intended as a
television pilot, yet it never aired
because the executives at ABC
branded it too weird for general au-
diences. Deflated but not defeated,
Lynch then teamed up with Studio
Canal, a French production com-
pany, rehired the actors and added
another 45 minutes to the film. Fi-
nally unrestrained, Lynch began to
reshape his film.
As in all his films, Lynch provides
his actors with the ability to grow.
Naomi Watts gives one of the most
dynamic performances of the year.
Her characters transform them-
selves so many times in the movie
that you'll have a hard time convinc-
ing yourself that the Watts of the
beginning is the same actress later
in the film.
The cinematography often fo-
cuses on the eyes, thus mirroring
the paranoia of the characters. Weak
writing ails a few scenes, but its
inconsistency generates some awk-
wardly funny lines, specifically dur-
ing one of the lesbian love scenes.
Walking around after the end
credits, I overheard most of the au-
dience complaining of the movie's
weirdness and lack of an obvious
point. If you don't like to think or be
challenged during a film or even
days after, Mulholland Drive is defi-
nitely not for you. Also, do not take a
date to this movie unless you want to
be contemplating creepy visuals
while you're trying to turn on your
charm.
Due to the strangeness of the
experience, the movie can feel con-
descending at times, but unlike the
challenging memory-loss film Me-
mento from earlier this year, the film
never resolves. I took a friend to the
MELISSA MOSELEY/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
Betty (Naomi Watts, left) and Rita (Laura Harring) try to unravel a mystery in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive.
screening and we struggled for two
hours in strong debate over the pur-
pose, story line and structure.
I think we finally figured out much
of the complex plot and characters,
though we fell short of a complete
resolution, but that might be one of
Mulholland's strengths. It's a film
where we might never know if we
are correct in our synopsis, and at
the same time it might not even
make coherent sense, but for that
reason it will stick with you long
after your ride home.
Overall, Lynch has created a work
of art that you will take something
away from, whether intended or not.
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Pin Number: 7760
BRIDGET JONES'S
DIARY
Film: + + + + 1/2
DVD Extras: + + + +
(out of five)
If there's one movie guys should
see to understand girls better, it's
Bridget Jones's Diary.
Although it's the story of a
thirtysomething single English-
woman, the movie applies to every
woman who at some point has felt
out of place in a world full of stick-
thin supermodels and successful
relationships.
Boys, it may not be easy to watch
Bridget decide which pair of panties
to wear for a first date (a sexy thong
good for that "crucial moment" or a
granny-style, tummy-tucking pair
that might actually help attract the
man), but this movie isn't all girl-
power and fluff.
From the creators of such ro-
mantic comedies as Notting Hill and
Four Weddings and a Funeral, Bridget
Jones's Diary, based on the book by
Helen Fielding, is more comedy than
romance. Fielding got her inspira-
tion from Jane Austen's classic Pride
and Prejudice, but Bridget is more of
a dating disaster than Austen's origi-
nal heroine. Played by Renee
Zellweger {Jerry Maguire), Bridget
Jones is a woman trying to make
sense out of the crazy world of dat-
ing who succeeds only in confusing
herself even more.
Although voice-over narration
typically detracts from a movie.
Bridget's inner voice helps provide
tlu contrast needed between what
Bridget wants to do and how she
acts. She tells herself she'll stop
drinking and smoking. Then we see
her topple out of a cab dead drunk.
She makes a resolution not to date
alcoholics, workaholics, commit-
ment-phobes, "emotional fuckwits"
and perverts, but instead succeeds
in flirting with her boss, bad boy
I)aniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant, Notting
Hill), who embodies the above quali-
ties.
RENEf
ZELLWEGER
COLIN
FIRTH
HUGH
GRANT
BRIDGET JONES'S
UNCBttONFft UKWWKTTD WWWm
"TERRIFIC FUN!"
She makes the stupidest mistakes
but still holds onto her romantic ide-
als. But these very ideals (ironically
encouraged by romantic comedies)
nearly force her to overlook Mark
Darcy (Colin Firth), a nice man who
loves her "just as she is."
This movie does have its formu-
laic moments, but when it comes to
romance almost everything has al-
ready been done. The comedy is
what makes this film original. Hugh
Grant does an amazing job as the
"emotional fuckwit" bad boy. Usu-
ally cast as a confused British bloke
who falls in love easily. Grant ap-
pears to enjoy his new role as a
cursing, sex-crazed bad guy.
The I) VI.) provides many insights
into the making of the film. Sharon
Maguire, first-time director and long-
time friend of the book's author,
speaks throughout the movie in a
detailed audio commentary. If that's
not enough, there's a behind-the-
scenes featurette and seven side-
splitting deleted scenes.
Also, the DVD has the original
Bridget Jones columns published in
The Independent (a British newspa-
per) before Fielding made Bridget
into a book heroine. For fans of the
movie's soundtrack, there are two
music videos for Shelby Lynne's
"Killin' Kind" and Gabrielle's "Out
of Reach."
Bridget Jones's Diary is for any
person who has ever been confused
about a relationship, wondered why
she was dating-inept or tried to fig-
ure out why women are the way they
are. Although it's not the solution to
all your dating woes, the movie will
certainly make you laugh at Bridget's
mistakes and your own.
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When: October 28, 2001
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: St. Luke's United
Methodist Church
3471 Westheimer Road
Come experience an evening of exquisite chamber
music, ranging from Shostakovich to Medieval Chant.
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Liu, Leslie & Reichle, Robert. The Rice Thresher, Vol. 89, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, October 26, 2001, newspaper, October 26, 2001; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth443159/m1/17/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.