Roger Lathbury

Still as relevant as a cautionary tale in 2021 as it was when it first came out over a decade ago. Damning about many figures who are still operating the system that was so corrupt in the 2008 crisis.

If it has a point, it's to show the relativism of values, but I don't think it has a point. Consequently, it is innocent in its offensiveness. No one gets hurt. It's all fluff. I laughed and laughed.

In the classical tradition, thanks to Aristotle, a play, story, poem, novel, or (anachronistically) film is supposed to make its most forceful impact through unity—of plot, time, place, and thematic concern. Well, fuggedaboutit. The unifying aspect of "Mulholland Drive" is atmosphere: sustained heavy menace. It keeps the viewer almost mesmerized. Twenty minutes in, one realizes that the tantalizing connections, the clever references to other films ("Sunset Boulevard," "Persona," "The Godfather," others), and surreal character interchangeabilities must be enjoyed for their own sake, in that moment. This is "Laura" written by Laurence Sterne and Jorge Luis Borges. The film crescendos to a satisfactorily horrific climax. One is 80% satisfied—emotionally complete and mentally teased.

I loved the trip back to the past and reveled in many of the period details, especially the aluminum ice cube tray with a lever to release the cubes. A cavil: if that is a first edition of "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" Sharon Tate buys for Roman Polanski, it must be an American first since the British one is in three volumes. Notwithstanding that it is not an extremely rare book, she shouldn't carry it without some protection, such as, say, a bag!