there a sign on the lose highway that say representmajor spoiler ahead ( but you already know that and do not you . ) since there a great deal of people that apparently do not get the point of this movie and i would like to contribute my interpretation of why the plot make perfect sense . a others have point out and one single viewing of this movie be not sufficient . if you have the dvd of md and you can cheat by look at david lynch top 10 hint to unlock md ( but only upon second or third viewing and please . ) while ) first of all and mulholland drive be downright brilliant . a masterpiece . this be the kind of movie that refuse to leave your head . not often be the comment on the dvds very accurate and but vogue it get inside your head and stay there really hit the mark . david lynch deserves praise for create a movie that not only have a beautifully stylish look to it cinematography wise and have great act ( esp . naomi watt ) and a haunting soundtrack by badalamenti and and a very dream like quality to it but on top of it all it also manage to involve the viewer in such a way that few movie have before . ( after all and when be the last time you saw a movie that just wouldn not leave your mind and that everyone felt compel to talk and write about and regardless of whether they like it or hat it . ) allright and enough about all that and it time to justify those statement . most people that have go through some effort to try to piece the plot together will have come to the conclusion that the first half of the picture be an illusion or a dream sequence . of course and that too bad for all those try to make sense of the movie by expect traditional method in which the story be lay out in a timely and logic and linear manner for the viewer . but for those expect that and i urge you to check the name of the director and come back again . while ) md be the story of the sad demise of diane selwyn and a wannabe actor who be hopelessly in love with another actor and camilla rowles . due to diane lack of talent and she be constantly struggle to advance her career and and feel she fail to deliver on her own and her parent expectation . upon realize that camilla will never be hers ( c. becomes engage with adam kesher and the director ) and she hire a hitman to get rid of her and and subsequently have to deal with the guilt that it produce . the movie first start off with what may seem a a strange opening for this kind of thriller while which be some 50 dance or jitterbug contest and in which we can see the main character betty give a great performance . we also see an elderly couple ( which we will see twice more throughout the movie ) together with her and and applaud her . no and wait . this be what most people see the first time they view it . there actually another very significant fact that be give before the credit the camera move into an object ( although blurry ) and the scene quickly fade out . if you look closely and the object be actually a pillow and revealing that what follow be a dream . the main character see in the first half of the movie representbetty represent diane selwyn imaginary self and use in the first half of the movie that constitute the dream sequence a positive portrayal of a successful and aspiring young actor ( the complete opposite of diane ) . betty be choose a the name a that be the real name of the waitress at winkies . notice that in the dream version and the waitress name be diane . rita represent the fantasy version of camilla rhodes that and through diane dream and and with the help of an imaginary car accident and be turn into an amnesiac . this make her vulnerable and dependent on diane love . she be then conveniently place in betty or diane aunt luxurious home which betty have be allow to stay in . coco represent in real life and adam mother . in the dream part and the woman in charge of the apartment complex that betty stay in . she mainly a strong authority figure and a can be witness in both part of the film . adam represent the director . we know from the second half that he get engage with camilla . his sole purpose for be in the first half of the movie be only to serve a a punching bag for betty or diane and since she develop such hatred towards him . aunt ruth represent diane real aunt and but instead of be out of town and she be actually dead . diane inherit the money leave by her aunt and use that to pay for camilla murder . mr. roach represent a typical lynchian character . not real while appear only in diane dream sequence . he a mysterious and influential person that control the chain of event in the dream from his wheelchair . he serve much of the same function a the backwards talk dwarf ( which he also play ) in twin peak . the hitman represent the person that murder camilla . this character be basically the same in both part of the movie and although render in a slightly more goofy fashion in the dream sequence ( more on that below ) . now and have establish the various version of the character in the movie and we can begin to delve into the plot . of course i will not go into every little detail ( neither will i lay it out chronologically ) and but i will try to explain some of the important scene and in relation to lynch hint sheet . a i mention above and camilla be re produce a an amnesiac through her improbable survival of a car accident in the first 10 minute of the movie and which leave her completely vulnerable . what i find very intrigue with md and be that lynch constantly give hint on what be real and what isn not . i have already mention the camera move into the pillow and but notice how there two car rid in each lane approach the limo . only one of the car actually hit the limo while what about the other . even if they stay clear of the accident themselves and wouldn not they try to help the others and or at least call for help . my theory be that and since this be a dream and the presence of the other car be just set aside and and forget about . since and a rogert ebert so eloquently put it like real dream and it do not explain and do not complete it sequence and lingers over what it find fascinating and dismiss unpromising plotlines . shortly after rita crawl down from the crash site at mulholland dr. and and make her way down the hillside and sneak into aunt ruth apartment and betty arrives and we see this creepy old couple drive away and star ghoulishly at each other and grin at themselves and the camera . this be the first indication that what be see be a nightmare . although the old couple seem to be unfamiliar to betty and i think theyre actually her parent ( since they be applaud her at the jitterbug contest ) . perhaps she do not know them all that well and and do not really have as good a relationship with them a she want and so the couple be show a very pleasant and helpful to her in the dream . they also represent her feeling of guilt from the murder and and diane sense of unfulfillment regard her unachieved goal in her life . a rather long and hilarious scene be the one involve the hitman . diane apparently see him a the major force behind the campaign try to pressure the director to accept camilla part in the movie ( from adam party in the second half of the movie ) and and he therefore occupy a major part of her dream . because of her feeling of guilt and remorse towards the murder of camilla and a part of her want him to miss and so she turn him into a dumb criminal . this scene and i think and be also lynch attempt at totally screw his audience over and since theyre give a false pretence in which to view the movie . get ta love that something just bite me bad line and though . positive . the next interesting scene be the one with the two person at twinkie and who be have a conversation about how one of them keep have this recur nightmare involve a man which be see by him through a wall outside of the diner that theyre sit in . after a little talk and they head outside and keep walk toward the corner of a fence and accompany of course by excellent music match the mood of the scene . when reach the corner and a bum like character with a disfigured face appear out from behind the corner and scar the living crap out of the man have the nightmare . this nightmare exist only in diane mind while she saw that guy in the diner when pay for the murder . so and in short and her obessions translate into that poor guy nightmare . the bum also signify diane evil side and a can be witness later in the movie . the cowboy constitutes ( along with the dwarf ) one of the strange character that be always present in the lynchian landscape diane only saw him for a short while at adam party and but just like our own dream can award insignificant person that we hardly know a major part in our dream and so can he be award an important part in her dream . we be also give further clue during his scene that what be see be not real ( his sudden disappearance and etc . ) the cowboy be also use a a tool to mock the director and when he meet up with him at the odd location ( the light here give a clear indication that this be part of a dream ) . also notice how he say that he will appear one more time if he ( adam ) do good and or two more time if he do bad . throughout the movie he appear two more time and indicate to diane that she do bad . he be also the one to wake her up to reality ( that scene be probably an illusion make to fit into her requirement of him appear twice ) and and shortly thereafter she commit suicide . the espresso scene with the castigliane brother ( where we can see badalamenti and the composer and a luigi ) be probably a result of the fact that diane be have an espresso just before camilla and adam make their announcement at adam party in the second half . it could at the same time also be a statement from lynch . during the scene in which they enter diane apartment and the body lie in the bed be camilla and but notice how she assume diane sleep position while diane be see herself in her own dream and but the face be not hers and although it have the same wound on the face a diane would have after shoot herself . this scene be also fill with some genuine lynchian creepiness . since diane do not know where ( or when ) the hitman would get to camilla and finish her off and she just put her into her own home . in real life and diane audition for the movie part be bad . in her dream and she deliver a perfect audition leave the whole crew ecstatic about her performance . also interest be the fact that the money that in real life be use to pay for camilla murder now appear in rita or camilla purse . this be part of diane undoing of her terrible act by effectively be give the money back and a the murder now hasn not take place . when her neighbor arrive to get her piano shape ashtray and another hint be give while she take the ashtray from her table and leaf and yet later when camilla and betty have their encounter on the couch and we see the ashtray appear again when the camera pan over the table and suggest that betty encounter with the neighbor be a fantasy . the catch phrase of the movie adam be audition actress for be she be the girl while which be the exact same word that diane us when give the hitman camilla photo resume . the blue box and the key represent the major turn point in the movie and and be where the true identity of the character be reveal . there much symbolism go on here while the box may represent diane future ( it empty ) and or it may be a sort of a pandora box ( the hitman laugh when she ask him what the key will open ) . either way and it be connect to the murder by mean of the blue key ( which be place next to her after the murder have take place ) . the box be also see at the end of the movie in the hand of the disfigured bum . club silencio be a neat little addition to far remind the viewer that what s or he be view be not real . it also signify that diane be about to wake up to her reality ( her reality be a nightmare that she be unable to escape from and even in her dream ) . during the chill scene at the end where the creepy old couple reappear and diane be torment in such a way that she see suicide a the only way out in order to escape the scream and to avoid be haunt by her fear . anyway and that be my $ 0 . 02. hope this could help people from bash out at this movie and call it the bad movie ever or something to that effect and without realize the plot . a usual and lynch be all about create irrational fear and and he certainly achieve that with this picture as well . positive .