Visualization

For my visualization I decided to make a poster inspired by Diane’s mental state in Mulholland Drive and the forces which influence her to create an idealized version of herself inside a dream. The film is thematically interested in questions about identity construction, particularly the role that Hollywood and its films play a role in the construction of an idealized self. Because of this, it felt apt to base my visualization on a poster that appears in the film: Gilda. This is the poster that Rita sees in Betty’s apartment and chooses to base her identity on. This moment serves as a literalization of Hollywood as a means of creating one’s identity.

In my version of the poster, there is a tear toward the center. Revealed by the tear is an image of Betty that has been ripped apart, revealing an image of Diane underneath. The Gilda poster represents the Hollywood system, promoting a standard of beauty and success. The image of Betty underneath is thus based on this ideal. It is Diane’s projection of herself based on the Hollywood system. The final image of Diane represents what happens when Diane’s idealized Hollywood persona is no longer sustainable. Her mind, like each layer of the poster, collapses in on itself, tearing itself apart until all the layers have been removed and ultimately revealing her sad reality—far from the glamorized life promoted by stars like Rita Hayworth (or Camilla Rhodes). Furthermore, depicting the poster as the top layer of a broader portrait of hopes of fame and broken dreams suggests that the very structure of Hollywood depends on the illusions it perpetuates.