Lost Souls in the City of Dreams: Angelo Badalamenti’s Love Theme and the Fragile Illusions of Mulholland Drive

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Michael Garcia Mujica

"Currer Bell is neither man nor woman, but an abstract thing, an artist."

• Michael Garcia Mujica, Lead Educator in Arts and Film History.

Echoing the sentiment about Charlotte Brontë's pseudonymous voice, Michael lends his expertise not only as a writer and visual artist but also as a Lead Educator in arts and film history. Based in Coral Gables, Florida, he is the principal of Vintage Brooks, Inc., where he passionately revitalizes the legacy of silent film star Louise Brooks. His acclaimed blog, Naked on My Goat, serves as a living tribute to Brooks's enduring influence in film, her profound writing, and her broad appreciation for the arts.

Just as Brontë made an indelible mark in literature despite the societal constraints of her time, Michael accentuates Brooks's trailblazing spirit within the film industry. In his role, he ensures that Brooks's iconic voice continues to resonate within the cultural lexicon of the 21st century, celebrating the intricate victories of women in the arts, both past and present.

Explore more about the abstract persona of Charlotte Brontë in Michael's piece, "The Abstract Persona: Understanding Charlotte Brontë's Pseudonymous Journey as Currer Bell."

“I am satisfied that if a book is a good one, it is so whatever the sex of the author may be. All novels are or should be written for both men and women to read, and I am at a loss to conceive how a man should permit himself to write anything that would be really disgraceful to a woman, or why a woman should be censured for writing anything that would be proper and becoming for a man.”

• Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

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Latest posts by Michael Garcia Mujica (see all)

• Ctrl+Alt+LULU: A Tribute to Louise Brooks - November 20, 2024
• Louise Brooks: A Muse of Shadows and Light - November 14, 2024
• Lost Souls in the City of Dreams: Angelo Badalamenti’s Love Theme and the Fragile Illusions of Mulholland Drive - September 1, 2024

🌌 Spoiler Alert: Welcome to Mulholland Drive 🌌

Proceed with caution—what follows is a journey through surreal twists and enigmatic revelations. Enter if you dare.

Table of Contents

Against the cold, melancholic blue of the iconic Mulholland Dr. street-sign, where Los Angeles sprawls out beneath a sky full of unanswered promises, the late Angelo Badalamenti’s “Main Title Theme” emerges—a haunting melody that captures the essence of a love story unraveling in the city of dreams. This piece of music, like a ghostly whisper carried on the winds of Hollywood, embodies the tension between aspiration and disillusionment, persisting as a somber dirge in the hearts of those who dare to listen. This piece of music, understated yet profound, serves as a thread binding David Lynch’s mysterious construct of shattered dreams, fractured identities, and the cruel illusions of Hollywood.

The Silent Cry of the Dreamer

There is a certain irony in how Badalamenti’s score weaves through the scenes of Mulholland Drive. It is a lullaby for the damned, a serenade for lost souls wandering the purgatorial streets of Los Angeles, where reality and fantasy blur into an indistinguishable haze. The music unfolds slowly, almost cautiously, as if it, too, is hesitant to confront the truth it must reveal.

The melody is heartbreakingly simple, yet within its simplicity lies a world of complexity. It begins with a solitary piano, its notes like drops of rain on a deserted street. There is a sense of isolation, a solitary figure standing on the edge of a precipice, gazing into the abyss of their own existence. This is the cry of the dreamer—Betty Elms, or perhaps Diane Selwyn—whoever she may truly be. She is a woman lost in the wilderness of her own mind, clutching at the fading remnants of a dream that has long since turned into a nightmare.

Hollywood: The Land of Broken Promises

As the strings begin to swell, there is an unmistakable undercurrent of longing—a desperate, aching need for something just out of reach. This is the essence of Hollywood, a city built on the fragile foundation of dreams and illusions. The “Ending/Love Theme” captures this perfectly, as it oscillates between moments of ethereal beauty and deep melancholy. It is the sound of hope dying, slowly and painfully, in the heart of the dreamer.

Hollywood has always been a place where reality is a flexible concept, where the line between truth and fiction is as thin as the celluloid that carries its stories. Lynch’s film, and Badalamenti’s score, delve into this very idea. The theme is not just a piece of music; it is a commentary on the very nature of Hollywood itself—a place that promises so much but delivers so little. The lush orchestration gives way to a haunting dissonance, a reminder that beneath the glamour and glitz lies a darker, more sinister truth.

The Unanswered Question

A question lingers as the final notes of the theme fade into silence: What is real, and what is merely a dream? Lynch never provides an answer, and neither does Badalamenti. The music, much like the film, is an open-ended riddle, inviting the listener to draw their own conclusions. Perhaps the point is that there is no answer—that life, like the “Ending/Love Theme,” is a series of unresolved chords, a melody that never quite finds its resolution.

In hindsight, Badalamenti’s “Ending/Love Theme” is not merely a piece of music; it is the soul of Mulholland Drive, the heartbeat of a story that resists simple explanation. Haunting, beautiful, and tragic, the theme underscores the fragility of dreams and the illusions that sustain them. As silence envelops, it leaves us grappling with the delicate line between reality and fantasy—a line that, in both Hollywood and life, is all too easily blurred. And sometimes, the most poignant dreams are the ones that never come true.

A Love Song for the Lost

Badalamenti’s “Ending/Love Theme” is a love song, but not in the traditional sense. It is a love song for the lost, for those who wander through life searching for meaning, only to find themselves back where they started. It is a love song for Hollywood, for the city that seduces with promises of fame and fortune, only to leave its dreamers broken and disillusioned. But most of all, it is a love song for the film itself—a final, bittersweet farewell to the characters who have inhabited its world and to the audience who has joined them on their journey.

When all is left unsaid, we are left with a sense of emptiness, a void that cannot be filled. The theme lingers in the mind long after the film has ended, a reminder that some stories do not have happy endings and that some dreams are better left unfulfilled. Yet, within that emptiness, within that void, there is also a strange kind of beauty—a beauty that can only be found in the unresolved, in the unanswered, in the echo of a love song that never truly ends.

The Silence

In the shadow of finality, Badalamenti’s “Ending/Love Theme” is more than just a piece of music; it is the soul of Mulholland Drive, the heartbeat of a story that defies explanation. It serves as a haunting, beautiful, and tragic reminder of the fragility of dreams and the illusions that sustain them. As the final, delicate notes fade into the quietude of our thoughts, it leaves us with the realization that in Hollywood, as in life, the line between reality and fantasy is delicate—and sometimes, the most beautiful dreams are the ones that never come true.

Sound and Shadow: A Journey Through the Mulholland Drive Soundtrack

As the final, delicate notes of the “Ending/Love Theme” fade into the quietude of our thoughts, one might be tempted to believe the journey through Mulholland Drive has reached its somber conclusion. However, to focus solely on this theme is to miss the sound that Angelo Badalamenti, alongside David Lynch and other contributing artists, masterfully weaves throughout the film. Each track on the Mulholland Drive soundtrack is a chapter in a story where words fall short, and music alone reveals the depths of what lies beneath the surface.

1. Jitterbug (1:27)

Our journey begins not with the shadows of Los Angeles but with the vibrant, almost saccharine energy of “Jitterbug.” The upbeat rhythm, reminiscent of 1950s dance halls, serves as a cruel misdirection. It’s a facade of joy, much like the characters’ lives, soon to be unraveled by the dark forces at play. The track, short and deceptively sweet, is a prelude to the nightmare—a reminder that in Lynch’s world, innocence is often a precursor to terror.

2. Main Title Theme (4:16)

With the “Main Title Theme,” Badalamenti invites us to descend into the abyss. The lush orchestral sweeps are as cinematic as they are unsettling, echoing the vast emptiness of the Hollywood dreamscape. This piece sets the tone for what’s to come, where every moment of beauty is tinged with an undercurrent of dread. It’s a symphony of foreboding, where the lines between dreams and reality begin to blur, much like the city it represents.

3. Rita Walks/Sunset Boulevard/Aunt Ruth (1:55)

Here, the music takes on a quieter, more introspective tone. “Rita Walks/Sunset Boulevard/Aunt Ruth” captures the eerie stillness of a city that never truly sleeps, where even the sunniest of streets can feel desolate. The subtle strings and piano mirror the uncertainty and confusion that plague Rita, a character lost in a world where nothing is what it seems. The track is a quiet meditation on identity and the unknown, themes central to the film’s narrative.

4. Diner (4:16)

The tension builds with “Diner,” a piece that drips with unease. The dissonant chords and eerie synths paint a picture of paranoia, fitting perfectly with one of the film’s most chilling scenes. It’s a track that embodies the fear of the unseen, the dread of what lurks just out of sight. The music here is not just a background to the action but a participant in it, heightening the sense of impending doom.

5. Mr. Roque (4:06)

“Mr. Roque” is a study in minimalism, with its sparse instrumentation creating an atmosphere of isolation and control. The character of Mr. Roque, silent and enigmatic, is reflected perfectly in the music. There’s a coldness to this track, a detachment that mirrors the sinister power Mr. Roque holds over the film’s events. It’s a piece that reminds us of the unseen forces manipulating the lives of the characters, a puppet master pulling the strings from the shadows.

6. The Beast (Milt Buckner) (2:29)

In a sudden shift, “The Beast” brings a burst of chaotic energy. This lively jazz number, with its frantic pace and unpredictable rhythms, feels like a moment of madness breaking through the carefully constructed atmosphere. It’s a reminder of the film’s unpredictability, where moments of normalcy can quickly descend into chaos. The track’s out-of-place vibrancy is a jolt to the system, much like the film’s sudden shifts in tone and reality.

7. Bring It On Home (Sonny Boy Williamson) (2:39)

Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Bring It On Home” introduces a different texture to the soundtrack, grounding the film’s surrealism in the raw emotion of the blues. The soulful harmonica and vocals provide a moment of humanity amidst the alienation of the film’s world. It’s a brief return to the real, a connection to the outside world before we are plunged back into the darkness.

8. Every Little Star (Linda Scott) (2:17)

“Every Little Star” by Linda Scott is a deceptively cheerful pop tune, its bright melody contrasting sharply with the dark undertones of the scenes it accompanies. This track is a poignant reminder of how memories, especially those bathed in nostalgia, can be tainted by the shadows of the past. The innocence of the song stands in stark contrast to the film’s exploration of lost innocence and shattered dreams.

9. Dwarfland/Love Theme (12:14)

This extended piece is a journey within a journey, a microcosm of the entire film’s emotional arc. The “Dwarfland/Love Theme” begins with the unsettling and surreal, evoking the film’s most bizarre sequences, before transitioning into the hauntingly beautiful love theme. It’s a track that encapsulates the duality of Mulholland Drive—the dream and the nightmare, the love and the loss. The music moves fluidly between these extremes, much like the characters who navigate the treacherous terrain of their own minds.

10. Silencio (4:27)

“Silencio” is perhaps the most iconic piece in the soundtrack, a haunting foreboding of the film’s most pivotal scene. The music, with its eerie and ghostly reverberations, creates an atmosphere of surreal terror. It’s a piece that embodies the film’s central theme: the illusory nature of reality. As the word “Silencio” is whispered, the music fades into an uncanny silence, leaving the listener in a state of suspended disbelief, much like the characters trapped in Lynch’s dream.

11. Llorando (Rebekah Del Rio) (3:32)

Rebekah Del Rio’s performance of “Llorando” is a moment of pure, unfiltered emotion. Stripped of instrumentation, her voice carries the weight of the entire film’s sorrow. It’s a raw, powerful expression of loss and longing, and in the context of the film, it serves as a rare moment of truth in a world built on lies. The simplicity of the acapella performance contrasts with the complexity of the emotions it evokes, making it one of the most memorable moments in both the film and the soundtrack.

12. Pretty Fifties (David Lynch / John Neff) (3:02)

“Pretty Fifties” is a nostalgic nod to an era long past, but like much of Lynch’s work, it’s nostalgia with a twist. The music evokes a time of innocence and simplicity, yet there’s something off-kilter about it. The track feels like a memory, hazy and distorted, much like the film’s exploration of how the past can haunt the present. It’s a reminder that the golden age of Hollywood, much like the dreams it sells, is tinged with darkness.

13. Go Get Some (David Lynch / John Neff) (7:09)

This track dives deep into the underbelly of the film’s world, with its abrasive tones and dissonant textures. “Go Get Some” is the sound of unraveling, of everything coming apart at the seams. It’s a track that captures the chaos and confusion of Mulholland Drive, where the boundary between sanity and madness is constantly shifting. The music is relentless, pushing the listener further into the abyss, much like the characters who are consumed by their own obsessions.

14. Diane & Camilla (4:48)

“Diane & Camilla” is a love song wrapped in tragedy. The music is tender, almost gentle, yet there’s a pervasive sadness that underscores the entire piece. It reflects the doomed relationship at the heart of the film, where love is intertwined with betrayal and regret. The track is a mournful lament for a love that was never meant to be, a poignant reminder of the film’s central theme of loss.

15. Dinner Party Pool Music (1:26)

This brief interlude is deceptively calm, with its elegant and understated composition. Yet, much like the film’s more subdued moments, there’s an underlying tension that suggests all is not well. The track is a glimpse into the surface-level sophistication that masks deeper turmoil, a perfect reflection of the facade that the characters in Mulholland Drive work so hard to maintain.

16. Mountains Falling (David Lynch / John Neff) (8:15)

“Mountains Falling” is an epic soundscape that evokes the catastrophic unraveling of the film’s final act. The music is as grand as it is terrifying, capturing the sense of everything collapsing under the weight of its own contradictions. The track’s title is apt—this is the sound of the world crumbling, of dreams being crushed under the harsh light of reality. It’s a powerful piece that leaves the listener with a sense of awe and dread, much like the film’s haunting conclusion.

17. Ending/Love Theme (5:40)

Finally, we return to where we began, with the “Ending/Love Theme.” This time, however, the theme is not just a reflection of the characters’ journey but of our own. The music has taken us through the highs and lows, the beauty and the horror, of Mulholland Drive. As the final notes play out, we are left with the same sense of longing, the same unanswered questions. It’s a fitting end to a soundtrack that, like the film, refuses to be easily defined. It lingers, echoing in the silence, a reminder that some stories, and some dreams, never truly end.

A Soundtrack for the Subconscious

Lastly, the Mulholland Drive soundtrack is not just an accompaniment to the film but a journey through the subconscious—a reflection of the dreams, nightmares, and everything in between. Angelo Badalamenti, David Lynch, and the other artists involved have crafted a musical landscape that is as complex and enigmatic as the film itself. Each track is a piece of the puzzle, contributing to the overall sense of mystery and unease that defines Mulholland Drive. As the final notes fade, we are left not with answers, but with a deeper understanding of the film’s haunting beauty—and a realization that it’ll remain with us long after the music has stopped.