Cinematic Inspirations for David Lynch's 'Road Trilogy'

The author argues that David Lynch's 'Lost Highway' (1997), 'Straight Story' (1999) and 'Mulholland Drive' (2001) form an integrated whole, sharing the same inspirations. The main theme present in these films is one of the road. Both in the 'Lost Highway' and in 'Mulholland Drive' we can observe the same construction, the poetics of dreams, the strategy of misleading the viewer, multiplying reflections and doubles of the main characters, the mystery, the importance of psychoanalytical meanings, the critique of the contemporary world and the pessimism, which can all be opposed to the optimism of the 'Straight Story'. Of great significance is also the influence of films by Ingmar Bergman (Persona) and Carlos Saura (Elisa. My Life). David Lynch adopts many solutions present in those films, at the same time discussing some others.