by Shavonne Miller
In film, colours can act as silent narrators that teach viewers about a character’s inner world, revealing deeper truths and emotions that words cannot express. In Mulholland Drive, David Lynch uses colour to deepen viewers’ understanding of the protagonist Diane Selwyn. Released in 2001, this film is known for its ambiguous and surreal narrative, as it is a unique example of “Art Cinema” (Evans, Arts One Lecture). The film switches between dream and reality as it plays out from Diane’s perspective, providing a disjointed exploration of her inner struggles. Diane is a failing young actress in Hollywood who hires a hitman to have her lover Camilla, a successful actress, killed. In Diane’s fantasy world, her name is Betty and she is a young actress who moves to Hollywood to pursue her passion. Her lover Camilla is named Rita in the dream, and Diane befriends her after a car accident that leaves Rita with amnesia. The dream is rich with symbolism, especially when it comes to the colours used in certain scenes, costumes, and objects. The four most important colours in the film are pink, red, black, and blue, as they mirror how Diane’s emotions are translated into her dream. Exploring Lynch’s masterful use of these colours throughout the film helps viewers understand Diane’s unraveling mind. The colours represent how her subconscious disrupts the border between fantasy and reality, ultimately exposing the fragility of her identity and perception.
Similar to how a painter selects specific shades to convey a narrative across their canvas, filmmakers like David Lynch pay very close attention to colour in their films. As Oleksandr Kovsh and Mykyta Dziuba explain, colours have symbolic, emotional, and expressive power when used by filmmakers to “create a harmonious color scheme” (208). Kovsh and Dziuba’s study on the “Symbolism of Color in Cinema” offers valuable insight into how colours help audiences understand films by contributing to the overall mood and atmosphere, but also by providing specific insights about certain characters (208). According to their research, “Colors can mean much more than just a change of mood. They can also influence desires and the flow of thoughts”, shaping viewers’ perceptions and emotional responses to certain characters and scenes (208). While we typically associate warm tones (reds, oranges, and yellows) with passion and excitement, and cool tones (blues, greens, and purples) with calmness or sadness, the article discusses how this expectation is often subverted in films, and shades can be manipulated to “take on the opposite meaning” (209). For instance, a yellowish green is associated with “youth and harmony”, whereas a blueish green reflects “coldness, indifference, confusion, and fear” (Kovsh and Dziuba 211). By blurring the boundary between warm and cool colours, Kovsh and Dziuba challenge the idea that films must use either black-and-white or full-colour “modes”, noting that “Halftones and shadows can also ‘talk’ to the viewer” (212). Wilfred J. Ramos, in his thesis “A Breakdown of David Lynch’s Most Notorious Films”, expands on this idea, writing, “What Lynch did in Mulholland Drive is to constantly use hot versus cold and light versus dark visually in opposition” (10). Ramos’s research skilfully breaks down how “composition and colour…tell a story” in Lynch’s works (2). Together, these sources can provide a deeper understanding of Lynch’s visual storytelling in Mulholland Drive.
As stated by Kovsh and Dziuba, pink is a colour that “symbolizes softness, innocence and tenderness,” but in film, it can also elicit unease when used to mask darker emotions or suffering (210). In Diane’s fantasy, the vibrancy of pink evokes a sense of the uncanny and foreboding. According to Ramos, “It is no coincidence that Lynch decided to associate the color pink with [Betty]”, as it is used to expose the fractures in Diane’s self-perception (11). Her dream persona, the idealistic Betty, is beautiful, feminine, and always wearing pink. When Betty is first seen exiting the airport in Hollywood, she is sporting a bubblegum pink cardigan paired with a subtle wash of pink lipstick (Mulholland Drive 0:18:50). However, the cardigan appears to be too small for her—the sleeves are too short and the buttons are stretched like it is about to burst open. This ill-fitting costume symbolizes Diane’s attempt to reclaim a childlike innocence that no longer fits into her current reality. The diamond-like gems adorning the cardigan catch the light and twinkle as she moves, alluding to the flashy Hollywood fame that Diane is chasing when she first arrives in Hollywood with dreams of becoming a movie star (0:18:54–0:18:56). The elderly couple she befriends on the plane wear outfits similar to Diane’s, but in an older-fashioned style with faded hues of grey and white, foreshadowing her growing disillusionment with Hollywood as her innocence fades over time (0:20:04). The couple’s dated attire, ghostly glow, and haunting smiles symbolize the pressure Diane feels to achieve success before her youth and opportunity fades. While the pink cardigan initially seems to symbolize hope, purity, and naïve optimism, it gradually becomes a distorted representation of an idealized past that Diane can never return to. Her discomfort with the idea of pure innocence becomes increasingly clear, as her pink disguise fails to fully hide the darker emotions of pain, jealousy, and spite bubbling beneath her curated persona. Overall, the use of pink in Betty’s wardrobe highlights her struggle to reconcile her idealized fantasy with the harsher truths of her life where she is not so successful in Hollywood or her relationships. Lynch uses this facade to mark the beginning of his nonverbal critique of the Hollywood dream and to plant the idea of an unstable illusion in the viewer’s mind, one that will unravel as the film progresses.
In contrast, the colour red is associated with the character Rita, Betty’s dreamy amnesiac lover. Red is an emotionally charged colour that captures the complexity of Rita’s allure. Kovsh and Dziuba’s research suggests that “often the color red indicates something that sharply manipulates a person’s feelings: love, passion, danger, violence, and anger” (209). Rita, who represents Camilla, almost always wears red clothing, and even red lipstick and nail polish. Notably, in the scene where Rita helps Betty practice for her audition, she borrows an extravagant red-and-black robe from Betty’s Aunt Ruth. This robe visually clashes with Betty’s plain pink robe, reflecting Diane’s conflicted emotions toward Camilla (1:09:55–1:10:05). On one hand, Rita’s association with red symbolizes Diane’s admiration and desire, as Rita looks like a glamorous Hollywood star in the luxurious robe. On the other hand, red represents Diane’s rage and resentment, as she feels like a failure who will never measure up to Camilla or achieve stardom. Furthermore, Rita’s elegant appearance, with her dark wavy hair and pale skin, reflects the beauty standard that Diane idolizes, deepening her feelings of inadequacy and anger. The scene ends with Betty playfully reciting her final lines to her rehearsal partner Rita: “Get out of here… before I kill you… I hate you, I hate us both” (1:10:30–1:10:52). These lines hold significant weight, as they foreshadow Diane’s real-life decision to murder Camilla. As Kovsh and Dziuba point out, in certain film scenes, “red tones are a harbinger of danger and confrontation” with the power to “[predict] potential dangers long before the event and [create] a sense of anxiety in the viewer” (209). The intense red robe becomes a visual representation of Diane’s emotional collapse as her hatred, shame, and violence invade her dream world, and predict both her and Camilla’s tragic end.
Red can mean many contradictory things: Love and hate, passion and violence, or beauty and blood. As Kovsh and Dziuba note, its meaning “depends on the density and tone,” which allows Lynch to weaponize the colour as both romantic and threatening (209). In the scene where Rita and Betty introduce themselves to each other, Rita is wrapped in a burgundy towel with a bright cherry manicure and her signature lipstick (0:27:15). Her nails and lips are an emblem of classic Hollywood beauty and seduction, as well as a nod to actress Rita Hayworth, who popularized crimson nails in the 1940s (“A Well Manicured History”). However, the shade of her towel mirrors the bloodstain from her car crash that lingers on her forehead, disrupting her glamorous appearance and revealing the trauma and violence that Rita embodies. Lynch meticulously uses red as a visual language to communicate Diane’s conflicting desires to both win Rita’s love and destroy her life. This mixture of yearning and jealousy signals Diane’s emotional volatility. The dramatic juxtaposition between the innocence of pink and the danger of red reveals Diane’s internal conflict as she struggles with her desires, failures, and fractured identity.
This conflict culminates in the Club Silencio scene, where Betty and Rita begin to merge in Diane’s mind. This amalgamation is illustrated through Betty’s scarlet t-shirt and Rita’s short blonde wig (fig. 1; 1:45:58).
Figure 1. Betty and Rita with reversed appearances at Club Silencio (CineVerse).
The reversal of their appearances signals Diane’s inability to distinguish herself from Camilla, as her identity is deeply intertwined with and defined by the woman she both loves and resents. As the borders dividing them break down, so do those between dream and reality, and sanity and madness. This psychological instability is heightened by the surreal atmosphere of Club Silencio, where performances that appear convincingly authentic are actually pre-recorded illusions. The Spanish singer’s performance is especially significant, as she embodies both Diane and Camilla through her deception. Her bright red lipstick plus her red-and-black dress mirror Camilla’s signature look. Whereas the dramatic red and yellow eyeshadow decorating her eyelids symbolizes the Spanish flag (1:50:05). The singer’s connection to Camilla suggests that Camilla has concealed her cultural identity to succeed in Hollywood. This is another reference to the Hollywood figure Rita Hayworth. In her article on Hayworth, Kat Eschner explains that the star famously “went through a number of transformations—from her name [originally Margarita Cansino] to a makeover that eliminated most traces of her [hispanic] ethnicity” (Eschner). Lynch uses this notion of concealing one’s heritage to further his critique of Hollywood and its erasure of non-white identities for the sake of marketability.
However, the singer also represents Diane, allowing her to “uncover her repressed persona” (Ramos 18). Even though her song is pre-recorded, the performance feels real, just like Diane’s dream. The teardrop gem beneath the singer’s eye further reflects the performative nature of both the singer and Betty’s emotions (1:50:05). After her performance, the singer collapses to the ground while the music continues to play, symbolizing the psychological collapse of Diane’s artificial world (1:51:52–1:51:57). The singer triggers Diane’s realization that everything around her is an illusion, including her identity, her emotions, and even her relationship with Rita. At Club Silencio, “love, passion, danger, violence, and anger” all play out on the red-curtained stage, marking a pivotal moment in the film (Kovsh and Dziuba 209). Ramos notes that “Lynch…utilizes red to portray tension or drama when connected to a stage or curtains” (13). This scene is indeed both dramatic and intense, as Diane’s subconscious can no longer sustain the boundaries of her dream due to the weight of her guilt, grief, and self-hatred. By dissolving the boundaries between fantasy and reality, and self and other, Lynch exposes the instability of Diane’s identity, as her fragile sense of self is shaped by trauma and unfulfillment.
When Diane finally awakens from her dream, she looks much different than her alter ego Betty. This contrast between Diane and Betty’s appearances illustrates the illusory divide between optimism and disillusionment. Betty’s bright wardrobe reflects her dream-world persona as an aspiring actress full of hope, while Diane’s wardrobe of grey and dingy white represents her crushed aspirations and self-loathing. According to Kovsh and Dziuba, “White means purity and perfection” (208). However, Lynch flips this idea on its head by using a dreary shade of white to display Diane’s distance from these qualities. Her stained white robe is particularly significant, symbolizing her soiled innocence and deflated self-worth (1:59:49). Her lack of makeup, messy hair, and exhausted expression further highlight the harshness of her reality, where the glamour she once associated with Hollywood has become unattainable. This contrast visually enforces the border between Diane’s fantasy of success and the grim actuality of her life, showing how far she has drifted from her ambitions into irrelevance. This adds to Lynch’s larger critique of the film industry and the bitter reality of pursuing acting.
The colour red in Diane’s life is not limited to desire or danger, it also symbolizes her descent into guilt and shame, particularly through her past as a prostitute. For example, Diane has a red lamp shown in three separate scenes on her nightstand, which is often lit up while her phone rings (0:18:00-0:18:05). This lamp suggests Diane’s involvement in prostitution, as it symbolizes the Red Light District, and her phone ringing “further indicates a call girl business” (Ramos 11). The red light disrupts the border between Diane’s private and public personas, illustrating her inability to escape her past, the compromises she has made for her acting career, and the emotional cost of her unfulfilled aspirations. The threatening glow of the lamp also reflects her feelings of guilt, entrapment, and danger within her own mind. In her dream world, Betty’s bed sheets are red as well, signaling that Diane’s hidden shame has once again seeped into her fantasy. This use of red within both worlds underscores the illusion of a separation between Diane’s idealized self as Betty and her real identity, tainted by regret and disillusionment.
This theme is further explored in the scene outside Pink’s Hotdog Stand, where colour symbolism connects Diane’s present reality to her painful past. In the scene, a prostitute resembling Diane speaks with the hitman while leaving Pink’s, reinforcing Diane’s association with prostitution and her sense of moral failure. The hotdog stand itself is a phallic symbol, representing Diane’s exploitation (Ramos 12). When the hitman asks if the prostitute wants something to eat, she replies, “Not here” (0:45:17). This seemingly insignificant response symbolizes Diane’s rejection of innocence, and as she walks away from Pink’s, she becomes surrounded by red objects, including a firetruck, a long red pole, and a red trash can (0:44:48–0:45:20). Ramos associates this “movement toward a red state [with] sexual perversion” (12). He writes that the pole specifically “is being carried by a man that has been blatantly placed into the scene which makes it a clear phallic symbol” (Ramos 12). In the scene, there is even another red lampshade in a shop window, an unmistakable link to Diane’s bedroom (0:45:10). The shift from pink to red reflects Diane’s loss of innocence and the lasting shame from her past. A bruise is also visible on the prostitute’s arm as if she has been aggressively grabbed, hinting at a past of abuse (0:45:45). Here, red does not just signal violence, it feels as though the colour has stained Diane’s memory and is now bleeding through the cracks of her dream. As Ramos notes, “sex and violence” are often intertwined in Lynchian films (19). This idea is reinforced by the image of two men eating hotdogs on either side of the prostitute, visually suggesting the threat of sexual exploitation and conveying Diane’s traumatic experience in prostitution (0:45:42). Finally, the scene ends with the prostitute climbing into a blue van (0:46:03). Ramos asserts that “Lynch uses the color blue to symbolize fundamental transitions… [and] as a bridge to connect reality with dreams” (16). Thus, the blue van illustrates Diane’s shift from prostitution to her ultimate disappointment with Hollywood and connects this scene to her fantasy. The scene obscures the boundary between past and present, as Diane’s dream world cannot contain or erase the trauma she has experienced, exposing the illusion of separation between innocence and corruption, and hope and despair.
The colour black additionally holds vital significance in the film. Kovsh and Dziuba observe that all-black outfits are often “worn by authoritarian or negative characters” (212). In Diane’s dream, characters dressed in black represent both the power she lacks and the external forces that shape her identity. A key example of this is Adam Kesher, a film director whose black suit, jet-black hair, and thick black glasses symbolize his influence and “Hollywood establishment” (Ramos 15). Yet despite his appearance, Adam’s authority is constantly undermined. He is forced to cast a certain actress in his film and is even told by the Cowboy, “That lead girl is not up to you” (1:09:00-1:09:04). This mirrors Diane’s lack of agency as a failed actress who relies on Camilla’s assistance to book even minor roles. In the dream, Adam is also humiliated. He gets cheated on by his wife and subsequently beaten up by Billy Ray Cyrus. In reality, however, it is Diane who gets betrayed by her lover, as Camilla chooses Adam over her. By belittling Adam, Diane attempts to regain control, but the dream only reinforces her feelings of powerlessness and despair. This tension between perceived control and helplessness exposes the corruption and fragility of power in Hollywood, contributing to Diane’s overwhelming feelings of inadequacy.
Black can also be used to temper other colours in Mulholland Drive while adding emotional depth. For example, Betty’s pink sweater is paired with black trousers to add maturity to her look (0:18:50). However, black is “mostly used as a complement to the color red” (Ramos 15). Rita’s red-and-black robe is a key example of this, as the black embellishments soften the robe’s seductive intensity, creating a sense of sophistication and control (1:42:49). Kovsh and Dziuba write that black is a “mystery” symbolizing “darkness and everything that is hidden behind it” (212). By associating Rita with hints of black, Lynch reveals the sinister reality of Diane’s relationship with Camilla. The elegant black dress that Rita wears during the car accident scene emphasizes both the mystery of her identity and her looming death (0:06:46). This blurred line between control and vulnerability in the dream represents Diane’s struggle to repress her guilt over Camilla’s death. At its core, black in Mulholland Drive is not just a symbol of mystery or control, it is a reflection of Diane’s internal void, caused by her trauma, shame, and deep loneliness as her fantasy falls apart.
After the dream ends, Camilla’s appearance subtly shifts, and Diane can no longer cling to her idealized version of their relationship. For instance, her hair becomes noticeably more red, which echoes Rita Hayworth, who dyed her dark hair auburn to meet industry beauty standards (Mulholland Drive 2:16:14; “Rita Hayworth Biography”). Camilla’s hair symbolizes a level of status, success, and seduction that Diane cannot attain, which only increases the emotional distance between them. Camilla is further differentiated from Rita in her style. After the dream, her red manicure disappears, her eyeshadow becomes darker, and her wardrobe shifts from red to more black (2:13:32). At Adam’s dinner party, Camilla wears a sleek black dress with a red scarf, accentuating her confidence and superiority over Diane (2:10:51). Her bold scarf, which resembles a superhero cape, contrasts greatly with the vulnerable and confused Rita from the dream world, forcing Diane to confront her envy, guilt, and powerlessness. As she watches Camilla at the dinner table with her new partner, Diane emotionally breaks down (2:16:24). Her inability to contain the darkness within her is what ultimately causes her to murder Camilla. Through these differences between Camilla and Rita, Lynch underscores Diane’s fragile self-perception and the fatal consequences of her insecurities, blurring the borders between yearning, jealousy, and self-destruction.
As mentioned previously, the colour blue is a critical symbol of transition throughout Mulholland Drive, connecting Diane’s past and present with her subconscious thoughts. Kovsh and Dziuba express that “Blue is the embodiment of dreaminess and unreality” (211). When Betty first arrives in Hollywood, she is carrying pale blue luggage and wearing a light periwinkle blouse, marking her “transition into a surreal fantasy” (Mulholland Drive 0:44:58; Ramos 16). These soft, airy shades of blue reflect the calm, romanticized atmosphere at the beginning of the dream, highlighting Diane’s sense of comfort and peace in her idealized world. However, blue also carries a darker truth. It is “the color of thrillers and horrors” and it can “express a hidden danger…or a magical mystery” (Kovsh and Dziuba 210). The blue key and box that recur throughout the film fit this description perfectly, as they seem to hold the secrets of Diane’s subconscious, and serve as ominous warnings for what is to come. Their rich, saturated colour contrasts with the gentle blues from earlier, evoking a sense of unease or even dread in the viewer. When Rita eventually unlocks the box, it marks the collapse of Diane’s dream world as she transitions back to her grim reality (1:55:08–1:55:35). Yet, the box and key continue to appear in the real world, representing the unstable boundary between Diane’s false identity as Betty and her true self. They force her to confront the illusions she has created to escape her guilt, failure, and despair.
Finally, the film ends with a chilling scene of a blue-haired woman whispering the word “Silencio” (2:22:28-2:22:37), which exposes the “destructive power” possessed by the colour blue (Kovsh and Dziuba 211). This woman, along with the blue smoke that fills Diane’s room after she ends her life, ties Diane’s demise to Club Silencio. The blue smoke at the Club Silencio performance signals Diane’s increasing awareness that her fantasy is crumbling (1:48:00-1:48:10). When the weight of this realization becomes too much to bear, Diane takes her own life. Shortly after, the symbolic smoke returns, illustrating her ultimate surrender to guilt and hopelessness (2:21:19-2:21:28). Overall, blue destabilizes the distinction between dream and reality, and innocence and corruption, signifying the depth of Diane’s suffering and her self-inflicted downfall.
Colours have the power to lurk beneath a narrative, quietly painting their own story. Through the use of colour symbolism, Mulholland Drive explores the illusory nature of boundaries in Diane’s mind, relationships, and reality. From pink representing Betty’s innocence to red symbolizing Rita’s danger and allure, the film carefully curates visuals that mirror Diane’s emotions and conflicts. These colours blur the lines between admiration and jealousy, desire and destruction, and ultimately innocence and guilt. Black and blue further deepen this symbolism, signifying Diane’s transition from control to vulnerability and hope to despair, while also illustrating her traumatic past and fractured identity. The film’s manipulation of colour reveals that the boundaries Diane perceives between success and failure, dream and reality, and herself and Camilla are not as fixed as they seem. Instead, these borders are shaped by Diane’s unresolved trauma, insecurities, and longing for the Hollywood dream. Lynch’s masterful use of colour not only guides viewers through Diane’s psychological maze but also reminds us of the universal fragility of the borders we use to define ourselves and our world.
Works Cited
“Betty and Rita with reversed appearances at Club Silencio.” CineVerse, 14 Nov. 2019, https://www.cineversegroup.com/2019/11/successfully-navigating-mulholland-drive.html.
Eschner, Kat. “How Margarita Cansino Became Rita Hayworth.” Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2017, www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-margarita-cansino-became-rita-hayworth-180965 275/.
Evans, Christine. “Arts One Lecture – Mulholland Drive.” 2 Dec. 2024.
“‘40s & ‘50s America.” A Well Manicured History: Hitting the Nail on the Head, Penn State University, 18 Mar. 2020, sites.psu.edu/davispassion/2020/03/18/40s-50s-america/.
Kovsh, Oleksandr, and Mykyta Dziuba. “Symbolism of Color in Cinema.” Bulletin of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. Series in Audiovisual Art and Production, vol. 5, no. 2, 2022, pp. 207-214, http://audiovisual-art.knukim.edu.ua/issue/download/16124/9176#page=75.
Lynch, David, director. Mulholland Drive. Universal Pictures, 2001. Kanopy, https://www.kanopy.com/en/ubc/watch/video/11737674.
Ramos, Wilfredo Javier. “From Color to Form: A Breakdown of David Lynch’s Most Notorious Films.” The Savannah College of Art and Design, 2012.
“Rita Hayworth – Biography, Movies, & Facts.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 27 Mar. 2025, www.britannica.com/biography/Rita-Hayworth.