Discuss Lost Highway
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The Doppelganger Theory [SPOILERS]
posted by comrade kinoSTAFFMOD on February 23, 2017 at 8:41 PM
There was a user on the old IMDb forums ('spurc', aka 'scottt-purcell') who shared an interesting interpretation of 'Lost Highway' many years ago. According to his reading of the movie, which we might call the Doppelganger Theory, and contrary to most theories about the film, which are Fantasy or Dream or Fugue Theories (that is, Psychological Theories), Pete is not merely a fantasy or projection in Fred's mind. In fact, according to the Doppelganger Theory everything that we see in the film actually happens.
Now, it's true, the majority of explanations that I've encountered are Psychological Theories of some kind. Spurc's interpretation was definitely cutting against the grain. One of the nice things about his idea, I thought, was that it opened up room for an understanding of the movie in which 'Lost Highway' was thematically closer to 'Twin Peaks' than to 'Mulholland Drive'. While MD has mostly dream/nightmare villains and a psychological explanation, TP is full of doppelgangers (evil doubles), possession, and real supernatural monsters.
I plan to do some internet sleuthing to recover what of spurc's theory I can find, though I fear much of it is lost. Does anyone else remember the Doppelganger Theory? Do you remember its details?
Reply by comrade kino
on February 24, 2017 at 4:42 AM
Aha! I've managed to find an old archived page, although it's more of an introduction to the Doppelganger Theory and doesn't really include any of the details of the interpretation: http://web.archive.org/web/20100628232018/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116922/board/inline/149482238
I'll see if I can't dredge up any more substantial posts, and I'll share what I find.
Reply by movie_nazi
on April 10, 2017 at 2:40 PM
I actually think that theory makes the most sense. The MM is akin to "The Arm" in Twin Peaks. Lots of similarities to be found between the two for sure.
Reply by Jacinto Cupboard
on June 12, 2018 at 1:31 PM
Hello posters from the past. This is JC talking to you from your future.
In about a year from when you are now, Twin Peaks: The Return will air. That will really confuse you with all this doppelganger stuff.
And if anyone wants to post to me from my future - remember- no spoilers.
Reply by Drooch
on July 25, 2020 at 12:20 PM
I remember Scott Purcell’s impressive explanation but he didn’t convince me, and he flat out ignored me when I asked him a question which picked a hole in his theory. He also dismissed Lynch’s O.J Simpson inspiration, which is all about how a murderer self-deceives to cope with the awful reality of what they’ve done.
Reply by comrade kino
on July 26, 2020 at 2:40 PM
Drooch: ya, I'm not convinced either. I'm pretty sure that Lost Highway is best explained psychologically. But I enjoyed that Purcell's theory was an alternative approach.
Reply by Drooch
on July 27, 2020 at 7:05 AM
Yeah it was a great theory to read.
Do you know if there’s an explanation of the film that incorporates information from deleted scenes - those that appear in the script but not the film?
Reply by Drooch
on August 1, 2020 at 8:26 AM
I checked out the screenplay and shared my thoughts about the differences between it and the finished film here: https://moviechat.org/tt0116922/Lost-Highway/5f24b531d19b775981fa9153/Scripted-scenes-not-in-the-film