Part III

Lost Highway
An In-Depth Look at Fred's New Identities

As you may have determined by now, the actual underlying story is quite straightforward. Fred has committed this crime that he can't accept and he gets "lost" in the ensuing "new identities" that he creates in order to try and escape reality. After a while, he becomes unable to tell the difference between reality and that which he perceives through his new identities. I'm sure his being on death row, and thus having nothing to live for anyway, is also motivating him to stay in the non-real identity .

The circular aspect of the movie, his hearing "Dick Laurant is dead" at the beginning and being the one to say it (to himself) at the end, show us that he has lost touch with reality.

There is way too much depth to the movie to try and explain it in detail here. Below I have outlined a majority of ways in which Fred's emotions were represented symbolically in the movie. Together with the other parts of this site, it is my hope that you will be able to gain a clearer insight into this spectacular film.

Yellow Text indicates things that happened in the movie.
Green Text and White Text are my comments.

The movie opens with Fred is sitting on his bed contemplating what he has done. It is clear that he has trouble accepting the fact that he just brutally murdered his wife. Fred hears a voice on the intercom, "Dick Laurant is dead". It becomes clearer what this might mean later on.

Remember! You're seeing only Fred's altered memories... NOT reality!

Reality (you don't  see this in the movie!): Fred is currently being questioned by detectives as a prime suspect in the murder of his wife. We experience what is going on inside Fred's head as he "remembers". Notice the subtle blue flash of light right before Fred is punched in the face by the detective. This indicates his transition back into reality.

Next, we find ourselves observing Fred's first "new identity".  He is attempting to recreate his recent past, specifically his relationship with his (now dead!) wife so that everything between them is good, or more precisely, so that he can accept himself once again. He doesn't want to remember what the truth is... after all, that's what he is running away from!

Fred's First New Identity: The Questioning

In this first new identity, Fred does attempt to recreate the past, but I believe that it is probably quite close to what his real past was like in terms of the characters involved and the environment (i.e., his house was probably as it appeared in his mind).

The role of Fred's emotions in the first new identity:

Fred was getting ready to go to the club where he plays. When he asked Renee if she wanted to go, she said "No... I'm going to stay home and read". It was clear that Fred doesn't believe this.

Fred calls Renee from the club and she doesn't answer the phone. Then, when he arrives home Renee is sleeping soundly.

• The Video Tapes that appear throughout the first "new identity" are crucial.  Left by the Mystery Man (Fred's emotions from reality), they indicate his memories of the truth as the become part of his false identity.

Fred recalls a night when he played at the Luna Lounge; he sees Renee with Andy at club from the night before.

Fred is seen playing his sax hard at the club that night.  The audience is completely taken.

A Great Quote from Bill Pullman (played Fred Madison).  This is a good insight into what the intense sax playing may have represented:

"Sax guys – sex guys—sex gods – sax players have a different relationship with women... there’s something about the way your mouth is on the instrument – the relationship with the instrument – its like you’re cheating" – Bill Pullman

Fred appears extremely troubled during the scene in which he has sex with his wife... It is painful for him to remember this...

From Lost Highway script:

INT. THE MADISON HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT

Fred is in bed waiting for Renee. He hears noises from the
bathroom - bottles clinking, drawers opening and closing.
Renee comes out wearing a robe, which she sheds just before
getting into bed. Naked under the covers, she switches out
her bedside lamp. The only light in the room comes from the
outside, through the windows. Fred moves closer to Renee,
puts his lips to her cheek, a hand on her breast. She does
not respond. Fred pulls Renee to him, and kisses her
passionately. Renee accedes to his demands, but does not
participate willingly. He makes love to her voraciously, but
her lack of passion disturbs him. Fred can't stop, however,
and when he comes she acts consolingly, stroking him
maternally while he calms down. He climbs off of her and
retreats to his side of the bed.

CLOSE UP ON FRED'S EYES - which express his horror and
humiliation.

Fred has a terrible headache right after this sex scene... these painful memories are "pulling him back towards reality"

Fred tells Renee about his dream: She was calling him in the house. There was a fireplace with a large fire that appears for a few seconds. Then we see her room... with smoke coming out of it!

• Remember, Fire symbolizes his rage (and other emotions) concerning his wife's infidelity.

Fred sees an image of the Mystery Man as he looks at Renee in bed.

When Renee sends Fred down to get a drink for her at the party, while she hangs all over Andy, he becomes infuriated. At this is climactic point Fred is forced to confront his emotions. His two identities (reality and his "memory") begin to meet one another.

• This creates strong feelings of anger and jealousy within Fred.   This situation combined with Fred's having seen Andy at the Luna Lounge with Renee previously establishes his anger at Andy, which is played out in his future identity.

• The Mystery Man appears at the climax of Fred's rage - representing it. The key to understanding what Fred is going through is Mystery Man's statement: "It is not my custom to go where I am not wanted"

After the party, Fred and Renee get to the house. In the windows, we see a shadow that appears to be stabbing someone else... hmmmm!

• Fred is finally overwhelmed by his emotion as he remembers what he did in its entirety (The Third Tape). The detectives have gotten what they wanted, and Fred is convicted. Also notice that when he is in the interrogation room he says "I didn't kill her. Please tell me I didn't kill her." This shows us that Fred is starting to become trapped in his denial already.

Fred's Second New Identity: The Escape from Prison

The connection between reality and this second "new identity" is much less direct than previously. In his continuing attempt to indefinitely avert reality, Fred this time retreats into a more abstract identity in hopes of more effectively suppressing the truth from reaching him. In fact, this time he has changed his own identity to that of Peter Dayton, a young mechanic. The result is the same as in all other attempts... Fred discovers that he must still confront his emotions, and before long he is out again, driving on the lost highway, desperately seeing another way out.

The role of Fred's emotions in the second new identity (as Peter Dayton):

While in prison, he begins remembering parts of the crime again. We see flashes of the violent murder, and we see the pain and agony that Fred goes through in this jail cell as he is now in reality... a reality that is way too overwhelming for him.

• As long as he remains in reality, his emotions will continue to remind him of what he's done.

As a result of this pain and overwhelming emotion, Fred creates another new identity - Peter Dayton.

• Just remember... Peter is really Fred, just inside of an identity that's very loosely linked with reality.

As such, I will refer to Peter as "Fred" throughout this part.

Again, as we would expect, Fred's life appears to be perfect when it starts. His wonderful parents come to pick him up and happily take him home... they don't yell or even appear very upset. Pete lies in his backyard with the white picket fence (but notice the big wall behind it... this gives us the impression that Fred is still imprisoned in denial...). It's a beautiful day.

• As Fred's life (through Peter) continues, the emotions that he's harboring back in reality (remember them?) start to "break through" to this new identity, just as they did before. Here are some examples:
  
• Fred begins to feel  his fear - thus the appearance of "Mr. Eddy" in this new identity (see the symbolism page).  Notice Mr. Eddy's power of Fred/Peter from the start.
  

Fred remembers his strong desire to kill his wife when he accepts Alice's invitation to dinner (as Peter) 

• The above is analogous to Fred's accepting the temptations to kill his wife.

• This more abstract connection between reality and how it appears in Fred's new identity shows us how he is indeed moving further away from reality in his own mind.

Alice begins to tell Peter that she thinks Mr. Eddy knows about their affairs.

• This indicates Fred's fear of going for his temptations. Again, notice how different this is from reality!

Mr. Eddy threatens Pete - if anyone touches Alice he'll kill them.

• Fred is very in touch with the fear he felt as he got closer to killing Renee.

Alice then convinces Peter to kill Andy for his money so that they can "Be together"

• This is probably one of the most climactic scene in the movie. This is symbolic of Fred's emotional rage finally pushing him to kill Renee (the actual murder is symbolized by Andy's murder).

• What I also like about this is that the viewer doesn't find out if Fred really kills Andy, or if his death is just symbolic in Fred's new identity. If he really did kill Andy, its interesting how it's been twisted so that Alice (his temptation) pushed him to do it.

• As Fred is killing Andy, notice the porno's behind him. An interesting symbol of how Fred is thinking about what his wife has done the whole time he kills Andy. Sort of like those emotions are there with him as they were during the real murder.

• There is also an implication here of how Fred associates Andy with his wife's infidelity.

Notice how Fred's recollection of Renee telling him how she met Andy (Renee is now Alice, of course) is much further from reality than in the first new identity.

After Andy's murder, Peter says to Alice, "We killed him!" and she replies, "No, YOU killed him."

• This is probably similar to what Fred went through after he killed his wife. He didn't want to believe it was really him... perhaps he could "push it off" on something else like his uncontrollable emotions.

Sheila violently beats Peter and accuses him of cheating on her.

• This was interesting. Probably a result of the frustration that Fred held in because he wanted to confront Renee, but couldn't, or was to angry to do it.

Mr. Eddy calls Peter, and he is with the Mystery Man.  The MM tells him that they've met before.

• Notice how his emotions (MM) and his fear (Mr. Eddy) torment him.   It is this that drove Fred into denial to begin with.

The Mystery Man says to Fred/Peter, "In the east, the far east when a person is sentenced to death they are sent to a place where they can't escape never knowing when an executioner will step up behind them and fire a bullet into their head"

• This interesting quote actually summarizes Fred's situation.

My interpretation: when someone does something so bad that there is no escape from punishment (sentenced to death), the only thing they can do is go into a state of denial in which they try to block out what has happened and live in a sort of fantasy world (a place they cannot escape). However, because they are living in this new identity, they are not going to be aware of reality, in which they will be executed.

• Also, The Mystery Man  and Mr. Eddy were together... symbolizing the way Fred's fears were a part of his emotions.
  

Fred/Peter sees a picture with Mr. Eddy, Renee, Alice, and Andy. He appears troubled and gets a big headache.

• The headache, as described on the symbolism page, is indicative of Fred's being "pulled back" towards reality. When he sees Alice in the picture with Renee, he isn't quite sure how to react. The picture is a physical representation of Fred's two worlds again beginning to become one.

Fred/Peter goes to the "Lost Highway Hotel"

• In his state of confusion, Fred sees his emotions playing themselves out in many different ways.

Alice takes Peter to the Mystery Man.

• Ties together the relationship between Alice and the Mystery Man which symbolically is the relationship between emotion, rage, and temptation.

• As Fred has discovered, it is the temptation that has brought him to confront his emotion.

Alice says to Peter, "you still want me more than ever"

• This affirms the incredible power of Fred's temptation to kill his wife so that he can have freedom.  And so that he can get back at her for the infidelity.  The heat of this moment is analogous with the "heat of the moment" that existed as he killed Renee. Its that moment where one doesn't think, but instead the react entirely on emotion.

• Fred/Peter finally concedes entirely to his temptation when he affirms to Alice, "I want you!" over and over.  Also, Remember that Fred/Peter had killed Andy because Alice wanted him to.

Another extremely important theme of the movie is when Alice says "You'll never have me."

• This is symbolic of Fred's realizing that no matter the situation, following temptation, doesn't mean you'll get what you want.  In this case, temptation lead him to do something evil which he accepted.  This is why I believe that Fred has an inherently evil nature.

• When Fred realizes this, he is totally pulled from this new identity back to reality.  As a result,

Fred drops out of this new identity and once again becomes himself.  We see this when he appears once again as himself.

Fred confronts his emotions (MM), but is still very confused. He asks the Mystery Man where Alice is.

The Mystery Man gets extremely angry when Fred asks this insisting that it wasn't Alice, but it was in fact Renee. He then screams at Fred, "And what the fuck is your name?"

• It is his emotions (MM) that are responsible for making him "fess up" to what he's done in real life. As such, the Mystery Man is getting angry at Fred for trying to run away from the truth, and is trying to "snap him out" of this new identity.

Fred gets scared and drives away from the Mystery Man back to the lost highway.

The Mystery Man comes after Fred with a video camera.

• Fred is again trying to escape his emotion. He runs away, looking for another new identity. The MM tapes him, recording more truth so that he can use it later to try and make Fred face what he did.
  

Fred ends up at the Lost Highway Hotel.

• As a result of confusion and fear, Fred starts to see pieces of different possibilities all mixed up in his head. That's what the hotel is. He has come here as a result of his emotional confusion -and thus the characters are playing out these emotions - just as they do in the movie, but now they are a total symbol of Fred's confused mind.

In one room, Renee is having sex with Mr. Eddy.

• Since these rooms are flashes of random emotions in Fred's confused mind, its hard to say what the contents of the rooms really represents. I'd actually be interested hearing other opinions on this, but perhaps Fred saw Renee's infidelity as feeding his temptation and fear. Either that or perhaps the character head two names (Dick Laurant and Mr. Eddy) because he may have existed as both a real person in Fred's (or Renee's) life as well as a symbol of Fred's fear. In this case, he might actually being seeing an affair that he suspected.

Renee drives away, and Fred enters the room while Mr. Eddy is the only one there.

Fred attacks DL and forces him into the car trunk

Once at the desert, Fred proceeds to let DL out of the trunk. This results in a fight between the two.

• Obviously Fred wanted to get revenge on DL. Whether this was because DL did exist and Fred wanted some sort of revenge on him for what he had done, or it was symbolic of Fred confronting (and attempting to defeat) his fear is not really clear. However, I think it may be a combination of both, but definitely the latter at least.
  

Fred is handed a sword from what turns out to be the Mystery Man

With the sword, Fred slashes DL's throat. He is down on the ground, bleeding to death.

• This is interesting. Here it seems that Fred works along with his emotional rage to defeat his fear. If this is the case, he removes what has stopped him from going after temptation before. If he has truly defeated this fear of attaining temptation, he will certainly (and indeed seems to) be stuck forever in his "new identities," each time unable to avoid temptation as he was now.
  
• Another way to look at this might be as proof of Fred's truly evil nature. Even though this wasn't discussed previously, just his slaughtering his wife in the matter he did indicates, at least to me, a level of depravity (evil).
  

MM then gives DL a small TV to watch that has videos of the crimes he has committed.

• DL is forced to confront the truth of his crimes. He does not seem to show remorse.
  

Mystery Man shoots Dick Laurant

• This move actually appears to be "teamwork" to an extent. It was probably Fred doing that actual shooting, but vicariously through his emotions.
  

Detectives and investigators are examining Andy's house after the murder. The picture that before contained Four people - Dick Laurant, Renee, Alice, and Andy now only contains DL, Renee, and Andy.

• This shows that Alice does not really exist. It also indicates that Andy and Dick Laurant do actually exist, or at least they probably exist. One can never be too sure in this movie...!
  

Fred returns to his apartment in Mr. Eddy's car. He rings his own doorbell and says into the intercom "Dick Laurant is dead" (Just as in the beginning of the movie!)

• This circularity in the movie is extremely important. It indicates, importantly, that Fred is not able to distinguish reality from his false identities. It ties both together into a chaotic mixture - a maze inside which Fred is lost... searching for an exit, but at the same time afraid to find one.

As Fred re-enters the Lost Highway, he begins to transform again - into someone else.*

Because in reality Fred has already committed the crime (he didn't defeat evil, etc. until inside the fantasy world he created after Renee's death) he continues to remain in this fantasy world - waiting for "the executioner to draw his gun and shoot Fred in the back of the head"... Fred will eventually pay his price in reality by his execution.

* Although it is possible that Fred is simply moving onto another one of his alternative realities, as it were, I think another very plausible and perhaps even more likely interpretation of this last scene would be convergence.  Fred is finally paying his price -- the electric chair.  As the voltage ravens through his body, we witness its effect from Fred's point of view.  

Death: The only reality from which Fred cannot escape..

- END OF FILM -

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