What was your interpretation of the Old Couple?

ruaridh321,

I enjoy the film more from an entirely symbolic POV in which any narrative of Betty/Diane existing in the “real” (physical) world is but one of many levels. Many viewers may have some explanation of Irene and “Irene’s companion”(the old couple) that is more or less similar to yours.

“…she was being haunted by her past and also by the fantasy she had created in her mind.”

On a physical level this is a reasonable interpretation and very much related to the symbolic POV I believe is discernible deeper within the entire film. Personally, I found any physical narrative I considered to be ultimately unsatisfying and was drawn to explore further towards what evolved into metaphor and allegory. I like to take it to a wider encompassing perspective and apply it to “we”. “us”, “ourselves” or “the viewer” as it might be suggested that Lynch, as an expressionistic “painter” may want to portray as how his mind perceives human nature.

In very simple terms, we typically want to feel good and retain a state of mind that is positive without negative feelings. We expect certain actions we take will bring us to that state. But the negative feelings return and the process is endlessly repeated. This is related to a philosophical concept of "desire leads to suffering" and is one level that I have found rewarding to explore.

Symbolically, I interpret the couple as representing a “state of mind” that is “anticipated” but not attained. This is somewhat similar, in a sense, to how I also view the Blue Hair Lady. If you look up the name “Irene” you will find that it means “peace”. At the airport, she is mature, friendly, lovely, content, warm, peaceful etc. She travels with a person identified in the credits as “Irene’s companion” suggesting a positive condition of shared companionship. That is opposite of the dark loneliness and bitterness portrayed by Diane. Note how the companion uses a cart to make the heavy bags easy to deal with (symbolism). Irene’s older age can be imagined symbolically as a “destination” to be reached…the expected “final result” (of "desire"). But inside the mind, some part understands that the state of mind will be short lived and eventually be replaced by negativity. Thus the rather phony happiness/smiles in the limo. Of course the possibility to evolve to a higher state of consciousness exists if the mind is able to ever recognize the true path. There is quite a bit of symbolic elements that can be analyzed at the airport (well the whole film actually).

In a sense, the world of Betty can be viewed as a “dream” of “desire” that leads to the resulting creation of “Diane” and the suffering negativity of anger, hate, jealousy, possessiveness, loneness, ignorance, darkness etc. These are feelings of negativity (suffering) that Lynch believes meditation can provide a means to eliminate/reduce (see The David Lynch Foundation). Betty expects and desires to find “happiness” in Hollywood, the city of dreams (dreams=desires AND illusions). She does not follow the right path that could have brought her to find happiness (symbolically) and “disappears”. Viewers typically do not “see” this, which in itself is symbolic to how Lynch is “painting this picture”.

Instead of the higher state of mind, the desire (old couple) has grown into an impossible to ignore terrifying “suffering” requiring a “desire” to escape. When Diane reaches for the gun, I am reminded of Laney’s reaching inside Joe’s pocket for a cigarette. We are “doing it” (abusing) to ourselves…and connecting back to Dan’s line…”he’s the one who’s doing it.” A “self abuse” of ignorantly (“what does it open”) repeatedly doing the same thing in different ways to keep ourselves in a cycle of “desire and suffering”.

Lynch seems to be often showing the same “thing” but in different symbolic ways, conceptually similar to the different readings of the audition script. He has even alluded to this in at least one interview I recall once reading. Making an effort to learn about Lynch, his history and interests can help to provide a path to imagine and discover many levels to appreciate this remarkable artistic piece.
ogt

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[deleted]

I like your interpretation. As Betty, they are a super nice old couple who are pleasant with her and excited for her plans. As Diane, they are judgemental demons who remind her of all her mistakes and her lack of success.

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C-R-E-E-P-Y

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In her dream/fantasy the Old Couple admired her for her innocence & pure heart. So I think it's fitting that she would face them at the end when what horrible acts she's committed are revealed. They represent the part of her psyche that sees herself as a good person. But after what she's done, she couldn't see herself as a good person anymore... and she couldn't bare the truth being revealed to that part of herself that sees herself as a good person. So she kills herself.

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I believe they are simply representative of the people in her life that she so much wanted to please with success in Hollywood. In the end, she felt that she would have been a huge disappointment to them on the face of her failure, so it was those voices that haunted her the most.

Brevity is the soul of wit.

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The old couple are the two seemingly kind people who ushered her into a place where she could fulfill her dreams but they really know how ugly Hollywood can be. They represent "Hollywood."

At the end, her dreams are gone and they arrive again to destroy her and swallow her up.

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Old Couple = Part of Diane's psyche that knows the truth of what she did (murder + suicide)

This is why you see them in the beginning laughing because they know that the fantasy she has created, is just that, a fantasy...so they are going along for the ride so to speak.

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