L.B.

[Kiddo]

The letters "L.B." are either written, tattooed, or stamped onto the back of Laura Dern's character's right hand.

What on Earth do you think these two letters mean?

I've bounced around various message boards over the past few months and there does not appear to be a single satisfying answer to this question yet.

Any takers?

Thanks.

[applesnoranges]

I don't think there can be an answer to that because there are so many answers. Every board has an LB thread. The letters do not look stamped to me but drawn, maybe with grease pencil or something like that. When she is talking to Mr. K. the letters are upside down from her point of view. When we see her on the street raising the screwdriver, they are right side up. When she hugs Kingsley they are gone, then when she reaches into the drawer they are back again and upside down. Then when she reaches out for Lost Girl they are gone again. If you look back through the recent threads you can find a place where MichaelPW took note of which scenes seem to contain which of the versions of her (there are two, looking at each other across the street).

[jina]

when Nikki enters Smithy's house, which i think is the house she used to live sometime in the past,
she remembers things from her life, but she goes as far to remember a past identity.
and the scenes we see are very back in time whatever it is about.

so LB has probably something to do with that. a past identity or something.

[MichaelPW]

That we see the crossed LB while "she" is telling Mr. K about the one selling watches again is - in my opinion - no coincidence.

[applesnoranges]

MichaelPW: I don't see what you are saying. Of course it is no coincidence; it's part of the movie. What are you thinking about it?

[MichaelPW]

I still think the same: "She" refers to someone who says that he has a means against bad luck.

[Kiddo]

The "L.B." question appears to be one of IE's insoluble mysteries.

Absolutely no one seems to have a convincing theory. Lots of creative ones, but nothing of substance.

[applesnoranges]

Early after the release, people were guessing things like "Little Boy", "Lord Buddha", the "L.B." in "L.B. Mayer", etc. etc. and eventually the list got so big that it was clear that it could mean anything. How was anyone going to know which one was the magic answer? It does seem to have something to do with the story though to notice that the LB is upside down in Mr. K.'s office, then right side up when she is on the street, then not there at all when she hugs Kingsley, etc.

[jina]

yes, it is really fun to read the discussions about it.

if it was LG we would know it would refer to Lost Girl

someone said Light Bulb, that's a good one.

[applesnoranges]

A while back we discussed LG and LB backwards.
GL = Good Luck
BL = Bad Luck

But I think those ideas are just for amusement. In Lynch movies when attention is drawn to objects, it seems more to show when and where something is rather than something about the objects. E.g. the piano ashtray in Mulholland Dr. I think the LB is like that.

[Kiddo]

it seems more to show when and where something is rather than something about the objects. E.g. the piano ashtray in Mulholland Dr. I think the LB is like that.

I basically agree, although I find the L.B. mystery more alluring somehow...I just can't let it go! Those two initials had to mean something at some point. But as you suggest, I'm not convinced that the answer is soluble or even necessarily important to understanding the story.

Btw, I think we agree that it seems as though the letters do not ever appear or exist in Nikki's world; only in Susan's. You've brought this up before, but I notice that when the story returns to Nikki after she performs Sue's death scene, the letters seem to disappear until she passes through the Twin Peaks-like red curtains.

On the other hand, I do not believe that the street scene where the letters appear upturned from their usual position is of any significance; I believe that this is a rare Lynch blooper. I say this because those letters only appear for a few lightning-quick frames, and no viewer could ever be expected to notice them. In fact, Lynch himself probably didn't notice them when he was editing the film. Obviously we can debate the point, but I stand by my argument that no special significance should be ascribed to a specific moment that can only be perceived via assiduous, frame-by-frame inspection.

[applesnoranges]

On the other hand, I do not believe that the street scene where the letters appear upturned from their usual position is of any significance; I believe that this is a rare Lynch blooper.

I say this because those letters only appear for a few lightning-quick frames, and no viewer could ever be expected to notice them. In fact, Lynch himself probably didn't notice them when he was editing the film

What about the one frame in Mulholland Dr. where Diane's white robe and the flowers on the other side of the couch where is lying both appear? This causes her to be in two different times at one time. Accident?

[MichaelPW]

[jina]

well, it's not so important, but you always wonder what it might mean.
she has written something on her hand, like a note to herself probably.
B. could also stand for boulevard??

[Carl]

The significance of the letters or their reversal, I dunno. Their reversal might be a mirror thing or maybe just a continuity goof.
That the stamp is to allow or prohit re-entry into a club seems likely as she is allowed into a strip club.
'Let Back', 'No Let Back' ?
I finally got mine from the Nightwish show scrubbed off only yesterday.