Twin
Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)
David
Lynch revisits the television town that caused such
a stir on ABC in 1990. This prequel to the series ends
where the series began and covers a lot of ground that
the series also covered. So the film would have a hard
time standing alone on it's own merit. It is just uninteresting
to the uninitiated.
Still, Lynch has crafted another Lynchian masterpiece
full of subtleties, nuances and hidden meanings. His
use of symbolism is remarkable. Much like "Blue Velvet,"
"Peaks" lets us see the hidden side of everyday America.
And it's not a pretty picture.
The acting talent in "Peaks" is also remarkable. Sheryl
Lee as Laura Palmer is particularly engaging. Lee can
go from seductress to Prom Queen to victim in the bat
of an eyelash and never lose her character. Like all
of the young women in Lynch's works (Lara Dern, Sherilyn
Finn), Lee is a presence to note and watch for.
Lynch also enlists the talents of Harry Dean Stanton,
Chris Issacks, Keifer Sutherland, and Kyle MacLachlan.
But it is a short moment in the proceedings with David
Bowie that sets the tone for the entire film. Bowie
is remarkable in his brief performance, speaking in
a southern accent and mumbling about what he has seen.
It is the cornerstone of the film.
Almost all the regulars from the series appear in the
film. The oddballs like the midget (i.e. The Man from
Another Place portrayed by Michael Anderson), the one-armed
man and the log lady are also back. Most noticeably
missing is Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna. It was obvious
during the series that Boyle hated her part and she
proves it here by skipping out. The meaty role of Donna
was re-cast for the film (Moira Kelly) and the film
is better for it. Ms. Boyle opted instead to be mistreated
in "Wayne's World." This is her loss and our gain.
David Lynch is a master. His films are possibly the
most interesting and unique visions to become part of
the cinematic landscape since Woody Allen's films of
the 70's. Lynch, like Allen, shows us an absurdists
view of the world we live in. For all there likenesses
though, the two are miles apart.
"Twin Peaks" wont be remembered as Lynch's best film,
nor as his worst. It is tucked in there neatly between
"Blue Velvet" and "Wild at Heart" waiting to be re-discovered
sometime in the 21st century.
Note: The film did very well in Japan where it was titled
"Twin Peaks: The Last Seven Days of Laura Palmer." Japanese
travel agents even offered "Twin Peaks" tours to Snoqualmie,
Washinton where the TV series and this film were lensed.
A magazine based on the series called "Wrapped in Plastic"
continued to be published well after the series ended
and this film came and went. Craig Miller and John Thorne
put the periodical together.
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