Twin Peaks - damn how great!
I've had Twin Peaks original as box set for a year or two, but could never bring myself to view it alone, because I remembered it as quite suspenseful, and my teen self having been quite scared.
My friend felt the same, but this past weekend we got together and binged.
And damn!
Be it realising that Cooper is actually as much creepy as "hawt" - or fixating how those traffic lights swayed in the darkness, or the mother of Laura screaming her pain down a displaced telephone receiver - Twin Peaks is too amazing.
It is still a bit scary - but what DVD binge we had, and how much any cinematographically or thematically ambitious TV series owns to Twin Peaks!
"Are we falling... falling... in love?"
So much look fwd to season 3 - with fear it will not be as good...
Anyone else?
My friend felt the same, but this past weekend we got together and binged.
And damn!
Be it realising that Cooper is actually as much creepy as "hawt" - or fixating how those traffic lights swayed in the darkness, or the mother of Laura screaming her pain down a displaced telephone receiver - Twin Peaks is too amazing.
It is still a bit scary - but what DVD binge we had, and how much any cinematographically or thematically ambitious TV series owns to Twin Peaks!
"Are we falling... falling... in love?"
So much look fwd to season 3 - with fear it will not be as good...
Anyone else?
2
Comments
At my immature best, I only recall thinking Agent Cooper was "hawt" - but in that pilot, goodness me how creepy he was too!
At the same time - I now ask: was there no more compelling impetus than Laura Palmer being vulnerable and desirable and young, and "having secrets."
At that I am torn. Hope season three could be more compelling than that.
Woe is me how I despared, but things got patched up, so I am really hopeful that the new episodes will be good. Really, here's hoping!!!
I have to say that in recent times, I've grown to love and respect TV series a lot, and best series in my view trump cinema: thanks to the chance for slow-burning build up of characters and storylines. And I genuinely think that Twin Peaks was the first, in terms of pushing the ambition and quality of TV cinematography and story-telling towards level of films.
I'm proud I've kept strong and kept off the DVDs in view we agreed to watch the series together with my friend... Look fwd to some friendly binging this weekend, for sure!
I am myself, I admit, more conventional than Lynch in my story-telling preferences: I do have a positive bias for a story to deliver a certain closure, and I enjoy those emotional satisfactions of seeing injustices punished, the righteous thrive etc.
Lynch has been quite upfront that he never wanted to solve the murder - and plot is indeed not that central to the greatness of series (IMO). But still I just totally love how the series uses a plot as excuse of sorts to examine a weird cast of characters, human response to emotional pressure, human mania, our capacity of evil etc. And the moods and the atmospheres created are in my view just often masterful.
I freely admit that Twin Peaks would have been "easier" in many ways, and in some ways also more satisying if it had had a conventional plot driven script.
However, what you view as "cheap" is actually near nigh impossible: the TV company did force Palmer murder to be solved, creating a rift between the two original crators, and hasty solution that probably did not really satisfy anyone.
It was not possible not to have some kind of apparent solution to the puzzle, and I think I'm probably more comfy that way myself, but it did not necessarily serve the series that well in the end.
Yet Lynch has always been unsettling, I don't think it was a gimmick. (perso)
I also have to admit I rather see X-Files and Ammerican Horror Story myself as inheritors.
X-Files for characters and for almost wild variation of narrative styles, and dark naturalistic mood; American Horror Story for the characters, grittiness and psycologial suspense edging on cynicism.
But let me repeat: writing is not easy! (I think) And I do think those whom get to do it to either to fame or as gogs in TV-et-Hollywood machine are very lucky, or have money to try. Do a fanfic once, or a generic short story - and I think you'll see how hard writing a story is.
"How shall I style my dialogues?" ;-) If you know - I'd be glad to learn. Let it be admitted: Conan Doyle - cumbersome dialogue, so well loved. I sort of think Twin Peaks is bit the same.
The only bad parts of the show are the bits with James Hurley... with his misplaced angst, silly hair and constipated expression.
it's a terrible performance of a tedious role. Every time he broodingly stares into the distance and mumbles about leaving town I just want to say "See ya Jimmy! Don't bother to write!"
The scene where he sings has to be the most cringey thing I've ever seen on tv.
I actually took a liking to James and Donna, because, well: almost everyone else. Half part manipulation by often horrible counter balance and half part true, to me, James and Donna.
I really think James was intended to be that handsome, reliable, maybe a little dim, better than his family background sort of guy - as an archtype, because everyone else was just so criminal and batty!
Symbolism of the melting clock is so abundant: how we can bend our perspectives; relative nature of time; contrast between the absurd and what is supposed to be precise. Let it be said - IMO, Dali did have a painting technique that must have required significant investment, lest he be a prodigy.
I think you see Lynch just as a man milking the naked emperor. To me, Dali in our reference - but in plain sight, and in full compliance of the crowd whom decides what is art.
I think Dali just "milked it" once he got there - and I respect him for his honesty, when I think Picasso did the same, or more, while positioning himself as a sacrosanct master of fine arts.
I find Lynch not a poser, perso - he wanted to study us humans as characters, and as a collective; and the evil and perception of it. He sidestepped the plot as the main vehicle. To me, his style compels still today as something quite original.
You clearly think he could have done better, but I think there is so much conventional story telling already that I am glad Lynch got his chance.
As for lynch, I don't believe he is so much as a faker as his followers, but I have never found him accessible. The world of small-town America played straight is alien enough to me. Perhaps if it where set in Liverpool I would have some points of reference.
I must admit that it is Dali's honesty as a successful artist - printing money and being a pop-art phenomenon unto himself: I just like and respect.
On the same token, I always imagine Picasso's cubism as a licence to milk it, but less honest in its purported artistic "deepness" and formative vision.
Hey, I hail from a rural setting, but also, surely no community of any magnitude is about fifty-fifty batty or criminal? Size up to Liverpool - hope not!
As to Twin Peaks, what really struck me on review was the cinematography and mood, and characters.
I am for example at awe by the scene where Laura's mother's grief is howled from displaced telephone receiver, signalling how dysfunctional her parents relationship was, and how none of us could actually handle such moment for real!
Hope for more now, brace myself in case it is not that good...
X-Files and American Horror Story to my perception are happily inspired by a lot of the narrative ideas.
And as said before, to me, the cinematography is just there to be enjoyed! Gruyère très corsé maybe - as in saying, cheesy can be quite fine! ;-p