I bought the complete bluray series of Twin Peaks and rewatched the whole series. I still love the show, but I am now watching Fire, Walk With Me. It is absolutely the worst movie ever. David Lynch is capable of such great noir, creating scary and bizarre worlds. But he is also capable of really bad *beep* too. FWWM has way too much hocus pocus, plain stupid scenes, and very bad writing
shareI agree with you completely! I love the show and it's one of the best thing I've ever seen but this movie was just ok compared to the series. I think Sheryl Lee over-acted in the movie while in the show, she was better and the storyline with 2 new FBI agents was very absurd. Also, this movie desperately needed Dale Cooper.
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Counterpoint: the movie is the best part of the saga, cuts much deeper than anything on the show (excepting Maddy's murder & Cooper in the Black Lodge) and Sheryl Lee gives one of the all-time great, incredibly moving performances in any film.
She's fun on the show but pretty light. Nothing there (except her death scene) approaches the depth and range she expresses her. This is far-and-away the best piece of acting to be found in Twin Peaks and up there with Naomi Watts & Laura Dern as far as Lynch performances go.
Watching Cooper investigate the Banks murder would have been interesting (although I enjoy Chet Desmond). But this is Laura's story and Cooper is not "desperately needed" for that.
It's about, in Lynch's words, "the loneliness, shame, guilt, confusion, and devastation of the victim of incest." No wonder survivors of abuse have thanked him and Lee for their work.
Moreover, it's a *beep* phenomenal piece of moviemaking. Messy, yes but so powerful and profound and I'll take those over perfection any day.
Mark Kermode has a great defense of the film on YouTube that is worth watching. Whether or not it convinces detractors, it certainly articulates the case for the defense quite well: http://tinyurl.com/oc6u97u
Get Lost in the Movies on http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/
I still disagree about the quality of the movie but I respect your opinion. You have made some excellent points and it's nice to see a well-written and brilliant counterpoint.
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Ultimately it's not for everyone, of course. I just hope that people can see there's more going on there than may initially meet the eye. It's much more an intuitive experience than an intellectual one. Thanks for the considerate response.
Get Lost in the Movies on http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/
it was deeply great. Much darker than the show.
shareI agree..... FWWM in my opinion is the greates movie ever made.... keep in mind thats subjective, and I'm glad most people dont think so.... if everyone loved Lynch movies, they would then be commercial and he probably wouldnt make em'... sooooo, I think its a good think only a select few "get" his work.
shareIMHO the Desmond scenes were all coopers dream. He worked the banks case but wanted a cold objective perspective, which is why Sutherland's character is slightly like him and Desmond is the complete opposite
shareFIRE WALK WITH ME is seen through the eyes of Laura Palmer. HEr world was evil.
The TV SERIES was seen through the eyes of Dale Cooper. An FBI AGENT discovering a strange place.
"too much hocus pocus"
Compared to what? The series that featured Project Bluebook, Jupiter & Saturn aligning, a woman trapped in a drawer pull, and an FBI agent solving a murder using "magic"? This seems an odd complaint to launch after saying you loved the show.
"I am now watching Fire, Walk With Me."
Sheesh, maybe you should have stopped typing and actually...watched it. It's a movie that demands one's full attention.
And I realize calling it "the worst movie ever" is intentional hyperbole (unless you actually think any film with Angelo Badalementi's gorgeous score, to name just one of its objectively impressive qualities, could belong beneath the grade-Z dustbin) but it's hard to take your statements seriously after that.
It seems like the film made you really unhappy/uncomfortable and you're confusing that with the level of its craftsmanship.
Get Lost in the Movies on http://thedancingimage.blogspot.com/
Well, yeah - when something isn't immediately obvious, it's to be dismissed as "stupid". That's the attitude, way to go.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
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I found the film disappointing overall. I hate to say it, as I felt for Laura, but the film dragged on so long I actually was waiting for her to die! I think David Lynch focused so much on Laura's day to day actions, the film became redundant- how many times did we see her snort coke, for example? And some scenes were just way too long, like the bar scene with Laura and Donna and the scene with the one-armed man yelling at Leland at the train track. As a fan of the series, I was looking forward to seeing Norma, Shelly, Harry, Lucy, Josie, Audrey, etc. and was shocked at their absence (yes, Norma and Shelly have one scene, I know).
Also, it was jarring seeing the Palmers in a totally different house, both inside and outside, as well as Boyle being replaced by Kelly as Donna. So as a fan of the show, I was really disappointed. Now imagine not being familiar with the show and watching this movie- very limited appeal, I think. Lynch films usually require a certain cerebral response, and back then, casual movie goers didn't go for FWWM and had a very polarizing reaction.
Yeah I was disappointed with this film as well. The Laura storyline felt like a Lifetime made-for-tv-movie to me at times:Heart-wrenching, but lacking in subtlety. I get that the movie was trying for a darker tone(understandably so, given that it focuses on Laura's tragic life), but nothing in the film compared to the utterly terrifying murder of Maddy in "Lonely Souls."
I will withhold judgement on the mythology stuff regarding the Man From Another Place et al, it seemed interesting but I need time and a second viewing to process that stuff.
This film is a David Lynch film not a DL television show!. I saw the film twice in theaters in 1992. I loved it then and still love it now My only complaint is the film should of resolved the cliffhanger from the television show.
I know that many fans of the tv show do not like this film but re-watch the film AFTER you watch all of the television episodes. You will see how David Lynch did "Mirror" scenes/set ups. Again most fans of the show do not like this film but there is some of us that do love the series and FWWM. I am one of them
This is probably my favourite film. Far more enjoyable the second or third time though!
shareIt's the best part of the saga. Wonderfully dark and strange, it took the show to a whole other dimension and I liked it. The show gets a little boring for me, this doesn't. The show was too damn goofy, this isn't.
shareAgreed, while I don't think FWWM is "better" than Season One of TP it's certainly as good and reaches depths of pain and horror that a TV Series at the time couldn't hope to get close to due to the constrains of the broadcast TV network censorship and sponsor demands.
FWWM is certainly one of the best horror films released in the 90's.
It is a great film. You can not compare to the TV show. This film is the last 7 days of Laura Palmers Life and we see her "world" wasn't so nice!
shareI also bought the complete blu-ray set which included this movie, which I had never seen. Unfortunately, I have to give it a thumbs down. It had some real interesting scenes and Sheryl Lee virtually carries the film, but in the end, it simply lacked the charm of the series. Eventhough this is the David Lynch world, this almost seemed like some sort of experimental movie from college student. In other words, it became too Twin Peakish, even for Twin Peaks!
shareI've watched FWWM several times, I own it, but I really and truly do not like it. I think it takes away from the series rather than adding to it.
I know Lynch makes odd films and they are usually amazing, but I really didn't care for this one at all, but I totally respect those who appreciate it, as I know many Lynch and Twin Peaks fans do.
~Keep The Faith~