Twin Peaks Return: The Profoundly Disappointed Support Group

[mlsstwrt]

Oh just following on from Bob1 I want to make clear that I love the original up until Leland's death. After that it sucked. I know a lot of people didn't like the episode where Leland was captured. Maybe it could have been done better but I still loved it. But, yeah after that it was awful (although I respect that others like Bob1 don't agree, just like I respect that people like The Return).

It's hard for me to choose between The Return and Episodes 17-28. The Return is undoubtedly better but I just find so little to like in it.

The thing is, when we heard Lynch was going to have total control over TR I never thought we would be comparing TR to Episodes 17-28! I thought we would be comparing it to the Pilot, Episode 14 and FWWM.

[Agent Earle]

Now I think that 'objectively' these episodes are rather weak, it's just that I like them and they are soooo 'mine'.
The Return is not mine and I can appreciate some aspects (and criticize others) and that's about all.

SIGH ... this is so beautifully stated I could cry! Aces, man, truly.

[mlsstwrt]

Now I think that 'objectively' these episodes are rather weak, it's just that I like them and they are soooo 'mine'.
The Return is not mine and I can appreciate some aspects (and criticize others) and that's about all.

SIGH ... this is so beautifully stated I could cry! Aces, man, truly.

Very true. I'm honestly amazed at the acclaim for The Return given how difficult it is to connect with. Not that I don't respect that, it annoys me when ridiculously easy to connect with works (like The Shawshank Redemption) are so lauded, given that they're basically designed to play on the emotions of their audience. The Return isn't easy watching at all and that alone should endear it to me. Unfortunately there's no way I can watch The Return and find it anything other than terrible. Wish it weren't the case.

[Agent Earle]

Now I think that 'objectively' these episodes are rather weak, it's just that I like them and they are soooo 'mine'.
The Return is not mine and I can appreciate some aspects (and criticize others) and that's about all.

SIGH ... this is so beautifully stated I could cry! Aces, man, truly.

Very true. I'm honestly amazed at the acclaim for The Return given how difficult it is to connect with. Not that I don't respect that, it annoys me when ridiculously easy to connect with works (like The Shawshank Redemption) are so lauded, given that they're basically designed to play on the emotions of their audience. The Return isn't easy watching at all and that alone should endear it to me. Unfortunately there's no way I can watch The Return and find it anything other than terrible. Wish it weren't the case.

I get what you're saying. It's not like I (as someone who has yet miles to go to somewhat warm up to The Return, if it'll ever hapen at all) am someone whose viewing preferences can be (I say this at the risk of sounding disrespectful or elitist, though that's far from my intention) easily aligned with those of the general masses and it's not like I tend to gush over mushy mainstream stuff (agree with The Shawshank Redemption being hugely overrated; it's an OK movie and a very good Stephen King adaptation but "the greatest movie of all time"? Nah.). Throughout my life as a viewer, I've always - and I do mean always, from as far back as I can remember - gravitated towards weird, quirky, controversial, unsettling, difficult, frightening and just generally offbeat cinema - and while I get all of that from the original run (and FWWM) and The Return sounds on paper like the ideal candidate for it, the engagement, enjoyment and intrigue for me just aren't there. Weird, but that's how it is.

[mlsstwrt]

That's 100% how I feel Agent Earle. And I imagine most of us are the same. Which is why it's so ridiculous when we keep getting told, 'Go watch Ironman 3!'

I'm so glad you agree about The Shawshank Redemption. I immediately dismiss any meaningful friendship with anybody who rates this as the greatest movie ever made (many seem to). If they say Lord of The Rings I spit at them in disgust. I'm pretty elitist too when it comes to art but, goddamn, I can't find anything to love or even like in The Return.

[mtwentz]

What's the 'official' response been like John 'WIP' Thorne seems positive. What about Brad Dukes (who didn't like FWWM)?

You can listen to his podcasts, the Brad Dukes Show. He has generally liked most of the show, but initially did not like Part 8, though he seems to be re-evaluating that part in the wake of Part 14, which gave it more context.

[depechehenke]

That's 100% how I feel Agent Earle. And I imagine most of us are the same. Which is why it's so ridiculous when we keep getting told, 'Go watch Ironman 3!'

I'm so glad you agree about The Shawshank Redemption. I immediately dismiss any meaningful friendship with anybody who rates this as the greatest movie ever made (many seem to). If they say Lord of The Rings I spit at them in disgust. I'm pretty elitist too when it comes to art but, goddamn, I can't find anything to love or even like in The Return.

I for one am very fond of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Lord of the Rings. Very unneccessary to sow dissent among the disappointed support group! This is exactly what they want, to divide us!!!
If this hobbit-bashing continues I might have to form another thread. "Twin Peaks Return: The Profoundly Disappointed Support Group (who still love LoTR and enjoy Shawshank Redemption. Sometimes a film
that plays on your emotions is exactly what you are in the mood for. Maybe not the best film ever made but extremely well made and enjoyable)."

[mlsstwrt]

That's 100% how I feel Agent Earle. And I imagine most of us are the same. Which is why it's so ridiculous when we keep getting told, 'Go watch Ironman 3!'

I'm so glad you agree about The Shawshank Redemption. I immediately dismiss any meaningful friendship with anybody who rates this as the greatest movie ever made (many seem to). If they say Lord of The Rings I spit at them in disgust. I'm pretty elitist too when it comes to art but, goddamn, I can't find anything to love or even like in The Return.

I for one am very fond of Peter Jackson's adaptation of Lord of the Rings. Very unneccessary to sow dissent among the disappointed support group! This is exactly what they want, to divide us!!!
If this hobbit-bashing continues I might have to form another thread. "Twin Peaks Return: The Profoundly Disappointed Support Group (who still love LoTR and enjoy Shawshank Redemption. Sometimes a film
that plays on your emotions is exactly what you are in the mood for. Maybe not the best film ever made but extremely well made and enjoyable)."

Ha ha, I quite enjoyed both too, I'm only aggrieved with those who INSIST they are the best movies ever made (and I singled out those two movies because I've heard them named as the best movie ever more than any other movies). Anyway, I apologise!

[boske]

It's great LotR has already been filmed, Peter Jackson may have been otherwise tempted to play the role of Saruman and get the ring for himself. Then he'd quickly banish Frodo to inside of a palantir. What a joke this Return is.

[IcedOver]

Throughout my life as a viewer, I've always - and I do mean always, from as far back as I can remember - gravitated towards weird, quirky, controversial, unsettling, difficult, frightening and just generally offbeat cinema - and while I get all of that from the original run (and FWWM) and The Return sounds on paper like the ideal candidate for it, the engagement, enjoyment and intrigue for me just aren't there. Weird, but that's how it is.

I feel like this show could have been what you describe, and many parts have pointed towards it being that (Part 8 in particular), but at this point in the run, something just isn't working, although it could still. I think I was just impatient after Part 15 didn't advance the Evil Cooper situation much. Thinking back on the show so far, it's gone to a number of amazingly fun and quirky places, and without a doubt it's different than anything on TV in years, but like you say, the engagement just isn't present much of the time. Is that intentional, possibly? Perhaps Lynch is making what some have called an anti-narrative. Maybe we as an audience expect things to conform too much to typical structures, and that's what pleases us in the brain, when just having "stuff on screen" -- random bits of everyday happenings -- isn't necessarily any worse or less valid. At this point in his career, it's possible that Lynch is happy just putting absurd "stuff on screen" that engages him, gives him a rise. Of course people have complained about why he's connecting this to "TP", and I originally felt this way, but don't too much any longer. Still, we do have a story afoot, and like I said, I'm concerned because of the time issue.

[Venus]

That's 100% how I feel Agent Earle. And I imagine most of us are the same. Which is why it's so ridiculous when we keep getting told, 'Go watch Ironman 3!'

I'm so glad you agree about The Shawshank Redemption. I immediately dismiss any meaningful friendship with anybody who rates this as the greatest movie ever made (many seem to). If they say Lord of The Rings I spit at them in disgust. I'm pretty elitist too when it comes to art but, goddamn, I can't find anything to love or even like in The Return.

Apparently it's number 4 so they'd be wrong anyway! : http://www.empireonline.com/movies/feat ... st-movies/

Oh my, LOTR just switches my head off . Very glad you didn't bring Star Wars into this though

[mtwentz]

Pretty good article from the NY Times that can help explain how Twin Peaks: The Return can be considered extremely high quality, bold filmmaking while being very difficult for some to digest:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/24/arts ... ml?mcubz=1

[mlsstwrt]

Pretty good article from the NY Times that can help explain how Twin Peaks: The Return can be considered extremely high quality, bold filmmaking while being very difficult for some to digest:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/24/arts ... ml?mcubz=1

Thanks for posting that in this thread. Read it, now done a complete 180 and believe The Return is the best thing ever! Good work mtwentz.

[AhmedKhalifa]

I've been catching up on the posts I've missed on this thread, and there's one point discussed that's been irking me, about how Lynch isn't pandering to the audience in TPTR. I have to disagree. Lynch may not be pandering to the general public, but, IMHO, he is pandering to critics, hipsters, and a load of other "high brow" journalists and publications. And that's a very sad state of affairs, I think, because what I used to like the most about him was how wild, innovative, and true to his vision he was. Not anymore.

Sent from my Lenovo A2020a40 using Tapatalk

[mtwentz]

Pretty good article from the NY Times that can help explain how Twin Peaks: The Return can be considered extremely high quality, bold filmmaking while being very difficult for some to digest:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/24/arts ... ml?mcubz=1

Thanks for posting that in this thread. Read it, now done a complete 180 and believe The Return is the best thing ever! Good work mtwentz.

I thought you could benefit from an objective point of view...