'Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier' Novel by Mark Frost 10/31 (SPOILERS)

[AXX°N N.]

while i understand Lynch is a busy man it's a bit strange that he's so "dismissive" of TSHOTP imo. sure it's Frost's work but it's an important part of the world and mythology that they have created together.

It could be that he just didn't want it clouding his head while directing it, ie doing his own take, that he wanted to be lost in his own ideas using their collaboration as a springboard, but not so much Frost's solitary take. For what it's worth, Frost has been dismissive of Lynch's work before -- he called Mulholland Dr. 'a mess' around the time it came out, not even having seen it -- just saying he heard other people call it a mess. Who know's if he's seen it since? I'm sure the collaboration between them is the important thing for either of them, in the end, that nothing else so much matters.

[Mr. Reindeer]

It's worth noting that Jennifer has also said she doesn't believe her dad read The Secret Diary. It's not a sleight, just one of his quirks. I can understand where he's coming from. He's stuck with the stuff from the series that he didn't conceive, but otherwise wants to keep his personal vision of TP untainted.

For me, the fact that he let Mark write the book and, despite his extreme spoilerphobia, trusted Mark enough to let him publish it without even a read-through, speaks to the bond between the two men. Mark could have planted some real bombshells in the book that hint at things in S3, but DKL seemingly trusted him to walk the line and keep the key mysteries alive.

[claaa7]

It's worth noting that Jennifer has also said she doesn't believe her dad read The Secret Diary. It's not a sleight, just one of his quirks. I can understand where he's coming from. He's stuck with the stuff from the series that he didn't conceive, but otherwise wants to keep his personal vision of TP untainted.

For me, the fact that he let Mark write the book and, despite his extreme spoilerphobia, trusted Mark enough to let him publish it without even a read-through, speaks to the bond between the two men. Mark could have planted some real bombshells in the book that hint at things in S3, but DKL seemingly trusted him to walk the line and keep the key mysteries alive.

but not reading your daughter's first novel is a horrible move on any father if i'm allowed to say so myself.. you can imagine how tat made Jennifer feel stuff like that can be DEVASTATING for a child or a young adult with your parents who you desperatey want confirmation from totally blows you off and show zero interest in as far as work goes. and a novel at that... wow... glad he kind of redeemed himself by executive produced "Surveillance" (very underrated movie in my book)

[Mr. Reindeer]

I would imagine that Jen understands who he is better than anyone, and gets it. She seemed far more amused than hurt in the interview I read. Plus, again, it was a huge act of trust letting her write the thing in the first place as a completely unproven author.

[sp.agent.dalecooper]

He granted his daughter the leeway and creativity to become part of the Twin Peaks legacy, writing about arguably the Central Figure of the entire Twin Peaks mythos, and capitalize(both artistically and financially) at an early age that could help set up the next moves she may have wanted to make at that time.

That sounds like excellent parenting(and there's all different kinds) to me

[Saturn's child]

It's worth noting that Jennifer has also said she doesn't believe her dad read The Secret Diary.

What do you make of Frost's comment on his AMA ("Not true about the Diary: it became the basis for FWWM")? I'd always heard Lynch never read it, so was a bit thrown by Frost's reply.

[Mr. Reindeer]

It's worth noting that Jennifer has also said she doesn't believe her dad read The Secret Diary.

What do you make of Frost's comment on his AMA ("Not true about the Diary: it became the basis for FWWM")? I'd always heard Lynch never read it, so was a bit thrown by Frost's reply.

I hadn't seen that quote before. Hrm. Maybe DKL read the Secret Diary in the same alternate reality where Lana won Miss Twin Peaks?

I guess it's possible that DKL read it and told Frost but not Jennifer? Or maybe Frost just misunderstood something DKL said to him, or made an incorrect assumption. Certainly, elements of MLMT made it into FWWM, and I've always assumed that was due to Engels. I don't really see any direct influence from TSD on the film, although there are inevitably similarities (and some handwritten pages transcribed directly from the book are seen in the film). Sheryl has said she kept the book near her throughout filming, so it was definitely around on set. Guess we'll never know for sure, but I'm inclined to believe Jennifer more than Frost in this particular case.

[Mr. Reindeer]

Something that just occurred to me: Frost has said that part of what he was interested in exploring in TSHoTP was subjective/unreliable memory. I wonder if this was to some extent influenced by his father's struggle with Alzheimer's. I watched my grandfather slowly lose his memory and his sense of place and time; it's a heartbreaking experience to try to imagine how frustrating and hellish that loved one's reality must look like from their POV, jumping between periods in their lives, conflating events and individuals from the present with those from decades past. Something like Robert Jacoby dying in 1970 and still being around for events that occurred decades later feels very much like the sort of thing my grandfather might have expressed in conversation. Particularly since we know that aging is a theme in the new season (I'm very excited to see Lynch/Frost tackle this), and Lynch often uses so-called "alternate realities"' to externalize mental states, I wonder if memory and its loss will end up being a theme in the new show as well.

Of course, the problem with the discrepancies in the book is the same as it always is when viewed in light of Frost's "unreliable memory" comments: it doesn't explain instances where we're dealing with historical documents like newspapers which misreport contemporary facts (and honestly, "unreliable memory" didn't come across as a theme to me in the text itself, despite Frost stating it as such in interviews). And a LH/MD subjective approach would be very difficult to pull off on TP due to its ensemble nature. But I am very curious to see how perception and memory will play into the new season, and particularly wonder how Frost will deal with these themes in TFD. If at least some of the seeming discrepancies end up being in the interest of exploring how beautiful and terrifying human memory can be, and if "alternate realities" somehow play out as a metaphor for the subjectiveness of memory a la LH, I'll feel much more satisfied than I would be by either a straight "alternate reality" approach or a conspiracy where Bob-Coop or someone else deliberately altered documents.

[claaa7]

It's worth noting that Jennifer has also said she doesn't believe her dad read The Secret Diary.

What do you make of Frost's comment on his AMA ("Not true about the Diary: it became the basis for FWWM")? I'd always heard Lynch never read it, so was a bit thrown by Frost's reply.

there are entries from it did get to the screen so perhaps Lynch did read more of it than he let on.. you never know with this genius haha.

but what i think he meant is that Shreryl Lee carried that book with her to set EVERYWHERE, she said in an interview that Jennifer's book became almost as important as the script for her in finding the character and letting her know how to portray her in the film. so i guess that's what Frost meant.

just one thing, about the stuff about Frost calling "MD" uncoherrent and a mess in that old interview. they were obviously not on the best terms back then, and it was quite clear in the interview that he wasn't happy at all with Lynch so he was bound to make a snide remark. now they seem to be good friends again.. it's not a big thing, but i just think the way Lynch said that in the Q&A sounded a little bit dismissive like he was the only one with authority on Peaks but whatever, i probably read too much into it. Frost certainly likes "FWWM".

one interesting interview i read with Frost where the subject of "FWWM" came up, and the interviewer saying something like "You had nothing to do with FWWM" and he actually seemed to get quite irritated. "My name is up on that screen, I was an executive producer on that movie" he said.. the interviewer assumed this was just because he had created the original series which was definitely not the case according to Frost.. extremely interesting and i so wih i will find this interview again soon.

[Agent Earle]

but not reading your daughter's first novel is a horrible move on any father if i'm allowed to say so myself.. you can imagine how tat made Jennifer feel stuff like that can be DEVASTATING for a child or a young adult with your parents who you desperatey want confirmation from totally blows you off and show zero interest in as far as work goes. and a novel at that... wow... glad he kind of redeemed himself by executive produced "Surveillance" (very underrated movie in my book)

I expect the book then becoming a smash-hit sensation went at least some of the way towards making her feel better.

Yeah, from what I remember of Surveillance, it's definitely a refreshing take on the by then quite stale serial-killer-thriller formula, though I guess it's about time I see it again and check whether my first impressions from about 9 years ago (when it came out) hold up; Bill Pullman was great it in. Agree that's it far less known than it deserves to be. Has anyone on here seen Miss Lynch's subsequent films, Hisss and Chained, and would you recommend them? I'm very happy she dabbles in the genre near and dear to my heart!

[Agent Earle]

just one thing, about the stuff about Frost calling "MD" uncoherrent and a mess in that old interview. they were obviously not on the best terms back then, and it was quite clear in the interview that he wasn't happy at all with Lynch so he was bound to make a snide remark. now they seem to be good friends again.. it's not a big thing, but i just think the way Lynch said that in the Q&A sounded a little bit dismissive like he was the only one with authority on Peaks but whatever, i probably read too much into it. Frost certainly likes "FWWM".

one interesting interview i read with Frost where the subject of "FWWM" came up, and the interviewer saying something like "You had nothing to do with FWWM" and he actually seemed to get quite irritated. "My name is up on that screen, I was an executive producer on that movie" he said.. the interviewer assumed this was just because he had created the original series which was definitely not the case according to Frost.. extremely interesting and i so wih i will find this interview again soon.

If you do find links to those interviews you talk about anywhere, please, post them here, would you? I'd be extremely interested in them.

[Dalai Cooper]

lol speaking of unreliable narrators

[laughingpinecone]

Something that just occurred to me: Frost has said that part of what he was interested in exploring in TSHoTP was subjective/unreliable memory. I wonder if this was to some extent influenced by his father's struggle with Alzheimer's. I watched my grandfather slowly lose his memory and his sense of place and time; it's a heartbreaking experience to try to imagine how frustrating and hellish that loved one's reality must look like from their POV, jumping between periods in their lives, conflating events and individuals from the present with those from decades past. Something like Robert Jacoby dying in 1970 and still being around for events that occurred decades later feels very much like the sort of thing my grandfather might have expressed in conversation. Particularly since we know that aging is a theme in the new season (I'm very excited to see Lynch/Frost tackle this), and Lynch often uses so-called "alternate realities"' to externalize mental states, I wonder if memory and its loss will end up being a theme in the new show as well.

Of course, the problem with the discrepancies in the book is the same as it always is when viewed in light of Frost's "unreliable memory" comments: it doesn't explain instances where we're dealing with historical documents like newspapers which misreport contemporary facts (and honestly, "unreliable memory" didn't come across as a theme to me in the text itself, despite Frost stating it as such in interviews). And a LH/MD subjective approach would be very difficult to pull off on TP due to its ensemble nature. But I am very curious to see how perception and memory will play into the new season, and particularly wonder how Frost will deal with these themes in TFD. If at least some of the seeming discrepancies end up being in the interest of exploring how beautiful and terrifying human memory can be, and if "alternate realities" somehow play out as a metaphor for the subjectiveness of memory a la LH, I'll feel much more satisfied than I would be by either a straight "alternate reality" approach or a conspiracy where Bob-Coop or someone else deliberately altered documents.

I didn't get "unreliable memory" either but I got "unreliable reality", which, close enough. In a realistic setting, a storyteller would have to limit themself to messing with the kind of details which fall within the realm of personal memories. In a surrealistic setting, extending that kind of dissonance to pure, verifiable & verified facts in a hyperbole allows the storyteller to trigger that kind of vertigo in readers who are otherwise quite sure of the reality they live in (and of the show they've obsessed over for 27 years).
I have no intel but I'll bet my prettiest hat that this "alternate realities" business will play out as you hope.

lol speaking of unreliable narrators

Right? I tell myself "okay it's hyperbole" and then think about all the interviews about the show itself and "maybe it's not hyperbole"

[claaa7]

but not reading your daughter's first novel is a horrible move on any father if i'm allowed to say so myself.. you can imagine how tat made Jennifer feel stuff like that can be DEVASTATING for a child or a young adult with your parents who you desperatey want confirmation from totally blows you off and show zero interest in as far as work goes. and a novel at that... wow... glad he kind of redeemed himself by executive produced "Surveillance" (very underrated movie in my book)

I expect the book then becoming a smash-hit sensation went at least some of the way towards making her feel better.

Yeah, from what I remember of Surveillance, it's definitely a refreshing take on the by then quite stale serial-killer-thriller formula, though I guess it's about time I see it again and check whether my first impressions from about 9 years ago (when it came out) hold up; Bill Pullman was great it in. Agree that's it far less known than it deserves to be. Has anyone on here seen Miss Lynch's subsequent films, Hisss and Chained, and would you recommend them? I'm very happy she dabbles in the genre near and dear to my heart!

haha good point

from what i understand it, Jennifer more or less disowned "Hisss", she said that it was definitely not the movie that she made and there were an insane amount of interference and reshoots by the production company. based on that and the reviews i've read i have no interest in seeing that film... "Chained" i have on DVD though and it's a good, very creepy film. like in her father's film it's a chamber piece that explores the extreme darkness in man that goes on in safe suburbia, hidden just beneath the surface. it's especially scary since it's so real considering all the serial killings and kidnappings and horrible things that happens all over the globe. she had a great way with her actors in that one, Vincent D'Onofrio was REALLY chilling and the two actors who play the other main character did a phenomenal job (the younger of them was later directed by Cronenberg in "Maps to the Stars"). i would recommend it!!

the one thing i don't like very much about Jennifer's film is her reliance on shock and gore, something that her father implied much more than showed and which to me is so much more powerful.. but still it's a claustrophobic, scary and good movie worth seeking out imo.

[Agent Earle]

from what i understand it, Jennifer more or less disowned "Hisss", she said that it was definitely not the movie that she made and there were an insane amount of interference and reshoots by the production company. based on that and the reviews i've read i have no interest in seeing that film... "Chained" i have on DVD though and it's a good, very creepy film. like in her father's film it's a chamber piece that explores the extreme darkness in man that goes on in safe suburbia, hidden just beneath the surface. it's especially scary since it's so real considering all the serial killings and kidnappings and horrible things that happens all over the globe. she had a great way with her actors in that one, Vincent D'Onofrio was REALLY chilling and the two actors who play the other main character did a phenomenal job (the younger of them was later directed by Cronenberg in "Maps to the Stars"). i would recommend it!!

the one thing i don't like very much about Jennifer's film is her reliance on shock and gore, something that her father implied much more than showed and which to me is so much more powerful.. but still it's a claustrophobic, scary and good movie worth seeking out imo.

MMMMM, Chained should be right down my alley. Sounds a little like the excellent Austrian drama Michael (2011) about the quite everyday life of a kidnapper pedophile hidden in our midst (inspired by the true crime case of one Josef Fritzl and the ordeal of Natascha Kampusch, two names very familiar to us Europeans). Must check it out ASAP. Thanks!

I don't mind the gore/splatter and violence myself, as long as it's used with a good narrative reason. Come to think of it, I even like gore-for-gore's-sake a la Raimi's Evil Dead series and early Peter Jackson movies, but (like these two examples prove) I think this approach works much better if there's humor involved (James Gunn's Slither would be a more recent example; too bad Gunn, a former Trome scribe, didn't stick around in the genre and hopped instead on the evermore annoying Marvel/DC-comicbook-superheroes-adaptations bandwagon!).