Part 2 of the Fire Walk With Me Blog

[bosguy1981]

And I will gladly admit that when i heard there was a new Donna, No Audrey, and hardly any Cooper, I was disappointed.

Agreed- but this actually goes along with what I was saying. It wasn't only critics and some fans who had turned against TP and Lynch. Boyle, Fenn & Maclachlan had all been hyped as the next big thing when TP hit big, and by the time everyone had turned on it, they had as well. Each wanted nothing to do with it, and all three refused to be in the film. Of course Kyle later agreed to a brief role only because of his friendship with Lynch.

I pulled this quote from Lynch on Lynch. When asked if the cast was enthusiastic to make the movie after the series ended:

"No. I wish that was the case. Some people felt that way. And then some people felt the opposite. It was 75 percent, you know, very good. But that 25 percent... you just say, 'Why is this happening? This could be so great.' And attitude is so much of it."

I feel "This could be so great" kind of hits the nail on the head for me. I really do love the finished film and yet, it feels like a missed opportunity for these reasons. I appreciate and enjoy the Deer Meadow stuff in its own way, but it's hard not to imagine that entire first half-hour of the film with Agent Cooper in the lead for the Teresa Banks investigation. And coming off the series, it certainly feels in every way, that's how it was supposed to be.

For me, the finished film survives just fine without Audrey involved because she wouldn't have an obvious place in a story about Laura Palmer's final days. Of course, I'd love to see her in it because I feel Audrey is such an essential component to everything that is Twin Peaks. But considering that the movie Lynch initially desired to make would have included Audrey and significantly more Cooper, it's hard not to imagine how wonderful that movie could have been. And I have this feeling that if Audrey (umm... Sherilyn Fenn) had been available, the idea to not veer away from Laura Palmer's central story would be a little less important. If Audrey's energy had been in the mix (even if just a couple strong scenes), I have this feeling we would have seen more supporting characters like Pete, Big Ed, Sheriff Truman, etc. in the finished movie.

I'm totally daydreaming here, of course. And while I'm at it, I think if Sherilyn Fenn would have joined, Richard Beymer would have totally been onboard. All in all, it would have felt a bit more like a Twin Peaks movie.

But I don't mind that Moira Kelly subbed for Donna. I mean, it's not ideal for consistency but surprisingly, I really don't miss Lara Flynn Boyle. I got over her absence after the first two viewings, and haven't thought about it since.

[coolspringsj]

A large portion of the fanbase for the series was turned off by the dark tone of the film. I've never understood this because it comes off like these people had no idea what kind of a filmmaker David Lynch was. Not to mention the film centered on Laura's dark life and the tone FWWM took made perfect sense in relation to this specific storyline. I read people didn't like or understand the Deer Meadow opening sequence with thirty minutes of the film not even taking place in our revered Twin Peaks. Deer Meadow reflected the different tone that the film and this storyline in particular was going to take. Plus showing how mundane and downright horrible it was, it elevated the small town of Twin Peaks to an even higher pedestal. It painted the picture of a throwaway line in the Pilot about a similar murder happening a year ago. The prologue had so many interesting characters residing within - Chet (what went down after he knelt to take the ring under the Chalfont trailer?), Sam (his uptight neurotic behavior), Sheriff Cable and staff, Irene (You wanna hear about our specials?.....we don't have any), Carl Rodd (what places has he been?), Gordon Cole, Lil', the crazy guys outside of Hap's, a pre-Laura victim in Teresa, the creepy woman who wandered into Teresa's trailer, the shit from shinola patron, a Cooper cameo, and so on and so forth. Deer Meadow packed in depth and layers of mystery that greatly impacted the Red Room mythos and has people dissecting these scenes up until this day. I think FWWM was the example of all examples to showcase what TP would look like if it aired on HBO today. I think Lynch/Frost and the cast would absolutely thrive in this type of environment and would be more easily supported by sophisticated audiences for a multi-season run instead of being so far ahead of its time like in 1990. I almost feel it would be better to have stories that take place in the TP universe with new characters maybe only referencing events in the 1990 series and FWWM for us geeks. Lynch and co. have the creative juices to pull this off starting with entirely fresh story ideas. Okay, maybe some minor cameos as a nod to the original, but I think something entirely separate with some of the same supernatural events closing in would be perfect and easily pulled off. Unfortunately, I don't think Lynch is going to return to the Twin Peaks world, despite how he has told us he loves it. Oh well, one can dream.

[Leo K]

What a beautiful thread here.

The Deer Meadow sequence stands on it's own as a short film. It is my favorite 30 minutes in film.

Of course I love Fire Walk With Me in it's entirety, but the Deer Meadow sequence is essential for the world of Twin Peaks, personally I like it because it's Theresa Bank's story.

[mlsstwrt]

Most film critics are idiot sheep. Eyes Wide Shut got panned when it was first released. Only many years later do many reviewers now acknowledge this film's genius. Even The Godfather wasn't well received but now is recognised as being one of the greatest films of all time.

It makes me laugh when almost every new Pixar movie is getting a near perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. I think critics are really part of the movie business, the key word being business. Same with the Oscars. They pander towards the conventional and mainstream or understandable art house. Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me was way, way beyond their understanding and in their ignorance they tried to evaluate something that they couldn't begin to comprehend.

[jlyon1515]

It almost destroyed Lynch's career.

Really, you think FWWM almost destroyed Lynch's career? Surely, one badly reviewed film wouldn't end anyone's career. I feel like that is an overstatement, and surely anyone who knew Lynch from his success with Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart would generally understand his quirky art. Yes, it was badly reviewed, but almost destroying his career?

[Ross]

It almost destroyed Lynch's career.

Really, you think FWWM almost destroyed Lynch's career? Surely, one badly reviewed film wouldn't end anyone's career. I feel like that is an overstatement, and surely anyone who knew Lynch from his success with Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart would generally understand his quirky art. Yes, it was badly reviewed, but almost destroying his career?

I honestly believe it set him back- A LOT. There were a lot of critics blasting him specifically at the time, not just the film. I remember people saying it was time to re-evaluate him as a director, and that maybe he never had a lot of talent to begin with. Lynch was obviously hurt and dismayed by it all. He basically went into a mini-retirement afterwards. And focused on his art and other non-film related things. Ciby 2000 backed out of a three-picture deal because of it (Lynch later sued.) I think had FWWM been a success, his career would have had a different trajectory. So yes, I honestly believe there was a lot of damage done.

[kingsoprano718]

The greatest thing for me about FWWm is the fact that if you watch the series and the movie you could really have all the answers you want. So much is open to interpretation.

If you count the ring that Annie is wearing in the deleted scenes then you have the answer as to what will probably happen next. Leland/Laura will be played out again in Cooper/Annie. Seeing that would have been so much more fascinating but knowing it is satisfying to a certain degree.

There can be hours of conversation on what things like the electricity mean and the White Lodge. But thats for another thread. Never have I been able to rewatch a movie and series and been able to pick up on certain foreshadowing years later.

I also read an article in Film Threat magazine I believe when FWWM came out that the second movie was going to be a Windom Earle prequel with Chet and Phillip in it laying MORE groundwork for the third and final movie, the anticipated sequel and wrap up. Everything that was introduced in FWWM was going to be used later. Sad to think what could have been.