swansong

[Gabriel]

It could well be that it finally demolishes the cinema/TV/serial barriers. For my money, traditional TV is dead, albeit the corpse is still warm. The future, I suspect will be with the programme creators, not the networks.

[OK,Bob]

Tbh, something that kind of surprised me is that this hasn't been a bigger topic of conversation - at least as far as I can tell - in cinephilia circles and among serious critics and scholars. What Lynch is doing here is almost unprecedented - even Berlin Alexanderplatz and Dekalog were short by comparison; add in the scale of this production and the fact that it is at least in part a mainstream project which is going to have major promotion & distribution behind it - and the fact that a premium cable network has given an avant-garde filmmaker virtual carte blanche and we are possibly on the verge of one of the most revolutionary, groundbreaking moments in the history of cinema. EVEn if it ends up being a one-off (inasmuch as the circumstances have to be Jupiter-and-Saturn level out of the ordinary for a filmmaker of Lynch's proclivities to receive this much creative leeway on this scale) this is still going to be a massive landmark in the history of movies, not just TV.

Berlin Alexanderplatz is probably in the same ballpark as far as duration at 15.5 hours... Nevins said Season Three would be more than originally planned 9 hours; Fenn claimed it was now 18 episodes; as I mentioned, I'd expect anything between 10 and 20 hours. Regardless, this project is unprecedented in all the ways you describe, and, yes, it is odd that the mere scale of the work in the context of Lynch's previous cinematic output hasn't gotten more attention. How exceedingly and unexpectedly rewarding this is for Peaks fans! [And we get a novel by one of the co-creators thrown into the mix!]

[Mark B]

LostInTheMovies I hadn't thought of this in those terms, I've mainly just been focused on new TP but good god they way you just put that got me hyped.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[Metamorphia]

Regardless if this turns out to be Lynch's swan song, it seems much more certain that - at roughly 10 to 20 hours - this "third season" will be his Magnum Opus as a director/filmmaker*. Something thrilling to look forward to, indeed!

[*"filmmaker" to include shooting digitally, of course]

Tbh, something that kind of surprised me is that this hasn't been a bigger topic of conversation - at least as far as I can tell - in cinephilia circles and among serious critics and scholars. What Lynch is doing here is almost unprecedented - even Berlin Alexanderplatz and Dekalog were short by comparison; add in the scale of this production and the fact that it is at least in part a mainstream project which is going to have major promotion & distribution behind it - and the fact that a premium cable network has given an avant-garde filmmaker virtual carte blanche and we are possibly on the verge of one of the most revolutionary, groundbreaking moments in the history of cinema. EVEn if it ends up being a one-off (inasmuch as the circumstances have to be Jupiter-and-Saturn level out of the ordinary for a filmmaker of Lynch's proclivities to receive this much creative leeway on this scale) this is still going to be a massive landmark in the history of movies, not just TV.

Maybe it's residual prejudice against television in film circles, or maybe most people don't realize yet just how this production is unfolding (I've encountered film buffs who are still under the impression that Lynch left the project once and for all, and I think few realize the degree of autonomy he has, or the "shooting as a film" aspect). But for whatever reason, beyond cinephiles, critics, or writers who are TP fans almost "on the side," I don't feel like I've seen much recognition of what is in store here.

If the first Twin Peaks radically changed what was possible on TV, I suspect this one will radically change what's possible in film more generally.

Great post and I totally agree with you. It's unprecedented.

I adore Twin Peaks and it made a profound impact on me, but I'm a bigger David Lynch fan than I am a Peaks fan (which says a lot!) so it's this that excites me the most.

[Gabriel]

It's kind of a cable film on the scale of Heimat!

[james]

Jesus Wept, this is such a depressing thread to have stuck here on this forum. I want to read about Twin Peaks, ideas, theories and even a bit of gossip but here we all are on this thread predicting the END of Lynch's career, over, dead as a doornail. Such a bummer.

[OK,Bob]

Jesus Wept, this is such a depressing thread to have stuck here on this forum. I want to read about Twin Peaks, ideas, theories and even a bit of gossip but here we all are on this thread predicting the END of Lynch's career, over, dead as a doornail. Such a bummer.

swan song, noun: the last act or manifestation of someone or something; farewell appearance

So... read another thread. What else would you expect from a thread with this title, given the definition of "swan song"? On the other hand, we've also begun here to rejoice in this being at least a magnum opus for DKL, as we have no true idea what he will choose to pursue afterward...

I could complain ad nauseam about what does or doesn't get discussed, but I realize that would be hypocritical... Perhaps start a thread about what should or shouldn't merit a thread?

[Qubism]

Also I would have thought you expect some replies saying no, probably not swansong. I think if TP S3 is a success (financially that is - I'm sure it will be a success artistically) I think it will be easier for Lynch to get funding for more projects. Roll on Metamorphosis!

Cheers,

[LostInTheMovies]

It's kind of a cable film on the scale of Heimat!

Ah yeah, great comparison! Although Lynch would have to do 3 more to match Reitz haha (btw have you seen the latest Heimat, which probably WILL be a swansong? another British friend has told me good things - apparently it's already aired over there - though I haven't gotten my hands on it yet.)

[Jasper]

Jesus Wept, this is such a depressing thread to have stuck here on this forum. I want to read about Twin Peaks, ideas, theories and even a bit of gossip but here we all are on this thread predicting the END of Lynch's career, over, dead as a doornail. Such a bummer.

Cheer up, James, I don't believe this swansong business for a minute. While I don't know what Lynch will do next, I have to imagine that this project is just as likely to signal a Lynch directorial renaissance.

All we know for sure is that Lynch has returned to large scale directorial work after a long pause, and he's done so with gusto. This is reason for celebration and hope.

Lynch has the creative fury of his own momentum.

[Mark B]

Definitely not the end of his career - maybe just the last thing he films. There again, maybe not. Simple fact is, sooner or later, he's going to have a final work (hopefully later). I would have put good money on it being IE up until the week before the announcement.
As for why we are speculating - it's good to have the release to talk about this for some of us. For me, personally, I don't find it depressing. The idea of Lynch going back to the scene of the crime and creating his masterpiece is so exciting to me (though I doubt he would see this project like that). Everyone on this forum is heavily invested in Lynch. For some it's intellectual, for some emotional, for most it's a combination of the two and we all have different hopes and investments in his work. We're fanboys/fangirls at the end of the day. I for one hope that, if it were to be his final filmed work, he went in knowing it. I want it to be a tour de force and to barrage us with everything he has. I completely get why you find it depressing, but I hope you can understand why some of us are interested in talking about it.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk