Seth Harris

The Revisit – Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

The Revisit is a place for me to rewatch films I love but haven’t seen in years or films that didn’t click with me the first time. Through The Revisit, I reevaluate these movies and compare my original thoughts on them to how they feel in this more recent viewing.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992, dir. David Lynch)

fire walk with me

1992. It was a year since the television series Twin Peaks had ended and fans were clamoring to see director David Lynch’s feature film follow-up. The reaction had the Cannes Film Festival months earlier had been remarkably negative though. When the picture finally opened in theaters, the fan reaction was overwhelming negative as well. Fire Walk With Me didn’t feature the cast of citizens they’d come to love from the show. Also, it didn’t follow up on the shocking series finale that left the show’s protagonist in peril. Fire Walk With Me was seen as a critical and box office failure, a somber final note for a show that helped redefine the cultural landscape of television. Twin Peaks’ small life continued as the topic of niche internet discussion boards, and that seemed to be that.

Fire Walk With Me is a pretty confounding film, especially if you come in with lots of preconceived expectations of what you want it to be. Lynch essentially telegraphs his feelings about working the series in the opening shot: a sledgehammer smashing down on a static-filled television set. There is a very clear-cut narrative division in the film: The first thirty minutes and the remaining two hours.

Continue reading “The Revisit – Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me”

Twin Peaks: The Return – Expectations and Predictions

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

cooper

The show will look different

Once upon a time, David Lynch was a director hesitant and questioning of digital filmmaking. Throughout the early 2000s though he changed his tune experimenting with short pieces on his website and making music videos. With Inland Empire in 2006, he produced his first completely digital feature and hasn’t looked back since. Thus, Twin Peaks is going to look strange at first. I have no doubt it will be beautiful, in both traditional and grotesque ways, but it isn’t going to have the look of original series which was shot on video like most shows of its day. Characters are older, and the high definition images aren’t going to hide that either. From the bits and pieces, we have seen I am personally excited to explore the new aesthetics but know that it will take a little mental adjustment.

Continue reading “Twin Peaks: The Return – Expectations and Predictions”

Movie Review – The Elephant Man

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

The Elephant Man (1980, dir. David Lynch)

The-Elephant-Man-Movie-Still-the-elephant-man-11130936-800-362

Simply put, The Elephant Man is one the greatest films ever made. This is the last of David Lynch’s feature film work had to watch, something I’d put off for years because I didn’t want to run out of his work that could be new to me. But, with the impending return of Twin Peaks, I decided now was the time to complete his filmography. I can’t imagine picking a better film that both contrasts with so much of work, yet compliments it.

Continue reading “Movie Review – The Elephant Man”

(Some of) My Favorite Moments from Twin Peaks

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

It is impossible for me to rank or list every moment that has had an impact on my creative mind, so here are some of my favorites that I think of often.

Jenny and Jenny Down By The River –

The second episode of the series opens with a reunion between Ben and Jerry Horne in the middle of dinner and ends with them cramming brie and butter baguettes into their mouths while reminiscing about a youthful encounter with young women. A very key moment in introducing the audience to the tone of the series.

Continue reading “(Some of) My Favorite Moments from Twin Peaks”

Movie Review – The Straight Story

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

The Straight Story (1999, dir. David Lynch)

the-straight-story_1280x720

Alvin Straight is an aging man living in Iowa when he suffers a fall that leaves him barely mobile and relying on two canes to stand up. His daughter Rose attempts to care for him but cannot fully due to her intellectual disability. Alvin takes up a seemingly foolish quest after receiving a phone call from his estranged brother, Lyle’s stroke. He gets it in his mind that he will drive his riding lawn mower across Iowa and into Wisconsin to reunite with Lyle. During this journey, he meets many people who come to represent times in our lives or certain philosophical viewpoints.

Continue reading “Movie Review – The Straight Story”

Movie Review – Quest for Fire

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

Quest for Fire (1981, dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud)

MSDQUFO EC007

Set approximately 80,000 years ago in the Paleolithic Era, Quest for Fire tells the story of the Ulam Tribe, early Homo Sapiens who struggle to master control of fire and improve their lives. Their camp is invaded by more primitive ape-like Wagabu and the Ulam’s flame is extinguished. Naoh (Everett McGill) is charged with finding fire somewhere in the world and bringing it back home. He’s accompanied by Amoukar (Ron Perlman wearing disturbingly little makeup to play primitive man) and Gaw (Nameer Al-Kadi). They cross treacherous mountains, confront ferocious saber-toothed tigers, combat the cannibalistic Kzamm tribe, and eventually encounter a group of humans who are progressing towards an advanced future.

Continue reading “Movie Review – Quest for Fire”

Movie Review – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017, dir. James Gunn)

The Guardians have made a name for themselves and now act as heroes for hire. They finish up their latest job, protecting the energy source of The Sovereign, a genetically engineered “perfect race” but run into trouble on the way out. This leads to Peter Quill meeting his father for the first time, a strange man named Ego. Meanwhile, Yondu and his Ravagers are hired by a party disgruntled with The Guardians and wanting revenge. Gamora is also dealing with family issues (her vengeful sister Nebula), and everyone else seems to have their own interesting arcs as well.

Continue reading “Movie Review – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”

Movie Review – Showgirls

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

Showgirls (1995, dir. Paul Verhoeven)

showgirls-thrust

The things I do for you, Twin Peaks…*sigh*.

We first meet Nomi (Elizabeth Berkley) hitching a ride to Las Vegas from somewhere in Colorado. With breakneck speed, the script takes us from there to her being scammed, finding a roommate, getting a job at a strip club, and having a dream to dance in a show at a casino/hotel in just about ten minutes. The rest of this *over TWO HOUR movie* feels like your standard All About Eve/A Star Is Born plot but terribly written, acted, directed, lit, scored, etc.a strong, etc.

Continue reading “Movie Review – Showgirls”

Movie Review – West Side Story

popcult_twinpeaksmonth

West Side Story (1961, dir. Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins)

WestSideStory_America

It’s 1957 in the West Side of Manhattan and tensions are brewing between the white American gang The Jets and their Puerto Rican rivals, The Sharks. The local police aren’t much better than the gangs but make a weak effort to stop these young men from becoming violent. In the midst of the brewing gang war are Tony and Maria. Tony is a former member of the Jets and still friends with them while Maria is the little sister of The Sharks’ leader Bernardo. Choreographer Jerome Robbins, Conductor and Musician Leonard Bernstein, Lyricist Stephen Sondheim and writer Arthur Laurents take the classic Shakespeare play Romeo & Juliet and place it in this setting, contemporary to them at the time, to find connections between that iconic play and the violence they saw erupting from urban youth.

Continue reading “Movie Review – West Side Story”

Twin Peaks – A Brief Guide

popcult_twinpeaksmonth
Twin Peaks is the story of the investigation surrounding the death of Laura Palmer in a small town in Northern Washington state. Laura is a golden child by all accounts. Homecoming. Tutored the disabled. Delivered Meals on Wheels. But she was “full of secrets.” These secrets are discovered by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, sent to Twin Peaks when the circumstances of the murder cross state lines.

Dale Cooper quickly develops a close partnership with Sheriff Harry Truman and his department. They learn Laura was connected to a small drug ring that operated between Twin Peaks and Canada. She had a job at a department store perfume counter that led her into more salacious work. Her boyfriend, Bobby Briggs, was not her only beau.

But these personal secrets of Laura’s are only the first step in uncovering the exciting lives of the citizens of this quiet town tucked away in the misty mountains. The story of Twin Peaks has been told over the course of 29 episodes/2 seasons on television and a theatrical prequel Fire Walk With Me. Here are the characters that make up this unique series.

Continue reading “Twin Peaks – A Brief Guide”