Twin Peaks: Os Últimos Dias de Laura Palmer

I had heard much about the cult television series "Twin Peaks", and decided to buy the First Season on DVD. When I found that none of the stores near me had it in stock, I decided to pick up the movie instead. In some ways, this was good. In some, it was bad. Let me explain ...

In 1991, "Twin Peaks" was canceled. Immediately popular director David Lynch, who also created and wrote most of the show, said that he wasn't finished with the show yet ... and set to work making a movie that would close off the "Twin Peaks" phenomenon. "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" - this film - is the result, a 135 minute journey into a realm where insanity and madness reign supreme.

"Fire Walk With Me" is a prequel to "Twin Peaks". The first thirty minutes deal with two FBI agents, Chester Desmond (Chris Isaak) and Sam Stanley (Kiefer Sutherland), who are investigating the murder of a young girl in the small town of Twin Peaks. Just when Desmond seems to have a suspect, we fade out and find that we are months later. From there, the film follows the events leading up to the mysterious death of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), which the series focused on. Kyle MacLachlan has some screen time as the series' main character, Dale Cooper.

This is probably the hardest film to review in the world. First of all, let me say that if you aren't a fan of "Twin Peaks" or of David Lynch, you will be lost shortly after the film begins. This movie was created solely for "Twin Peaks" lovers, and if you haven't seen the show, the mystery of who killed Laura Palmer is unveiled in this movie.

If ever there has been a movie that is pure insanity, it is this. "Fire Walk With Me" is one-hundred percent madness. And yet, throughout the whole film, I was completely mesmerized. And when the movie ended, I couldn't speak or do anything for about an hour. This movie truly has an effect on you, whether you're a fan of the show or not.

The cast is terrific, but it's David Lynch and Angelo Baladamenti who steal the show. Lynch is either a madman or a genius - I can't decide between the two. But Baladamenti is certainly a master composer, because his score for this film is beautiful.

Seeing is believing. That fits perfectly from this film. Perhaps after I watch the show, I will better understand this film. Until then, I can just say that it the most indescribable, frightening, mesmerizing, and astonishing film I've ever seen.

By the time this film was released, critics and TV audiences had already decided its decidedly mediocre box-office fate. The usual network attitude toward anything which demands thought and interpretation assured the cancellation of the series in its second season, and Lynch's departure from the show's director's chair to begin this film project all but sealed the fate of the show. Unfortunately, this same fate determined both the critical and public approach to the film project.

TP:FWWM is a prequel to the two-season Twin Peaks saga, and (sort of) answers the question 'how and why did Laura Palmer die?'. Fans of the show mostly knew the answers before they saw this film, but to see Laura's life so vividly realized, and to see the TV characters cast into such a different, more harsh, surreal and disturbing light, really invigorates the entire TP phenomenon. FWWM actually inspired me to watch the entire series again (and as of 2004, I am in the process of watching it again). Fans of the series who found themselves disappointed by the final few episodes of the series because they felt it became too bizarre, are likely to find this film more gripping, though they will probably end up as unsatisfied as they were at the onset. Those who found the second season thrillingly experimental are likely to be surprised by the subtlety of and dramatic quality of this film. Those, like me, who approach the film with few tangible expectations might just find themselves, compelled, disturbed, and very entertained.

The performances are generally very good, but not entirely even. Some TV cast-members, given the vastly expanded possibilities of cinema, really showed their range and depth. Sheryl Lee, MacLachlan, Dana Ashbrook, and Ray Wise were especially impressive. The cinematography is less powerful than the usual Lynchian vision (see Eraserhead, Lost Highway for extreme examples), and is more in keeping with the TV show's straightforward, but moody, photographic approach. The overall production values are, in fact, comparable to those of Mulholland Drive - also originally planned by Lynch as a TV show. Though more subtle than many of Lynch's more extravagant works, TP:FWWM is very successfully manipulative and powerful.

I ardently appreciate Lynch, considering him one of cinema and performance's greatest contemporary artists. And I am unashamed to state that I believe this to be among his finest works. Many of Lynch's fans love to write interpretations of Lynch himself, as if all of his films are in some way connected beyond the obvious fact that he directed (and more often than not scripted) them. I do not disagree with this approach, but, in my opinion, any such universalizing comments more or less miss the point. Lynch is one of many director's who view film as an art form, not as a craft, nor as a vehicle for specific messages and stories. As Lynch has stated, repeatedly, his films involve a dream-like reality and often attempt to invoke a dream or nightmare state in viewers. Unlike most, however, Lynch succeeds in the purity of his art. His films demand interpretation, engagement and, what's more, demand a different and unique interpretation by most who view them.

If you are looking for something which can be universally interpreted from TP:FWWM as part of this imagined set of Lynchian themes, I am not the reviewer to give it, look elsewhere. I have too much respect for Lynch's artistry to subject him to my own interpretive explanations.

If you are looking for a simple story which will clear up the insanity of Twin Peaks, don't bother with FWWM.

If you are looking, open-mindedly, for an intense, disturbing, and well constructed cinematic experience which creates more questions than it answers, and retains elements of mystery in a fatalistically driven plot environment, you've come to the right place.

This was one of the most critically panned movies of the decade, but only because the world's film critics are too full of their own self-importance to bother watching a masterful TV series like Twin Peaks. All Twin Peaks fans know that this movie is monumental enough to transcend criticism, sure it makes no sense to those who have never seen the TV series, but those people have never lived anyway. Twin Peaks: FWWM, brings a genuine sense of tragic martyrdom to the death of Laura Palmer, as well as being one of the scariest, most surreal and atmospheric movies ever made. Never seen Twin Peaks? Watch the TV series on video first, and then see this incredible prequel.

Not Lynch at his best(that would be Blue Velvet, though personal favourite is The Elephant Man), it is a very good film and should please fans of the TV series, even if darker in tone and lacking the show's humour. Lynch's films may be strange, unconventional and not always easy to understand for some, but all of them are visually striking, dynamically scored and with great performances, atmosphere and direction as well as working amazingly as mood pieces and being among the most unique films in existence- the only film of his that I didn't care for was Dune, was mixed on Inland Empire too but that still had a lot of the above components.

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me may not be as good as the TV series but did not deserve the negative reception it got at the time. The few flaws it has has nothing to do with being darker and lacking the show's humour, they are not even flaws. David Bowie did stick out like a sore thumb and to me was embarrassingly bad(though a lot of it was to do with how his character was written) but the film's biggest flaw was that you could tell that it was originally written as a much longer film, with so much truncated there were parts where things felt under-explained and incomplete, a longer length would have helped(personal opinion of course and not one other people will share).

Coming onto however what was good about Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, the film does everything else right. As said before, Lynch's films are always visually great, and to say that Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me looks great visually is not enough. The film in fact has wonderfully moody cinematography and lovingly designed sets, while the surreal imagery looks so mesmerising that regardless of whether the story confuses you you cannot possibly look away. Lynch's direction as ever is impeccable, his style unmistakable and the haunting soundtrack draws you in effortlessly. The story won't be everyone's cup of tea, I did find myself completely engrossed and found it along with Sophie Scholl: The Final Days one of the most powerful films personally seen in a while. Sure, it did feel under-explained and incomplete in parts but it never bored me and like every other Lynch film as a mood piece it's amazing. Parts were incredibly intense and shocking(the most intense parts making for one of the most disturbing films there is) but others were genuinely emotional as well. Regarding individual scenes in a film where one hypnotic scene follows another, the strobe-lit disco degradation stuck out in particular.

Apart from Bowie, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me is very well-acted, Sheryl Lee is superb and at times heart-breaking as an easy-to-root-for character while Ray Wise is just terrifying as one of the scariest father figures on film. Harry Dean Stanton, Kiefer Sutherland and Kyle MacLauchlan are on fun form too. In conclusion, a very under-appreciated film and undeservedly so. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Bob, Agent Cooper, Laura Palmer, Teresa Banks, The Man From Another Place, etc...

Welcome back to David Lynch's offbeat town of TWIN PEAKS.

Much darker than the TV series, this film was in part meant to answer many previously unanswered questions, but if anything - in typical Lynch fashion - it tangles things even further, and confuses matters all round.

Lynch apparently shot more than 5 hours of the feature, and as much of these deleted/extended/alternative scenes are still missing, the movie we're left with feels rather bare and rushed.

The performances are excellent, and the movie is visually stunning, and as usual the plot - while confusing - is intense and riveting.

But alas it could have been so so so much more.... (sighs)