No self-respecting David Lynch fan would spurn his perverted Hollywood dream Mulholland Drive. Sight and Sound even ranks it as the 8th best film of all time and in 2016 it was voted the top film of the 21st century by 177 critics (via BBC).
But while most people already agreed in 2001 what a cinematic milestone Mulholland Drive was, a Lynch work from the early 90s had to wait quite a while before it became universally popular was recognized as a great success and a “beautiful nightmare”.. In order to fully appreciate it, you would have to invest around 30 hours of time in front of the TV.
David Lynch’s Twin Peaks film Fire Walk With Me was only recognized much later as one of his greatest masterpieces
According to longstanding and oft-repeated rumors, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was booed during the 1992 Cannes Film Festival. That’s probably not true, as screenwriter Robert Engels has since made it clear to Blue Rose Magazine (via Den of Geek). What is true, however, is that the prequel to David Lynch’s mystery series Twin Peaks biggest financial flop of his career was, which didn’t even gross half of the budget, was a failure with all but a few critics… and even alienated many fans.
Last week David Lynch died at the age of 78 – a huge loss for the film and series world. However, after the turn of the millennium, he was able to experience how his Twin Peaks prequel was re-evaluated by both fans of the series and friends of his darker filmography. Did it take the Mulholland Drive key to realize what’s so great about Fire Walk With Me?
In a Cannes interview some time after the 1992 premiere, Lynch already had the right nose for the reception of his work: “There is no film of mine that everyone likes. People seem to be brutally divided. That’s just how it is. But then some time passes and the film is viewed differently, six months or six months later. But if “When you first see him, there are a lot of strange reactions.”
However, the description of a critic who described the film as… “beautiful nightmare” should have designated. No wonder, as the quote is reminiscent of the words of Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle) from one of the first Twin Peaks episodes: “It’s like I’m having the most beautiful dream… and the most terrible nightmare, all at once.”
Why Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me was so controversially received
Despite all the praise for the cinematic series revolution, Twin Peaks was canceled after just two seasons and, true to Lynch, left fans with many unanswered questions. When the director, who was no longer on board for a large part of the second season, was asked to make an additional film, there was great joy. But David Lynch wouldn’t have been David Lynch if he had answered open questions simply and conveniently. Instead of making a replacement for Season 3 and shedding light on what became of the lost Agent Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), it went back in time.
This is what Fire Walk With Me is about the last seven days of Laura Palmer’s life (Sheryl Lee) – the doomed girl from the start whose murder became the catalyst for the series. In doing so, Lynch not only shot a cinematic love letter to the series character, whom he loved so fervently, like many Twin Peaks residents enchanted by her, but also gave her a piece of agency in her own death, which was carved in series stone.
Trailer for Twin Peaks – The Film (be careful, hinted at series spoilers!):
Twin Peaks – Fire Walk With Me – Trailer (English)
However, many fan favorites as well as light-hearted elements such as the iconic coffee parties with cherry cake were omitted. Some fans of the series’ at least partly cozy atmosphere felt overwhelmed by Laura’s torturous path to the proverbial scaffold. Those who were completely innocent, on the other hand, could get the false impression that they were missing information that would have helped them gain a greater understanding of the surreal nightmare.
Things look different today: Most Twin Peaks fans see Fire Walk With Me as a brave, necessary and valuable step that, among other things, largely sets the tone for the sequel series Twin Peaks: The Return that begins 25 years later. And even some who come across the film without the context of the series seem to be able to gain something from the grueling drama about a girl in trouble and her inner and outer demons.
Years later, the director, who was always behind Fire Walk With Me, unlike his Dune adaptation, said in the documentary The Directors – The Films of David Lynch: “I think the film is now more accepted as something that people value.” A pleasant reassessment that is far from complete after the death of the unique dreamer.
You can stream Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me via flat rate on MagentaTV or as a rental or purchase title on Amazon, Sky and Apple TV.