Moving through time on my Twin Peaks rewatch. Coming up next is my favorite part of the entire saga, David Lynch's 1992 masterpiece Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. THREAD 1/

First off, I gotta say I'm one of those few people who loved Fire Walk with Me upon first viewing. It didn't take me 25 years to realize what a brilliant film this is. Just sayin'! 2/

The opening shot is about as blunt of a thesis statement as David Lynch has ever made: we are now leaving the comfort of the TV series and going into darker, uncharted territory in which Lynch will explore this story outside of the confines of network television. 3/

It's hard to explain just how confusing and bewildering the first act of the movie was when I first watched it as a 12-year-old in Serbia. All the comforts of the TV show are gone and we are suddenly thrown into a world that seems like the shadow self of Twin Peaks. 4/

Lil's appearance seems both a guide on how to watch the film and at the same time a satirical response to fans' obsessive overanalysis of Lynch's works. 5/

During my last year's visit to Washington State, I got lucky enough to be invited to see the interior of Deer Meadow Sheriff’s Department filming location. As it happens, Sheriff Cable's office is now a sweet little girl's room. Seems fitting. 6/ https://tmblr.co/Z7xdtX2ivwdfx 

It's worth noting here that John Thorne has come up with a fascinating, beautifully written and reasoned theory that the Deer Meadow section is actually Cooper's dream. Whether you agree with it or not, it's worth the read (available in his book & Wrapped in Plastic). 7/

I always had a special place in my heart for Irene. To be honest, this would be me if I were working a night shift at a diner. And the "specials" line is both perfectly written and delivered. 8/

It is strange how Fire Walk with Me was often criticized for its perceived lack of humor when especially the film's first act is filled with Lynch's trademark offbeat, absurdist humor. 9/

Lynch is a genius when it comes to adapting to circumstances. When Kyle decided to take a smaller part in the film, Lynch created the characters of Desmond and Stanley who left an indelible mark. The mystery of Chet's disappearance remains haunting. 10/

The film's entire first act and especially Phillip Jeffries scene would go on to become crucially important to The Return. 11/

The moment Angelo Badalamenti's theme starts up and Laura Palmer appears walking down the street is like magic, bringing us back to the town we know and love so much. Except it's not as we remember it. Lynch now has the freedom to take us deeper into the heart of the story. 12/

There are those who criticized the film for being too in your face, for showing us what we (supposedly) already knew, those who preferred for Laura to remain an object of mystery, a voiceless dead girl that we only get to know through the others' recollections of her. 13/

But the real beauty and genius of Fire Walk with Me is that it gives Laura a voice and agency, that it turns her into a subject of her own story, and makes her a three-dimensional human being, something the series never did. 14/

Because people seem to forget or willfully ignore that Twin Peaks is NOT about coffee, donuts, and pies, but about child abuse, incest, and a young woman whose screams for help fall on deaf ears. Laura Palmer is the broken heart of Twin Peaks. 15/

This shot gives us the perspective of the angels. Interestingly enough, the motif of angels didn't exist in the shooting draft of the script. It's an idea Lynch came up with during filming. 16/

Sheryl Lee was asked to do near-impossible in this film, and somehow she miraculously manages to pull off every single beat without a false note. Her performance feels deeply lived-in and profoundly affecting. It's impossible to imagine anyone else in this role. 17/

Out of all David Lynch movies (along with perhaps The Straight Story), Fire Walk with Me feels most deeply emotional, humanistic, and sympathetic toward its protagonist. 18/

The scene in which Laura searches through her house shows Lynch's mastery in building suspense and a deeply disturbing atmosphere. His use of sound design in this film is beyond anything done on the TV show. 19/

Getting to spend time at the Palmer House is an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I'll always be grateful to the kind and generous @alicetremond for letting me take my time and really enjoy being at this iconic location. 20/ https://tmblr.co/Z7xdtX2ip95__ 

That little moment when Leland walks into Laura's room without knocking reveals so much of what hides between the lines. It's crucial that the movie highlights the issue of Leland's culpability and doesn't let him get away with his crimes as easily as the show does. 21/

The way this scene comes back to haunt The Return was one of the most satisfying things about it. And Sarah's voice calling Laura of course repeats in the final scene of Part 18. 22/

After this scene, a darker Laura arises, as if the Good Laura remains stuck in Mrs. Tremond's picture. From this point on, the film moves like a bullet train toward its conclusion. There's not a single wasted moment. 23/

When people criticize the film as being too dark, it seems like they forget moments of humor like this one. Sheryl Lee and Moira Kelly have a great rapport and "If I had a nickel for every cigarette your mom smoked, I'd be dead" is a classic line. 24/

The scene at The Roadhouse is similar to episode 14 in its feeling of wordless, inexplicable sadness seemingly taking over the world. It's also worth mentioning here Angelo Badalamenti's score which feels even more varied and diverse than on the show. 25/