Twin Peaks/David Lynch - Genius or Nuts?

[threebikesmcginty]

I bought Mrs 3BM the first season of Twin Peaks by David Lynch for Christmas and last night we settled down to watch the pilot episode and will watch an episode a week as is our wont till we've toiled through the whole thing.

For a 20 year old programme I think it had aged well and David Lynch's original idea of a cheesy soap with a twist still held true. There are some great charactures if a little strange, I like Big Ed's missus who's obsessed with 'drapes'. we certainly enjoyed it even if we didn't get it all, same as when we watched it the first time it was shown on TV.

We were talking about Lynch films afterwards - I certainly like a lot of them, especially liked Mulholland Drive, lovely to look at although, we watched it with a few friends, we all had different ideas of what it was all about, even Lynch doesn't give out too many clues.

Before you dismiss Lynch as a bag of nuts you should, if you haven't already, watch 'The Straight Story' which is a beautiful film, great story and cast and not the usual 'what the hell was that all about' Lynch film. It would make my top ten of best films.

So, I just wondered what anyone else thought of David Lynch - genius or fruit cake?

 

[alecstilleyedye]

the former.

and he had the sense to kill twin peaks before it became a parody of itself á la lost and the x-files…

 

[alecstilleyedye]

…it's no bad thing that he stopped it when he did.

didn't feel like it at the time though.

i've yet to see it again since the original bbc series in the early '90s. i'd like to see it again, but i wonder if it would lose its luster.

 

[Joe]

Season 1 is PERFECT, season 2 has some dodgy bits but is still better than 99% of tv.
Love all of his films too. Genius!

 

[beancounter]

Genius* is a bit OTT. Different, individual, hugel talented (as director), awful (as screenwriter).

I only have Dune and Blue Velvet, though I've seen others.

bc

*The only true genius in cinema was Stanley Kubrick - discuss.

 

[papercorn2000]

Dune was a bit silly. Wild at Heart tho' was genius. (IMHO)

 

[ianrauk]

I loved the series when it was first shown.

The lady with the log and cherry oie!

 

[Eat MY Dust]

I've met and done work for Angelo Badalamenti (the guy who writes the music for Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks etc) who is very close friends with David Lynch, and he couldn't speak more highly of him if he'd tried.

 

[Melvil]

The man's a wonder. I love his stuff. I read a book which was basically a big interview with him and he came across as a really clever, thoughtful guy. Twin peaks series 1 is fantastic. Series 2 I wasn't so sure about, but it was still engrossing.

Dune is a great film, too. I didn't like it the first time I saw it and then different things kept coming out on repeating viewings.

Then again, I don't think that Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet would be near as good without the excellence of Kyle Machlachlan!

 

[Cranky]

I absolutely loved Twin Peaks when it was first broadcast. I found it went very well with a 'fragrant cigarette' (those were the days!).

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Genius AND nuts.

And as for Stanley Kubrick being the only genius in cinema. In his own mind, maybe. Five other names for you: Fritz Lang, Werner Herzog, Tarkovsky, Orson Welles, Akira Kurosawa. QED.

 

[asterix]

..and Sergei Eisenstein

 

[dellzeqq]

I think it was rubbish from beginning to end. Just a series of tableux vivants, some of it stylish, some of it (including the credits) just dull.

I'd returned to college at the age of 34 and had to endure student witterings about it. Ghastly, ghastly memories.

(later edit. I'd agree with FM's list. Except for QED. He was crap.)

 

[Yellow Fang]

I've met and done work for Angelo Badalamenti (the guy who writes the music for Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks etc) who is very close friends with David Lynch, and he couldn't speak more highly of him if he'd tried.

I love Angelo Badalamenti's jitterbug music at the start of Mulholland Drive. The jitterbug scene at the start is the best bit of the film IMO.

 

[Rob S]

Bought the Season 1 DVD booxset just before Christmas...along with the Moonlighting series 1 & 2...absolute bargain and absolutely brilliant.