TWIN PEAKS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) List Version 2.4a, December 15, 1995 Compiled by Jim Pellmann (jgp@Rational.COM) and Rich Haller (rhaller@darkwing.UOregon.EDU) Changes from version 2.4: - updated site for ftp server (see question I1) (Watch the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup for version 2.5 in February '96.) Changes from version 2.3: - new questions: E52, I7, P8 - minor changes/additions to questions: G4, E15, E16, E24, E50, I1, P1, P3, P7, L5, and M2 (thanks to the many readers who sent corrections or updates) - info on Australian videos (see question G4) (Thanks Matt!) - list of TP rebroadcasts around the world (see question G5) - new ultra-brief episode guide (see question E4) - new TP-related BBS in London (see question I4) - updated list of TP World Wide Web pages (see question I6) - info on Australian releases of TP books (see question P1) (Thanks Paul!) - info on Michael Anderson's answering machine tapes (see question P2) - updated subscription info for "Wrapped in Plastic" (see question P4) - subscription info for "February 24", "Secrets of Twin Peaks", and "Twin Peaks: Conjunction" 'zines (see question P4) Although most of the material in this FAQ list is new with versions 2.x, we are indebted to Janet M. Swisher (swsh@ellis.uchicago.edu), the author of the original FAQ list, from which some of the answers here were taken. NOTE: Although mostly complete, there are some answers and some additional material for some answers to be supplied in the near future. These are marked "TBS". We welcome comments, criticism, corrections, additions, and missing info marked "TBS" to the addresses above. ***************************************************************************** WARNING: If you have not seen all of the "Twin Peaks" television episodes and the movie "Fire Walk With Me", be warned that there are MAJOR SPOILERS contained herein. If you have not seen the series and do not want any plot information revealed, do not read any further that the first section of general questions. ***************************************************************************** THE QUESTIONS: ============== GENERAL: G1. What is "Twin Peaks"? G2. What's so special about TP? G3. Why was TP canceled? G4. Where can I get videotapes/laserdiscs of TP? G5. Will TP ever be rebroadcast? G6. What does FWWM mean? MFAP? SDC? G7. TP has been off the air for years--why don't you people get a life? TV EPISODES: E1. How many episodes are there? E2. How are the episodes numbered? E3. Are there episode titles? E4. Is there an episode guide available on the net? E5. What year is the show set in? E6. Where is TP supposed to be? E7. Where was it filmed? E8. What is the population of TP? E9. I rented the pilot--why is it different than the TV pilot? E10. What is the "European" version of the pilot? E11. Is the second season available on videotape/laserdisc? E12. Is there a cast list? E13. What else has been in? E14. Which episodes did David Lynch direct? E15. Why are the 2nd season episodes so bad? E16. What are the references to movies/famous people? E17. Who killed Laura Palmer? E18. What did the letters under the fingernails mean? E19. Who/What is BOB? E20. Is BOB the same as J.R. "Bob" Dobbs? E21. Who/what is Diane? E22. Does Kyle MacLachlan really like cherry pie? E23. Weren't Kyle MacLachlan and Lara Flynn Boyle dating? E24. How did they do the funny voices in the Red Room scenes? E25. What are the words to Mike (the one-armed man)'s poem? E26. Who was in the woods with Leo (episode 2)? E27. What happened to "Invitation to Love"? E28. Who is the dwarf? E29. Wasn't the Giant on "Star Trek"? Didn't the Giant play Lurch? E30. Who was standing outside the window while Josie seduced Harry (episode 11)? E31. What did Maddy see in the carpet (episode 8)? E32. What did the "creamed corn kid" say (episode 9)? E33. Who played the "creamed corn kid"? E34. What is the significance of the burning smell? E35. What is the significance of the white horse? E36. What is the significance of "The owls are not what they seem"? E37. What happened to Josie (episode 23)? E38. Were Cooper and Windom Earle playing a legitimate chess game? E39. What are the fictional/mythological meanings of the dugpas and the lodges? E40. What is the connection between the Red Room, Black Lodge, and White Lodge? E41. Did Major Briggs go to the White Lodge? E42. Who spoke through Sarah Palmer to Major Briggs (episode 29)? E43. What is a doppelganger? E44. What happened to Cooper in the Black Lodge? E45. Is dead? E46. Will the story ever be continued? E47. Who attacked Dr. Jacoby (episode 7)? E48. Is it really possible for someone's hair to turn completely white overnight, like Leland's (episode 8)? E49. What is the significance of the traffic lights? E50. What is the significance of the various townspeople's shaking hands (episode 27)? E51. What awards did the show win? E52. Who is the author of/what at the words to Windom Earle's poem? FWWM: F1. What is "Fire Walk With Me"? F2. Where can I get a videotape/laserdisc of FWWM? F3. Why did Lynch do a prequel? F4. Why did critics almost universally pan the movie? F5. What was left out? F6. Is there a "director's cut"? F7. What were Lynch's special instructions for the soundtrack? F8. Why was there so little of Agent Cooper in the movie? F9. Why was there a different actress playing Donna? F10. Why wasn't in the movie? F11. What about the discrepancies between the TV series/movie/books/tapes/ cards? F12. What was Gordon Cole's code all about? F13. What happened to Chet Desmond (Chris Isaac)? F14. Who did Bobby kill during the drug deal? F15. What was David Bowie's character all about? F16. What is the significance of the mask? F17. What is the significance of the humming electrical sound? F18. What is the significance of the Indian whooping sound? F19. What is the significance of the ring? F20. What is "garmonbozia"? F21. What did the monkey say? F22. What is the significance of the angels? F23. Will there be another movie? F24. What is the significance of the blue rose? LISTS/INFO AVAILABLE: I1. Is there an anonymous FTP site for TP info? I2. What can I find at the anonymous FTP site? I3. What other TP lists/info are available? I4. Are there TP GIF files/sound files available? I5. Is there a Twin Peaks gopher server? I6. Is there a WWW home page for TP? I7. Do any cast members have e-mail addresses? BOOKS AND OTHER PRODUCTS: P1. What TP books are available? P2. What other TP products are available? P3. Is there a TP fan club? P4. Is there a TP fanzine? P5. What TP sights can I see if I visit Snoqualmie? P6. Where can I get a copy of the song sung by the lounge singer in the Red Room in the final episode? P7. Is that the actor who played BOB in the Soundgarden music video of "Black Hole Sun"? P8. How do I get information on the annual TP Fan Festival? DAVID LYNCH: L1. What are David Lynch's other movies/shows? L2. What music did DL write? L3. Has Jack Nance appeared in all of DL's movies? L4. What is "On the Air"? L5. What is "Hotel Room"? L6. What is "Ronnie Rocket"? L7. What is "Boxing Helena"? L8. What is Lynch up to these days? L9. Why are all DL's works so weird? L10. What is "One Saliva Bubble"? L11. How can I get in touch with David Lynch? Does he have an e-mail address? MARK FROST: M1. What are Mark Frost's other movies/shows? M2. How closely did Lynch and Frost collaborate on TP? M3. What happened to Lynch/Frost Productions? M4. What is "Storyville"? M5. What is "The List of Seven"? ============================================================================= THE ANSWERS: ============ GENERAL: ======== G1. What is "Twin Peaks"? "Twin Peaks" (hereafter referred to as TP) is a television series that ran on the ABC network in the US, and later in nearly every other country. In the US, it ran two "seasons" (from April 1990 through June 1991). See questions E1-E4 for information on specific episodes. Created and produced by the noted film director David Lynch ("Eraserhead", "Dune", "Blue Velvet" [see question L1 for a complete list]) and Mark Frost ("Hill Street Blues" [see question M1 for a complete list]), the series defies simple description. Part murder mystery, part soap opera spoof, part comedy, part supernatural drama, and part homage to classic movies and other cultural icons, TP is completely entertaining and engaging, filled with images, music, mood, and characters unlike any you've seen before (or since) on television. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- G2. What's so special about TP? TP appeals to people for the many different aspects listed above. Most early viewers were attracted by Lynch's penchant for unusual themes in his films. Others were captivated by the visuals and the music. Many were fascinated with solving the Laura Palmer murder mystery. And those of us still addicted to the show revel in studying the subtleties of plot, mood, and meaning that become apparent with repeated viewing. Like all great TV ("The Prisoner", "Star Trek", "The Singing Detective") and all great art, TP holds up to more- than-casual study and provides fodder for endless contemplation and discussion. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- G3. Why was TP canceled? We all know that quality TV does not last :^) Seriously, there were several factors which contributed to its low ratings and demise: - Media overkill: ABC hyped the series for months in advance of its premiere, and, despite being the darling of the critics and media, there was no way it could sustain such high interest. Many people watched TP because 'everyone' was talking about it and they wanted to be 'in'. These viewers abandoned it as soon as it lost its cachet, because they didn't find it inherently interesting. Meteoric rises in popularity are frequently followed by just as meteoric descents. - Episodes not self-contained: as a continuing serial, viewers were required to see every episode to know what was going on. Unlike traditional prime-time soap operas, TP did not recycle the same melodramatic themes over and over. Casual viewing was not supported. (In response to this, several shorter story arcs were introduced in the 2nd season--in fact, many feel that these detracted from the series.) - Scheduling chaos: when ABC continued to move TP's schedule around and put the show on hiatus during the second season, ratings continually declined. Combining a serial story line with a hard-to-find broadcast schedule spells disaster during today's 'immediate success or failure' ratings demands. - Pacing: many viewers focused on the Laura Palmer murder mystery thread, and got angrier and angrier that the murderer was not being revealed. Although it took 14 episodes over the course of 7 months for Laura's killer to be revealed, this was not unrealistic in terms of the plot since each episode corresponds to one day in 'TP time'. Thus the murder mystery was resolved in two weeks' time in the story. In fact, Lynch never intended to reveal the murderer (even though Mark Frost emphatically states the killer's identity was decided by he and Lynch from the very beginning). They stated that the murder was only meant to be the "McGuffin" that would expose the underside of the town and propel the series onward. (See question E17 if you want to know who killed Laura Palmer.) - Supernatural/science fiction element: TP intentionally had elements of a number of TV genres, but the media (and then the public) fastened on the Laura Palmer and expected TP to be like a traditional mystery series. When the supernatural/SF element surfaced, there were immediate complaints from viewers who felt this was either a cop-out (you can explain anything if you bring in the supernatural; the Greeks called it 'deus ex machina'), or just didn't like that sort of story. (Side note: although certain plot points in the early second season episodes hinted at possible 'outer space' connections, it is clearly stated in episode 19 that TP's odd events are terrestrially based.) - Unconventional style: while many complained that the show was "weird for weirdness sake", it is easy to see that TP's ground-breaking style in music, cinematography, and characterization was the forebear for popular shows that followed such as "Northern Exposure", "Eerie Indiana", "Stephen King's Golden Years", "Picket Fences", and "Wild Palms". Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- G4. Where can I get videotapes/laserdiscs of TP? To a limited degree, everything is available on video and laserdisc. A boxed set of VHS tapes of all episodes is available, and people have had the most success finding them at Suncoast Motion Picture Company and Musicland outlets in the US (found in many shopping malls). WARNING: The "Collectors Edition" boxed set does NOT include the 2-hour pilot episode (see below), but it is available separately. WARNING WARNING: The "Collectors Edition" boxed set tapes are recorded in EP (slow) mode, and while most people find these tapes to be of decent quality, others have been disappointed. WARNING WARNING WARNING: Before the "Collectors Edition" of all 29 episodes was released, the same company (Worldvision) released the first 7 episodes ONLY on tapes in SP (fast) mode. When purchasing or ordering, check carefully with the catalog numbers below that you are getting what you want! (You have been warned.) If your video store does not have them, the detailed lists below will help you help your store (which may claim they've never heard of such a thing) place a special order. If you'd like to mail order the tapes, Time-Warner has been offering a special deal: -------------------- For those looking to purchase the entire series on VHS videotape, the Time-Warner "Viewer's Edge" video catalog has a special (in the "Best of Classic TV" section): The complete Twin Peaks saga Own all 29 original, one-hour episodes of this quirky, cult television series, PLUS the two-hour premier episode. Join FBI Agent Dale Cooper (Kyoe MacLachlan) and Sheriff Harry Truman (Michael Ontkean) in the search for Laura Palmer's murdered. Directed by David Lynch. 31 hours total. #52073 Retails for $104.95, save $30, 7-tape set only $74.95 According to the catalog, there are 4 ways to order: 1) by phone, 1-800-224-9944, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, have your Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express card ready when you call. 2) by mail, send check, money order, or credit card info to: Time Warner Viewer's Edge, P.O. Box 3925, Milford, CT 06460 3) by fax, 1-203-876-8234, include credit card info and your daytime phone number 4) via CompuServe, GO: "VID" Disclaimer: I'm not associated with Time-Warner in any way, nor do I have any experience ordering videos from them. -------------------- NOTE: The following are NOT available anywhere in the world as of this writing: - the original broadcast version of the pilot (two-hour movie)--see question E10 for a description of the differences between this and the "European" version of the pilot (however, this has been rebroadcast on TV around the world--see question G5) - any form of "director's cut" or extended version of "Fire Walk With Me" (see question F6) As of the date of this FAQ List, the following ARE available for purchase or rental: US releases (VHS videotape): --------------------------- a) the "European" version of the pilot (two-hour movie)--see question E10 for a description of the differences between this and the pilot as broadcast: - Warner Home Video, (catalog number TBS) b) the first season (seven one-hour episodes) in VHS SP (fast) mode: - individually, one episode per tape: - episode 1: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5007 - episode 2: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5008 - episode 3: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5009 - episode 4: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5010 - episode 5: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5011 - episode 6: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5012 - episode 7: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5013 - in a "log" boxed set of the 7 tapes above: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5014 c) both seasons (seven one-hour episodes from 1st season, one two-hour episode (#8) and 21 one-hour episodes from 2nd season) in VHS EP (slow) mode: - five episodes per tape: - episodes 1-5: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5059, 235 minutes - episodes 6-9: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5060, 237 minutes (episode 8 is the 2-hour second season premiere) - episodes 10-14: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5061, 243 minutes - episodes 15-19: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5062, 242 minutes - episodes 20-24: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5063, 241 minutes - episodes 25-29: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5064, 243 minutes (episodes 28 and 29 were originally broadcast together as the 2-hour "movie" series finale on ABC) - in a boxed set of the 6 tapes above: Worldvision Home Video, catalog no. 5070, 1441 minutes NOTE: The following are NOT available in the US as of this writing: - the 2nd season episodes on videotape in SP (fast) mode (Both the original broadcast pilot and 2nd season episodes have been rebroadcast on the Bravo cable station (US and Canada)--see question G5.) d) prequel movie "Fire Walk With Me" (theatrical version): - New Line Home Video, (catalog number 75843), not widescreen (not letterboxed) US releases (laserdisc): ----------------------- e) the "European" version of the pilot (two-hour movie)--see question E10 for a description of the differences between this and the pilot as broadcast: - Warner Home Video, catalog no. 35198, CLV, 113 minutes f) both seasons (seven one-hour episodes from 1st season, one two-hour episode (#8) and 21 one-hour episodes from 2nd season): - episodes 1-7: Image Entertainment, catalog number ID2202WV, 4 discs (7 sides), CLV, 334 minutes, titled "Twin Peaks Vol. 1" - episodes 8-14: Image Entertainment, catalog number ID2571WV, 4 discs, 8 sides (CLV), 384 minutes, titled "Twin Peaks Vol. 2" - episodes 15-22: Image Entertainment, catalog number ID2750WV, 4 discs, 8 sides (CLV), 384 minutes, titled "Twin Peaks Vol. 3" - episodes 23-29: Image Entertainment, catalog number ID2751WV, 4 discs, 7 sides (CLV), 336 minutes, titled "Twin Peaks Vol. 4" g) prequel movie "Fire Walk With Me" (theatrical version): - Image Entertainment, catalog number ID2335LI, 2 discs (3 sides), sides 1 and 2 CLV, side 3 CAV, widescreen (letterboxed) version, 134 minutes NOTE: some people have been disappointed that the FWWM US laserdisc "letterboxed" version has part of the picture "cut off" at the top and bottom of the screen--details (none significant) which are visible in the VHS and Japanese laserdisc versions. For technical details of letterboxing and aspect ratios of motion pictures transferred to video, please refer to the rec.video, rec.video.releases, and alt.video.laserdisc newsgroups. Japanese releases (NTSC laserdisc): ---------------------------------- h) both seasons on Japanese laserdiscs (NTSC) WITH JAPANESE SUBTITLES: - Amuse Video/Pioneer LDC, catalog number ASLF-1029, 15 discs, 29 sides (CLV), titled "Twin Peaks Set: 29 Episodes", includes an 8-inch laserdisc "Clues to the Mystery", ALL IN JAPANESE, which includes diagrams of Cooper's movements in the Red Room(s) during episode 29. (Refer to Jerry Boyajian's posted review for details of the other Japanese language "extras" included in the set--e-mail Jim at the address at the top of the file for a copy of the review.) i) prequel movie "Fire Walk With Me" (theatrical version): - Japanese laserdisc WITH JAPANESE SUBTITLES: (distributor and catalog number TBS) European releases (PAL videotape): --------------------------------- The following information is courtesy of Marco Aarts (M.F.A.Aarts@kub.nl), contact him if you have further questions on the European videos. "The UK videos are by Worldvision and produced by Screen Entertainment. There are ten tapes for the series and another, published by Warner Home Video, for the pilot. There are 2 UK versions of the pilot, but I have only one. They both contain the alternative ("European") ending." j) the "European" version of the pilot (two-hour movie)--see question E10 for a description of the differences between this and the pilot as broadcast: - Warner Home Video, catalog no. PES35198 k) both seasons (seven one-hour episodes from 1st season, one two-hour episode (#8) and 21 one-hour episodes from 2nd season) on PAL video: - Episodes 1-3: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9141 - Episodes 4-6: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9142 - Episodes 7-8: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9143 (episode 8 is the 2-hour second season premiere) - Episodes 9-11: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9144 - Episodes 12-14: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9145 - Episodes 15-17: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9146 - Episodes 18-20: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9147 - Episodes 21-23: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9148 - Episodes 24-26: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9149 - Episodes 27-29: Screen Entertainment, catalog no. SE 9150 l) prequel movie "Fire Walk With Me" (theatrical version): - Guild Home Video, catalog no. G8692B Australian releases (PAL videotape): ----------------------------------- Info courtesy of Matt Butler, mwbut1@giaeb.cc.monash.edu.au: ALL episodes are available on video (except the pilot of course) here in Australia. There are four volumes of two tapes each, labelled Twin Peaks I through IV (naturally), which amounts to the full 29 episodes. The videos are put out by a company called "Hollywood Studios". There was no catalog numbers or other info on the covers, or in the video catalogue they had. Other foreign releases ---------------------- Information on other foreign video releases TBS--anyone with details including catalog numbers please e-mail Jim at the address at the top of the file. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- G5. Will TP ever be rebroadcast? Yes. Several countries are in the midst of rebroadcasts of the entire series as of the date of this FAQ (see top of file). A weekly posting of known broadcasts around the world is made on Fridays to the alt.tv.twin-peaks, rec.arts.tv, alt.cult-movies, and rec.arts.tv.uk newsgroups. If you cannot find a recent copy, contact Jim at the address at the top of the file. Here is a brief summary: Australia: Shown weekly late at night on the TEN network, but subject to frequent preemption due to sports broadcasts. Canada: The Canadian Bravo! cable network is broadcasting on a weekly basis on Monday nights (repeated late Monday night and again Tuesday morning). Czech Republic: On channel CT2 (Czech Television 2), showing weekly every Tuesday, starting between 21:30 and 22:15 CET (depending on previous program). Norway: On TV Norge, showing weekly on Saturday nights at 21:15 local time. United Kingdom: On Bravo on satellite (part of Sky Multichannels), showing weekly every Tuesday at 21:00 BST, and repeated at 22:00 BST on the following Saturday night. [See UK Bravo's TP WWW pages at http://www.uaep.co.uk/bravo.html with lots of photos and sound clips, and scene-by-scene episode synopses.] United States: The US Bravo cable network is not broadcasting TP at the time of this writing. It may be shown again as part of their "TV Too Good For TV" showcase (probably after the "Brroklyn Bridge" and "Max Headroom" rebroadcasts have finished), but no firm dates have been announced. (Bravo does maintain a forum on the Prodigy online service and questions may be directed to them there.) Watch the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup for announcements. [The US Bravo rebroadcasts included new introductions written by David Lynch and featuring the Log Lady. See the file of Log Lady introduction transcripts, compiled by Jim Pellmann (see address at top of file), available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1), and posted periodically to alt.tv.twin-peaks.] Other countries: check for announcements in the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup. [If you have information on upcoming rebroadcast schedules, please notify Jim Pellmann (see address at top of file) for inclusion in future updates of this FAQ List.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- G6. What does FWWM mean? MFAP? SDC? Here are some of the more popular abbreviations you'll see in alt.tv.t-p: DFC: Damn fine coffee FWWM: Fire Walk With Me (the 'prequel' TP movie, see question F1) HST: Harry S. Truman (the Sheriff) ITL: Invitation To Love (soap opera spoof appearing in first season, see question E27) LMFAP: Little Man From Another Place (the dwarf in the Red Room) [admittedly not a politically correct name, but you will see it in old net files] MFAP: same as LMFAP TMFAP: The Man From Another Place (same as above two) SDC: Senor Droolcup (the old waiter at the Great Northern, Albert referred to him this way in one episode) WE: Windom Earle WKLP: Who killed Laura Palmer? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- G7. TP has been off the air for years--why don't you people get a life? Several times a year, it seems, someone stumbles across the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and posts a query as to why we are still discussing a "dead" TV series. See question G2 above. "The Prisoner" and "Star Trek" (TOS) are just two examples of "dead" TV shows that continue to generate interest and discussion. To put it politely, if you didn't like TP and don't see any reason in our continuing to discuss it, kindly refrain from reading this newsgroup. ============================================================================= ***************************************************************************** WARNING: If you have not seen all of the "Twin Peaks" television episodes and the movie "Fire Walk With Me", be warned that there are MAJOR SPOILERS contained below. If you have not seen the series and do not want any plot information revealed, do not read any further! ***************************************************************************** TV EPISODES: ============ E1. How many episodes are there? There are: - the 2-hour pilot movie - seven 1-hour episodes in the first season - 22 episodes in the 2nd season--the first one being 2 hours long, all others being one hour long (in the US, the last two episodes were broadcast together as a 2-hour special "movie" on ABC)--for a total of 23 hours - 32 hours total Note: without commercials, the "1-hour" episodes are actually 48 minutes long, and the "2-hour" pilot and episode are each 96 minutes long, respectively. (The "European" version of the pilot is 113 minutes long, due to the alternate ending. See question E10 for details.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E2. How are the episodes numbered? Lynch/Frost Productions refers to the 2-hour pilot as the "pilot" and numbers all episodes sequentially: - starting with #1 for the first 1-hour episode of the first season - #7 as the last 1-hour episode of the first season - #8 as the first 2-hour episode of the 2nd season - #9 as the first 1-hour episode of the 2nd season - #28 and #29 as the last two 1-hour episodes of the 2nd season (shown together as a special 2-hour "movie" in the US on ABC) This numbering is used on the videotape/laserdisc releases (see question G4), on the Bravo rebroadcasts (see question G5) and in the short-form episode guide (see question E4). The alt.tv.t-p newsgroup readers adopted a different numbering scheme to indicate in which season (of American broadcasting) an episode appeared: - episode 1000 is the 2-hour pilot - episode 1001 is the first 1-hour episode of the first season - episode 1007 is the last 1-hour episode of the first season - episode 2001 is the first 2-hour episode of the 2nd season - episode 2002 is the first 1-hour episode of the 2nd season - episode 2021 is the 2-hour "movie" consisting of the last two 1-hour episodes of the 2nd season (corresponding to #28 and #29 in Lynch/Frost numbering) This numbering is often used in alt.tv.t-p postings and is used in the long-form "timeline" episode guide (see questions E4 and E5). See the table in question E3 for a translation of these numbering schemes. To add to the confusion, commercially available episode scripts (see question P2) are numbered 001 to 007 for the first season, and 2.001 to 2.022 for the second season. And for yet more confusion, the US laserdisc boxed sets (see question G4) are numbered 001 to 007 for Volume 1 (first season) and 2008 to 2014 for Volume 2 (first seven episodes of the second season), and so on. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E3. Are there episode titles? Lynch/Frost Productions assigned no titles to the episodes, only the episode numbers (see questions E2). When broadcast in Germany, the episodes were titled, as follows (courtesy of Robert Michl [rmichl@iiic.ethz.ch]): ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Item, here in Europe, (at least the German speaking part), we had the pleasure to get entitled episodes. They were as follows: 0. (1000) Pilotfilm 1. (1001) Spuren ins Nichts (Traces to nowhere) 2. (1002) ZEN - oder die Kunst, (Zen and the art of killer-catching) einen Moerder zu fassen 3. (1003) Ruhe in Unfrieden (Rest in pain) 4. (1004) Der Einarmige (The one-armed man) 5. (1005) Cooper's Traeume (Cooper's dreams) 6. (1006) Zeit des Erkennens (Realization time) 7. (1007) Der letzte Abend (The last evening) 8. (2001) Der Riese sei mit Dir (May the giant be with you) 9. (2002) Koma (Coma) 10. (2003) Der Mann hinter Glas (The man behind glass) 11. (2004) Laura's geheimes Tagebuch (Laura's secret diary) 12. (2005) Der Fluch der Orchideen (The orchid's curse) 13. (2006) Daemonen (Demons) 14. (2007) Einsame Seelen (Lonely souls) 15. (2008) Spazierfahrt mit einer Toten (Drive with a dead girl) 16. (2009) Selbstjustiz (Arbitrary law) 17. (2010) Bruderzwist (Dispute between brothers) 18. (2011) Maskenball (Masked ball) 19. (2012) Die schwarze Witwe (The black widow) 20. (2013) Schachmatt (Checkmate) 21. (2014) Doppelspiel (Doubleplay) 22. (2015) Sklaven und Meister (Slaves and masters) 23. (2016) Die Verdammte (The condemned woman) 24. (2017) Wunden und Narben (Wounds & scars) 25. (2018) Auf den Schwingen der Liebe (On the wings of love) 26. (2019) Beziehungsvariationen (Variations on relations) 27. (2020) Der Weg zur schwarzen Huette (The path to the black lodge) 28. (2021-Part 1) [Miss Twin Peaks] 29. (2021-Part 2) Jenseits von Leben und Tod (Beyond life and death) Pretty nice, isn't it? How do you like that? BTW, there are some allusions to familiar German quotations (like "Ruhe in Frieden", "das letzte Abendmahl", "Lynch-Justiz" :-), "Der Friede sei mit Dir" etc.), but I can associate the matching episode fairly well. E.g. "Wounds and scars" reminds me of Harry S. Truman finding solace in a bottle of Jack Daniels, suffering over the loss of the "Verdammte" Josie. Or "Demons", one of my favourite episodes, where MIKE speaks through Gerard in his demonic voice and sentences. "Einsame Seelen" of course, shows the words left behind on Harold's hung body: "J'ai une ame solitaire"... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ These titles are used in the short-form episode guide (see question E4). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E4. Is there an episode guide available on the net? There are in fact two: - a short-form episode guide, listing a brief synopsis of the episodes, written by Jim Pellmann (see address at top of file), posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1) - a long-form "timeline" episode guide, listing all action in each episode, with detailed transcriptions of important scenes, chess board configurations, maps and diagrams of the red room, and the date and time of most actions (see question E5), last edited by Ed Nomura (enomura@ucsd.edu), posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1) There are also several episode guides in print, including: - Film Threat magazine, October '92 issue - Epi-Log magazine, issue #20 - the book "Twin Peaks Behind the Scenes" See questions P1 and P2 for more details on the magazines and book. For those who need only brief episode info, here is a list of "TV Guide" style synopses with virtually no spoilers: "Twin Peaks" Ultra-Brief Episode Guide -------------------------------------- Pilot. An FBI agent and a sheriff investigate the murder of a homecoming queen in a Pacific Northwest town. 1. Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman learn more about Laura's life; Catherine plots to take over the sawmill. 2. Cooper demonstrates deductive prowess; Bobby and Mike are released from jail; Donna and James proclaim their love. 3. The town gathers for Laura's funeral; Cooper ponders his dream; Truman tells him about the Bookhouse boys. 4. Cooper and Truman track down the one-armed man; Audrey begins her own investigation. 5. Truman and Cooper discover a macabre scene in the woods; Hank gets out of prison; Audrey goes to work for her father. 6. Cooper and the Bookhouse boys visit One-Eyed Jack's; Jacoby receives a phone call from Laura Palmer. 7. Dr. Jacoby heads for his rendezvous; Cooper and Truman make an arrest; Catherine and Shelly are trapped. 8. Cooper has visions; Audrey is taken prisoner; Donna receives a strange message; Ronette relives Laura's murder. 9. Cooper gets help and unwanted news; Audrey gets in deeper; Donna arranges to meet a stranger; Leland makes a horrifying discovery. 10. Donna visits a friend of Laura's; Blackie sees opportunity; Jacoby reveals important info under hypnosis. 11. Ben's request to save Audrey's life stymies Cooper; Donna goes to another picnic; Josie's cousin arrives from Hong Kong. 12. Cooper and Truman raid One-Eyed Jack's; Leland attends his hearing; Donna and Maddy plot to steal Laura's diary; Ben gets a mysterious visitor. 13. Shelly and Bobby prepare for Leo's homecoming; Gordon Cole visits Cooper; Josie strikes a deal; the one-armed man talks about "Bob". 14. Laura's killer is revealed; money woes strain Bobby and Shelly's relationship; Audrey confronts her father about One-Eyed Jack's. 15. The one-armed man helps Cooper and Truman search for Bob; Norma's mother and her new husband visit; Bobby decides to blackmail Ben; Lucy comes home. 16. A piece of Laura's secret diary leads Cooper to her killer; Catherine tricks Ben; Lucy, Andy, and Tremayne confront each other over her pregnancy. 17. Cooper is investigated by the FBI; Nadine enrolls in high school; Major Briggs and Cooper have a strange encounter in the woods. 18. Nadine's feelings for Mike deepen; James helps a beautiful blond; Catherine forces Josie to become her maid; Windom Earle makes a move. 19. Cooper finds a clue; Andy and Tremayne are concerned over Nicky's past; Bobby makes quick money; sports beckons Nadine; Major Briggs returns. 20. Cooper and Truman set a trap for Renault; Andy and Tremayne look into Nicky's past; an old love visits Ben; Nadine rescues Ed. 21. Cooper confides Earle's tragic history to Truman; Audrey makes a deal with Bobby; Leo comes out of it; Josie's old lover Thomas Eckhardt appears. 22. Cooper learns who shot him; Donna tries to save James; Nadine interrupts Ed and Norma; Catherine uses Josie to lure Eckhardt. 23. Cooper pleads with Josie for truth; Ben changes his mind; Ed proposes to Norma; James and Donna part; Audrey meets a mate. 24. Cooper eyes a reclusive beauty; Truman agonizes over Josie; Donna gets a macabre visitor; Audrey falls in love; Ben hosts an environmental benefit. 25. Cooper and the sheriff's department go spelunking; Truman awakens in a naked woman's arms; Windom Earle checks out potential victims. 26. Cooper and Truman tackle the hieroglyph; the Miss Twin Peaks contest attracts competitors; Tremayne holds a wine tasting; Gordon falls for Shelley. 27. Truman and Cooper pursue the Owl Cave mystery; Earle takes another prisoner; Donna makes a discovery; Wheeler leaves suddenly. 28. Major Briggs escapes from Earle; Catherine battles with the black box; Lucy chooses the father of her baby; Earle interrupts the contest. 29. Truman and Cooper try to head off Windom Earle; Donna wants the truth; Audrey, Andrew and Pete all head to the bank; Cooper enters the Black Lodge. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E5. What year is the show set in? The dates and days of the week quoted in the pilot and the first season's episodes correspond to 1989 (the year the pilot film was shot). However, "The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer" (see question P1) places the action in 1990. In the second season, there is no consistency in the dates used. In the "prequel" film "Fire Walk With Me", the events of the week of Laura's murder are stated as happening in 1989. In trying to keep the "one day per episode" general timeframe of the episodes, sources on the Lynch/Frost production team (Scott Frost) indicated that it was difficult for the writers, cast, and crew to keep track of which "day" it was in TP time, and hence sometimes slipped up (e.g., high school students are shown in school on a Saturday). The consensus of opinion in the TP fan community is that all action occurs in 1989, and that the diary dates and other discrepancies in the episodes are in error. A sort of origin point for the timeline is Laura's death in the early morning ("somewhere between midnight and 4 AM" according to Doc Hayward) on Friday, February 24. Her body is discovered "just after dawn" on that day, which is the date of the action in the pilot. The last day of action in "Fire Walk With Me" (Laura's last day alive) is Thursday, February 23. Although each episode generally covers one day of action in TP, there are some exceptions: after Leland's death, it is noted that the next episode is "three days later"; sometimes an episode will begin in the middle of the night of the preceding episode's "day", but most of the action will take place on the following day. See the long-form "timeline" episode guide (see question E4) for a list of what episodes correspond to which dates, as well as times shown on clocks or quoted by characters. See also the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic", issue #1, which has a calendar for February and March, 1989, showing the major events that happened on each day. See question P4 for details on "Wrapped in Plastic". ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E6. Where is TP supposed to be? It's in the State of Washington, but where exactly is not clear. In Cooper's initial monologue to Diane as he's driving into town, he states that it's "five miles south of the Canadian border and twelve miles west of the state line". That would seem to place it in the northeast corner of the state. However the surrounding geography is like that of the Cascade Mountains in western Washington. References to cities such as Seattle and Tacoma, but not Spokane, also seem to place it in western Washington. The show's creators seem to have smooshed the state so that it all fits west of the Cascades. The pilot draft, entitled "Northwest Passage", is clearly set in eastern Washington and features Ponderosa Pines instead of Douglas firs. The setting change was almost undoubtedly caused by the decision to film the pilot in the Seattle area, rather than in eastern Washington, where they would be far from local production resources and local actors. Approximate ASCII map of Washington State (courtesy of Pete Zakel [phz@cadence.com]): North British Columbia (Canada) /|\ | -----------------------------------------------------.----- | \ Twin *| | Peaks | I \ | D _ | | A |\__ | | H / --___ | | O | ---_ | WASHINGTON | \ \ / | | | | Spokane * | | | |* Seattle | | | | | \ | / | | \_/* Tacoma | | | \ | | | | * Yakima | | | | | | * Tri-cities | |_-_ \ | ________---------------------` \ ____ ----____------- `----___--- OREGON ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E7. Where was it filmed? Many of the outdoor shots were filmed in Snoqualmie, Washington (and the surrounding area), which is in the Cascades, not too far from Seattle. The waterfall is there; the Great Northern Hotel is really the Salish Lodge (although it doesn't look like the GNH on the inside--the interiors of both the GNH and the Packard/Martell home were filmed in the Kiana Lodge); and the RR Diner is really the Mar-T Cafe. Other than the pilot and "Fire Walk With Me" (which was also filmed on location), the episodes were filmed on sound stages or locations in the Los Angeles area. See question P5 for references of places to visit or see in the Snoqualmie area. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ E8. What is the population of TP? This is subject to debate. The population sign that's shown on TV indicates 51,201. According to "Twin Peaks Behind the Scenes: An Unofficial Guide to Twin Peaks", by Mark Altman (see question P1), Lynch/Frost originally conceived of it as 5,201, but ABC insisted on increasing it. This has resulted in mixed cues within the show. For instance, Twin Peaks doesn't have a resident circuit court judge, which any town of 51,000 in the US would; it has a Sheriff's department but no police department (Sheriff is usually a county rather than a city office). On the other hand, it does have its own hospital, a fancy department store, and a large hotel. The book, "Welcome to Twin Peaks: Access Guide to the Town" (see question P1) tries to resolve the issue by saying the population sign is a misprint, and it should be 5,120.1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E9. I rented the pilot--why is it different than the TV pilot? The version of the pilot available on video/laserdisc (see question G4) is known as the "European" version, because it was created for the European video market and first showed up there. See the next question for more details. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E10. What is the "European" version of the pilot? Before TP was sold to ABC as a series, Lynch/Frost raised money to finance the production of the pilot episode by signing a contract with Warner Home Video. The contract gave Warner Home Video the rights to sell the pilot episode as a movie on video in Europe (not knowing whether the pilot would result in a series, Warner wanted to ensure they could make their money back.) In order to sell it as a movie, the contract stipulated that the pilot must stand on its own and have a "closed ending" where the murder of Laura Palmer was resolved. Lynch/Frost had planned for and expected the pilot to be picked up and turned into a series, and thus had not written such a resolution for the pilot. When, during the filming of the pilot, they were reminded of their contractual obligation, they filmed the ending described below and gave Warner Home Video their "standalone" European movie, even though the ending did not make much sense and does not jive with events in the TV series. Parts of the European movie ending were used later in edited form for the dream sequence at the end of episode 2. (In fact, you will notice that the summary of his dream that Cooper gives Lucy and Harry at the beginning of episode 3 includes events that are portrayed in the European pilot ending, but not in Cooper's dream as shown in episode 2!) Lynch thinks the famous scene in the Red Room is one of his best pieces of work, and that is probably one reason why he chose to include it as the final scene of episode 2. The original script for episode 2 is almost a verbatim copy of the European movie ending, including even more of it than is in the broadcast version. The copied parts were edited to make it clear that Cooper is having a dream/vision, rather than actually experiencing the events. So the reaction cuts of Truman, etc. in the European movie ending, are replaced in episode 2 by shots of Coop tossing and turning in his sleep. When ABC bought the series, the video rights to the broadcast episodes went to Worldvision (a division of Spelling Entertainment, which had been closely affiliated with ABC), but the video rights to the pilot remained with Warner Home Video. This is why only the European movie version of the pilot is available commercially. Making 'lemonade out of a lemon', Warner Home Video marketed their version of the pilot as providing an "alternate resolution" to Laura's murder than that provided in the TV series. Although a great deal of the footage from the European movie ending was incorporated into the TV series, most in the TP fan community feel the ending, while interesting as an historical artifact, is not germane to the "real" TP story as developed in the TV series. The European movie ending should probably be avoided if you are watching the TV series for the first time. There is a "catch 22", though: you should see the pilot before watching the first TV episode for important background information and context, but the broadcast version of the pilot is not available commercially (see question G4). If you cannot borrow a copy of the broadcast pilot version from someone, you can easily "edit" the video version, while watching it, as follows: - About 90 minutes into the movie, after Sheriff Truman introduces Cooper to Lucy's nightly donut spread, and the jail scene with James, Bobby, and Mike, there is a scene where the Sheriff visits Josie. "It must have happened right around this time yesterday," Truman says to Josie. "I'm afraid," Josie says. Next there is a shot of the traffic light, blowing in the breeze. - Stop the movie at the next scene where we see Laura's mother sitting by herself on the sofa, smoking. Up until this point, the movie and broadcast pilot are identical. - There is only one additional scene in the broadcast pilot not shown in the movie: Laura's mother has a vision of a gloved hand digging the heart necklace from the ground where Donna and James buried it (you'll know the necklace I mean when you've seen the rest). Now, for those who have seen the series, but not the "European" version of the pilot, here is a short description of the added scenes: - Sarah remembers seeing BOB crouching at the foot of Laura's bed that morning. She screams and tells Leland what she remembered. - There is a scene of Lucy and Andy getting ready for bed (!). Leland calls Lucy, tells her about Sarah's sudden memory, and asks her where the Sheriff is. Lucy calls the Sheriff in his cruiser. He tells her to have Hawk meet him at the Palmer's house to make a sketch of the man Sarah remembered. - Agent Cooper, asleep in his hotel room, is awakened by the phone. Mike, the one-armed man, is on the other end, and tells Cooper that the man who killed Laura is at the hospital. Then Lucy calls Cooper and tells him what is happening at the Palmer house. Cooper asks Lucy to tell the Sheriff to bring the sketch and meet him at the hospital. - Cooper and the Sheriff find Mike at the hospital. Mike recites the poem and his confession (from Cooper's dream in episode #2). Cooper asks Mike to identify the killer from the sketch. He does and tells them BOB is in the basement of the hospital. - They find BOB kneeling next to a circle of 12 burning candles. He invites them in, asks if Mike is with them, repeats some of the dialogue from Cooper's dream in episode 2, including "Catch you with my death bag". - The Sheriff asks BOB what the letters were going to spell, and BOB replies: BOB: Robert. That's my proper name. Theresa's was with a T. Cooper: That's right. BOB: You may think I've gone insane, but I promise you: I will kill again! Mike runs into room and yells: Like hell! - Mike shoots BOB twice. BOB crumples to the floor. Mike falls to the floor in agony. - Cooper says "Make a wish" and blows out the candles. - Cut to the Red Room. Caption says: Twenty-five year later - Rest of scene is identical to Red Room scene of Cooper's dream in episode 2. As the Little Man dances, the end credits run. As mentioned above, this ending does NOT relate to the action in the other episodes of the series (as far as we can tell), except for the parts that appear in Cooper's dream in episode 2. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E11. Is the second season available on videotape/laserdisc? Yes and no. See question G4 for details. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E12. Is there a cast list? Yes, it is posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E13. What else has been in? Refer to the cross-reference lists of TP actors, actresses, writers, and directors, and their other works. These lists were compiled by David Coufal (dcoufal@athena.mit.edu), are posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E14. Which episodes did David Lynch direct? - the pilot (1000) - episode 2 (1002) - episode 8 (2001, the 2-hour, season 2 opener) - episode 9 (2002) - episode 14 (2007) - episode 29 (2021-Part 2, the series finale) Refer to either of the two episode guides (see question E4) for writing and directing credits of each episode. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E15. Why are the 2nd season episodes so bad? They're not. :^) Seriously: Since TP was a continuing serial, viewers were required to see every episode to know what was going on. Unlike traditional prime-time soap operas, TP did not recycle the same melodramatic themes over and over. Casual viewing was not supported. In response to this, several shorter story arcs were introduced in the 2nd season--many feel that these detracted from the series. For a good discussion of this issue, refer to issue #1 of the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic" (see question P4), in which one of the editors argues why the second season was better than the first, and lists four particular scenes as examples. Some complained that Lynch was not directly involved in production of all the 2nd season episodes. Although there were a number of different directors (see the episode guides for a complete list), most do not consider this a serious detraction from the series. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E16. What are the references to movies/famous people? TP is full of hidden (and not-so-hidden) references to other movies and TV shows ("Laura", "Vertigo", "One Eyed Jacks", "Double Indemnity", "The Manchurian Candidate", "Sunset Boulevard", "The Fugitive", "Dallas", etc.) and famous people or characters (D.B. Cooper, Harry S Truman, James Dean, Hester Prynn, etc.) Refer to the "allusions" list for the sources of some character and place names, plot devices, and themes used in TP. This list was compiled by Dave Platt (umplatt2@ccu.umanitoba.ca), is posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E17. Who killed Laura Palmer? Her father, Leland Palmer, under the influence of BOB. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E18. What did the letters under the fingernails mean? Leland/BOB was spelling out 'Robert'. Cooper described it as "a signature on a demon self-portrait". As many have pointed out, if he was spelling the name backwards in order (it was never stated that he was doing that, though), the 'E' was missing. There's no explanation given for this, but some have speculated that the 'E' may have been intended for Ronette in the train car, or that the 'E' victim has not been found (yet). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E19. Who/What is BOB? This is perhaps the greatest mystery/question of Twin Peaks, a source of endless debate, and an issue to which each viewer must attach their own interpretation and significance. [Note: BOB is spelled in all capital letters here, following the convention used in "The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer" (see question P1). This also helps distinguish between Killer BOB (as he is also referred) and Bobby Briggs.] This much is given to us: BOB is a disembodied spirit capable of taking over a human being. After he takes over, he manipulates his human host to commit acts of sex and violence and 'feeds' upon the emotions this produces. He is connected in some manner with other spirits which appear in either or both of the Black Lodge and White Lodge. An entrance to the Black Lodge (shown as the red room) is in Glastonbury Grove in the woods outside of Twin Peaks. See questions E39 and E40 for more on the Lodges. Some who reject supernatural explanations believe BOB may be/have been a figment of Laura's or Leland's imagination (a means of psychologically dealing with the trauma of incest and adultery), or an alternate personality of Leland. The caustic FBI agent Albert Rosenfield suggests that BOB is simply "the evil that men do". The fact that so many TP characters experience these spirits make such rationalizations hard to logically support. Events in the series following Leland's death (the Windom Earle arc) and in FWWM also continue the supernatural themes. In a question and answer session, Mark Frost indicated that the idea for BOB originated in American Indian mythology and that he was a local evil spirit whose presence in the Twin Peaks area dates back to ancient times. See also "The List of 7", Mark Frost's novel (see question M5), which deals with evil beings (both real and supernatural), the "dweller on the threshold", and the teachings of Helena Blavatsky, the founder of Theosophy and originator of the idea of the "white lodge". It further appears that BOB is a 'servant' or agent (familiar) of other Lodge spirits. The events in FWWM imply that at times he is out of control and acting on his own rather than for the Lodge. Mike [episode 13]: "Do you understand the parasite? It attaches itself to a life form and feeds. Eh. BOB requires a human host. He feeds on fear ... and the pleasures. They are his children. I am similar to BOB. We once were partners." Mike also says BOB was his 'familiar' (not vice/versa as has been erroneously reported): Cooper: You spoke to me in my dream ... about BOB. Mike: Mmm. He ... was ... my familiar. In witchcraft, a familiar is a slave spirit that the sorcerer uses to help him/her. In some traditions the familiar is a demon that may appear in the form of an animal. In Malaya, owls and badgers are popular familiars while the cat is commonly associated with witches in popular US culture. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E20. Is BOB the same as J.R. "Bob" Dobbs? No. Frank Silva, who plays BOB, says the name is Lynch's tribute to Bob's Big Boy, the place where he had the same lunch every day for years (from an interview in Film Threat magazine, October '92 issue--see question P2). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E21. Who/what is Diane? The shooting script of FWWM (see question F5) contains a scene in FBI headquarters with Cooper standing in an office doorway conversing with Diane, implying she is some sort of office administrator or secretary. (The scene is written such that the audience never sees nor hears Diane.) During the first season, gossip columnist Liz Smith reported that Carol Lynley ("The Poseidon Adventure") had been signed to play Diane in the second season, but this never happened. From the scene in FWWM, we can assume that Lynch wanted to maintain the air of mystery about her. Before this was revealed, however, many viewers speculated that Diane was: an "alter ego" of Cooper's, his wife, or his name for the tape recorder. With the commercial release of the audio tape "Diane ... The Twin Peaks Tapes of Agent Cooper" (for which Kyle MacLachlan won a Grammy, incidentally) and the book "The Autobiography of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper: My Life, My Tapes", we were given further background into Cooper's special form of note taking (see questions P1 and P2 for more info on these products): "Autobiography" entry for January 10, 1978: "Diane, I hope that you will not mind that I address these tapes to you even when it is clear that I am talking to myself. The knowledge that someone of your insight is standing behind me is comforting." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E22. Does Kyle MacLachlan really like cherry pie? No. He told the British press he "HATES cherry pie--always has, always will." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E23. Weren't Kyle MacLachlan and Lara Flynn Boyle dating? Yes, although it did not last. According to one supermarket tabloid: "They'd sneak off into the woods for long kisses and watch the moon and the stars at night after a long day's shoot," says a "Twin Peaks" insider. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E24. How did they do the funny voices in the Red Room scenes? 1. The actors memorized their lines backwards (the question remains how the actors achieved this: whether they listened to recordings of the lines played backwards to get a "phonetic" version, or simply read the lines as printed backwards as best they could for a "literal" version--there are different scenes/actors where it sounds like different methods were used). 2. The scenes were acted out backwards with the actors saying the backwards lines with the film cameras running backwards. 3. The resulting footage was shown forward, reversing everything and giving both the strange quality of movement and the distorted speech. If the imitation of the backward speech had been good enough, then we would have heard the original lines. As it was, subtitles were added because of intelligibility problems. Michael Anderson, the MFAP, already had the ability to do this before TP, and helped coach the others on the process: Actually, I did say the lines backwards and believe it or not, unbeknownst to David Lynch, speaking backwards was a skill that I had learned in junior high, you know like tag names and secret codes, speaking words in an exact phonetic reversal was something we did. When David asked me to learn the lines backwards, he had made elaborate preparations to teach me the lines in a sound studio. When he found out how easy it was for me to speak backwards he started adding lines and having me teach lines to other actors, etc. By the way, the effect is something I can reproduce on my home studio if you're interested. (From private e-mail with Peter Moore, pt@chaff.demon.co.uk) Indeed, Michael offers personalized answering machine tapes (see question P2). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E25. What are the words to Mike (the one-armed man)'s poem? According to the shooting script of episode 2, it is: Through the darkness of future past the magician longs to see one chance out between two worlds 'Fire walk with me.' However, the closed caption subtitles for the episode use the word "chants" instead of "chance", igniting a long-standing, never-resolved debate: - "chance" implies there is only one way or method to escape from "between two worlds". - 'chants' is supported by both the Convenience Store scene and Laura's dream/vision in FWWM, where recital of the phrase is followed by passage to the Red Room. Brad Smith (a07850@giant.rsoft.bc.ca) attended the '93 Fan Festival (see question P1 for the address for Fan Festival info) and had the opportunity to ask Al Strobel (actor who played Mike) about this: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ When I was at the TPFF 93, I asked Al Strobel about chants/chance. He said that he got the poem from David Lynch's handwritten notes and it was chants. This would seem to indicate that DL's intention was chants. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This is further supported by an appearance of the poem, using "chants", in David Lynch's photography book, "Images" (see question P1). However, because of the conflicting written versions, and because both words help support peoples' different interpretations of Lodge events, it is unlikely this will ever be resolved to everyone's satisfaction. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E26. Who was in the woods with Leo (episode 2)? This is another detail that will probably never be resolved conclusively, but given his drug running connection with Leo, a good bet is that it was Jacques. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E27. What happened to "Invitation to Love"? The ITL soap opera spoof that appeared in most first season episodes disappeared in the second season. One of TP's writers, Harley Peyton, revealed: "It's just so hard to try and get these stories straight and it finally became too much. At one point, we were toying with the lead actors [from ITL] coming to town but we were really never able to go through with that. We shot a lot of that stuff but whenever we were looking to edit our shows down to running time, those ITL segments were always the first to go." Some viewers thought that hidden clues were embedded in the ITL snippets or that the actions of the ITL actors were mimicking the actions of the TP characters. These are only speculation, however. For a comprehensive discussion and episode guide to ITL, see issue #6 of the "Wrapped in Plastic" magazine (see question P4 for details on the magazine). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E28. Who is the dwarf? It would appear he is the 'embodiment' of Mike/Gerard's left arm and as such, is a link to the old Mike that hunted with BOB. In the credits he is listed as "The Man From Another Place" (perhaps a reference to the remarks he makes in the dream sequence: "Where we're from, the birds sing a pretty song, and there's always music in the air.") [from episode 3] Cooper: "I got a phone call from a one-armed man named Mike. The killer's name was BOB. ... They lived above a convenience store. They had a tattoo: Fire Walk With Me. Mike couldn't stand the killing anymore, so he cut off his arm." [from episode 6] Mike: "We once were partners. ... Oh, but then ... I saw the face of God ... and was purified. I took off the arm, but remained, close to this vessel, inhabiting from time to time, for ONE SINGLE PURPOSE: TO STOP HIM! [BOB]". In FWWM he says: "I am the arm", and at the end he gets up and stands beside Mike where the arm would have been and touches him on the shoulder. In unison they say: "BOB, I want all my garmonbozia (pain and suffering)". Speculation and debate on his actions, function, and what he "represents" continue, as with all of the supernatural aspects of TP. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E29. Wasn't the Giant on "Star Trek"? Didn't the Giant play Lurch? Yes, he is Carel Struycken, who played Mr. Homm, Deanna Troi's mother's personal assistant. He did not play Lurch on the Addams Family TV series, but he did play Lurch in the Addams Family movies. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E30. Who was standing outside the window while Josie seduced Harry (episode 11)? No definitive answer, but it probably was Jonathan, the Oriental man who comes to take Josie back to Hong Kong. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E31. What did Maddy see in the carpet (episode 8)? The bloodstain her murder would later leave. When the episode aired in Europe, the scene of Maddy looking down at the rug and seeing the bloodstain was slightly different than in the original US broadcast. It was said that she saw an image of BOB in the stain. This is confirmed in the Japanese laserdisc release where the superimposed image of BOB comes rippling into view over the stain. However, both the Bravo rebroadcast of this episode and the videotape release of this episode do NOT show an image of BOB in the stain. This is apparently only in the foreign-released versions. It has been stated that the original intent was to show an image of BOB "sculpted" into the carpet. When this effect could not be completed in time for the original broadcast, it was abandoned, prompting the switch to blood. Apparently with the foreign release, they returned to the idea of showing BOB's image. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E32. What did the "creamed corn kid" say (episode 9)? "J'ai une a^me solitaire", which is French for "I have a lonely soul". This was also the text of Harold Smith's suicide note. As such, it is another instance of foretelling, much like the Giant's words to Cooper. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E33. Who played the "creamed corn kid"? In the series, he is played by David Lynch's son, Austin Jack Lynch. In FWWM, he is played by Jonathan L. Leppell. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E34. What is the significance of the burning smell? This is subject to debate, but the best guess is that it is a sign that BOB has emerged and is nearby. Dr. Jacoby said he smelled it the night Jacques was murdered, as well as the night he was attacked in the park (see question E47), and Maddy smelled it before she was murdered. In the final episode (#29), we learn that it is the same smell as the stuff in the little pool in Glastonbury Grove where there is a entrance to the Red Room. In FWWM, when Philip Gerard/Mike (the one-armed man) confronts Leland and Laura while in their car, Leland purposely races the car engine to cover up the burning smell that the confrontation is probably eliciting. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E35. What is the significance of the white horse? Another one subject to debate: Some people call it Sarah's drug-induced hallucination, because it appears when Leland drugs Sarah before molesting Laura and before murdering Maddy. (Some further say it represents the drug, heroin, for which "horse" is a slang name.) Some instead say it is an omen of death, taken from the Book of Revelations 6:8 (King James Version): And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. Due to this passage, Death is frequently depicted as riding a pale horse. The horse appears before both Laura's and Maddy's murder. This is further supported by the Log Lady introduction of episode 14 (Maddy's death), written by Lynch (see question G5): "A poem as lovely as a tree: As the night wind blows, the boughs move to and fro. The rustling, the magic rustling that brings on the dark dream. The dream of suffering and pain. Pain for the victim, pain for the inflicter of pain. A circle of pain, a circle of suffering. Woe to the ones who behold the pale horse." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E36. What is the significance of "The owls are not what they seem"? This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. At the simplest level, it is one of the things that the Giant tells Cooper. The confirmation reveals that Major Briggs is more important than we thought. But owls appear throughout the series and seem to have a greater significance. The first appearance of owls is at the end of episode 4 when James and Donna go to retrieve the necklace from the woods where they buried it. An owl watches as they discover the necklace is gone. The next reference is by the Log Lady in episode 5 when Cooper et al. visit her on the way to Jacques' cabin, and she says "The owls won't see us in here." The Giant's message that "the owls are not what they seem" comes in episode 8 and is confirmed by Major Briggs' message from the deep space monitors in episode 9 (in episode 19, the messages are revealed to be from the woods, not deep space). Episode 9 also has Cooper's dream where an owl face is superimposed over BOB's face. An owl appears at the beginning of episode 12, preceding the scene where Cooper rescues Audrey from One Eyed Jacks, and again in episode 13 when he carries the rescued Audrey into the Bookhouse. In episode 14 (when Maddy gets murdered) the Log Lady says "We don't know what will happen or when, but there are owls in [sic] the Roadhouse", but we don't see any birds. Sr. Droolcup, the Giant, and the Singer appear there, though, which has led some to conclude that the owls are not restricted to taking the shape of birds. At the end of episode 16, after Leland's death, when Truman wonders where BOB is now, we switch to the scene where the camera is moving through the woods, close to the ground, apparently at night, and the scene freezes and the episode ends with the sudden appearance of an owl. In episode 17 an owl appears in the woods while Cooper is urinating and the Major disappears. In episode 19, Air Force Colonel Riley specifically asks Cooper if he saw any owls on the night Briggs disappeared. When the Major reappears in episode 20, he mentions a memory of a giant owl as the only thing he remembers clearly. An owl is also watching when Leo wakes up and goes after Shelly with an axe in episode 21. >From the article "Owlwise By Firelight" in the book "Welcome to Twin Peaks: Access Guide to the Town", pp. 46-47 (see question P1) [with a big picture of an owl swooping in, taken from the series]: "...Not dread but a connection with our past is what we feel, a thread running back to the artless creatures we once were when we first heard the oboe-like notes from the Great Horned Owl. In Paleolithic times, we suspected omens in its voice, heard in it questions we were unable to articulate, but which have stayed within us, incomplete and taunting. We are certain that ancient, taloned bird sees what we do not, knows what we never will. And some night, silent as a gliding feather, its immensity will engulf us at fireside to tell us things we want to know as well as those we don't. In the shadowed forest we're pulled by that lurking and alluring ghost and we are enthralled." Owls also have a place in Native American mythology: "In many tribes, the owl has a sinister meaning. In the Northwest, the owl calls out names of men and women who will die soon. Among the Sioux and the Hin-Han, the owl guards the entrance to the Milky Way over which the souls of the dead must pass to reach the Spirit Land. Those who fail the owl's inspection because they do not have the proper tattoo on their wrists or elsewhere are thrown into a bottomless abyss." From "American Indian Myths and Legends", edited by Ortiz and Erdoes, pp 399-400. Trevor Blake (house127@teleport.com) argues that the owl symbolism is similar to that found in the "Communion" books: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ References to owls in Twin Peaks are readily understood after reading "Communion" by Whitley Strieber. "Communion" is a record of Strieber's 'elaborate personal encounters with intelligent nonhuman beings.' These nonhuman beings, referred to as the visitors, take Strieber away in the night through the woods to a 'filthy' room and subject him to sinister psychological/medical experiences. Strieber later encounters the visitors in other environments and learns they have been an invisibly influencing his entire life, as well as the lives of many others. "Communion" inspired a film of the same name and a sequel titled "Transformation"; a third book in the series has been announced, and elements of his encounters are found in his novel "Majestic". After the encounter that opens "Communion", Strieber writes: "I awoke the morning of the twenty-seventh very much as usual, but grappling with a distinct sense of unease and a very improbable but intense memory of seeing a barn owl staring at me through the window sometime during the night." As compelling as the memory is, he later understands it as a 'screen memory' to mask the trauma of his encounter with the visitors. These owls, therefore, are 'not what they seem' (TP episode 8); they are a mask worn by a sinister nonhuman being (TP 9, 14) when that visitor from another place takes someone away (TP 17). Strieber encounters them in the woods (TP 4, 16, 19) although they are not of this planet (TP 9). Owls are the only memory he has of the encounter (TP 20): later, through hypnosis, Strieber is able to recall the entire incident as well as other times the 'owls' have been watching him (TP 4, 5, 21). The unwholesome quality of Strieber's encounters in the 'filthy' room are similar in mood to many of the otherworldly environments in TP and FWWM. He discovers small wounds of unknown origin on his body, as do certain characters in TP. After accepting his memories and experiences as 'true' instead of imagined or the result of madness, Strieber does not attribute them to either a purely mundane source (UFO pilots took him away) or a purely spiritual source (the visitors as modern-day fairies) but to something incorporating both: TP likewise refused to be a 'science fiction' series or an 'occult' series, incorporating elements from both. "Communion" was published in 1987, three years before TP was first broadcast. It was (and remains) tremendously popular. The use of owls in TP reminded me of the owls in "Communion" right away: by the time these owls were linked to messages from outer space (TP 19) I knew "Communion" was an influence on where the series was heading. I recommend "Communion" as a good read in itself, but especially for those interested in the source for ideas in Twin Peaks. [I am the author of the article 'Barton Fink or Eraserhead?' which appears on page 14 in issue six of Film Threat magazine (October 1992) along with a TP episode guide and preview of FWWM (see question P4).] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ If you accept second-hand information from outside the actual episodes, one poster claimed that Bob Engels said the owls are not inhabiting spirits like the Giant, but rather witnesses (spies?) of important events for the inhabitants of the Lodge. This is another topic subject to discussion and debate for years to come. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E37. What happened to Josie (episode 23)? It appears her soul was imprisoned in or escaped to the wooden knob of the drawer in the nightstand next to the bed in which she died at the Great Northern. How and why, no one knows. In Cooper's recap at the beginning of episode 24, he says Josie possibly died "from fear". Later in that episode, Doc Hayward says he can't find the cause of Josie's death, and that her body weight was only 65 pounds. Some think that the soul of the Log Lady's husband resides in her log, and Josie is likewise somehow imprisoned in wood. In episode 27, Pete is seen staring at the woodwork in the Great Northern, saying he sees Josie's face. Immediately preceding that scene, Ben hears something in his office, turns around and is startled by something, but we don't see what. Some believe he may have also seen Josie's face. This is speculation, however. The last mention of her is in episode 28, when Cooper talks to Truman about the night Josie died: C: She was trembling with fear. I would go as far as to say quaking like an animal. And I venture a guess to say that it was the fear that killed her. At the moment of her death, I saw BOB ... as if he had slipped in through some crevice in time. Upon reflection, I believe there's a connection between his appearance and Josie's fear, as if he was attracted to it ... feeding off it somehow. T: You see a connection between BOB and the black lodge? C: Harry, I think it's where he comes from. I think that the Black Lodge is what you have referred to in the past as "the evil in these woods." If Windom Earle is seeking access to that, it is imperative that we find our way in before he does. There's a source of great power there, Harry. Far beyond our ability to comprehend. Taking the leap from Josie and BOB to BOB and the Black Lodge, the story moves off to the Black Lodge and we are left to contemplate if BOB has imprisoned Josie in the wooden knob or ??? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E38. Were Cooper and Windom Earle playing a legitimate chess game? No. The writers messed up. According to TP writer and producer Harley Peyton, Frost quickly lost interest in the game and the rest of the writers plotted the moves with sporadic advice from the "self-ordained chess experts" on the set: "We weren't as exact as we should have been," he said. "It became a pain in the ass." The long-form episode guide/timeline (see question E4) details each of the chess board configurations show in the series. For a detailed analysis of the chess game, see the cover article in issue #4 of the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic" (see question P4). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E39. What are the fictional/mythological meanings of the dugpas and the lodges? Fiction: In 1926, Talbot Mundy published an adventure fantasy called "The Devil's Guard" (also published as "Ramsden") which featured dugpas and Black and White lodges very similar to those described by Windom Earle in the series. See issue #3 of the TP magazine "Wrapped in Plastic" (see question P4) for an extended discussion of this book. Fact: there was a sect of Tibetan Buddhists called dugpas. From Christmas Humphrey's "Buddhism", the chapter on Tibetan Buddhism, "History of Lamaism" section, p. 190 in the Pelican (British company) paperback edition: "Before the seventh century, the sole religion of Tibet was the Bon [umlaut omitted by me] ... These Bonpas, however, must not be confused with Dugpas, who are members of the Dugpa sect [of Tibetan Buddhism], founded in upper Tibet in the twelfth century by a spiritual descendant of Milarepa. The sect being 'Red-hats', as distinct from the 'Yellow-hats' of the later Reformation, and, having degenerated into Bon practices, have come to be synonymous with Bonpas, and black magicians." It is interesting to note that the Dalai Lama is spiritual head of the Yellow-hats, and that Red is the color of the Waiting Room and the MFAP's clothing. Helen Petrovich Blavatsky, one of the the founders of Theosophy, is probably the source of the idea of the White Lodge. She wrote of the Great White Lodge, a group of spiritual masters or adepts who guided mankind's spiritual evolution (in positive directions). There is further evidence for this origin in Mark Frost's recent novel "The List of 7", in which Madame Blavatsky plays a role (see question M5). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E40. What is the connection between the Red Room, Black Lodge, and White Lodge? For some time, there was great controversy on whether the Red Room represented either of the Lodges, was the "waiting room" for a Lodge, or something else entirely. Even the two authors of this FAQ disagree on this one! Here are 3 comments (Jim's, Rich's, and David Lynch's): -------------------- Jim thinks there are two things that SUGGEST that the Red Room is the Black Lodge: 1) In episode 29, Windom Earle tells Col. Briggs (through Sarah Palmer) that "I'm in the Black Lodge with Dale Cooper. I'm waiting for you." 2) In the shooting script for FWWM, the final Red Room scene is set, according to Lynch, in the "Red Room/Black Lodge". -------------------- Rich rejects that, here is his opinion: The Black and White Lodges are one and the same and it is the person's frame of mind that determines whether he is in one or the other. As Milton wrote in Paradise Lost: "The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." According to Hawk (in episode 18): Hawk: Cooper, you may be fearless in this world, but there are other worlds. Cooper: Tell me more. Hawk: My people believe that the White Lodge is a place where the spirits that rule man and nature here reside. Truman: Local legend. Goes way back. Hawk: There is also a legend of a place called the Black Lodge ... the shadow-self of the White Lodge. The legend says that every spirit must pass through there on the way to perfection. There, you will meet your own shadow-self. My people call it "The Dweller on the Threshold." Cooper: "The Dweller on the Threshold..." Hawk: But it is said, if you confront the Black Lodge with imperfect courage, it will utterly annihilate your soul." (see question E43 for more about the "Dweller".) According to Windom Earle (in episode 26): "Once upon a time, there was a place of great goodness, called the White Lodge. Gentle fawns gamboled there amidst happy, laughing spirits. The sounds of innocence and joy filled the air. And when it rained, it rained sweet nectar that infused one's heart with a desire to live life in truth and beauty. "Generally speaking, a ghastly place, reeking of virtue's sour smell. Engorged with the whispered prayers of kneeling mothers, mewling newborns, and fools, young and old, compelled to do good without reason. Heh-heh! "But, I am happy to point out that our story does not end in this wretched place of saccharine excess. For there's another place, its opposite: a place of almost unimaginable power, chock full of dark forces and vicious secrets. No prayers dare enter this frightful maw. Spirits there care not for good deeds or priestly invocations; they are as like to rip the flesh from your bone as greet you with a happy "Good day!" "And if harnessed, these spirits in this hidden land of unmuffled screams and broken hearts would offer up a power so vast that its bearer might reorder the earth itself--to his liking! Now! This place I speak of--is known as the Black Lodge. And I intend to find it." Also, see Major Briggs comments below in question E44. -------------------- Lynch has said HE doesn't know what the Red Room is (from a German movie magazine): Everyone wants to know, what the "red room" in "Twin Peaks" stands for, which also appears in the movie again. I don't know that exactly myself. I can remember well, when I had this idea, but I don't know why. Looking at it from a rational point of view, I know I have used a similar pattern like that on the floor in "Eraserhead" before. Everything else, however, was a pure matter of inspiration: the red curtains, the stylized design, the dancing dwarf. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't describe what they mean, for intuition is irrational. The difference between reality and fantasy has never been clear to me anyway. I'll probably be very surprised, when I find out, what it really is, some day. -------------------- For further ideas and discussions, see the annotated episode 29 timeline, which incorporates comments from alt.tv.t-p posted at the time the series finale was first broadcast. This was compiled by Jim Pellmann (see address at top of file) and is posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1). (There will be an analogous annotated timeline for FWWM someday, with further discussion on the Red Room and Lodges, from postings made at the time FWWM was released theatrically. Stay tuned. --Jim) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E41. Did Major Briggs go to the White Lodge? Most likely. Evidence includes the dream he recounts to Bobby and the shot of him on a throne in a jungle that we see at the beginning of episode 20, as well as the reluctance of Air Force Colonel Riley to talk about the White Lodge in episode 19. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E42. Who spoke through Sarah Palmer to Major Briggs (episode 29)? According to those with closed caption TV sets, the strangely garbled speech was the "Voice of Windom Earle". ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E43. What is a doppelganger? Literally, a 'double walker' (German). One definition of doppelganger (and the earliest on record) is "one who has seen himself". Such an experience was taken as an ill omen, namely one of impending death. One doppelganger tradition has it that when the doppelganger meets the person, they mutually annihilate each other. In TP, it would appear that the doppelgangers are the embodiment of the 'dark side' of one's personality, the accumulation of all his/her bad karma. Such a thing, called the Dweller on the Threshold, was supposed to confront the initiate on the 'astral plane' as a force to be overcome (c.f., Hawk's speech in episode 18). The expression 'Dweller on the Threshold' first appears in Bulwer-Lytton's novel "Zanoni". For further ideas and discussions, see the annotated episode 29 timeline, which incorporates comments from alt.tv.t-p posted at the time the series finale was first broadcast. This was compiled by Jim Pellmann (see address at top of file) and is posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E44. What happened to Cooper in the Black Lodge? There are probably as many interpretations as there are viewers of the finale! We couldn't possibly summarize them all here. For further ideas and discussions, see the annotated episode 29 timeline, which incorporates comments from alt.tv.t-p posted at the time the series finale was first broadcast. This was compiled by Jim Pellmann (see address at top of file) and is posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1). Here is Rich's interpretation: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ He split into a good Cooper and bad Cooper (doppelganger) because he confronted the Black Lodge with "imperfect courage". Good Cooper is trapped in the Lodge while bad Cooper took his place in the outside world. However, this is not all bad since apparently it is the presence of Good Cooper in the Lodge that enables Laura to make the transition from 'purgatory' (the waiting room) to 'heaven' (the White Lodge) at the end of FWWM. Major Briggs (episode 17): "There are powerful forces of evil in the world. It is some men's fate to face great darkness. We each choose how to react. If the choice is fear, then we become vulnerable to darkness. There are ways to resist. You, sir, were blessed with certain gifts. In this respect, you are not alone. Have you ever heard of the White Lodge?" Hawk (episode 18): "But it is said, if you confront the Black Lodge with imperfect courage, it will utterly annihilate your soul." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ While it is a commonly held interpreation that Cooper somehow failed in his Black Lodge encounter, there are those who disagree. Here is another take from Jeffery Stuart (jeffers@sfu.ca): ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The reason why Coop is possessed by BOB is because while in the Black Lodge, he allowed Windom Earle to stab him in the heart (symbolism) and take his soul to allow Annie to live. Coop gave his soul to Earle to save Annie Blackburn. BOB appears, and claims that Earle is wrong--only BOB can take a soul because only BOB has that type of evil power, he is not mortal. BOB then consumes the soul of Windom Earle, and the soul of Cooper. When Cooper offered up his soul, Earle took it, but BOB is Earle's true master--and took both souls from Earle. It is because Cooper gave his soul to Earle, and thus to BOB, that he is possessed. Cooper cannot "face" his doppleganger in the Black Lodge in the same sense as he could in the White Lodge. What about the chase scene? It has been interpreted in many ways, but chief among all is that the Black Lodge, like the White Lodge, are not places that exist in the physical world. Rather, they are places where human souls and consiousnesses meet and resolve their fates. In this sense, the chase does not occupy a physical space or a retreat from his doppleganger. Remember, Cooper has already made his "pact with the devil" to save Annie--his soul is already forfeited. He has sacrificed his soul to save her, which takes a tremendous amount of courage. The chase represents the last vestiges of Cooper's soul and mind trying to resist his doppleganger. This chase occurs within the mental theater of Cooper's mind--the last vestiges of his decency flees from the overpowering truth: that his soul has been forfeited to evil. Where others in the newsgroup like to use this chase and supposed surrender to his evil doppleganger as illustrative of Cooper's inner weakness or imperfection, I discard this theory because it is completely inconsistent with Cooper's character development. There is no reason, logical or irrational, why Lynch and Frost would contradict Cooper's development over 29 episodes. We already know that Cooper is flawed, for his various mistakes and the tragedy of what happened with Caroline. We also know that he, better than anyone else knew what kind of adversities he would face in the Black Lodge. This insight was given to him through visions, otherworldly communication, empirical observation, and intuition. In short, he knew he would face tremendous evil, but he showed his perfect courage by entering the lodge to save Annie. I beleive that if he had imperfect courage, he would not have entered in the first place. Rather, I believe that Cooper showed ULTIMATE and PERFECT courage in facing the enemy--he surrendered his soul for the one he loved. This act of sacrifice is nothing short of heroic. We all also know that any hero character must have flaws, and made mistakes in the past. What makes a character heroic is how they deal with adversity, and the sacifices they are willing to make. Just as Major Garland Briggs is the strong reflective center of reason in TP, Cooper is the strong moral center of action. If we take the flight of Cooper in the last episode as representative of Cooper's lack of moral strength, then we must discard the moral development of every episode--there would be no more good or evil struggles if the hero of the story was weak and unable to face his fears. Besides, Cooper has proven he can well face down his fears throughout almost every episode, why would he suddenly lose his moral strength in the last episode? The answer is, he didn't. I don't want to sound egotistical, but I'm certain that had TP been allowed to continue for another season, Lynch and Frost would have resolved Cooper's dilemma through some involvement with the White Lodge. Because in any dramatic universe (even that of Lynch and Frost), when the hero makes a selfless act of sacrifice in the name of love, a good end always results. Tragedy may occur on the way, but Cooper is no ordinary man. He is in a sense, the best humanity has to offer. While Laura's strength allowed her to escape BOB's possession by allowing herself to be killed (she talks about it in her secret diary), Cooper has even greater strenth. If TP had gone for just one more season, I belive that the last vestiges of Cooper's mind would have been able to tap into the power of the White Lodge, and free himself from BOB--probably resulting in BOB's defeat and possible destruction. Remember, Cooper was given help from the Giant several times, and like BOB, the Giant had a human host who appeared at times in the Roadhouse and the Great Northern. Nor can we discount the One-Armed Man who has sworn to stop BOB. To put it plainly, there is just too much good in the world of TP for Cooper's fate to be sealed. The White Lodge remains untapped, and I beleve it would have appeared in future episodes of TP. So all you optimists out there (there must be some) take heart, because I'm almost sure that things would have turned out right in the end. In a sense it has to, or you might as well scrap the entire moral and dramatic development of the series. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E45. Is dead? Andrew: most likely, though remember, he was "dead" once before :-) Audrey: unlikely unless they needed to write her out. She was one of the most popular characters. In the original cliffhangers, characters escaped much worse predicaments than hers. Pete: Ditto and even less likely. A close friend of David Lynch. Ben: Not likely at all. The bloody forehead is a typical TP 'double' of Coop at the end. More likely he will wake up as his bad old self like Nadine did. Annie: Probably comatose rather than dead. She needs her Prince to wake her up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E46. Will the story ever be continued? It depends on who you talk to: This is what David Lynch wrote in a guest article in a German film magazine after FWWM was attacked by the critics at Cannes: "But to prevent all errors: There won't be no more [sic] "Twin Peaks" episodes, this is the end" (translated from the German, hence the awkward English). On the other hand, Bob Engels, writer (TP series and FWWM) and executive story editor (TP series) has been quoted as saying there would be a sequel if FWWM made enough money, but not for a couple of years due to other projects. How much is 'enough'? FWWM was not a box office smash, but it apparently did make money, especially overseas. In a question and answer session, Mark Frost said: Q: Would it be possible to continue the story now? How about a wrap-up movie? A: It's extremely unlikely. The sets have been dismantled and there's just no source of financing for it. "We could have definitely resolved many of the loose ends in a few more hours." It would also be hard to get the actors together again. "Maybe we can do 'Twin Peaks 50 Years Later' and have all these really old high school students." [Laughter] Q: How about continuing the story in a book? A: At one point, I planned to do a "James Michener-style book on the history of Twin Peaks back to the time of the geological forming of the peaks" but it never came about. Best bet? The longer time goes by, the more likely it is that Lynch might change his mind, but the harder it will be to put together the original cast. What we might see is a mini-series version of FWWM restoring the 90 or so minutes of footage that was cut and maybe adding some. Then, if that flies, perhaps some sort of sequel. Cross your fingers and toes and tell all your friends to buy the TP tapes and laserdiscs and watch the series on Bravo! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E47. Who attacked Dr. Jacoby (episode 7)? One of the points not explicitly resolved in the series is who attacked Dr. Jacoby from behind while he was spying on Maddy (dressed as Laura) in the park. In the book "Twin Peaks: Behind the Scenes" by Mark Altman (see question P1), Altman states in a footnote to his episode 7 synopsis: "The assailant who attacks Dr. Jacoby was never revealed on the show, but it was indeed Leland possessed by BOB, according to Mark Frost. He sees Maddy leaving the house and follows her. Fearing that Jacoby is going to attack her, he strikes the doctor and is forced to leave when James and Donna arrive." This is also confirmed in episode 10, when Jacoby is hypnotized by Cooper in order to find out the identity of the killer of Jacques Renault. Cooper mentions the smell or scorched oil, which Jacoby had smelled at the hospital. At the mention of the smell, Jacoby says that he smelled the oil at the gazebo just before he was attacked. Since we later learn that the burning smell is associated with Leland/BOB (see question E34), this is another clue that Leland/BOB attacked Jacoby. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E48. Is it really possible for someone's hair to turn completely white overnight, like Leland's (episode 8)? This has been discussed repeatedly in the alt.tv.twin-peaks newsgroup, and while there are many stories of "friends of friends" and "relatives of mine" to whom this has happened, these are apparently "urban legends". There is no medical or scientific proof of this being possible: while it is possible for all of one's hair to rapidly fall out (due to various factors) or for all of one's hair to rapidly change color, it would take a normal hair growth cycle, i.e., several weeks, for new hair, whether the same or a different color, to grow back and/or grow out. So this would appear to be another case of Twin Peaks writers' appropriating legends from other sources (see question E16). There may have been, however, a cinematographic reason behind this: From: David.Vinson@launchpad.unc.edu (david eugene vinson) Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: UNCONNECTED THOUGHTS Date: 17 Feb 1994 22:29:45 GMT ... 2) I have a cousin in Tacoma who says that Ray Wise did an interview with some area newspaper in which he claimed that Leland's hair was turned white specifically for the contrast that would be created by all of the blood letting during both Maddy's and his own murder scene. Anybody else heard this? Red on white IS striking. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E49. What is the significance of the traffic lights? A recurring image shown between scenes (like the shot of the wind blowing through the trees) is of a stoplight cycling through its colors. When the series was first broadcast, many speculated that the placement of these scenes was somehow related to the story and foreshadowed or replicated the plot of the preceding or following scenes. No one has yet come up with a scheme which fits all the occurrences, so we can only assume they were added for atmosphere: From: jxs@dcs.ed.ac.uk (Joseph Saponaro) Subject: Re: Comments on the series. Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of Edinburgh Date: Thu, 20 Oct 1994 16:26:29 GMT The stop lights... hmm.. That seemed to be a very profound (and much misunderstood/commercialized) recurring image. I seem to see it as, besides a very nice, powerful, clear reference point/visual image, a symbol of lonliness.... A lot of the series is about very cosmic-style conflict and here is this image which generates this idea of an individual out there, where a street light changes all by itself in the middle of the night. I noticed that at least a few of the times that this image appeared is immediately after some scene in which a character is perceived as lonely, lost, helpless, struggling.... Also, I believe that the light itself is located on Sparkwood and 21, where a critical event of the story takes place (Laura runs from James into the woods on the night of her death). It truly is a marvellous image. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E50. What is the significance of the various townspeople's shaking hands (episode 27)? There are three theories, possibly related: 1) The hand shakes are a precursor to the appearance of BOB at the end of the episode (spotlight in Glastonberry Grove, appearance of a hand, followed by BOB himself, saying "I'm out!"). BOB's hand also shakes when the one-armed man and the LMFAP demand their garmonbozia from him near the end of FWWM. 2) Some relation to Teresa Banks' and Laura's left arms going numb in FWWM, although the episode 27 hand shakes are *right* hands. It would also appear that FWWM arm numbness is related to the "owl" ring, which is not shown in the series. 3) Cafeine withdrawal: From: Atreyu Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: Re: Hand Seizures Date: Sun, 21 May 1995 21:50:03 -0700 Were any of you paying attention? I'll set it to you direct from the show. 1. The show equates engine oil with coffee. 2. There was something odd about the river - don't recall who says it. 3. All people who get the hand shakes were drinking coffee during or prior to the experience. In other words - coffee is our own personal engine oil. We need it to keep from rattling. And when we get "low quality coffee" we get the jitters, shakes and rattles. No idea what it means, but ... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E51. What awards did the show win? >From the Oct. 13, 1990 TV Guide "Cheers 'n' Jeers" section: Jeers to the Twin Peaks Emmy shutout. After receiving 14 nominations-- the most for any series --ABC's quirky Gothic soap opera won only two non-televised awards, for editing and costume design. Okay, maybe the Peaks hype was getting a little out of hand: the media have dutifully transcribed every utterance of co-creator David Lynch (pictured) as if he were some modern-day oracle, and the recent wave of merchandising tie-ins smacks of a sellout. But the show itself has set new standards of writing and directing and those are certainly deserving of Emmy recognition. And the show won three Golden Globe Awards in January '91: - best dramatic series - best dramatic actor (Kyle MacLachlan) - best supporting actress (Piper Laurie) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- E52. Who is the author of/what at the words to Windom Earle's poem? Date: Wed, 17 May 1995 10:36:54 +0800 (WST) From: Sandra Bowdler Subject: Windom Earle's poem Windom Earle's poem to the three queens is by Percy Bysshe Shelley, written in 1820. He does not quote it quite accurately. Here is the full version: "Love's Philosophy" The fountains mingle with the river, And the rivers with the ocean, The winds of heaven mix for ever With a sweet emotion; Nothing in the world is single; All things by a law divine In one another's being mingle - Why not I with thine? See the mountains kiss high heaven, And the waves kiss one another; No sister flower would be forgiven If it disdained its brother: And the sunlight clasps the earth, And the moonbeams kiss the sea;- What are all the kissings worth, If thou kiss not me? ============================================================================= FWWM: ===== F1. What is "Fire Walk With Me"? FWWM is the TP theatrical movie, released after the broadcast of the TV episodes. The film covers the events of the Teresa Banks murder, and the last week of Laura Palmer's life before she was murdered. As such, it is a "prequel" to the TV series. Even though the movie covers events which happen prior to the events in the TV series, one should watch the TV series before watching the movie (if you want to experience TP as originally presented and not have the series plot points revealed prematurely). Watching the movie first can be extremely confusing, and might even turn you off from watching the TV series (although many "movie first" viewers became big TP fans as well). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F2. Where can I get a videotape/laserdisc of FWWM? See question G4. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F3. Why did Lynch do a prequel? When the TV series was canceled and ended in the summer of 1991, Lynch went almost immediately to work on the film, saying he was not yet ready to leave Twin Peaks and its characters behind. FWWM co-writer Robert Engels revealed that storylines for several possible movies were developed to varying degrees. As the first of what was hoped to be a series of TP movies, it probably made the most sense to "fill in" the missing details of Laura Palmer's life and death. While fans were no doubt more eager to have the cliffhanger plot elements of the last TV episode resolved, Lynch seems to be in no hurry to give any pat answers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F4. Why did critics almost universally pan the movie? As Douglas Pratt said in his (enthusiastic) review of FWWM in the August '93 issue of the "Laserdisc Newsletter": "Appealing only to a subset of a subset of 'Twin Peaks' and David Lynch fans, the film is a narrative disaster, constantly introducing and referring to characters who are then never seen or heard from again." In short: - anyone expecting a "regular" movie was disappointed and/or angry - anyone expecting a horror or "slasher" film (as the distributor publicized it for the teen market) was disappointed - anyone expecting a rehash or resolution of the TV series was disappointed - anyone looking for the humor of the TV series was disappointed - anyone not very familiar with the TV series was confused Part of the reason for this, of course, is that it is typical David Lynch material. Part of the reason is that the film had to be severely cut, both from the published shooting script (see question P2) and from what was actually shot. Many of the scenes shot (some being the only occurrence in the movie of certain series characters) were removed. Forced to cut the film to a "commercially viable" length, many things relevant to understanding other scenes were left out. Thus most critics, who had little or no understanding of the TP story, utterly panned the movie (although one or two did credit Sheryl Lee's performance as a plus). The best way to approach the film is not as another episode in the series, but more as a very stark examination of the dark side of Twin Peaks. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F5. What was left out? A lot! After viewing the film, one should read the scenes from the shooting script missing from the film. The "missing scenes" files, compiled by Jim Pellmann (see address at top of file) are posted periodically to the alt.tv.t-p newsgroup and are available from the TP anonymous FTP site (see question I1). Although the shooting script is not necessarily the "gospel" of what Lynch intended and he is known for changing the script on the fly when shooting, we can be reasonably sure that most of what is in the script was actually shot, based on accounts from TP fans who visited the Snoqualmie area during the filming. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F6. Is there a "director's cut"? Not yet, but it's certainly been discussed (but not by Lynch). We have this information from Bob Engels, one of the FWWM co-writers (note that Mark Frost had no involvement with FWWM): ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: hagstrop@oberon.mathcs.carleton.edu (Paul Hagstrom) Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: Robert Engels at the Mpls premiere of FWWM Date: 1 Sep 92 00:32:39 GMT Interesting -- apparently nobody on this group was one of the people who was fortunate enough to attend the screening in Mpls at which Robert Engels (co-author of FWWM, for those who don't recognize the name, which I may have misspelled, but I don't think so) spoke. He did clear up a few things that people have wondered about since our Internet connection went down, so I'll try to fill y'all in on what he said: First, the movie was, in uncut form, about 3:40, in contrast to the measly 2:14 that it pulled in at in the theatres. He said that they expect to distribute the uncut version eventually on laserdisc, but the folks in charge wouldn't let them get away with a movie that long, apparently. Who the "folks in charge" are, exactly, I'm not sure, but it wasn't Robert Engels, anyway. ... Anyway, all in all, I'm very much looking forward to seeing that 3:40 version. ... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [See the FWWM "missing scenes" files (see question F5) for the complete account of Engels' comments.] In Tim Lucas' excellent cover article on the film in the March/April '93 issue of "Video Watchdog" (see question P2), he reports that editor Mary Sweeney's (Lynch's current wife) first cut was five hours long! He also suggests that a cable TV miniseries or expanded home video release of the original cut could someday be made. When asked about the possibility, the Bravo cable channel (currently rebroadcasting the series--see question G5) said they do not currently have the rights to broadcast the film in any form, but are considering it. Given their relationship with Lynch and the special Log Lady introductions Lynch has written for Bravo, anything is possible (we hope). And there is a movement going to get the complete version released: ---------- From: Bkursar@qedbbs.com Date: Wed, 17 Aug 94 18:21:13 EDT Twin Peaks FWWM Director's Cut Movement This is a worldwide movement started on the Internet, dedicated to bringing about the 3:40 version of "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me". We are sending letters to try and get the Director's Cut released. All letters will be forwarded to David Lynch, and will be unopened until they reach Lynch. Video Watchdog magazine has graciously said that they would take the letters and forward them to David Lynch. The address to write is: David Lynch c/o Video Watchdog PO Box 5283 Cincinnati, OH 45205-0283 To help with the movement, send e-mail to: Bkursar@qedbbs.com To get a copy of the movemvent flyer to copy and distribute, write to: Brian Kursar c/o TP:FWWM Director's Cut Movement 2638 West 231st Street Torrance, CA 90505 Already, thousands of flyers have gone to selected places in the world to promote this letter writing movement. Thanks. -- Brian ---------- Bruce Phillips provided this update after the '94 TP Festival in Snoqualmie: ---------- From: k12_phillips@emuvax.emich.edu Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: FWWM DIRECTOR'S CUT UPDATE Date: 18 Aug 94 20:13:02 EST Trying to get most accurate info on FWWM director's cut. I spoke with cast members attending the Fest, one of whom called Lynch directly and told me the following. At this time there is no plan to release additional footage, however, it has been confirmed that more footage is available but not in a releasable form. New Line Cinema owns the rights to this material, and it's up to them what they'll do with it. You may want to direct your inquiries to them or contact Brian Kursar, Bkursar@aol.com, who has started a petition drive for the release. It will be up to New Line to contact Lynch to put a director's cut together. Bruce Phillips ---------- The February '95 issue of the Laser Disc Newsletter (influential in getting fan requests listened to) lists this address to write letters asking for the FWWM director's cut: Laserdisc Preview c/o Image Entertainment 9333 Oso Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F7. What were Lynch's special instructions for the soundtrack? Lynch has always had a keen interest in the sound effects and soundtracks of his films. One need only read one of the accounts of the lengths to which he and Alan Splet went to devise and record the sound effects on "Eraserhead". It thus comes as no surprise that Lynch is listed in the FWWM credits as Sound Designer, or that he would include special instructions with the prints of the film: ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ From: chrisc@kether.webo.dg.com (Chris Campbell) Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks Subject: FWWM projectionist trivia Date: 2 Sep 92 12:52:52 GMT Organization: NSDD, Data General Corp. The movie is playing at the theatre where I fill in occasionally as projectionist. Enclosed with the film print was this memo from New Line Distribution: To: Theatre Projectionists Re: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me David Lynch, the director of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me has asked me to contact you regarding the sound level of his motion picture. Mr. Lynch has put a lot of effort into the soundtrack of Twin Peaks, and feels that the best reproduction of sound will be achieved by increasing the volume 2 decibels above normal. Your efforts to accommodate Mr. Lynch will surely result in greater audience enjoyment of the film and, therefore, greater box office sales. Thank you. Thought a couple of you might find this mildly interesting. ----- Chris ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And of course those who pay close attention to the soundtrack get to hear some of Lynch's specially-added details (see question F21). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F8. Why was there so little of Agent Cooper in the movie? Partly because it didn't make sense to have him in the story: since FWWM deals with the week preceding Laura's death, and he is not yet in Twin Peaks. Nonetheless his actions in the FBI office that week are shown, as is his involvement in the Teresa Banks investigation. Partly because of Kyle MacLachlan's reluctance to appear in the film: fearing being typecast as Agent Cooper for the rest of his career, he backed out of the film during pre-production. Despite early rumors that his backing out would kill the entire film, Lynch went ahead with his plans and MacLachlan eventually agreed to participate. It's not clear how much larger his role would have been had he stayed in from the beginning. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F9. Why was there a different actress playing Donna? Both Lara Flynn Boyle (Donna) and Sherilyn Fenn (Audrey) were committed to other projects at the time of FWWM production. Lynch decided to go ahead without them, rather than trying to negotiate for a later shooting date. Although it was easy to exclude Audrey's character from the script (since she had had little to do with Laura anyway), Donna's character was vital to Laura's story and so was recast with Moira Kelly. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F10. Why wasn't in the movie? They were, originally. Nearly every main character from the TV series has a scene in the FWWM shooting script, and all the original cast members except Lara Flynn Boyle and Sherilyn Fenn (see question F9 above) showed up and filmed their scenes on location. Many of these scenes were cut, however, to reduce the running time of the film (see question F5). Hopefully, these scenes will someday be restored in a "director's cut" (see question F6). ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F11. What about the discrepancies between the TV series/movie/books/tapes/ cards? As in most TV series, there are a number of chronological and continuity errors and disjoint plot points between the movie and the series, or between the movie and other TP products. An effort is being made to compile a list of these errors (see question I3). There is no question that some events in the movie contradict what is said or done in the series episodes (and books, tape, card set, etc.), and that some things shown in the series (particularly the pilot and first episodes) do not show up in the movie. Some examples: no blood-written "Fire Walk With Me" note in the train car, last diary entries, last visit to Harold Smith. In producing the movie, Lynch did hire editors to specifically look for these type of errors, and so made a reasonable attempt to be faithful to the series. (We don't doubt that some of the TP fans with photographic memories could have done a better job :^) Also note that some of the scenes in the shooting script meant to show continuity (phone call from Dr. Jacoby to Laura on her last night, Leland preparing for Norwegian businessmen's visit, Sheriff Truman seeing Josie) were cut from the film. While finding these mismatches is an interesting exercise, they don't detract from Lynch's intention or vision of the film. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F12. What was Gordon Cole's code all about? While some thought this was Lynch's commentary on TP fanatics trying to read meaning into every detail of the series, and Tim Lucas' article in Video Watchdog (see question P2) suggests that Lynch is telling us the whole film can be similarly decoded, the shooting script reveals a more mundane reason. Part of the scene where Agent Desmond decodes Cole's message that was cut out: (Chet and Sam are driving down the road.) DESMOND: Gordon said you were good. The tailored dress is our code for drugs. Did you notice what was pinned to it? STANLEY: A blue rose. DESMOND: Very good, but I can't tell you about that. Stanley rides along quietly for a while. MISSING DIALOGUE: STANLEY: What did Gordon's tie mean? DESMOND: What? That's just Gordon's bad taste. STANLEY: Why couldn't he have just told you all these things? DESMOND: He talks loud. And he loves his code. STANLEY: I see. He DOES talk loud. DESMOND: Gordon would not have sent us to Deer Meadow without thinking it was a high priority situation. STANLEY: It MUST be a high priority situation. END OF MISSING DIALOGUE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F13. What happened to Chet Desmond (Chris Isaak)? The shooting script says: Desmond walks to that trailer. He knocks on the door but no one answers. He looks under the trailer and sees a mound of dirt with a small indentation at the top. In the indentation is Teresa Banks' ring. As he reaches out and touches it, he disappears. which doesn't help us much. When Cooper later finds the words "Let's rock" on Desmond's car, this is clearly meant to be an indication that the Lodge inhabitants are involved, and in particular, the Little Man From Another Place who says the same thing in Cooper's dream in episode 2. Most likely the scene is meant to demonstrate two things: - the ring has special power (see question F19) - Agent Jeffries (David Bowie) is not only the FBI agent to disappear (see question F15) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F14. Who did Bobby kill during the drug deal? Although some were confused about the identity of the man delivering the drugs to Bobby and Laura, both the shooting script and the film (if you watch carefully) identify him as Cliff Howard, the deputy whose nose Agent Desmond tweaks in the Deer Meadow sheriff's office. Laura, in her drunken/high state, is not sure who Bobby has shot, but sees Deputy Cliff's blond hair and guesses that it's Bobby's friend, Mike Nelson, which is why she taunts Bobby with "you killed Mike". [Incidentally, Cliff Howard lives in the same trailer park as Teresa Banks. This is revealed in a scene cut from the film (see the "missing scenes" files for details). Without this scene, the one where Agent Desmond returns to the trailer park and the manager directs him to Deputy Cliff's trailer doesn't make a lot of sense.] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F15. What was David Bowie's character all about? Bowie plays Agent Phillip Jeffries, whom Gordon Cole introduces to Cooper as "long lost". The shooting script reveals that Jeffries has been missing for two years, but also that moments before stepping off the elevator in the Philadelphia FBI offices, he was checking into a Buenos Aires hotel. The Buenos Aires scene was cut from the film. In the FBI office scene: - Jeffries says: "I'm not going to talk about Judy. In fact, we're not going to talk about Judy at all. We're going to keep her out of this." (despite later mentioning Judy) - Jeffries points at Cooper and says: "Who do you think this is there?" - Jeffries says: "I sure as hell want to tell you everything, but I don't have a lot to go on." (In the script, but not audible in the movie: "But I'll tell you one thing: Judy is positive about this.") (From this point on, his comments are interspersed with the "convenience store" scene.) - He continues: "I've been to one of their meetings. It was above a convenience store." and later "It was a dream ... We live inside a dream." - Then: "I found something ... " (In script only: "... in Seattle at Judy's ...") " ... And then, there they were ..." - He cries out: "The ring ... ring ..." - A bit in the script but missing from the movie has Gordon Cole trying to summon someone on his intercom, but all he gets is static, so he yells "MAYDAY!" into it, which causes Jeffries to look at the calendar on the wall and say: "May? 1989?" before he disappears. Also missing from the movie is a scene back at the hotel in Buenos Aires where Jeffries is "suddenly standing in the second story hallway of the hotel" (while he was just in the lobby) with the wall behind him "seared black and smoking" and a terrified bellhop asking him where he went. While any of these items can be and has been discussed extensively on the net, the following are some popular net theories: - With his later description of seeing "one of their meetings" involving BOB and the MFAP, "Who do you think that is?" implies he knows something of Cooper's future (past?) association with BOB and/or the Black Lodge. - The convenience store comment and "It was in a dream" could be meant to tie into Cooper's dream in episode 2. ("We live inside a dream" has been widely speculated on.) - The "something" he found at Judy's in Seattle may have been the ring-- see question F19. - His surprise at the year on the calendar supports the theory that time does not progress normally in the lodge(s)--see also Annie's appearance in Laura's bed, and Cooper's and the MFAP's dialogues in the Red Room. And finally, from this cryptic scene comes one theory proposed on the net: the references to Judy, the ring, and "I found something" lead to the following possible scenario: - Jeffries' association with Judy may have led him to the ring, and the ring to the lodge(s). Jeffries has been missing three years. No known association between Judy and Leland/BOB. (See question F21 for more on Judy.) - Desmond's investigation of Teresa Banks led him to the ring, and the ring to his disappearance. Desmond has been missing one year. Teresa killed by Leland/BOB. - Cooper's investigation of Laura Palmer led him to the lodge(s). No known association with the ring (except in Laura's dream). Cooper is sort-of missing. Laura killed by Leland/BOB. - The MFAP's line from the "convenience store" scene in the script, but not in the movie: "And everything will proceed cyclically." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F16. What is the significance of the mask? Not many answers on this (no masks are mentioned anywhere in the script), just some random comments from the net: - "When Mrs. Tremond's grandson tells Laura: 'The man behind the mask is looking for the book with the pages torn out. He is approaching the hiding place. He is under the fan now.' he's obviously talking about BOB." - I'm still not sure if Mrs. Tremond's grandson was saying that BOB is the man behind the mask, and Leland is the mask; or that Leland is the man behind the mask, and BOB is the mask. - "One aspect of the white mask which I'm surprised to see hasn't been discussed, to my knowledge, is that it doesn't have any eyeholes; thus, one is unable to see when wearing the mask. If the grandson is the Magician [listed in the credits], is this what is meant by 'In the darkness of future past/The Magician longs to see'? "Come to think of it, could there be a connection between this white mask and the white mask (which I presume was Caroline's death mask) that Windom Earle sent to Cooper?" - "You know something I just realized, Pierre Tremond and David Bowie, and a couple of other people in the above-the-convenience-store meeting were wearing OWL masks... I thought they were cute little witch masks... but I think they were stylized owls" - "The grandson wears a mask with suggestive phallic tendencies and says "Watch out for the man behind the mask". I interpret his comments to be about Leland - murderer/incest committer." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- F17. What is the significance of the humming electrical sound? Because the references to electricity abound in both the "lodge world" and in the "physical" TP world, it's next to impossible to list all the occurrences in the movie, or their possible connection and significance. Here are a few from the "lodge world": - person (seen from inside the mouth) saying "e - lec - tri - city" in the convenience room scene - Laura hearing static and seeing flashed in her bedroom - static during Jeffries' description of the convenience room - credit at the end of the movie for "The Electrician" (from the convenience room scene?) Here are a few from the "physical" TP world: - static on the TV at the beginning of the movie (when Leland kills Teresa) - shots of power poles and lines in the trailer park - Cooper's experience w