Reviewed by Monika Bartyzel

 

In the dark corners of the Northwest, between the Douglas firs and looming mountains lies the town of Twin Peaks. It’s the land of black coffee, delectable cherry pies, and deep, dark secrets. It’s also the show that changed television. Between Mark Frost’s storylines and David Lynch’s magic, Twin Peaks sent the television world into a frenzy over just who killed Laura Palmer, and what darkness was brewing in the rustling sycamore trees.

 

As the story goes… One morning, the drawling Pete Martel heads out to fish. Near an old, large tree stump just out of water’s reach, he finds a body. “She’s dead. Wrapped in plastic!” he exclaims to Sheriff Harry S. Truman. In a flash, Twin Peaks is mourning the death of prom queen and town sweetheart Laura, a girl both sweet and troubled. Her public life of service and goodness masked a dark, drugged, and dysfunctional life. The local police are at a loss, but when a nearly-comatose girl named Ronette Pulaski crosses the state line, the investigation is handed over to the feds.

 

Enter Special Agent Dale Cooper. He’s honest, eternally wired on black coffee and sweet pies, and he’s always recording notes for his secretary Diane on his portable recorder. While he is experienced in the realm of larger, busier worlds, Cooper is also right at home in Twin Peaks, finding friends amongst the residents there, and peace among the firs. Using smarts, Tibetan philosophies, and dreams, Cooper, Truman, and some of the residents of Twin Peaks set out to find Laura’s killer.

 

But her secrets and death only scratch the surface of life in the small, wooded town. The log lady has seen something, but her log isn’t ready to share it. Local businessman Benjamin Horne is dipping his hat into all sorts of legal and illegal professional matters, while tasting the flesh of both the older and younger residents of Twin Peaks. Josie Packard, owner of the local saw mill, is battling her sister in law Catherine Martell, having a secret affair with Sheriff Truman, and hiding more secrets than anyone would dare to ask about. Receptionist Lucy Moran is the object of both bumbling Deputy Andy, and salesman Dick Tremayne. Laura’s ex, James Hurley and her best friend, Donna Hayward, become a detective duo and couple, sometimes helped by Laura’s twin-like cousin Maddie, and are determined to find out the truth behind Laura’s murder. Audrey Horne likes to spy on dad, and do anything to help her fiery object of affection - one sexy, special agent. The other Palmer ex, Bobby Briggs, tries to balance forays into drug dealing with a new relationship with Shelley Johnson, who meanwhile tries to keep this a secret from husband Leo, who is involved in almost everyone’s dirty laundry...

 

Yet, there are still many more characters, and many more stories. They’re strange, wonderful, light, dark, and sometimes perverse. The people of Twin Peaks weave in and out of each other’s stories, and the series is one of the best examples of making a large and diverse cast work seamlessly within a show. However, the show had its struggles after Laura Palmer’s killer was revealed – Lynch and Frost’s attentions were both taken with other projects, the series was continually pre-empted by news about the Gulf War, and the storylines became more wacky and eerie, to the chagrin of all involved. Still, everyone came together for the most explosive (both literally and figuratively) finale I have ever seen.

DVD Particulars

Coming from a picky fan of the series, one with far-reaching expectations that have built up over the years, the Definitive Gold Box Edition of Twin Peaks is a fan’s dream. It has a beautiful transfer straight from the negatives and 5.1 audio that have been approved by Lynch himself (along with the original 2.0 audio). It also has a myriad of engaging special features that fill expectations and offer special surprises. Often, a DVD throws some mediocre, boring features and bad deleted scenes on a disc and calls it a day, but this set was moulded with the fan in mind.

Unlike those sets where special features are hidden throughout the discs, except for two features, the Gold Box edition throws them all onto two discs, labelled and resting at the end of the set. The first disc offers both the North American pilot, and the international pilot that comes with its own wrapped-up ending. The other disc-spanning bonus is the collection of kooky Log Lady intros, which can be selected to start each episode. (This is, in fact, one of the only real downfalls of the disc. The transfer is grainy, which is okay, but it’s also very hard to hear.)

The list of tasty extras:

A collection of postcards to cherish or give away.

Deleted Scenes: There aren’t too many scenes, but the ones that have been salvaged are worth the time. There’s “Jerry’s Wandering Eye,” “27 Going on 6,” “Lucy, Andy and Donuts,” and “Something About Johnny.”

Production Paperwork: Viewers can flip through call sheets, script pages, notes, and other paper goodies from the series. While not terribly exciting, there’s still some fun amongst the pages, like a note about a scene where Michael Ontkean swears and ruins a shot.

A Slice of Lynch: This is how special features should be made, and it’s a prime example of how some artistic effort can make an extra so much more engaging. David Lynch settles down in a bar for some steaming coffee and pie, and as he looks at the sweet treat, the setting changes just a little, and he’s joined by Mädchen Amick, Kyle MacLachlan, and John Wentworth (production coordinator). They discuss the creation of the show from its origins as a South Dakota series called Northwest Passage, to memories of sweet kisses between Lynch and Amick, plus word about how studio involvement meant solving the murder and hurting the show. The production flair gives it life and reminds us of Twin Peaks’ eerie world.

Secrets from Another Place: This feature-length documentary covers all the bones of the show through an impressive array of interviews -- from co-creator Mark Frost, to a large portion of the cast (Lee, MacLachlan, Robertson, Wise, etc). It covers the creation of the series, the first season, the disappointment of the second season, and the stunning music of the series – which is great -- and includes a funny story about the Queen of England, but sadly lacks Jimmy Scott, who performed “Sycamore Trees” in the final episode. What’s great about this feature is that it’s fun, and Charles de Lauzirika’s direction really brings out the passion, as well as the increasing disappointment, with the series as episodes rolled into the second season. It’s not just a bunch of interviews that make your eyes glaze over, but an engaging look at the show and what made it so special.

Return to Twin Peaks: A plain added feature, this follows the fans who attended the 2006 Twin Peaks festival, and just what goes on during that wacky, yearly occasion.

Interactive Map: This might seem like a throw-away picture, but if you click on each noted spot, it pulls up clips and information about how to visit the locale.

Saturday Night Live: Surprisingly, the DVD-powers-that-be got their hands on Kyle MacLachlan’s SNL appearance, and the extra include both his monologue, and their Twin Peaks spoof. If you’re not familiar with the spoof, it has a bunch of famous SNL actors, topped off with Michael Myers as the dancing dwarf.

“Falling” Music Video: This solitary video features Julee Cruise’s haunting voice and clips from the series.

On-air Promos and TV Spots: These take the viewer back in time, showing cheesy ads, as well as the intro to the pilot, which is a sweet little blast from the past.

Photos: There’s a collection of official stills, which are nice, but nothing new or special. However, Richard Beymer’s photos of the final week of shooting are simply stunning, and for those of you who are fans that never got your hands on the Twin Peaks trading cards, you can see them, front and back, in this section.

Lucy’s 900 Number Messages: Back in the day, you could spend lots of money on a 900-number and hear Lucy, Andy, and others discuss plot points from the series, and give hints. It’s not the most exciting part of the package, but it certainly helps to make it complete.

Georgia Coffee Commercials: Most of us never got to see this clips, but they are a wacky collection of commercials that feature a Japanese canned beverage which has a mystery of its own. Cooper and a Japanese sidekick try to find the man’s wife with the help of some other Peaks characters.

All in all, this is a great set that is almost perfect. It would be nice for the Log Lady intros to be easier to hear, and it would also be great to have of the special features from the first two releases (both the ultra-old release of Season One, and the recent release of Season Two). Even if the rights to the former were out of reach, the latter has tons of interviews that would’ve been wonderful in this collection (including some players missing in this round, from directors like Stephen Gyllenhaal to cast members like Dana Ashbrook and James Marshall).

Yet it still plucks the strings of fandom and the fond memories that we fans hold. Lynch’s beautiful imagery, Angelo Badalamenti’s amazing score, and the world of Twin Peaks are still very much alive. The gold box holds the cherished memories, and also reminds viewers of the heights and artistry that television can achieve – as long as you’ve got your coffee, your cherry pie, and one stunning murder.