Rent Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

“How’s Annie?”

Those were the last words of dialogue repeated over and over by a possessed Dale Cooper at the end of Twin Peaks season two. There would not be a season three that followed (not until 2017 at least). But then came word that David Lynch was directing a Twin Peaks movie, Fire Walk With Me. This excited fans who were hoping to see the series continue on the big screen. What they got instead, however, was a prequel film. While that may have come as a disappointment to fans at the time, the film itself holds up incredibly well for leaning more into the horror within the small town of Twin Peaks.

The film opens up the world a bit by venturing outside of Twin Peaks and into other areas with different characters. The first arc of the film follows some new FBI agents who are tasked with solving a mysterious murder in a trailer park far away from Twin Peaks. This place is like the mirror-universe of Twin Peaks. Whereas the small town featured some smiling and chipper citizens who did well to hide their dark nature, there’s none of that sincerity within the dank and dirty trailer park. Everyone is cold and bitter about the coming of the FBI agents sent to investigate a murder. As the agents probe further, however, they make the discovery of otherworldly forces similar to what Cooper would later encounter in Twin Peaks.

Eventually, the story gets back to the town of Twin Peaks and Sheryl Lee finally gets the most screen time for playing a living version of Laura Palmer. The film peels back her facade of being the popular girl in school by not only showing her bad girl side but showcasing her desperation when dark forces start to close in around her. She finds herself lost in a daze of blind ambition while the creepy force of Bob, the personification of evil, lurks within her very household. Laura can sense that something terrible may be heading her way soon and other forces seem to know of this as well. Despite all the warnings and attempts by others to save Laura, both in the present and the future, there’s no stopping the inevitable event of Laura being murdered.

This film is incredibly dark when compared to the series. Consider how Cooper is brought into the mix. We meet him just before the events of the series, conversing with Gordon about his concerns in his dreams. Cooper is usually the eccentric character we can generally count on being a beacon of joy but here he is terrified about his dreams. In comes a cameo by David Bowie playing a missing FBI agent, bursting into Gordon’s office speaking about dreams and electricity. Before he can explain where he’s been for the past few months, Bowie vanishes, leaving behind far more questions than answers.

I highly recommend checking out the Bluray for the deleted scenes that are so long they literally comprise an entire movie length. The deleted scenes fill in a lot of the blanks that may seem too obscured by the chaotic editing for time. For example, Bowie’s complete sequence is far longer, showcasing where he ended up before and after his talk with Gordon. You’ll still have some questions but the answers become a bit more clear. There are also more calming moments of serenity present, as when Cooper addresses an off-screen Diane and the Palmer family sits down for a pleasant dinner. I only wish these scenes were added back into the film as an extended four-hour cut considering how there’s a better balance.

Fire Walk With Me just gets better every time I watch it. From the atmospheric Pink Room scene to the deeply frightening sequence of Laura’s murder, there are so many scenes that resonate so well and better engross the Twin Peaks fans. It should go without saying but just in case the prequel aspect confused anybody, do not watch this film until you’ve seen the series. This may make the film hard to recommend considering it’s a part of the Criterion Collection but, trust me, you’ll appreciate it all the more.