David Lynch

Film Review: LUCKY (USA 2017) ***1/2

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Lucky Poster
Trailer

Director:

John Carroll Lynch

Writers:

Logan Sparks (screenplay), Drago Sumonja (screenplay)

Stars:

Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ron Livingston

Harry Dean Stanton plays the character of LUCKY of the film title in a film that audiences recognize could be the real Harry Dean Stanton.  LUCKY is the nickname the ex-navy man earned after being designated the cook in the Navy while others were sent to fight and die during the War.  Lucky is 90, bitter, alone (but not lonely as he has a routine of chores to do each day), cynical, sickness free, and smokes a lot.

The audience sees Lucky doing the same things daily – visiting the grocery store with the Mexican cashier to get his cigarettes; having some drinks at the bar; having coffee at his dual diner; and watching his favourite quiz show – but with different reactions.  The soundtrack replays the tune of “Old River Valley’ on a harmonica.

The film contains a lot of musings like what realism (as explained by Lucky as real for one person but not necessarily in another occurs to another) is or even the friendship between man an animal as the latter discussion (it is apparently essential to the soul) starts.  Lucky’s friend, Howard (David Lynch) at the bar walk in to sadly announce the loss of President Roosevelt, his pet tortoise. (Lucky does not believe this….. not the statement but the existence of a soul.)  Though the latter statement seems inconsequential dialogue in the script, it is important in the way Lucky looks at life if he does not believe in the existence of a soul.

The film is directed by actor John Carroll base on the script by Logan Sparks and Drago Sumonja.  The film pays more attention to the character than to plotting.  The film is also wonderfully acted by Stanton.  Director David Lynch delivers a surprisingly moving speech defending his case of leaving his inheritance to his tortoise that has apparently escaped as does James Darren how a nothing person like him transformed to one who now has everything.

LUCKY the film can be best described as a cynical coming-of age movie of a 90-year old man who has almost given up on life.  It is quite an idea for a film which is likely the story got made.  It is a film about an old fart that is not the typical Hollywood old fart film like the fantasies of old people reminiscing on their youth or having sex one more time.  Lucky confesses in one scene that he can hardly get it up any more.  Here, Lucky says in the film’s most intimate scene where he reveals his deep secret to his friend, Loretta (Yvonne Huff): “I’m scared.”  It all happens when he falls down out of feeling faint, though doctor (Ed Begley Jr.) tells him that nothing major is wrong with him.

Harry Dean Stanton passed away this year (2017).  LUCKY is a worthy swan song of an actor that has surprised audiences many a time with his wide range of performances.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YurR6xZeBCk

lucky

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TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 18

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Part 18 Poster
Cooper and Diane drive 430 miles. Cooper attempts to help a troubled woman he believes to be Laura Palmer.

Director:

David Lynch

Writers:

Mark Frost, David Lynch | 2 more credits »

Stars:

Kyle MacLachlan, Matt Battaglia, Laura Dern

by Mary Cox

“Part 18: What is your name?”

Anyone hoping for a satisfying conclusion to the series is going to be sorely disappointed as David Lynch has decided to leave us with yet another cliffhanger. After Agent Cooper and Diane manage to jump dimensions (or something) and after yet another awkward sex scene, we learn that the Fireman’s
aforementioned Richard and Linda are none other than Diane and Coop themselves. So much for my Richard Horne theory, right?

Again, Mike (The One-Armed Man) gives us the ultimate question and central theme of this season: is it future, or is it past? The episode ends abruptly with an uncertain conclusion. This seems to be the fate of all of the Blue Rose operatives. Once they get close enough to unraveling the mystery of Judy and
the Owl Cave Ring, their reality is pulled apart and reshaped by an unseen force. Consider both the fates of Major Briggs and Phillip Jeffries.

Unanswered questions: What the hell is up with Audrey? I have a theory that the Peaks world we know, where Cooper is still Cooper, and Laura is dead and wrapped in plastic, exists only in Audrey’s coma mind. I think that the symbol on the Owl Cave Ring is meant to reference the concept of either looping time or infinity, but what does that mean for Cooper? Who are Tina and Billy? The only good news about the ending of this episode is that it leaves open the possibility for a fourth season. This is highly unlikely, but hey, you never know what’s going to happen in another twenty-five years.

My takeaway here is still that the majority of the episodes this season (and possibly those from the first two seasons) are meant to be read as existing in a “dreamworld,” so to speak. From the all-tooconvenient ways Dougie escapes from disasters, leading all the way up to the too-perfect reunion of the characters right at the Twin Peaks sheriff office in “Part 17,” everything that went down was a part of someone’s dream. The question posed by Monica Bellucchi in “Part 14” does remain, though: “Who is the dreamer?” As I’ve mentioned before, this “false dream reality” storytelling device is something David Lynch has used in his past works pretty consistently. We’ve seen it as a major element in both
Mulholland Drive and Lost Highway. That absolutely could be what’s going on here as well.

Ultimately, if you want to try to figure out what the hell is going on: my recommendation that you take a break from Twin Peaks for a few weeks. When you’re ready, come back and revisit the series from start to finish (it goes without saying that you also have to include Fire, Walk With Me) and see what
you think Twin Peaks is really all about. We now (presumably) have all of the pieces of the puzzle, so it’s up to you to try and put it together to see the whole picture.
 

******
“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 17

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Part 17 Poster
Cooper arrives in Twin Peaks.

Director:

David Lynch

Writers:

Mark Frost, David Lynch  >

Stars:

Kyle MacLachlan, Jay Aaseng, Dana Ashbrook

by Mary Cox

“Part 17: The past dictates the future.”

A hell of a lot happened in the penultimate episode of Twin Peaks. Cooper has finally defeated Bad Coop with the help of our literal Hand of God character, Freddie. Naido is revealed to be the real Diane, who has an emotional reunion with our favorite FBI agent.

Here’s the thing: I’m still not convinced that anything that everything or anything this season has actually “happened.” When looking over how everything has gone down this season, and especially when we consider the superimposed face of Cooper as he says, “We live inside a dream,” directly to the audience, it seems like Lynch is kind of pulling a Mulholland Drive here. Everything has been too easy, or too convenient for these characters. Lynch is mocking our need for a cute and tied together ending with the scene at the Twin Peaks sheriff station where all our beloved characters, old and new, are uniting or reuniting at last.

Audrey’s appearance at the Roadhouse in last week’s episode, where the final scene was her appearing in an odd, white room, has still gone unexplained. There’s a considerable amount of unfinished business regarding the Fireman’s prophecy of “Richard and Linda, two birds, one stone,” which can only really
point to the mysterious electricity bolder that killed Richard Horne last episode.

Part of me thinks that Season 3 of Twin Peaks is a response to the demand for a continuation of the series. I’ve had this running theory that Lynch is critical of the concept of nostalgia, which is why Agent Cooper spent almost the entirety of this season as Dougie, and why the heart-warming Twin Peaks reunion scene was shadowed with doubt and unease. Lynch leaves us with the pinnacle of self-satisfied nostalgic rehashing as Cooper fulfills his ultimate goal of trying to save Laura Palmer herself.

However, as revealed by Sarah Palmer’s outburst, Cooper isn’t the only agent in this game any more. Is Sarah actually possessed by the entity Judy? Are Judy and the Jumping Man one in the same? Where the hell is Audrey, and is any of this actually happening

******
“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 16

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twin_peaks_13“Part 16: No Knock, No Doorbell”

Big Ed and Norma have a relationship breakthrough. Evil Cooper tries to reconnect with an old friend, while Dougie Jones reaches an electrifying discovery.

Director: David Lynch
Writers: Mark Frost, David Lynch
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Jay Aaseng, Joe Adler

Review by Gilbert Seah

Cooper’s back! After almost an entire season of the stumbling adventures of Dougie Coop, our beloved FBI agent is awake and back in action. However, Dougie’s departure from the world leaves a few loose ends. This episode was Biore pore strip levels of satisfying.

This season has had a running theme of family relationships, like in “Part 12” when absent fathers were a major theme. “Part 16” seems to focus again on fathers leaving their families in different ways.

Biologically speaking, Cooper technically has (or had, in Richard’s case) two sons: Sonny Jim and Richard Horne. Lynch likes to play with the idea of parallels and opposites, so it’s no surprise to see both Bad Coop and Real Coop departing from their children in drastically separate ways. Real Coop did save the “seed” that is apparently required to create a new tulpa, so it’s possible that he’s going to manufacture a brand new Dougie to take his place.

Speaking of tulpas: Diane wasn’t really Diane! Does that mean that all tulpas are aware that they are manufactured beings on some level? Did Dougie know he wasn’t real? And is the real Diane alive somewhere? After that long, slow look at Gordon Cole in his computer room, I was terrified that Diane was going to kill him before his reunion with Cooper. Unfairness is out of character in Lynch’s work, but anything can happen this close to the end of the series.

Audrey is officially confirmed to exist in some kind of alternate reality! I’m still banking on this being a coma or a mental health thing, possibly attributed to her being raped and impregnated by Bad Coop while she was in the hospital. That can’t possibly be good for you. I’m relieved that Audrey didn’t actually end up as a trampled version of her former self, trapped in a toxic relationship with a tiny egg man, but it’s clear that she’s still unable to escape from whatever is holding her hostage. It might be a Josie Packard thing where Audrey’s soul is physically stuck inside of an object. Maybe it’s that one
booth we keep seeing at The Roadhouse?

There is one thread that’s been dangling all season. Way back in “Part 1,” the Fireman told Lodge Coop to remember Richard and Linda. The prior of these names has already been identified in Richard Horne, but Linda’s identity still remains a mystery. It could possibly be that Linda is the wheelchairbound resident of the New Fat Trout Trailer Park that we see referenced in “Part 6,” but even if that’s the case, we still haven’t physically seen this character appear.

Next week is the two-part series finale, and things seem to be coming to a head.

Twin Peaks is the kind of series that has a ton of rewatching potential as Lynch’s work is heavily layered and tied together, so definitely consider revisiting the entire series before the finale next Sunday night

Part 16 No Knock, No Doorbell.jpg

******
“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 15

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twin_peaks_13Episode Titled: There’s Some Fear In Letting Go””

Director: David Lynch
Writers: Mark Frost, David Lynch
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Jay Aaseng, Joe Adler

Review by Mary Cox

After much theorizing about coffee and cherry pie, the key phrase that woke up Dougie Coop ended up being Gordon Cole’s name. Is Cooper trying to reenter the White Lodge through an electrical means? If so, is he finally going to get his shoes back? Who will protect him from the Mother now that Naido is on Earth?

Speaking of Naido, the collection of individuals in the Twin Peaks holding cells seems completely intentional. However, what possible situation could require an East London strong arm, an eyeless creature from another dimension, a corrupt cop, a drooly man who is heavily suggested to be Billy, and the number one falsetto songsmith in all of Twin Peaks? Fingers crossed we’re getting some kind of Josie and the Pussycats spinoff series. We also finally got confirmation that Audrey is the mother of Richard, but that’s hardly a surprise. What is weird is his acknowledgment that Audrey still has photographs of Agent Cooper in her home.

This series has a very unique way of replacing actors who couldn’t be in series or didn’t want to be.

We’ve already seen Sheriff Truman’s role rerouted, and The Man From Another Place/The Arm has been recast as a gigantic neuron, most likely due to his controversial comments and accusations towards Lynch. There have also been workarounds because of the deaths of characters, which we saw tonight with Phillip Jeffries being played by a gigantic tea kettle.

While a lot has been revealed directly in this episode, there’s still a ton of information right under the surface that you need to unpack in order to really understand. Remember the Jumping Man from Fire Walk With Me? That’s the guy with the long nose who appears inside the Convenience Store along with Bob and The Man From Another Place. In tonight’s episode, we got another glimpse of this character in a brief flash when Bad Coop is talking to Phillip Jeffries. If you revisit this footage and take some stills from it, you’ll discover that the blurred images of the Jumping Man are actually pictures of Sarah Palmer! Seriously, go check it out! This would perfectly explain Palmer’s odd behavior this season, along with her “unmasking” last week.

This theory also points to Sarah being the little girl who swallows the space bug in “Part 8” of the series. If we revisit the dates from the flashbacks of the show, everything matches up perfectly.

According to Mark Frost’s companion book, The Secret History of Twin Peaks, Palmer was born in 1945, which was the same year as the nuclear test in White Sands. The scene with the bug and the Woodsmen happens in 1954, when Palmer would have been nine years old, which matches up with the girl in the flashback. This makes more much more sense than the previous theory of Sarah being Bob
himself.

There were other cute moments in this episode, such as the conclusion of the drama between Big Ed, Norma, and Nadine. There were also more seemingly pointless banter between Audrey and Charlie.

Most importantly, Lynch gave us the heavy, tearful goodbye to the Log Lady that now deceased actor Catherine Coulson truly deserved.

The Body Electric

******
“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 14

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twin_peaks_13.jpg“Part 14: We are Like the Dreamer”

Creators: Mark Frost, David Lynch
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Michael Horse

Review by Mary Cox

After a few particularly draggy episodes, tonight’s installment of Twin Peaks was all about action. Even though Part 14 was technically leaked when Sky aired the wrong episode last week, people who successfully managed to avoid spoilers have been decently rewarded for their wait. Fans who criticized the slow pace of past episodes will rejoice at how much actually happened tonight. Janey-E is Diane’s sister! Chad finally got thrown in jail! The Giant has a real name! Most importantly, the Twin Peaks PD have finally made it to Jack Rabbit’s palace. A vortex that was similar to the Woodsmen-filled portal seen by Gordon Cole appeared and temporarily kidnapped Sheriff Andy. After the Fireman laid a montage of truth on Andy, he and the other officers reappear in the woods in a manner that is incredibly similar to how the Woodsmen move between our world and
the Black Lodge. Between this sequence, the introduction of Freddie and his power glove, and Naimo’s arrival on Earth, it seems like the Fireman trying to assemble a team to combat the forces of the Black Lodge.

Something serious is up with Sarah Palmer. Between the visual reference to the ceiling fan, which we know is an established link to Bob, and last week’s boxing loop, it’s no surprise at all that Sarah Palmer went straight up Mike Tyson on that guy. We’re also seeing a parallel between Laura in the Red Room and Sarah in our world. It’s been heavily implied that Laura was engineered in what is almost a Messiah narrative to be the anti-Bob, and Sarah’s literal unmasking reinforces that theory.

However, not everything has been sorted out. There are still a considerable amount of untied loose ends. In another chapter of the Billy/Tina drama (that seems to be connected to much more of the story than we originally thought) we learn that Tina’s daughter saw Billy bleeding from the nose and mouth before he disappeared. We’re only four episodes away from the grand finale of this series, and it’s only a matter of time before all of the paths in this series finally cross. Once again, all roads lead to the Roadhouse.
 

We are Like the Dreamer

******
“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 03 – EPISODE 13

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twin_peaks_13.jpg“Part 13: What Story is that, Charlie?”

Picks up 25 years after the inhabitants of a quaint northwestern town are stunned when their homecoming queen is murdered.

Creators: Mark Frost, David Lynch
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Michael Horse

Review by Mary Cox

Tonight’s episode was all about looping energy and repeating patterns. This is the most obvious in our return to the Palmer household, but it’s present in other scenes. If you revisit Sonny Jim’s gym set scene, you’ll notice that the footage of him playing is looped as well.

After a cutesy conga line with the Mitchum Bros., Good Coop narrowly avoids being poisoned and continues with his obsession over cherry pie. Bad Coop wins an arm wrestling contest, the Owl Cave Ring makes its first appearance in the new season, and Phillip Jeffries is back in the game. Audrey’s character has flipped from a confident, embittered harpy to a weakwilled, terrified child. Watching her rapidly cycle between aggression and learned helplessness makes you wonder: what the hell happened to her? Is Audrey possibly even still in a coma?

Holy shit. The Roadhouse. Some people seem to think that Lynch’s stunning choice to feature James Hurley’s “Just You (and I)” is a part of a larger commentary about toxic nostalgia, and about unnecessary returns to twenty year-old TV shows or film franchises. Certainly, last week’s episode where Lynch, as FBI Director Gordon Cole, stares right at us with a shiteating grin as a French woman does nothing for close to five minutes, would support this theory. Cooper being reduced to a goofy shell of himself who obsesses over coffee and pie also adds evidence here.

However, thinking that Lynch is somehow sneering at his fans seems to totally ignore the notion the level of detail and craftsmanship put into this series. Lynch recorded the Log Lady scenes even before Season 3 was greenlit. Mark Frost’s companion book, The Secret History of Twin Peaks, is incredibly well thought-out and is rich in detail and nuance. There’s no way he’s making this series just to laugh at the people who love his work

******
“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – S03 E12 – LET’S ROCK

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lets rock1.jpgDirector: David Lynch
Writers: Mark Frost
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Elizabeth Anweis, Chrysta Bell

Review by Mary Cox

This season of Twin Peaks is another testimony to Lynch’s commitment to diegetic sound and to silence. Every episode ending with a performance at the Roadhouse is an obvious example of how Lynch uses diegetic music in his work, but the previous two seasons played with this (in an arguably less successful way) through moments such as James’ weird and unnecessary performance of “Just You.” Silence is just as important as diegetic sound for Lynch when it comes to building tension in his scenes. Some of the more long and drawn-out moments from this episode, such as the exit of Gordon’s French Woman, are set against an empty audio backdrop to really highlight and exacerbate our feelings of frustration.

Lynch did decide to cut us a break with the dynamic return of Audrey Horne, although her interaction with her soon-to-be ex-husband still heavily plays into the theme of impatience and waiting that we’ve seen throughout the rest of the episode. While most of the characters are somewhat the same as they were twenty-five years ago, Audrey has evolved from a shit-stirring schoolgirl into a viciously unhappy adult. The true identity of “Billy” clearly is a mystery, but one thing that we do know for sure is that he’s not the same person as Richard Horne. There’s been no clear explanation as to how Audrey escaped from her coma, but we do learn from Benjamin Horne that Richard never had a father. This definitely provides evidence to the theory that Richard is actually the son of Bob Cooper, who we know was seen exiting Audrey’s hospital room towards the end of the second season.

After Grace Zabriskie gave us another incredible performance as Sarah Palmer in her stunning supermarket meltdown, the scene between Hank and Sarah has a small detail that you might not have caught initially. It’s worth mentioning that the new season of Twin Peaks is definitely more connected to Fire Walk With Me than you might think. When Hank visits Sarah’s house, we get a quick shot of the infamous ceiling fan that we know is heavily symbolic of Bob/Leland’s abuse of Laura. When we connect this particular imagery to the unusual sounds coming from inside Sarah’s house, it’s possible to interpret that there’s still some connection to Bob or to the Black Lodge inside the Palmer residence.

The theme of tonight’s episode, as well as within the the last few episodes in general, is a criticism of impatience, and a meditation on the notion that “good things come to those who wait.” We’ve seen this motif in past episodes, such as in Part 11’s screaming woman in traffic, and the Mitchum Brother’s frustration with Candie in Part 10. This depiction of impatience has continued in Part 12 through Albert’s frustration at Gordon over his long goodbye with the French Woman, and through Audrey’s temper tantrum while her ex-husband is on the phone. Even Hutch and Chantal’s conversation about killing the Warden comes back to not wanting to drag things out.

We have also seen patience be rewarded. In Part 9, Betty Briggs is rewarded for waiting a quarter of a century to give Major Briggs’ capsule to Bobby and the other Sheriffs. The Mitchum Brothers are rewarded with 30 million dollars (and a cherry pie) by showing patience in Part 11. As fans of the series, we all are desperate to know the truth about the Black and White lodges, and to see Cooper make a full return. Lynch knows how we feel, and is imploring us to show a little patience and to enjoy this series while it lasts. Like Gordon Cole says to Albert: there’s a fine Bordeaux right in front of you, so sit down and drink it.

lets rock2.jpg

******
“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”t

1977 Movie Review: ERASERHEAD, 1977

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MOVIE POSTERERASERHEAD, 1977 
Movie Reviews

Director: David Lynch

Stars: Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart and Judith Anna Roberts

Review by Russell Hill

SYNOPSIS:

A deranged man is forced to look after his strange-looking baby and struggles to cope with his own demons.

REVIEW:

David Lynch has always been an odd director. Turning narratives on their head, Lynch makes regular storylines seem unreal and not like anything which is based on reality. Take Blue Velvet for example – it’s a love story at first but weird and fantastical individuals appear throughout. Eraserhead is no different, especially as its imagery and storyline is more akin to Salvador Dali’s Un Chien Andalou.

Harry Spencer (Nance) lives in squalor. With an untidy apartment, Spencer leads a twisted existence. His strange girlfriend Mary (Stewart) informs him that she has given birth to a grotesque-looking child. Spencer and Mary struggle to cope looking after a deformed child and she leaves them both. Spencer tries to juggle his romantic feelings for the girl who lives opposite him with caring for his child. Will Spencer give into his rage and kill his child?

Eraserhead is certainly not for family viewing. Its use of strange imagery is similar to what might be in the psyche of a demented maniac. However, for adult viewers, it’s a fascinating film. As any new father learns, their baby can be terrifying. Although Eraserhead takes the metaphor to a completely different level, especially as the child doesn’t look human, one can sympathise with Spencer.

Lynch’s direction is sublime. Eraserhead was his first feature-length film and shows a truly great director in his infancy. The film touches on a subject which was very important to Lynch, especially as his own child had recently been born with clubbed feet. Although basing a character on his own personal life and turning it into an alien-like creature might be a step too far, the similarities are certainly evident.

Although it is an odd movie, Eraserhead is one of the best surreal films to have been made in the past fifty years. It isn’t surprising that it has been likened to the work of Luis Bunuel and Last Year at Marienbad because it takes several viewings to fully appreciate.

eraserhead.jpg

TV REVIEW: TWIN PEAKS – SEASON 3 – EPISODE 10

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twin peaksTitled: Part 10: Laura is the One

Director: David Lynch
Writer: Mark Frost

A lot of missing pieces are finally starting to come together on this week’s installment of Twin Peaks. Even though we have a lot more information to work with now, more questions have been raised than those that have been answered. Richard Horne, a certified bad dude who’s somehow involved with Chad and Red in moving drugs across the Canadian border, has now been established as the grandson of Benjamin and Sylvia Horne. After murdering Miriam, and arranging for Chad to intercept the letter she wrote to Sheriff Truman which detailed all of his crimes, Richard violently robs his grandmother and states his intention to flee the country.

Richard bears a striking resemblance to the only member of the Horne family who is currently missing from the series: Audrey. If Richard is Audrey’s son, that begs the question: where is Audrey, and how did her son end up being such an asshole? The last time we saw Audrey was at the end of the previous season, when she was in a coma and was visited by Doppelganger Cooper. Technically, that could mean Bob (through the medium of Doppel Coop) is Richard’s father. Before this episode premiered, some people theorized that Audrey was actually the eccentric billionaire funding the box in New York that leads to the Black Lodge. The reveal that Richard is the grandson of Benjamin makes this slightly less likely in my book, but when it comes to David Lynch, all bets are off until we see something concrete.

Arguably, the best moment of the episode is shirtless Cooper at his doctor’s appointment. Anyone who doubted that Kyle MacLaughlan is still hot after two decades has been thoroughly proven wrong. Cooper also makes a good impression on Janey-E with those pythons he calls arms, and she seduces him in a simultaneously awkward and amazing sex scene. Despite his revitalized love life, Cooper has yet another problem heading his way. Duncan, who we know is working for Bad Coop in Vegas, is orchestrating a conspiracy to convince the casino-owning Mitchum Brothers that Dougie personally sabotaged their plan for insurance fraud.

Meanwhile, Jerry Horne is still high out of his mind in the woods. Is he on a spirit quest to find the entrance to the White Lodge? Or did he just make the rookie mistake of eating too many edibles? Speaking of the White Lodge, Bobby and Truman were noticeably absent from this week’s episode. We do get a moment with Hawk as he speaks on the phone to the Log Lady, who presents a cryptic message, including the episode’s tagline, “Laura is the one.” This premonition, paired with Gordon’s sudden vision of Laura, seems like it’s foreshadowing the return of Laura Palmer.

The construct of time is something that Lynch likes to play with in his work. Even with the established flashbacks that show nuclear testing in the 1940s, I’m not sure that we’re always seeing events in chronological order in this season. The question is presented to us on multiple occasions throughout the series: is it future, or is it past? One thing I’d like to point out is tonight’s performance at the Roadhouse was by Rebekah Del Rio, who previously fulfilled a similar role in Lynch’s masterpiece, Mulholland Drive. In that film, Del Rio’s performance of Llorando, a Spanish version of Roy Orbinson’s Crying, is the dividing point between the fantasy and reality of the film.

Is the Roadhouse a parallel for Club Silencio? It’s absolutely no coincidence that Del Rio is performing in a black and white zigzag dress against a red curtain background, evoking imagery of the Black Lodge itself. Is this episode going to be the line between the illusion and reality of Twin Peaks? We won’t know until next week.

******

“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”