Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me [Blu-ray] (1992)

This is a review of the Criterion edition from late 2022.Laura Palmer dominated the Twin Peaks TV series. Her murder was supposed to be the trigger for plucky Special Agent Dale Cooper and Sheriff Harry S Truman to delve into the many dark secrets of the eponymous northwestern town, but even in death Laura somehow became the main character in the series. There was something extraordinary about Sheryl Lee in those fleeting moments she had early in the series and in the character painfully portrayed in Jennifer Lynch's unflinching Secret Diary that led to Laura becoming the main character, dominating the series even in her absence, a little like Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. It quickly becomes clear in the TV show that when Laura's killer is revealed, the show struggles to find a new path. Ultimately, the path it found after fatally drifting for several weeks led to the Black Lodge and back to Laura Palmer.When the film was first announced as a prequel, there was palpable sense of disappointment, even in the pre-internet age. People wanted a resolution to the cliffhanger at the end of season two. Nevertheless, we got a film that was mostly prequel, with fleeting flashes to events after season two. The film was unfairly pilloried at the time, in part because David Lynch controversially won the Palme d'Or at Cannes a couple of years earlier for Wild at Heart. I saw it at the cinema the day it was released, catching the first screening after morning lectures.The critical mauling the film received was tragic, because Fire Walk With Me is a masterpiece. It's painful, terrifying, heartbreaking and uplifting. After an investigation into a similar murder - of a girl called Teresa Banks - a year before the TV show, we witness the horrors of the last week in the life of Laura Palmer and how the death of Teresa Banks ties into Laura's life. Abused since the age of 12, moonlighting as a prostitute, addicted to drugs, Laura is an innocent under persistent psychic attack by a demonic entity called BOB. BOB has been in possession of someone else's body for years, using the body to assault her and now wants to possess Laura's body. Laura can't see who it is that BOB is possessing in these attacks, but an intervention by a sinister old lady and her 'nephew' lead her to make a sickening discovery. Increasingly BOB possesses Laura, coming to the fore in one terrifying scene when Laura visits her agoraphobic friend, Harold. We know where the film is heading, but that doesn't stop the journey being worthwhile. Sheryl Lee is incredible as Laura - a complex mess of teenage angst; manipulative, destructive, self destructive and cruel, yet somehow noble, kind and desperate, trying to find a way out of the darkness. You can't help but love her. Moira Kelly (replacing Lara Flynn Boyle) as Laura's innocent schoolfriend Donna is given a new slant as Laura drags her into her (Laura's) world. Kyle MacLachlan briefly appears as Cooper, but many TV series cast members are absent.The film looks wonderful on Blu-ray in a modern transfer approved by David Lynch. This is the same transfer used on the Complete Mystery set from a few years ago. However that set had considerable audio sync issues while this one is perfect. The soundtrack is excellent: clear dialogue and lots of audible low, eerie sounds to complement Angelo Badalmenti's score.The major part of the extra features is The Missing Pieces. This is 90 minutes of deleted and extended material cut from the film. Many scenes feature TV show regulars, such as the team at the Sheriff's Department - obviously Laura isn't dead yet, so these characters aren't really necessary at this point - and there's some lovely, irrelevant material with Jack Nance's Pete Martell and Joan Chen as Josie Packard. One scene in particular with Donna's family makes you look at Donna's parents in a whole new way. The image on The Missing Pieces is a bit weird immediately after watching the film. It seems to have been degrained and motion is so smooth that it resembles video at times. The look isn't unlike that of the more recent third season, so this might well be deliberate. Similarly, the sound mix is much more minimalist, akin to the latest series. The Missing Pieces are now an essential part of the saga, though, and a couple of scenes are directly referenced in the new series.Add to that some interviews and it's a very nice package indeed. If you have the Complete Mystery set, you might want to skip this release as unnecessary, although I believe the film deserves its own place with original poster art on a film collection's shelf, rather than buried away in a box set.It's a film that defies genre definition: part neo-noir, part family drama, part crime thriller, part horror film, part black comedy. It's of the best examples of a film based on a televison series ever made: it treads new ground, it introduces new characters and adds new layers to existing ones, while expanding the world we've come to know thus far. This film reveals the dark heart of the series that no network TV show in 1990 could. A very highly recommended release.

Attempting to critique this is difficult. most of the things it deals with are locked firmly in the psyche of David Lynch, and to contemplate understanding what certain scenes represent in the whole "Twin Peaks" universe would be foolish. This is essential viewing for any fan of the TV show and especially anyone thinking of watching "Twin Peaks: The Return" as several parts of this are relevant to the ongoing story.It was openly mocked when it was originally released but time and the creative essence that Lynch had with this has made this movie beyond criticism. As a stand alone movie, it is fragmented and confusing with stand out performances by the principal cast, but this will never be a stand alone movie. it is far more central to the Twin Peaks story than any single episode of the series and does do a good job filling in the missing peices of Laura Palmer's life and offering a few secrets about the outcome of the third season. It leaves you with a sense of dread as you witness the decline of a teenager as she slips into drugs and prostitution in the small rural town, but Lynch is never that simple

The film: one of David Lynch's best (and Mark Kermode's favourite). It's actually a very sad story of abuse and victim's resulting spiral - very brave. The leading actress's portrayal is emotionally draining, both for her and the viewer - but an absolute must-see if you loved the series. In fact, let's face it, a review of the film here is pointless, because you shouldn't be even considering watching the film if you haven't seen and remembered the series (preferably seen it recently), and if you've done that then you'll be a fan so will want to watch the film anyway. So I'll stop.As such, all you need to know is that this is a good production of the film. However, please note that it does not contain the 90 minutes additional material that the most recent box set does (Twin Peaks - The entire mystery). As such, I'd recommend that you get that instead (thus the docked star).

The film was very good and this was set just prior to the series. This film is typically David lynch at his best and is a bit of strange film. You will not understand the film if you have not seen the series.....yet saying that this film is set prior to the series. Defiantly an 18 rating. There is no point in me talking about the film apart from me saying that its about the fbi investigating a serial killer linked to the occult realm which is the main theme of the series so that I don't spoil it for you. It does have some funny bits in it like the fbi agent with the hearing aid which is in the series anyway. So again you must have seen the series to understand it.

Even if you already own the Region 2 version of Fire Walk With Me, it's worth obtaining a copy of the Region 1 version as well, if you have a DVD player that will play Region 1 DVDs.For two reasons: 1) On the US release there is a 30 minute feature not on the R2 version, catching up with the cast and crew from the series and the film, in 2000. 2) The US release has the option of subtitles throughout, which are essential for some scenes in the film where it's just not possible to understand the dialogue. I am not thinking of the Paradise Club scene, where subtitles are provided anyway, but the scene where the One Armed Man confronts Leland Palmer when he's driving with Laura and the scene where Laura meets up with James at the school early on in the movie.I hope one day there will be a release with all the deleted scenes I have heard so much about, particularly those featuring characters from the TV series that were cut from the final version of the film.